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SCRIPTURE: Revelation 21SHOW NOTES: For encouragement on your spiritual journey, we invite you to visit our ministry website, Discover God's Truth, where you can access additional resources to enrich your Walk with God. God originally created the earth and heaven to be our everlasting home. But sin and death entered the world, turning the earth into a place of rebellion."Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Revelation 21:1-2 The subtitle of the Holy City, “the new Jerusalem,” raises a question. The "old" Jerusalem was also called the "holy city" and described as a "bride" in Isaiah 52 and 61. Since the Jerusalem from above is the "new" Jerusalem, we can infer that it is somehow connected to the old one, meaning the new is the old renewed."And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." Revelation 21:5-6God offers each of us a choice. Will you choose to drink from salvation's spring, the water of life? Those who accept His invitation and remain loyal to Christ as overcomers will inherit all the new things in the city of God. They will be God's children, and He will be their Father.SONG: "All Things New" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAM5biaV3Xs&list=RDJAM5biaV3Xs&start_radio=1
Jordon GilmoreKey ScriptureExodus 20:17“You shall not covet…”Unlike earlier commandments that prohibit actions, this commandment targets thoughts, desires, and heart postureIt addresses how we:View ourselvesView othersView what we have and what we lackWhat It Means to CovetCoveting = an unhealthy desire or lust for what God has given to someone else, or has not yet ordained for youIt begins in the heart, not behaviorOften fueled by comparison, which steals joyWhy This Matters TodayCovetousness is deeply natural—even visible in childrenSocial media intensifies it:We covet what others displayWe also project images designed to make others covetThis commandment forces heart-level examination in both directionsWhat Overflows from a Covetous HeartEnvy and jealousyDiscontentment and complainingMisaligned prayers driven by comparisonA violation of Jesus' command to love your neighbor as yourselfTwo Guardrails Against CovetingHumility (When Receiving Praise)1 Peter 5:5–6God resists the proud, gives grace to the humbleWe don't seek exaltation—God does it in His timeContentment (When Wanting More)Hebrews 13:5 — Be content; God is presentPhilippians 4:11–13 — Contentment in plenty or need1 Timothy 6:6–8 — Godliness with contentment is great gain“I can do all things” is about contentment, not self-promotionThree Common Ways We Encounter Covetousness1. Through AmbitionAmbition can be healthy or sinfulThe key question: Why do I want to advance?Kingdom ambition produces prayer and gratitude—not resentment2. Through Discontentment and EnvyDiscontentment = dissatisfaction with where God has placed usLeads to envy when we overvalue others' blessingsTwo root problems:Wrong perspective — we can't see clearlyWrong valuation — undervaluing what God has given usJesus' warning (Luke 12:15)Life does not consist in possessions3. Through Scarcity & Domination ThinkingBelief that life is a zero-sum game:If you win, I loseLeads to unhealthy competition, control, and fearPhilippians 4:19 — God supplies all needs from His richesGod is limitless, not scarceHeart-Level DiagnosisCovetousness often reveals:Distrust in GodUngratefulnessMisplaced ambitionWrong perspective and valuationFear that there isn't “enough” to go aroundJesus: The Ultimate ExampleTempted with power, riches, and gloryResisted covetousness because He knew what He already had:A perfect relationship with the FatherTrue contentment flows from valuing God above everything elseFinal TakeawaysRun your race—don't measure your life by othersGuard your ambition, perspective, and desiresRoot out covetousness before it takes holdSeek first the kingdomTrust the God of more than enough
Jordon GilmoreMessage FocusA pause in the Law of Christ series to reflect on God's preparationTransitioning from 2025 into 2026Theme: God uses seasons of preparation to ready us for what's nextKey ScripturePhilippians 1:6God finishes what He startsWe are all in process until Christ returnsWhether or not we hit our goals, God is still workingReframing the YearWe often measure years by:Goals accomplishedResolutions keptVision boards fulfilledNew question to ask:What did I face that I didn't plan for?How did God prepare me through it?Disappointment over unmet goals can blind us to hidden preparationPreparation Is God's PatternGod prepares us not just for next year—but for:Future assignmentsGenerational impactLong-term fruit2025 may have been preparation for something far beyond 2026Biblical Examples of Preparation1. Moses — God Places the Gift FirstActs 7:23–36Core TruthGod already places the good stuff inside usPreparation is about shaping character, not creating giftsMoses' PreparationGift present early: justice & deliverer's heartProblem: lacked character, patience, confidence40 years in Midian taught him:Spiritual counsel (Jethro)Responsibility (husband & father)Shepherding (leading people)God refined what was already inside himTakeawayFailing to submit to preparation is one way we rob GodGifts require development to carry their weightIllustration — The Yo-YoWanting the gift without learning the process leads to frustrationGod teaches steps before successSkipping preparation results in burnout and disappointment2. David — Preparation Is Humbling1 Samuel 16–18Core TruthPreparation is often:UndignifiedHiddenHumblingDavid's JourneyAnointed king → sent back to the fieldsDefeats Goliath → still not kingServes Saul → becomes Saul's enemy15 years of preparation before the throneWhat David LearnedRespect for God-ordained authorityTrust in God's protectionAccountabilityFaithfulness without recognitionKey InsightGod often prepares us outside the spotlightSocial media makes waiting harder—but waiting builds depth3. Paul — Preparation Produces BoldnessActs 9Core TruthFaithful preparation leads to confidence and boldnessPaul's ProcessDramatic conversion on Damascus RoadThen three years of preparationDeveloped:Confidence in callingBoldness in messageWisdom to address his pastTakeawayYou can't step out boldly if you haven't been prepared quietlyFinal TakeawaysGod has already placed gifts inside youPreparation can feel slow, humbling, and unseenFaithful preparation produces confidence when the time comesDon't resent your season—learn from it
What's the process for good, wise decisions? Chip lays out 4 ways to help children evaluate circumstances and make choices they'll be glad they made.Transferable Concept #4: Teach them to make WISE choices.A theology of holinessGod is high and holy, “TOTALLY other.” -Rev 4:8-11God is absolute TRUTH. -Jn 14:6God's WORD defines absolute truth. -Jn 17:17God's LAW (morals) are for our protection. -Ps 119God's ultimate aim is to make us HOLY. -Rom 8:29Old Testament roots -Ex 3:5-6; Is 6:1-8Biblical profiles: Moses, StephenNew Testament command: 1 Pt 1:15-16Help them learn to make wise choices:1. Encourage them to saturate their minds with the TRUTH. The Bible, great books, videos-Rom 8:5-8, Jn 8:322. Encourage them to HANG OUT with wise, godly people. -Pr 13:203. Model for them how to ASK GOD for discernment and wisdom. -Ph 1:9-11, Jas 1:54. Teach them to monitor their EXPOSURE to the media.-Rom 12:2Life message: Holy living allows you to experience God's BEST for your life.Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesYear End MatchDouble Your Gift TodayMinistry ReportAdditional ResourcesChristmas GiftsConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What's the process for good, wise decisions? Chip lays out 4 ways to help children evaluate circumstances and make choices they'll be glad they made.Transferable Concept #4: Teach them to make WISE choices.A theology of holinessGod is high and holy, “TOTALLY other.” -Rev 4:8-11God is absolute TRUTH. -Jn 14:6God's WORD defines absolute truth. -Jn 17:17God's LAW (morals) are for our protection. -Ps 119God's ultimate aim is to make us HOLY. -Rom 8:29Old Testament roots -Ex 3:5-6; Is 6:1-8Biblical profiles: Moses, StephenNew Testament command: 1 Pt 1:15-16Help them learn to make wise choices:1. Encourage them to saturate their minds with the TRUTH. The Bible, great books, videos -Rom 8:5-8, Jn 8:322. Encourage them to HANG OUT with wise, godly people. -Pr 13:203. Model for them how to ASK GOD for discernment and wisdom. -Ph 1:9-11, Jas 1:54. Teach them to monitor their EXPOSURE to the media.-Rom 12:2Life message: Holy living allows you to experience God's BEST for your life.Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesYear End MatchDouble Your Gift TodayMinistry ReportAdditional ResourcesChristmas GiftsConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What's the process for good, wise decisions? Chip lays out 4 ways to help children evaluate circumstances and make choices they'll be glad they made.Transferable Concept #4: Teach them to make WISE choices.A theology of holinessGod is high and holy, “TOTALLY other.” -Rev 4:8-11God is absolute TRUTH. -Jn 14:6God's WORD defines absolute truth. -Jn 17:17God's LAW (morals) are for our protection. -Ps 119God's ultimate aim is to make us HOLY. -Rom 8:29Old Testament roots -Ex 3:5-6; Is 6:1-8Biblical profiles: Moses, StephenNew Testament command: 1 Pt 1:15-16Help them learn to make wise choices:1. Encourage them to saturate their minds with the TRUTH. The Bible, great books, videos -Rom 8:5-8, Jn 8:322. Encourage them to HANG OUT with wise, godly people. -Pr 13:203. Model for them how to ASK GOD for discernment and wisdom. -Ph 1:9-11, Jas 1:54. Teach them to monitor their EXPOSURE to the media.-Rom 12:2Life message: Holy living allows you to experience God's BEST for your life.Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesYear End MatchDouble Your Gift TodayMinistry ReportAdditional ResourcesChristmas GiftsConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
Kids facing a big decision? Teach them how to evaluate their options. Helping them choose wisely saves years of heartache and pain.Transferable Concept #4: Teach them to make WISE choices.A theology of holinessGod is high and holy, “TOTALLY other.” -Rev 4:8-11God is absolute TRUTH. -Jn 14:6God's WORD defines absolute truth. -Jn 17:17God's LAW (morals) are for our protection. -Ps 119God's ultimate aim is to make us HOLY. -Rom 8:29Old Testament roots -Ex 3:5-6; Is 6:1-8Biblical profiles: Moses, StephenNew Testament command: 1 Pt 1:15-16Help them learn to make wise choices:1. Encourage them to saturate their minds with the TRUTH. The Bible, great books, videos -Rom 8:5-8, Jn 8:322. Encourage them to HANG OUT with wise, godly people. -Pr 13:203. Model for them how to ASK GOD for discernment and wisdom. -Ph 1:9-11, Jas 1:54. Teach them to monitor their EXPOSURE to the media.-Rom 12:2Life message: Holy living allows you to experience God's BEST for your life.Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesYear End MatchDouble Your Gift TodayMinistry ReportAdditional ResourcesChristmas GiftsConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
Kids facing a big decision? Teach them how to evaluate their options. Helping them choose wisely saves years of heartache and pain.Transferable Concept #4: Teach them to make WISE choices.A theology of holinessGod is high and holy, “TOTALLY other.” -Rev 4:8-11God is absolute TRUTH. -Jn 14:6God's WORD defines absolute truth. -Jn 17:17God's LAW (morals) are for our protection. -Ps 119God's ultimate aim is to make us HOLY. -Rom 8:29Old Testament roots -Ex 3:5-6; Is 6:1-8Biblical profiles: Moses, StephenNew Testament command: 1 Pt 1:15-16Help them learn to make wise choices:1. Encourage them to saturate their minds with the TRUTH. The Bible, great books, videos -Rom 8:5-8, Jn 8:322. Encourage them to HANG OUT with wise, godly people. -Pr 13:203. Model for them how to ASK GOD for discernment and wisdom. -Ph 1:9-11, Jas 1:54. Teach them to monitor their EXPOSURE to the media.-Rom 12:2Life message: Holy living allows you to experience God's BEST for your life.Broadcast ResourceDownload Free MP3Message NotesYear End MatchDouble Your Gift TodayMinistry ReportAdditional ResourcesChristmas GiftsConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
Genesis 創世紀 15:1-6God made great promises to Abram. Hebrews 11 says Abram did not receive those promises while he lived. What, then, is the value of faith? What did Abram gain? What do you gain when you trust the promises of God?神給了亞伯蘭極大的應許。希伯來書11章告訴我們：亞伯蘭在世的日子，並沒有得著那些應許的成就。那麼，信心的價值在哪裡？亞伯蘭到底得著了什麼？當你信靠神的應許，你又得著什麼？
What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you imagine Him to be? Your answers to these questions are the most important thing about you. Chip explores how our perception of God radically alters our view of reality.The importance of this study:“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy“We tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the HolyHow to see the real God, with 20/20 vision:Three facts to consider:God is not LIKE YOU! -Isaiah 40:25-28, Romans 11:33-36Left to ourselves, we tend to REDUCE God to MANAGEABLE TERMS! -Romans 1:21-23, Exodus 32:1-6God can only be known as He REVEALS HIMSELF to us! Through:NATURE -Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20HIS WORD -John 1:1-4, 5:37-40JESUS, His SON -John 1:14-18, Hebrews 1:1-3One question for you:What must I do to see the real God and He really is?Answer:SEEK HIM -Jeremiah 29:11-14aHow?Proverbs 2:1-5Broadcast ResourceThe Real God ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsDaily DiscipleshipA.W. Tozer - The Knowledge of the HolyConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What comes to your mind when you think about God? Your mental picture of Him is the most important thing about you. Chip reveals how our understanding of who God is affects every single aspect of our lives.The importance of this study:“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy“We tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the HolyHow to see the real God, with 20/20 vision:Three facts to consider:God is not LIKE YOU! -Isaiah 40:25-28, Romans 11:33-36Left to ourselves, we tend to REDUCE God to MANAGEABLE TERMS! -Romans 1:21-23, Exodus 32:1-6God can only be known as He REVEALS HIMSELF to us! Through:NATURE -Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20HIS WORD -John 1:1-4, 5:37-40JESUS, His SON -John 1:14-18, Hebrews 1:1-3One question for you:What must I do to see the real God and He really is?Answer:SEEK HIM -Jeremiah 29:11-14aHow?Proverbs 2:1-5Broadcast ResourceThe Real God ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsDaily DiscipleshipA.W. Tozer - The Knowledge of the HolyConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What comes to your mind when you think about God? Your mental picture of Him is the most important thing about you. Chip reveals how our understanding of who God is affects every single aspect of our lives.The importance of this study:“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy“We tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the HolyHow to see the real God, with 20/20 vision:Three facts to consider:God is not LIKE YOU! -Isaiah 40:25-28, Romans 11:33-36Left to ourselves, we tend to REDUCE God to MANAGEABLE TERMS! -Romans 1:21-23, Exodus 32:1-6God can only be known as He REVEALS HIMSELF to us! Through:NATURE -Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20HIS WORD -John 1:1-4, 5:37-40JESUS, His SON -John 1:14-18, Hebrews 1:1-3One question for you:What must I do to see the real God and He really is?Answer:SEEK HIM -Jeremiah 29:11-14aHow?Proverbs 2:1-5Broadcast ResourceThe Real God ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsDaily DiscipleshipA.W. Tozer - The Knowledge of the HolyConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you imagine Him to be? Your answers to these questions are the most important thing about you. Chip explores how our perception of God radically alters our view of reality.The importance of this study: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy“We tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the HolyHow to see the real God, with 20/20 vision:Three facts to consider:God is not LIKE YOU! -Isaiah 40:25-28, Romans 11:33-36Left to ourselves, we tend to REDUCE God to MANAGEABLE TERMS! -Romans 1:21-23, Exodus 32:1-6God can only be known as He REVEALS HIMSELF to us! Through:NATURE -Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20HIS WORD -John 1:1-4, 5:37-40JESUS, His SON -John 1:14-18, Hebrews 1:1-3One question for you:What must I do to see the real God and He really is?Answer:SEEK HIM -Jeremiah 29:11-14aHow?Proverbs 2:1-5Broadcast ResourceThe Real God ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsDaily DiscipleshipA.W. Tozer - The Knowledge of the HolyConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you imagine Him to be? Your answers to these questions are the most important thing about you. Chip explores how our perception of God radically alters our view of reality.The importance of this study: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy“We tend, by a secret law of the soul, to move toward our mental image of God.” -A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the HolyHow to see the real God, with 20/20 vision:Three facts to consider:God is not LIKE YOU! -Isaiah 40:25-28, Romans 11:33-36Left to ourselves, we tend to REDUCE God to MANAGEABLE TERMS! -Romans 1:21-23, Exodus 32:1-6God can only be known as He REVEALS HIMSELF to us! Through:NATURE -Psalm 19:1-2, Romans 1:19-20HIS WORD -John 1:1-4, 5:37-40JESUS, His SON -John 1:14-18, Hebrews 1:1-3One question for you:What must I do to see the real God and He really is?Answer:SEEK HIM -Jeremiah 29:11-14aHow?Proverbs 2:1-5Broadcast ResourceThe Real God ResourcesMessage NotesAdditional Resource MentionsDaily DiscipleshipA.W. Tozer - The Knowledge of the HolyConnect888-333-6003WebsiteChip Ingram AppInstagramFacebookTwitterPartner With UsDonate Online888-333-6003
Send us a textDiscover how God shapes us for His greater purpose through the lessons of the potter and the clay. Learn how He prepares the place, guides us through the process, works with vision, and calls us to respond!Focus Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6God prepares a place - The Potter's HouseGod puts us in a process - The Potter's WheelGod works on us with purpose - The Potter's VisionGod offers us a petition - The Potter's Question Joins us on Sundays! Our 9:15am worship experience takes place in-person only while our 11:15am is both in-person and online (via the DLC App & YouTube). Connect with us! https://www.discoverlifega.org Instagram & Facebook @ discoverlifega
Key Verses: Psalm 2:4-6God sees and knows the ones who are angry and plotting against him, but God isn't worried.
Driving in DFW earlier this week was rough - that fog was so thick, I could barely see a few feet ahead. I just had to take it one mile at a time, trusting the road was still there.Life feels like that sometimes. Where is this job going? What's next for my family? You can't always see what's ahead, but God promises to guide us.“Trust in the Lord with all your heart… in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5-6God doesn't always reveal the whole plan at once, but He never leaves us wandering. Like headlights in the fog, He gives just enough light for the next step. When we trust Him, leaning on His wisdom instead of our own, He leads us exactly where we need to go.
"For you are a holy people who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be His own special treasure!" Deuteronomy 7:6God highly prizes His people. Yes, it is impossible to say how highly He prizes them. Those are wondrous words, "For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own special treasure!" Psalm 135:4Did the shepherd prize his flock? God calls His people, "His flock, His beautiful flock." Does the miser prize his wealth? God says of His people, "You shall be a special treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine."Does the prince prize his jewels? God says of His people, "They shall be Mine, in that day when I make up My jewels!" Does the bridegroom prize his beloved and dearly purchased bride? It is written, "As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you!" Does the reigning monarch prize his crown? God has said, "You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God." What wondrous love, such expressions as these represent! How precious must the Lord's people be to Him! Truly they are His special treasure!God chose them to be special unto Himself. He chose them out from among others. He chose them in preference to others.He chose them out from others, on purpose that they may be a special people unto Himself. And in so doing, He acted FREELY. It was not on account of anything He saw in them, or on account of anything He expected from them; but in the exercise of His most free and holy sovereignty, He chose them to participate in the glory of His Son!In choosing them, He acted also
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.Isaiah 49:6b Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. 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 have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Psalm 95:1-7The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving *and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, *and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, *and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God,and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 461God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 971The Lord is King;let the earth rejoice; *let the multitude of the isles be glad.2Clouds and darkness are round about him, *righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.3A fire goes before him *and burns up his enemies on every side.4His lightnings light up the world; *the earth sees it and is afraid.5The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, *at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.6The heavens declare his righteousness, *and all the peoples see his glory.7Confounded be all who worship carved imagesand delight in false gods! *Bow down before him, all you gods.8Zion hears and is glad, and the cities of Judah rejoice, *because of your judgments, O Lord.9For you are the Lord,most high over all the earth; *you are exalted far above all gods.10The Lord loves those who hate evil; *he preserves the lives of his saintsand delivers them from the hand of the wicked.11Light has sprung up for the righteous, *and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted.12Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, *and give thanks to his holy Name. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 52:7-10A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Revelation 21:22-27A Reading from the Book of Revelation.And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Matt. 12:14-21A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew.But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayO God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.John 1:14 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. 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 have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Jubilate (Psalm 100)Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age.Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia. The PsalterPsalm 68:1-191Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *let those who hate him flee before him.2Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; *as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.3But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *let them also be merry and joyful.4Sing to God, sing praises to his Name;exalt him who rides upon the heavens; *Yhwh is his Name, rejoice before him!5Father of orphans, defender of widows, *God in his holy habitation!6God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; *but the rebels shall live in dry places.7O God, when you went forth before your people, *when you marched through the wilderness,8The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain,at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, *at the presence of God, the God of Israel.9You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; *you refreshed the land when it was weary.10Your people found their home in it; *in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.11The Lord gave the word; *great was the company of women who bore the tidings:12“Kings with their armies are fleeing away; *the women at home are dividing the spoils.”13Though you lingered among the sheepfolds, *you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver,whose feathers are like green gold.14When the Almighty scattered kings, *it was like snow falling in Zalmon.15O mighty mountain, O hill of Bashan! *O rugged mountain, O hill of Bashan!16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountain,at the hill which God chose for his resting place? *truly, the Lord will dwell there for ever.17The chariots of God are twenty thousand,even thousands of thousands; *the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai.18You have gone up on high and led captivity captive;you have received gifts even from your enemies, *that the Lord God might dwell among them.19Blessed be the Lord day by day, *the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsGen. 28:10-22A Reading from the Book of Genesis.Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Heb. 11:13-22A Reading from the Book of Hebrews.These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. John 10:7-17A Reading from the Gospel According to John.So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.John 1:14 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. 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 have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Jubilate (Psalm 100)Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age.Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia. The PsalterPsalm 46God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 48Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised; *in the city of our God is his holy hill.2Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, *the very center of the world and the city of the great King.3God is in her citadels; *he is known to be her sure refuge.4Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *and marched forward together.5They looked and were astounded; *they retreated and fled in terror.6Trembling seized them there; *they writhed like a woman in childbirth,like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.7As we have heard, so have we seen,in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; *God has established her for ever.8We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *in the midst of your temple.9Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world's end; *your right hand is full of justice.10Let Mount Zion be gladand the cities of Judah rejoice, *because of your judgments.11Make the circuit of Zion;walk round about her; *count the number of her towers.12Consider well her bulwarks;examine her strongholds; *that you may tell those who come after.13This God is our God for ever and ever; *he shall be our guide for evermore. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsaiah 26:1-9A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.” The path of the righteous is level; you make level the way of the righteous. In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul. My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. 2 Cor. 5:16-6:2A Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians.From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayAlmighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________Opening Words:The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God. 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 have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryLord, open our lips.And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. Venite (Psalm 95:1-7)Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him.Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. *Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!Our King and Savior now draws near: Come, let us adore him. The PsalterPsalm 45Eructavit cor meumBCP p. 647My heart is stirring with a noble song;let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.2You are the fairest of men; *grace flows from your lips,because God has blessed you for ever.3Strap your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior, *in your pride and in your majesty.4Ride out and conquer in the cause of truth *and for the sake of justice.5Your right hand will show you marvelous things; *your arrows are very sharp, O mighty warrior.6The peoples are falling at your feet, *and the king's enemies are losing heart.7Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;you love righteousness and hate iniquity.8Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *with the oil of gladness above your fellows.9All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.10Kings' daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *on your right hand is the queen,adorned with the gold of Ophir.11“Hear, O daughter; consider and listen closely; *forget your people and your father's house.12The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *he is your master; therefore do him honor.13The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *the rich among the people seek your favor.”14All glorious is the princess as she enters; *her gown is cloth-of-gold.15In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.16With joy and gladness they are brought, *and enter into the palace of the king.17“In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *you shall make them princes over all the earth.18I will make your name to be rememberedfrom one generation to another; *therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever.” Psalm 46Deus noster refugiumBCP p. 649God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. LessonsIsa. 35:1-10A Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Te Deum laudamusYou are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of deathand opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saintsto glory everlasting. Revelation 22:12-17,21A Reading from the Book of Revelation.“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Luke 1:67-80A Reading from the Gospel According to Luke.And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. Benedictus Dominus DeusBlessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; * he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty savior, * born of the house of his servant David.Through his holy prophets he promised of old, that he would save us from our enemies, * from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers * and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, * to set us free from the hands of our enemies, Free to worship him without fear, * holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, * for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation * by the forgiveness of their sins.In the tender compassion of our God * the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The Apostles CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersThe Lord be with you.And also with you.Let us pray.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Suffrages AV. Show us your mercy, O Lord;R. And grant us your salvation.V. Clothe your ministers with righteousness; R. Let your people sing with joy.V. Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;R. For only in you can we live in safety. V. Lord, keep this nation under your care;R. And guide us in the way of justice and truth.V. Let your way be known upon earth;R. Your saving health among all nations.V. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;R. Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.V. Create in us clean hearts, O God;R. And sustain us with your Holy Spirit. The CollectsCollect of the DayPurify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Daily Collects:A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceO Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day: Defend us by your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin nor run into any danger; and that, guided by your Spirit, we may do what is righteous in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Take a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. Collect of Saint BasilO Christ God, Who art worshipped and glorified at every place and time; Who art long-suffering, most merciful and compassionate; Who lovest the righteous and art merciful to sinners; Who callest all to salvation with the promise of good things to come: receive, Lord, the prayers we now offer, and direct our lives in the way of Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, purify our minds and deliver us from all affliction, evil and illness. Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guarded and instructed by their forces, we may reach unity of faith and the understanding of Thine unapproachable glory: for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. DismissalLet us bless the LordThanks be to God! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”- Proverbs 22:6God's Word tells us that children should be taught early how to live wisely and righteously, including how to handle money. Howard Dayton is here to explain why it's especially important to teach kids about the dangers of debt.Howard Dayton is the founder of Compass Financial Ministry and the former host of this program. He is also the author of a number of books on the topic of Christian Finance and Stewardship. The Little-Big Principle: Starting SmallThe Little-Big principle is based on Luke 16:10: “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.” This principle encourages parents to start small when teaching children about money. The idea is to give kids small amounts to manage, like nickels and dimes, and then gradually increase the amount as they prove responsible. Eventually, they'll be prepared to manage larger amounts of money.Parents should aim to steadily increase their children's financial responsibilities so that by the time they're seniors in high school, they're independently managing most of their finances, aside from essentials like food and shelter. They should also be as systematic in teaching children about money as schools teach them to read and write—starting with the basics and progressing over time.When children reach their junior year in high school, they should open a checking account and get a secured credit card. This allows them to learn critical skills, like reconciling budgets and paying off balances in full each month. Developing these habits early on can set them on a path to financial freedom and help them avoid debt throughout their lives.The MVP Parenting Method: Model, Verbalize, and Provide Practical OpportunitiesThe MVP method—modeling, verbal communication, and practical opportunities—is a very beneficial framework for teaching children about money. All three are essential for training children to be good stewards of God's resources.1. ModelingParents must lead by example. In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Children learn by watching their parents handle money wisely, so parents need to demonstrate sound financial stewardship. Whether budgeting, giving, or avoiding debt, children are more likely to adopt these habits when they see them modeled in everyday life.2. Verbal CommunicationThe Bible instructs us to teach our children about God's ways consistently. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 encourages parents to impress God's commandments upon their children and talk about them regularly. Parents should frequently discuss biblical financial principles with their kids, helping them understand how these truths apply to their own lives.3. Practical OpportunitiesGiving children opportunities to apply what they've learned is essential. Hands-on experiences help children understand the impact of debt in a tangible way.Resources for Financial DiscipleshipFor parents looking to dive deeper, Howard Dayton and Compass Financial Ministry offer a resource titled Financial Discipleship for Families: Intentionally Raising Faithful Children. This book provides more detailed guidance on teaching kids about finances from a biblical perspective and is available through Amazon or Compass Financial Ministry's website.Teaching kids about money doesn't happen overnight. It's a process that requires modeling good habits, consistent communication, and providing practical opportunities for them to learn. By applying the Little-Big principle and becoming MVP parents, you can equip your children with the financial wisdom they need to be faithful stewards of God's resources for a lifetime.For more tools and resources, visit Compass Financial Ministry at CompassFinancialMinistry.org. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I've had some health issues over the last seven months, and my kids would like me to move out to Washington State. I found a lovely condo that interests me, but it's a co-op. I didn't know much about co-ops, so I would like to know if you have any words of wisdom for me about what I should be aware of when considering a co-op property.For the past three years, I've been giving through the required minimum distribution (RMD) program. My church has been happy to receive these funds, but I'm still working. I was told you don't have to take the RMD if you're still working. Is that true?I have an IRA and retirement account to be divided equally between my three children. One of my children's spouses does not handle money well. Can I set up a trust for that child's portion to distribute according to my wishes when I pass away? My son, the executor, doesn't want to do this because he's concerned it could cause problems.I have an old revocable trust, over 40 years old, that no longer reflects my current situation. Is there any way I can get rid of this trust without going through many steps or spending a lot of money with an attorney?I'm 64 years old and considering end-of-life planning and documents. I want to ensure my affairs are in order and avoid probate when I'm gone. But the lawyers are quoting me $3,000 to $5,000 to get everything set up. Can I get this done more affordably without spending that much? I'm not great at paperwork, so I'm looking for an option that only requires a little DIY.Resources Mentioned:Compass Financial MinistryFinancial Discipleship for Families: Intentionally Raising Faithful Children by Brian C. HoltzSplitting Heirs: Giving Your Money and Things to Your Children Without Ruining Their Lives by Ron BlueBankrate.comLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.
Kendrick Lamar vs Aubrey Graham. Kung Fu Kenny vs Heartbreak Drake. K-Dot vs 6God. Mister Morale vs October's Very Own. Luis and X take a break from anime video games and movies just for this sudden filler episode. The greatest commercial rap battle just unfolded over the past month and it came to a head this over the weekend. Just not enough time in our What we're Reading, Watching, and Playing segment to hold all this excitement! Let us know if you want us to take more breaks from the Normn episodes, especially in this anime spring off season, and record more filler episodes. Also, in the poll, let us know who won the beef? Or from the future, who's winning if it's still ongoing!
Greetings, Leaders.Every great accomplishment, especially those of eternal value, starts with one small step in faith. When we walk with God, where we are now is a result of what we are willing to believe God can accomplish in and through us.Faith is trusting that God will honor His promises to those who believe.What do you sense God calling you to do?Listen to what He says, follow His instructions, and see the beautiful things He will do through you.Take the first step in faith. His promises always succeed."Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6God's power flows through us when we, in faith, commit to His leading and take the first step.You are pleasing to God when you trust Him."And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6Consider and apply these four steps.Request from God for His purpose and calling you to great things.Record what He is giving you as your vision. "Then the LORD answered me and said, 'Write down the vision and inscribe it clearly on tablets so that those who read it may run.'" Habakkuk 2:2Writing down what comes from hearing God ignites us with courage and confidence to go forward so that those who read it may run.Rehearse and memorize God's promises to all who trust in Him.The LORD says, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8Resolve to follow His instructions given step by step, keep going, and trust that He will accomplish more incredible things than we can imagine.Communicate what He has done for you to others so they will also trust God for greater things.Be encouraged by the outcome; King David records to inspire us."I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord." King David - Psalm 40:1-4 NLTVictory!
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________LentJesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”Mark 8:34 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. LentThe Lord is full of compassion and mery: Come let us adore him.Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!The Lord is full of compassion and mery: Come let us adore him. Psalm 68Exsurgat Deus1Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *let those who hate him flee before him.2Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; *as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.3But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *let them also be merry and joyful.4Sing to God, sing praises to his Name;exalt him who rides upon the heavens; *Yahweh is his Name, rejoice before him!5Father of orphans, defender of widows, *God in his holy habitation!6God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; *but the rebels shall live in dry places.7O God, when you went forth before your people, *when you marched through the wilderness,8The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain,at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, *at the presence of God, the God of Israel.9You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; *you refreshed the land when it was weary.10Your people found their home in it; *in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.11The Lord gave the word; *great was the company of women who bore the tidings:12“Kings with their armies are fleeing away; *the women at home are dividing the spoils.”13Though you lingered among the sheepfolds, *you shall be like a dove whose wings are covered with silver,whose feathers are like green gold.14When the Almighty scattered kings, *it was like snow falling in Zalmon.15O mighty mountain, O hill of Bashan! *O rugged mountain, O hill of Bashan!16Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountain,at the hill which God chose for his resting place? *truly, the Lord will dwell there for ever.17The chariots of God are twenty thousand,even thousands of thousands; *the Lord comes in holiness from Sinai.18You have gone up on high and led captivity captive;you have received gifts even from your enemies, *that the Lord God might dwell among them.19Blessed be the Lord day by day, *the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsGenesis 37:3-28English Standard Version3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.'” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.Genesis 37:36English Standard Version36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard. Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Penitence(Kyrie Pantokrator)O Lord and Ruler of the hosts of heaven, * God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,and of all their righteous offspring:You made the heavens and the earth, * with all their vast array.All things quake with fear at your presence; * they tremble because of your power.But your merciful promise is beyond all measure; * it surpasses all that our minds can fathom.O Lord, you are full of compassion, * long-suffering, and abounding in mercy.You hold back your hand; *you do not punish as we deserve.In your great goodness, Lord,you have promised forgiveness to sinners, * that they may repent of their sin and be saved.And now, O Lord, I bend the knee of my heart, * and make my appeal, sure of your gracious goodness.I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, * and I know my wickedness only too well.Therefore I make this prayer to you: * Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.Do not let me perish in my sin, * nor condemn me to the depths of the earth.For you, O Lord, are the God of those who repent, * and in me you will show forth your goodness.Unworthy as I am, you will save me, in accordance with your great mercy, * and I will praise you without ceasing all the days of my life.For all the powers of heaven sing your praises, * and yours is the glory to ages of ages. Amen. 1 Corinthians 9:15-27English Standard Version15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Third Sunday in Lent (Anglican Prayer Book)ALMIGHTY God, consider the sincere desires of your humble servants, we humbly pray, and stretch out the right hand of your power to defend us against our enemies; through Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________LentLet my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.Psalm 141:2 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 46Deus noster refugium1God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.Psalm 47Omnes gentes, plaudite1Clap your hands, all you peoples; *shout to God with a cry of joy.2For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *he is the great King over all the earth.3He subdues the peoples under us, *and the nations under our feet.4He chooses our inheritance for us, *the pride of Jacob whom he loves.5God has gone up with a shout, *the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.6Sing praises to God, sing praises; *sing praises to our King, sing praises.7For God is King of all the earth; *sing praises with all your skill.8God reigns over the nations; *God sits upon his holy throne.9The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *with the people of the God of Abraham.10The rulers of the earth belong to God, *and he is highly exalted. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsJeremiah 4:1-9English Standard Version4 “If you return, O Israel,declares the Lord, to me you should return.If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver,2 and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.”3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:“Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,“Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say,‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!'6 Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not,for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction.7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his placeto make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant.8 For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail,for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned back from us.”9 “In that day, declares the Lord, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. John 9:24-41English Standard Version24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,' your guilt remains. Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. First Sunday in Lent (BCP 1979)Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13
Integrity. We sometimes call it, “Honor,” or “Our Word.”If we say, “You have my word,” we wish for that person to believe us and trust us. Not just now, but in the future as well.Yet, Integrity is a difficult thing for young men to build in today's society. They are surrounded by peers, cultural icons, and even relatives who lie to “save their backsides.”The Bible says, “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” Proverbs 28:6God said we could believe His Word unto salvation and everlasting life. And if our young men are to follow in the Master's footsteps, then having integrity that mirrors their Master should be a priority. Not only for themselves, but for their posterity too.For information about raising your son into a godly man, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.
Message: The Gospel according to MatthewText: Matthew 6:25-32Believe GodDo you see the difference in believing in God and believing God?James 2:19Psalm 14:1Hebrews 11:6God can love more or less, do you believe He loves you more?
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EpiphanyAnd nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.Isaiah 60:3 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 46 Deus noster refugium1God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 47 Omnes gentes, plaudite1Clap your hands, all you peoples; *shout to God with a cry of joy.2For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *he is the great King over all the earth.3He subdues the peoples under us, *and the nations under our feet.4He chooses our inheritance for us, *the pride of Jacob whom he loves.5God has gone up with a shout, *the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.6Sing praises to God, sing praises; *sing praises to our King, sing praises.7For God is King of all the earth; *sing praises with all your skill.8God reigns over the nations; *God sits upon his holy throne.9The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *with the people of the God of Abraham.10The rulers of the earth belong to God, *and he is highly exalted. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsEzekiel 33:1-9 English Standard Version33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, 3 and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.7 “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. John 5:16-29 English Standard Version16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. Epiphany 3 (Anglican Prayer Book)ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our weaknesses and, in all dangers and needs, stretch out your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________EpiphanyAnd the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.Luke 2:10-11 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. EpiphanyThe Lord has shown forth his glory: Come let us adore him. Venite Psalm 95:1-7Come, let us sing to the Lord; *let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.For the Lord is a great God, *and a great King above all gods.In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also.The sea is his, for he made it, *and his hands have molded the dry land.Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker.For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! Psalm 46 Deus noster refugium1God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 100 Jubilate Deo1Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *serve the Lord with gladnessand come before his presence with a song.2Know this: The Lord himself is God; *he himself has made us, and we are his;we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.3Enter his gates with thanksgiving;go into his courts with praise; *give thanks to him and call upon his Name.4For the Lord is good;his mercy is everlasting; *and his faithfulness endures from age to age. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsIsaiah 60:1-9 English Standard Version60 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.4 Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you;your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.5 Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult,because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.6 A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will beautify my beautiful house.8 Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows?9 For the coastlands shall hope for me, the ships of Tarshish first,to bring your children from afar, their silver and gold with them,for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has made you beautiful.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. You are God(Te Deum laudamus)You are God: we praise you;You are the Lord: we acclaim you;You are the eternal Father:All creation worships you.To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,heaven and earth are full of your glory.The glorious company of apostles praise you.The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;Father, of majesty unbounded,your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father.When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory.We believe that you will come and be our judge.Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting. 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 English Standard Version4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. A Song of Praise(Benedictus es, Domine Song of the Three Young Men, 29-34)Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; * you are worthy of praise; glory to you.Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; * on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.Glory to you, beholding the depths; * in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; * we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesShow us your mercy, O Lord;And grant us your salvation.Clothe your ministers with righteousness;Let your people sing with joy.Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;For only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care;And guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon earth; Your saving health among all nations. Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten; Nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create in us clean hearts, O God; And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. EpiphanyO God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceO God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.A Collect for GraceLord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.For MissionAlmighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14
Support Common Prayer Daily @ PatreonVisit our Website for more www.commonprayerdaily.com_______________The Second Week of AdventThe glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.Isaiah 40:5 ConfessionOfficiant: Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.People: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws.We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is no health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen.Officiant: Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. The Lord's PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Invitatory & PsalmsOfficiant: O God, make speed to save us. People: O Lord, make haste to help us. Officiant & People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. O Gracious Light Phos hilaronO gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of life,and to be glorified through all the worlds. Psalm 46 Deus noster refugium1God is our refuge and strength, *a very present help in trouble.2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, *and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea;3Though its waters rage and foam, *and though the mountains tremble at its tumult.4The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.5There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, *the holy habitation of the Most High.6God is in the midst of her;she shall not be overthrown; *God shall help her at the break of day.7The nations make much ado, and the kingdoms are shaken; *God has spoken, and the earth shall melt away.8The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold.9Come now and look upon the works of the Lord, *what awesome things he has done on earth.10It is he who makes war to cease in all the world; *he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear,and burns the shields with fire.11“Be still, then, and know that I am God; *I will be exalted among the nations;I will be exalted in the earth.”12The Lord of hosts is with us; *the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Psalm 47 Omnes gentes, plaudite1Clap your hands, all you peoples; *shout to God with a cry of joy.2For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *he is the great King over all the earth.3He subdues the peoples under us, *and the nations under our feet.4He chooses our inheritance for us, *the pride of Jacob whom he loves.5God has gone up with a shout, *the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.6Sing praises to God, sing praises; *sing praises to our King, sing praises.7For God is King of all the earth; *sing praises with all your skill.8God reigns over the nations; *God sits upon his holy throne.9The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *with the people of the God of Abraham.10The rulers of the earth belong to God, *and he is highly exalted. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The LessonsIsaiah 10:5-7 English Standard VersionWoe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him,to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think;but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few;Isaiah 10:13-21For he says:“By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.My hand has found like a nest the wealth of the peoples;and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken, so I have gathered all the earth;and there was none that moved a wing or opened the mouth or chirped.”Shall the axe boast over him who hews with it, or the saw magnify itself against him who wields it?As if a rod should wield him who lifts it, or as if a staff should lift him who is not wood!Therefore the Lord God of hosts will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors,and under his glory a burning will be kindled, like the burning of fire.The light of Israel will become a fire, and his Holy One a flame,and it will burn and devour his thorns and briers in one day.The glory of his forest and of his fruitful land the Lord will destroy, both soul and body, and it will be as when a sick man wastes away.The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Mary - MagnificatMy soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; * for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant From this day all generations will call me blessed: * the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him * in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, * he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, * and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, * and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, * for he has remembered his promise of mercy, The promise he made to our fathers, * to Abraham and his children for ever.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as It was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Revelation 12:1-12 English Standard VersionAnd a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”Officiant: The Word of the LordPeople: Thanks be to God. The Song of Simeon - Nunc dimittisLord, you now have set your servant free * to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, * whom you have prepared for all the world to see: A Light to enlighten the nations, * and the glory of your people Israel.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. The CreedI believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The PrayersOfficiant: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.Officiant: Let us pray The SuffragesThat this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat you, O Lord.That your holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat you, O Lord.That there may be peace to your Church and to the whole world, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may depart this life in your faith and fear, and not be condemned before the great judgment seat of Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.That we may be bound together by your Holy Spirit in the communion of all your saints, entrusting one another and all our life to Christ, We entreat you, O Lord.Take a moment at this time to reflect and pray for the needs of others. The Second Week of AdventBlessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.A Collect for PeaceMost holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.A Collect for Aid against PerilsBe our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.For MissionKeep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. ThanksgivingsThe General ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.A Prayer of St. ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. ConclusionMay the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Romans 15:13
What's life like working for an NBA All-Star who just became the cornerstone of an upstart NBA Franchise. Tristan Forbes is the man responsible with the task of taking the brand of Houston Rocket's Star Fred VanVleet to a level we haven't seen before. We caught up with him to discuss the new life in H-Town, what went into his departure from the Raptors, and some key tips that have allowed him to be in the position he's in today. We recap memorable stops along the way, such as working with Serge Ibaka, which included a trip to Congo in 2019 fresh off the Raptors championship celebration, a trip to Greece that started it all with Xavier Rathan-Mayes, and some pieces of advice you won't get anywhere else. We also get some fun NBA roadtrip stories, touch on some golden era Canadian basketball, and of course we couldn't let the episode go by without getting a classic 6God story from one of Toronto's finest! Make sure you like and subscribe to the show, so you don't miss any episodes just like this one!
Deconstruction Week 4 - Why Did Jesus Have to Die? Léonce Crump (Senior Pastor of Renovation Church)Description:We all have questions about God and the Bible, but beneath all of them lies one crucial tension: Why did Jesus have to die? Once we have the answer, all the other doubts cease to be hurdles between us and Jesus. In the fourth and final week of Deconstruction, Léonce Crump (Senior Pastor of Renovation Church) tackles this fundamental question.—Message Notes: The Son of God loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23Whoever sins is a slave of sin. John 8:34You, therefore, have no excuse when you pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree…by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24We all, like sheep, have gone astray, we have turned – every one – to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6God was in Christ, reconciling the world [that is, you and me] to himself. 2 Corinthians 5:19If the Son sets you free you are free indeed. John 8:36The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7C. S. Lewis pointed out, if God's forgiven us and we refuse to forgive ourselves, it's like "setting ourselves up as a higher tribunal than God." The Son of God loved me and gave himself for me.—Helpful Links:For additional series resources, go to https://gethope.net/deconstruction/#moreIf you're new to Hope or looking to get connected, click here: https://gethope.net/next/If you've just made a decision to follow Christ, we'd love to connect with you here! https://touchpoint.gethope.net/OnlineReg/2048If you'd like to receive regular updates on what's happening around Hope, subscribe to our newsletter here: https://gethope.net/enews/Subscribe to Family Conversations for weekly prompts and resources: https://touchpoint.gethope.net/OnePageReg/2451To support this ministry financially to help us continue to love people where they are and encourage them to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ, click here: https://gethope.net/give/Subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/2XBbBxqStay Connected with Hope:Website: https://gethope.net/Hope Community Church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gethopecommunitychurch Hope Community Church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/get_hope/Hope Community Church Twitter: https://twitter.com/get_hopeHope Community Church YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/HopeCommunityChurchSubscribe to Our Podcast - Hope In Real Life YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HopeInRealLifeHope In Real Life Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eifzI0r9uY8rUaBMGs7q1Hope In Real Life Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hope-in-real-life-with-jason-gore/id1691710678?uo=4
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-3:24 (we won't read it again, but we will discuss it) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.2 Now the earth was without shape and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the watery deep, but the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water. 3 God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light! 4 God saw that the light was good, so God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” There was evening, and there was morning, marking the first day.6 God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate water from water.” 7 So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. It was so. 8 God called the expanse “sky.” There was evening, and there was morning, a second day.9 God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear.” It was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good.11 God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: plants yielding seeds and trees on the land bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds.” It was so. 12 The land produced vegetation—plants yielding seeds according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. God saw that it was good. 13 There was evening, and there was morning, a third day.14 God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years, 15 and let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” It was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night. He made the stars also. 17 God placed the lights in the expanse of the sky to shine on the earth, 18 to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. 19 There was evening, and there was morning, a fourth day.20 God said, “Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 21 God created the great sea creatures and every living and moving thing with which the water swarmed, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 There was evening, and there was morning, a fifth day.24 God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” It was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the cattle according to their kinds, and all the creatures that creep along the ground according to their kinds. God saw that it was good.26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”27 God created humankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them,male and female he created them.28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I now give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the entire earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the animals of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has living breath in it—I give every green plant for food.” It was so.31 God saw all that he had made—and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.1 The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation.4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created—when the Lord God made the earth and heavens.5 Now no shrub of the field had yet grown on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. 6 Springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. 7 The Lord God formed the man from the soil of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.8 The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow from the soil, every tree that was pleasing to look at and good for food. (Now the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were in the middle of the orchard.)10 Now a river flows from Eden to water the orchard, and from there it divides into four headstreams. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it runs through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is pure; pearls and lapis lazuli are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it runs through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it runs along the east side of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it. 16 Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.” 19 The Lord God formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam no companion who corresponded to him was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man's side and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,“This one at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;this one will be called ‘woman,'for she was taken out of man.”24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become one family. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.1 Now the serpent was shrewder than any of the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Is it really true that God said, ‘You must not eat from any tree of the orchard'?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit from the trees of the orchard; 3 but concerning the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the orchard God said, ‘You must not eat from it, and you must not touch it, or else you will die.'” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” 11 And the Lord God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.” 13 So the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman replied, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”14 The Lord God said to the serpent,“Because you have done this,cursed are you above all the cattleand all the living creatures of the field!On your belly you will crawland dust you will eat all the days of your life.15 And I will put hostility between you and the womanand between your offspring and her offspring;he will strike your head,and you will strike his heel.”16 To the woman he said,“I will greatly increase your labor pains;with pain you will give birth to children.You will want to control your husband,but he will dominate you.”17 But to Adam he said,“Because you obeyed your wifeand ate from the tree about which I commanded you,‘You must not eat from it,'the ground is cursed because of you;in painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,but you will eat the grain of the field.19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat fooduntil you return to the ground,for out of it you were taken;for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”20 The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. 21 The Lord God made garments from skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken. 24 When he drove the man out, he placed on the eastern side of the orchard in Eden angelic sentries who used the flame of a whirling sword to guard the way to the tree of life.Main ThemesInitial RemarksLet's Come Together (Finally!)If the last two weeks of the Bible study have been divisive, I hope that this week brings us all back together. During those two sessions, I suggested the possibility that the early chapters of Genesis are figurative. Nevertheless, I asserted repeatedly that they are true. Today, I want to focus on those truths embedded in the narrative. What is Genesis teaching us? And here's the surprising part: even if you adamantly disagree with me and believe the text is meant to be taken completely literally, or if you land somewhere in between, I think we will agree on the main lessons taught by the text. They stand mostly independently of the figurative versus literal debate.A Minimum Facts PresentationBefore we jump into the substantive portion of our discussion, I want to make one important clarification. The purpose of my dive into Genesis is to establish a Christian worldview. We are not engaging in an exhaustive exploration of every textual and theological issue. So, the discussion today will be a sort of “minimum facts” presentation. That is, I want to highlight the most basic lessons in the text with which virtually every Christian agrees. I will not delve into every possible conclusion that can be drawn from the text, although that would be very interesting. And, as always, participants are free to discuss anything I did not include in my presentation. So, again, the list below is not an exhaustive list of the points made by the first three chapters of Genesis, much less by the entire book. It is more of a “top four.”Genesis v/s Enuma ElishI think that a good way to explore the worldview presented by Genesis is to compare the biblical text to the Enuma Elish, the ancient Babylonian creation myth. (You can find it here.) The Enuma Elish is fairly representative of many Ancient Near East myths, so it provides a great backdrop against which Genesis shows its distinctive outline. (I am not necessarily embracing or rejecting the view that Genesis is a polemic against other Ancient Near Eastern myths. I simply find the comparison to be helpful.)One God—No Theomachy, No Theogony, No Deicide Listen the words of the Enuma Elish:1 When the heavens above did not exist,2 And earth beneath had not come into being —3 There was Apsû, the first in order, their begetter,4 And demiurge Tia-mat, who gave birth to them all;5 They had mingled their waters together6 Before meadow-land had coalesced and reed-bed was to be found —7 When not one of the gods had been formed8 Or had come into being, when no destinies had been decreed,9 The gods were created within them:10 Lah(mu and Lah(amu were formed and came into being.11 While they grew and increased in stature12 Anšar and Kišar, who excelled them, were created.13 They prolonged their days, they multiplied their years.14 Anu, their son, could rival his fathers.15 Anu, the son, equalled Anšar,16 And Anu begat Nudimmud, his own equal.17 Nudimmud was the champion among his fathers:18 Profoundly discerning, wise, of robust strength;19 Very much stronger than his father's begetter, Anšar20 He had no rival among the gods, his brothers.21 The divine brothers came together,22 Their clamour got loud, throwing Tia-mat into a turmoil.23 They jarred the nerves of Tia-mat,24 And by their dancing they spread alarm in Anduruna.25 Apsû did not diminish their clamour,26 And Tia-mat was silent when confronted with them.27 Their conduct was displeasing to her,28 Yet though their behaviour was not good, she wished to spare them.29 Thereupon Apsû, the begetter of the great gods,30 Called Mummu, his vizier, and addressed him,31 "Vizier Mummu, who gratifies my pleasure,32 Come, let us go to Tia-mat!"33 They went and sat, facing Tia-mat,34 As they conferred about the gods, their sons.35 Apsû opened his mouth36 And addressed Tia-mat37 "Their behaviour has become displeasing to me38 And I cannot rest in the day-time or sleep at night.39 I will destroy and break up their way of life40 That silence may reign and we may sleep."41 When Tia-mat heard this42 She raged and cried out to her spouse,43 She cried in distress, fuming within herself,44 She grieved over the (plotted) evil,45 "How can we destroy what we have given birth to?46 Though their behaviour causes distress, let us tighten discipline graciously."47 Mummu spoke up with counsel for Apsû—48 (As from) a rebellious vizier was the counsel of his Mummu—49 "Destroy, my father, that lawless way of life,50 That you may rest in the day-time and sleep by night!"51 Apsû was pleased with him, his face beamed52 Because he had plotted evil against the gods, his sons.53 Mummu put his arms around Apsû's neck,54 He sat on his knees kissing him.55 What they plotted in their gathering56 Was reported to the gods, their sons.57 The gods heard it and were frantic.58 They were overcome with silence and sat quietly.59 Ea, who excels in knowledge, the skilled and learned,60 Ea, who knows everything, perceived their tricks.61 He fashioned it and made it to be all-embracing,62 He executed it skilfully as supreme—his pure incantation.63 He recited it and set it on the waters,64 He poured sleep upon him as he was slumbering deeply.65 He put Apsû to slumber as he poured out sleep,66 And Mummu, the counsellor, was breathless with agitation.67 He split (Apsû's) sinews, ripped off his crown,68 Carried away his aura and put it on himself.69 He bound Apsû and killed him;Notice how this ancient myth sounds nothing like Genesis. It immediately greets us with multiple gods (Apsû, the first in order, and the demiurge Tia-mat). Other gods are subsequently created. A genealogy of gods is called a theogony, and it was common to ancient myths. Genesis, however, has no genealogy. At most, in Genesis, when God speaks he uses a plural form—like maybe he is addressing a crowd. This has led some scholars to posit a heavenly council. But there is no god other than God—Yahweh.The Enuma Elish tells the story not only of multiple gods but of their animosity. A conflict between the gods arises. A war between the gods is called theomachy. This is also common to ancient myths. Finally, the gods' quarrel ends in the death of a god—deicide. If we continue reading, we would learn that creation itself is the result of this rivalry between the gods and their death.What do we find in Genesis? None of that!In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1In the beginning there is no two anything. There are no two gods opposing one another. There is not even an impersonal dualism like a ying and yang. There is no good and evil. There is only good. And this good is not some mystical goodness, like a force or energy or “waters,” but a good God—a personal being.This is one of the most shocking and powerful lessons from Genesis—monotheism! And, if we are willing to take more of scripture into account, we could go as far as to say that it is “perfect being monotheism.” This means that there's not only one God, but that God is perfect. He is all powerful and morally perfect. I think that this “perfect being theology” is key to a robust conception of “good.” A theology that includes multiple gods will generally fail the Euthyphro Dilemma: “Is the good good because God approves it, or does God approve it because it's good?” A theology with no gods (atheism or some form of dualism) makes goodness accidental—it is a robust fact that could be different—and cannot account for moral duties. It is only when goodness is grounded in a necessary being that what is good could never be otherwise and goodness becomes personal such that it can give moral duties to others.God is Not Like NatureAgain, hear the words of the Enuma Elish:49 [Marduk] gathered [Tia-mat's foam] together and made it into clouds.50 The raging of the winds, violent rainstorms,51 The billowing of mist—the accumulation of her spittle—52 He appointed for himself and took them in his hand.53 He put her head in position and poured out . . [ . . ] .54 He opened the abyss and it was sated with water.55 From her two eyes he let the Euphrates and Tigris flow,57 He heaped up the distant [mountains] on her breasts,58 He bored wells to channel the springs.59 He twisted her tail and wove it into the Durmah,61 [He set up] her crotch—it wedged up the heavens—62 [(Thus) the half of her] he stretched out and made it firm as the earth.In the Babylonian story, the clouds, the wind, the rainstorms, the rivers, the mountains, and much of creation is a part of or physically connected with Tiamat's body. Notice the connection between the gods and creation—they might not be entirely the same but they are not entirely distinct either.What do we find in Genesis?God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate water from water.” Genesis 1:6God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear.” Genesis 1:9God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: plants yielding seeds and trees on the land bearing fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds.” Genesis 1:11God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs to indicate seasons and days and years . . . .” Genesis 1:14I could quote more verses, but I think the point is clear. God is not like creation. Creation is not made of God. It is made by God. God simply speaks creation into being. God transcends it. The creator who makes things good exists even if nothing else exists and would exists if all stopped existing. He is the beginning and the end.Nature is Not SpiritualAlthough the Enuma Elish story does not contain as many spirits of nature as other Ancient Near Eastern myths, we still have a clear example. Listen to this:11 He placed the heights (of heaven) in her (Tia-mat's) belly,12 He created Nannar, entrusting to him the night.13 He appointed him as the jewel of the night to fix the days,14 And month by month without ceasing he elevated him with a crown,15 (Saying,) "Shine over the land at the beginning of the month,16 Resplendent with horns to fix six days.17 On the seventh day the crown will be half size,18 On the fifteenth day, halfway through each month, stand in opposition.19 When Šamaš [sees] you on the horizon,20 Diminish in the proper stages and shine backwards.In the Enuma Elish, night is a personal god. Night does not behave according to some natural principle. Night only comes and stays for as long as it does because the god of night is following orders. Presumably, the god of night could be enticed to disobey. Is all of nature like this? (For purposes of this discussion I am not including animals or humans in the definition of nature.) Is there a spirit of the waters? Is there a spirit of the sky? Are the flowers sprites and the trees dryads? Does everything around us behave as it does because a personal being—a spirit—is choosing to behave a certain way? The implications of these questions are staggering.Perhaps we scoff at the idea that nature is personal and spiritual, but we shouldn't. Not because I think that it is true but because it is the worldview that was held by nearly everyone in the ancient world and many (perhaps most) people still hold it today. If anything, the idea that nature is “non-spiritual” is not the rule but the exception. If to the belief in a non-spiritual natural world you you add the belief that nature was created by a mind—a mind not entirely unlike ours—then you have an entirely peculiar worldview. That is the worldview of Genesis.The Christian, non-spiritual, intelligible understanding of creation is distinctive and has shaped the modern world. For example, it is foundational and necessary for science. This is the reason that many historians (Christian and non-Christian alike) agree that science is an outgrowth of Christian theology. Here's how an article explains the connection between Genesis and science, which, if overly simplistic, gets the point across:1. Laws Up AboveThe ancient Chinese had incredible technology, but not science as we know it. Why? Because while they were intelligent, they did not believe in a Higher Intelligence—not in the Bible's sense. They didn't think there were ever-present, always-applicable laws of nature that governed the universe. They went out into the world and tamed it through technology, but they didn't seek to press into the deeper laws of the universe.That's because they didn't have Genesis 1. They didn't believe that “In the beginning, God.” They didn't believe that through his Word an ordered cosmos was created that shows all the hallmarks of dependable regularities—seasons and spheres with boundaries and signs in the sky, all going round and round, evening and morning, evening and morning. . . .2. World Out ThereThe ancient Greeks were smart cookies. All philosophy is a footnote to Plato, as they say. Philosophy, mathematics, art, and literature were all spheres of excellence for the Greeks. Science? Not so much, because science requires you to believe in a stable and predictable world out there that's open to investigation. Science occurs when you make repeatable observations and check your theories against the cold, hard facts. But Greeks didn't believe in cold, hard facts. They believed in minds and reason and laws but not in empirical investigation. For them, study entailed a journey within the mind, not a venture out into the field. So, no science.3. Minds In HereIf human minds are the product of mindless operations that only honored survival, not intelligence (the two aren't at all synonymous), then why should we trust our minds to understand the laws up above and the world out there? If we're the product of the cosmos and part of the cosmos with no higher calling than to pass on our genes, why trust a brain that whirs away according to its own survival imperative?If you really want confidence in the scientific endeavor, turn to Genesis 1, where humanity is specially created in relationship with the Orderer above and the world out there. . . .Another website summarizes the same principles as follows:Nearly all scientists today, regardless of their religious beliefs, believe a certain set of foundational principles which make it possible for them to do science. Some of these common basic beliefs include:(1) Human beings can understand the natural world at least in part.(2) Nature typically operates with regular, repeatable, universal patterns of cause and effect so things that we learn in the lab here today will also hold true half way around the world a week from now. (3) It's not enough to sit and theorize how the world ought to work, we actually have to test our theories; science is a worthwhile pursuit.These beliefs seem obvious today, but for most of human history, many people did not hold all those beliefs. For example, animists who believe that gods or spirits inhabit many aspect of the physical world might doubt that nature operates on regular, repeatable, universal patterns of cause and effect; instead they would believe that nature is controlled by gods and spirits who need to be appeased or manipulated by ritual. Or for a very different example, some of the most brilliant philosophers of the ancient world did not see the need to do experiments because they thought it was possible to derive from logic and first principles how the world ought to behave.Allow me to explain the last statement in the quotation above. The Greeks, for example, believed that the universe had to be modeled by elegant abstract principles, such as geometry, which were discoverable only through thought. So, they assumed that the orbits of planets had to be circular. The Christian worldview recognizes that the universe was made by a mind—a mind that could have created the world this way or that way. Because the creator had options, much like an artist does, we can not simply assume that the world is a certain way. We must discover what that mind decided.Man in the Image of GodThe Enuma Elish is one of the least outrageous Ancient Near Eastern myths when it comes to the creation of mankind, but it repeats a common theme:1 When Marduk heard the gods' speech2 He conceived a desire to accomplish clever things.3 He opened his mouth addressing Ea,4 He counsels that which he had pondered in his heart,5 "I will bring together blood to form bone,6 I will bring into being Lullû, whose name shall be 'man'.7 I will create Lullû—man8 On whom the toil of the gods will be laid that they may rest.In the Babylonian creation myth, why is man created? So that the “toil of the gods will be laid” on him. You might remember that last week I mentioned an Egyptian myth that answers the question similarly. Here is how scholar John Walton discusses that Egyptian myth within the broader context of Mesopotamian myths:[I]n Mesopotamian traditions people are created to serve the gods by doing the work that the gods are tired of doing. Turning again to KAR 4, "the corvée of the gods will be their corvée: They will fix the boundaries of the fields once and for all, and take in their hands hoes and baskets, to benefit the House of the great gods." The labor that had been required for the gods to meet their own needs was drudgery, so people were expected to fill that gap and work to meet those needs.In Genesis, why is man created?Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move on the earth.”God created humankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them,male and female he created them.God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! (Genesis 1:26-28a)This is shocking and remarkable! Man is created to be like God (at least in some sense), to rule the earth, and to be fruitful and multiply. I will discuss each of these points in reverse order.Be Fruitful and MultiplyAccording to Genesis, to marry and have children is integral to being human. Marriage is the very reason that God has made us male and female.So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man's side and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Then the man said,“This one at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;this one will be called ‘woman,'for she was taken out of man.”That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become one family. The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:21-25)To be clear, there are several New Testament verses that make clear that marriage is not a moral duty—one has not sinned for remaining single. However, sadly, this caveat has started acting like the exception that swallows the rule. The Apostle Paul, the one who spoke of marriage and singleness this way, did not suggest singleness as a mere alternative to marriage. Listen to the following verses from 1 Corinthians:I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that everyone was as I am. But each has his own gift from God, one this way, another that.To the unmarried and widows I say that it is best for them to remain as I am. But if they do not have self-control, let them get married. For it is better to marry than to burn with sexual desire. (1 Corinthians 7:6-9) And I want you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place a limitation on you, but so that without distraction you may give notable and constant service to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)He who is single can focus exclusively on ministry. This is a gift. This does not override the fact, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18)! I know that much more can be said about this topic and forgive me if I am painting with too broad a stroke, but the fact that marriage and childbearing is part of God's plan for us is unmistakable in the Genesis narrative.Rule the EarthOur modern, egalitarian, environmentalist sensibilities are sure to be offended by the idea that we are to rule and subdue the earth. However, this idea is not as ominous as it sounds. As a website explains:God's command to subdue the earth and the animal life in it is a command to have the mastery over all of it. A true mastery (of anything) cannot be accomplished without an understanding of the thing mastered. In order for a musician to master the violin, he or she must truly understand the instrument. In order for mankind to attain mastery over the animal kingdom, we must understand the animals.With the authority to rule comes the responsibility to rule well. There is an inherent accountability in the command to subdue the earth. Man has a duty to exercise his dominion under the authority of the One who delegated it. All authority is of God (Romans 13:1-5), and He delegates it to whomever He will (Daniel 4:17). The word subdue doesn't have to imply violence or mistreatment. It can mean “to bring under cultivation.”Man is to be the steward of the earth; he is to bring the material world and all of its varied elements into the service of God and the good of mankind. The command to subdue the earth is actually part of God's blessing on mankind. Created in the image of God, Adam and Eve were to use the earth's vast resources in the service of both God and themselves. It would only make sense for God to decree this, since only humans were created in God's image.The Imago DeiWe are made in the “image of God”—which in theology is often referred to by the Latin phrase imago Dei. What does that mean? I could spend an entire session of our study answering this question. Different theologians give different answers. But, because this is a primer in Genesis, I think that presenting the mainstream position is sufficient. Besides, and rather ironically, it is the mainstream position that is often most misunderstood. Fair warning though, I will go a little beyond the text in Genesis to discuss this topic.What makes a person a person? Even Christians will answer with something like the ability to reason. That is not entirely wrong, but I am sure you can immediately think of examples that work as counterarguments. What about a human being that is in a comma? What about a fetus? What about someone who is asleep? Neither of these three humans can reason, so they are not persons. Taken to its logical conclusion, killing a human in their sleep is not murder. No person was killed.So, what gives? Can we give a better explanation of the imago Dei? I think so. To be a person is to be a rational soul. To explain this further, I will quote extensively from a 2003 paper by Dennis Sullivan (emphases are my own):Empirical functionalism is the view that human personhood may be defined by a set of functions or abilities. Such abilities must be present in actual, not potential form. The classical expression of this view is that of Joseph Fletcher who in 1972 outlined twenty criteria for human personhood. These included such hallmarks as minimum intelligence, self-awareness, a sense of time, and the capacity to relate to others (Fletcher, 1972). In response, Michael Tooley weighed in with the idea of self-awareness (1972), and McCormick with the concept of “relational potential,” based on the ability to interact socially with others (1974). Fletcher then decided, based on feedback from these and other writers, that the sine qua non for human personhood was neocortical functioning (Fletcher, 1974). Neocortical functions are those “higher brain” processes of the cerebral cortex necessary for active consciousness and volition. This should be contrasted with whole-brain functioning, which includes activities of the brainstem as well as the cortex.…Functionalists would extend the above argument to deny personhood to the unborn child, since she lacks rationality or self-awareness. However, by this criterion, one could argue that adults also lack self-awareness when asleep or under anesthesia, yet no one questions their personhood during such moments. One way to circumvent this objection is to use Tooley's idea that only “continuing selves” have personhood, which includes both self-awareness and a sense of the future (Tooley, 1983). This would nonetheless deny personhood to the unborn and justify abortion on that basis.Michael Tooley, and more recently, the Princeton philosophy professor Peter Singer, have both advocated the next logical step: infanticide (Veith, 1998). If the fetus has no right to personhood because it is not yet self-aware, then neither does the newborn: “Infanticide before the onset of self-awareness . . . cannot threaten anyone who is in a position to worry about it” (Singer, 1985, p. 138).…Ontological personalism states that all human beings are human persons. On this view, the intrinsic quality of personhood begins at conception and is present throughout life (O'Mathuna, 1996). Such individuals are not potential persons or “becoming” persons; they are persons by their very nature. There is no such thing as a potential person or a human non-person.In order to understand this it will be helpful to reflect on the worldview assumptions that underlie both personhood views. Since the Enlightenment, society in general has been dominated by a high regard for science and the secular tradition of naturalism. Naturalism is the concept that only observable data has reality. A scientist who adheres to this view is free to have any metaphysical or philosophical opinion he would like, as long as it does not influence his practice. In other words, he need not hold to naturalism as a philosophy, but he must adhere to it in his methodology (Plantinga, 1997). However, the Christian scientific community should not be bound by the constraints of methodological naturalism. Herein lies the tension between the two ideas of personhood. The influence of naturalism has led secular science away from a reverence for life, replacing it with a reductionism that claims the human organism is no more than the sum of its chemical parts. The empirical functionalism idea of personhood is compatible with this view, which makes man simply a collection of parts and functions, or a property-thing. Put together enough chemical molecules in the right way, and you have a human being; put another set of parts together, and you have a 1957 Chrysler. Philosophically, it makes no difference.Ontological personalism, on the other hand, is based on the premise that a human being is a substance. A substance is a distinct unity of essence that exists ontologically prior to any of its parts. This traditional concept dates back to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. This view has been well summarized by the Christian philosopher J. P. Moreland (1995), and is discussed in great detail in the book Body and Soul (Moreland & Rae, 2000). For this review, I will focus on two implications of the idea of substance: the parts v. whole distinction, and continuity.To expand on my earlier illustration of a classic automobile, consider a nicely restored 1957 Chrysler. Many of the original parts have rusted away and have been replaced, so that this vintage car is a collection of old and new. Although many will refer to it as the same car as when it was new, intuition tells us that this is not the case. In fact, as stated earlier, remove the wheels, the motor, the seats, and the body, and the result is no longer a 1957 Chrysler; it is not even a car. To go still further, imagine adding other parts to the original chassis, such that the result(God forbid) is a1972Volkswagen Beetle! There was no continuity of essence between the two vehicles; each is nothing more than a collection of parts (my apologies to VW lovers).Try to do the same kind of thought experiment on a human being. Remove an arm or a leg from John Doe, and he remains a person, in fact, the same person. You can amputate all of John's extremities and even remove many internal organs; as long as he remains alive, his substance will never change. You can even “add new parts,” by transplanting organs from other persons, yet John Doe will never become James Smith; his substance is not defined by his component parts. He will always remain the same person.…Naturalism has its greatest difficulty here. To hold to a property-thing view of persons is to deny the commonsense understanding of personal continuity, with a host of attendant problems for law and morality.…I might add that this view is also compatible with biblical teaching on the image of God. It allows us to explore the way human beings resemble the Divine (rationality, volition, social nature, etc.), while helping us to avoid the dangers of a strictly functional definition. On this view, the image of God is intrinsic to the nature of persons. Thus, Scripture teaches the value of man from the womb, whereas intuition and philosophy help us to affirm that such valuation begins at conception.The philosophical idea of a human being as substance arises out of a broader philosophical principle, that of substance dualism. Substance dualism holds that there is an entity called a soul, and that the mind is a faculty of the soul. Body and soul (mind) are functionally holistic, which means that the two entities are deeply integrated and functionally interdependent. Yet they are ontologically separate, which means that the soul can exist independently of the body. This allows for a personal existence after death (Moreland & Rae, 2000). Another implication of this idea is that if personhood begins at conception, then that is when the soul originates as well.The Original Plan Was Good but then…the FallAuthor Sandra Richter in The Epic of Eden describes God's original intent by pointing out that the creation narrative is not complete in six days—there is a seventh day. On that day God rests. Creation is as intended so God may stop to rule overall. With that in mind, Richter concludes:In sum, Genesis 1 tells us of God's first, perfect plan—a flawlessly ordered world infused with balance and productivity. Here every rock, plant and animal had its own designated place within God's design, a God-ordained space in which each could thrive, reproduce and serve the good of the whole. And we see from the structure of Genesis 1 that the force that held this peaceful and productive cohabitation in balance was Yahweh's sovereignty over all. But as Day 6b makes clear, God chose to manage this creation through his representative ʾAdām. Thus humanity is given all authority to protect, maintain and develop God's great gift under God's ultimate authority. This is who Yahweh is, who humanity is and how both relate to the creation. And regardless of how you choose to harmonize science and Bible, this message is clearly part of the intent of Genesis 1. I would say it is the primary intent.Then Richter makes the connection to the repeating theme of the entire book of Genesis: covenant.You may have noticed that my description of Genesis 1 sounds a lot like the relationship between a vassal and his suzerain; a relationship in which the vassal is given full autonomy within the confines of his overlord's authority. When this reading of Genesis 1 is wedded to Genesis 2, the profile of covenant becomes even clearer. Here the suzerain (Yahweh) offers his vassals (Adam and Eve) the land grant of Eden with the stipulation that humanity care for it and protect it.Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate [ ʿābad] and keep it [šāmar]. (Gen 2:15)In addition to this perfect place, Adam and Eve are given each other (Gen 2:18-25), and as is implied by Genesis 3:8, they are given full access to their loving Creator. The only corner of the garden which was not theirs to use and enjoy was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil:From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die. (Gen 2:16-17)In essence, Adam and Eve are free to do anything except decide for themselves what is good and what is evil. Yahweh reserves the right (and the responsibility) to name those truths himself. (Emphasis added)This was Adam and Eve's perfect world. Not just fruit and fig leaves, but an entire race of people stretching their cognitive and creative powers to the limit to build a society of balance and justice and joy. Here the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve would learn life at the feet of the Father, build their city in the shadow of the Almighty, create and design and expand within the protective confines of his kingdom. The blessing of this gift? A civilization without greed, malice or envy; progress without pollution, expansion without extinction. Can you imagine it? . . . This was God's perfect plan: the people of God in the place of God dwelling in the presence of God. Yet, as with all covenants, God's perfect plan was dependent on the choice of the vassal. Humanity must willingly submit to the plan of God. The steward must choose this world; for in God's perfect plan, the steward had been given the authority to reject it.But then the fall came. And, surprisingly, then redemption came too.God's perfect plan (and humanity's perfect world) was a matter of choice. Did ʾAdām want this world? Or one of their own making? The ones made in the image of God could not be forced or coerced, but instead were called upon to choose their sovereign. And choose they did. Whenever I think of this moment, the lyrics of Don Francisco's old folk song echo in my mind: “And all their unborn children die as both of them bow down to Satan's hand.”16 God's original intent was sabotaged by humanity, stolen by the Enemy. ʾAdām rejected the covenant, and all the cosmos trembled. Genesis 2:17 makes it painfully clear what the consequences of such an insurrection would be: in that day, “you shall surely die.” But amazingly, mercifully, even though Yahweh had every right to wipe out our rebellious race, he chose another course—redemption. In a move that continues to confound me, God spared the lives of Adam and Eve (and their unborn children) by redirecting the fury of the curse toward another—the battered flesh of his own Son. This is the one the New Testament knows as “the last Adam” (Rom 5:14; 1 Cor 15:22, 45). And although the first Adam did not die, the second surely did. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.Conclusion—A Personal NoteWhen I read Genesis, I am astounded. I am not attempting to be overly dramatic or sentimental, but Genesis is so true I can hardly believe it. It paints a picture I cannot deny: Nature is just that. Yet it is curiously intelligible. But it is not divine. The divine things, like goodness, seem to transcend nature but not be less real than it. If nothing else, goodness seems more real. Whereas nature could not exist, goodness seems necessary. Man seems to be like nature but also somewhat divine. Something about man is not like the animals or anything else. Man and nature seem beautiful, yet both seem broken. Is this not truly our experience?
In our human experience, we often rely on patterns and regularity, seeking solace in what's familiar and expected. But the God we serve, described vividly throughout the scriptures, showcases boundless creativity in His interactions with us. Matthew Adams here, and today we're diving into the myriad of ways God communicates.Scripture: "God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us." - 1 CORINTHIANS 12:6God's interactions in history display an array of signs and wonders. From Moses and the burning bush to Gideon's fleece, His ways of reaching out are endless. These methods, each unique and distinct, are tailored to the individual, proving the vastness of God's creative approach. The underlying message? God doesn't stick to a script; He knows us intimately and chooses the best way to speak to our individual hearts.The Power Of God's Whisper is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Driving Point 1: Avoiding Formulas It's human nature to try and understand God by detecting a pattern, a formula, in His actions. But to say definitively, “This is how God speaks,” would be limiting the limitless. While there might be general patterns, God's methods are as varied as the stars in the sky. Embrace the unpredictability.Driving Point 2: Embracing Diversity in Experience Each person's encounter with God is deeply personal. Some might see visions, while others find Him in the silence. The beauty lies not in comparing, but in celebrating these varied experiences. As we share our stories, let's remember that God's voice resonates differently with each one of us because of our unique makeups and backgrounds.Driving Point 3: Expect the Unexpected God's methods, while rooted in His unchanging nature, often surprise us. Rather than holding onto past experiences, we should keep our hearts open, eager and excited for the new ways He might reach out. His creativity knows no bounds, and He loves to reveal Himself in unexpected ways.Conclusion: Our God is not monotonous. He is an artist, a creator, using an array of colors and brushes to paint His love and messages onto the canvas of our lives. As we journey through our faith, let's remember to celebrate the myriad ways He communicates, embracing each new method with open hearts.Call to Action: Let's challenge ourselves. This week, try to listen without expectations. Open your heart and mind, and ask God to surprise you. Share your experiences with your community, and let's revel in the countless ways God speaks to us.Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your boundless creativity. Help us to approach each day with expectation, eager for the new ways You might choose to speak to us. We worship You, not just for the messages You share, but for the beautiful and diverse ways You choose to share them. Open our minds and hearts to receive whatever You have for us. Amen.Stay blessed and always be receptive. God's voice, in its infinite creativity, is ever-present, speaking to us in ways we might never have imagined. Until next time, this is Matthew Adams, signing off. Stay connected, stay inspired.Thank you for reading The Power Of God's Whisper. This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to My Reasons To Believe at myr2b.substack.com/subscribe
Main Passage - Joshua 20-21God Is Just in the Way He Judges SinJoshua 20:1-3Deuteronomy 32:4-51 John 1:5-6God's Law Is the Basis of All MoralityJoshua 20:4-5Deuteronomy 19:4-5Deuteronomy 19:11-13Numbers 35:24-25Sin Must Be Dealt with in Soul and SocietyJoshua 20:6Romans 13:4Romans 13:10Application Points:Define justice according to God's WordMeasure sin according to God's standardsDefine morality by God's law and don't negotiateInfluence society with God's righteous standard
Against the pain, chaos, and suffering life can inflict we can be left wondering, “Why believe?” Like the Israelites mourning bygone days and the beauty of a city they will never see, we can find ourselves hopeless. But the Prophet Zechariah's message to the Israelites, and to us, is to renew our trust in God and discover faith again. “Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought, useless and disappointing.” - A Cinderella StoryLike Israel we are left asking: How and why we can continue to have faith? What is faith?Mental affirmation is only the beginning of Faith, It ends with obedient action, or “Enacted Loyalty” - Salvation by Allegiance by Matthew Bates“Faith is the substance, or reality, of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen.” - Heb 11:1Allegiance communicates who & what we are loyal to and obey.Zechariah directs the people of Israel toward a Spirit-empowered Faith“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” -James 4:7-8God's promise is consistent that when his people repent and turn toward Him, He is faithful to draw near to them. Bible Project Resource: https://bibleproject.com/view-resource/246/Zechariah 3 & 4 offer us a vision of (1) the why of our faith and (2) the how of our faith.Zechariah 3: Vision about High Priest, JoshuaRole of High Priest:Act as representative and mediatorResponsible for enforcing the covenant & directing the hearts of the people.Jesus is our new High Priest; Jesus is WHY we can have faith “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” - 1 Peter 1:3Doubt isn't decreased faith, its matured faithStudies have shown that for every 1 negative experience, you need 3 positive ones. Give God the chance to give you 3 positive moments. Faith begins with engaging your mind and ends with actions. Zechariah 4: Vision about Governor, Zerubbabel“Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit Says the Lord” - Zech 4:6God is the source of Zerubbabel's authority and power. “Only if his Spirit governs every detail can service be glorifying to him.” -Scholar Joyce G. BaldwinSpirit Empowerment is HOW we have faith.“Obedience is about living in the present as if the future has already arrived. It's not blind faith you're doing it because you can point back to the resurrection of the risen Jesus.” - Theologian Tim MackeyFaith is a leap but it's not blind.“...real biblical faith is not a general positive mindset or a blind optimism but is directed toward a defined object—and it is the trustworthiness of the object that sources and fixes faith's genuineness. So if we want to grow in faith, we should study and contemplate God's extraordinary reliability.” -Author Matthew BatesSPIRITUAL PRACTICEEncourage your soul with stories of FAITHPosture yourself to receive Love God & Love your Neighbor “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.” - Mark 12:30 BE THE MOST INTERESTED PERSON IN THE ROOM!
We are back everyone and lots to unpack here. Kyle saw the 6God, I don't touch grass, the tables have turned! Listen to us chat about the Women's World Cup, getting your Bag, Schmegegge Bets, and much more. Again, if you're reading this, you're the best
Two ways to support Common Prayer DailyBecome a Patron on PatreonMake a One-Time DonationVisit our website for a beautiful Daily Office Experience and More - www.commonprayerdaily.com----------------------Sunday - Easter Week 7 (Year A)Opening Words:“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”Colossians 3:1 (ESV) Confession:Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.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 have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen. The InvitatoryO Lord, open our lips,and our mouths shall show forth your praise. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Cast us not away from your presence, and take not your holy Spirit from us. O give us the comfort of your help again, and sustain us with your willing Spirit.Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Psalm of the DayPsalm 68:1-10, 33-36Exsurgat Deus1Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *let those who hate him flee before him.2Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; *as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.3But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *let them also be merry and joyful.4Sing to God, sing praises to his Name;exalt him who rides upon the heavens; *Yahweh is his Name, rejoice before him!5Father of orphans, defender of widows, *God in his holy habitation!6God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; *but the rebels shall live in dry places.7O God, when you went forth before your people, *when you marched through the wilderness,8The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain,at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, *at the presence of God, the God of Israel.9You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; *you refreshed the land when it was weary.10Your people found their home in it; *in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.33Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; *sing praises to the Lord.34He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; *he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.35Ascribe power to God; *his majesty is over Israel;his strength is in the skies.36How wonderful is God in his holy places! *the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people!Blessed be God! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. The LessonsActs 1:6-146 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.1 Peter 4:12-14 + 5:6-1112 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.John 17:1-1117 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. The Word of the Lord.Thanks Be To God. The PrayersLord, have mercy.Christ, have mercyLord, have mercyOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. IntercessionTake a moment of silence at this time to reflect and pray for others. The CollectsThe Seventh Week of EasterO God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. A Prayer of St. John ChrysostomAlmighty God, you have given us grace at this time, with one accord to make our common supplications to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will grant their requests: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. BenedictionThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen*.* Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Psalms taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer by the Episcopal Church.The reading plan based is based on the 1979 Daily Office Lectionary Year A
Main Passage - Luke 1:46-55God Is Faithful to Everyone Who Trusts HimLuke 1:46-48Luke 1:34Habakkuk 3:17-18Psalm 34:2-3Your Posture Towards God Determines Your Experience with GodLuke 1:48-52Psalm 138:6God's Faithfulness Brings Joy in Every CircumstanceLuke 1:52-55Micah 7:7-8Application Points:Trust God's faithfulness in every circumstanceRepentance involves changing your perspectiveRead Scripture to be reminded of God's faithfulnessBelieve that God will use every inconvenience for your good and His glory
FaithfulnessLuke 1:46-55God Is Faithful to Everyone Who Trusts HimLuke 1:46-48Luke 1:34Habakkuk 3:17-18Psalm 34:2-3Your Posture Towards God Determines Your Experience with GodLuke 1:48-52Psalm 138:6God's Faithfulness Brings Joy in Every CircumstanceLuke 1:52-55Micah 7:7-8Application Points:Trust God's faithfulness in every circumstanceRepentance involves changing your perspectiveRead Scripture to be reminded of God's faithfulnessBelieve that God will use every inconvenience for your good and His glory
Orphan Sunday Nov. 6th, 2022 Jim Moss Exodus 22:22 “You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. Deuteronomy 10:17-18 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. 18He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. Psalm 68:5-6 Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy. 6God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. Ruth 1:16-17 But Ruth replied, “Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” Ruth 2:19-20 “Where did you gather all this grain today?” Naomi asked. “Where did you work? May the Lord bless the one who helped you!” So Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked. She said, “The man I worked with today is named Boaz.” 20“May the Lord bless him!” Naomi told her daughter-in-law. “He is showing his kindness to us as well as to your dead husband. That man is one of our closest relatives, one of our family redeemers.” The Gospel expressed through the local church family is the answer for the cultural dilemma of caring for widows and orphans As the local church of Jesus Christ: We have the right to redeem We have the resources to redeem God will give us the resolve to redeem City Church's Involvement: 2011 – 111Project launches in Tulsa County through City Church 2011 – First 111Project conference in Tulsa Count (8046) 2014 – Hire Chris Campbell as Executive Director for 111Project 2015 – OKDHS & 111Project launch Oklahoma Fosters Campaign with Oklahoma Governor 2015 – Pauline Myer children's shelter closes in Oklahoma City 2016 – CarePortal launches in Oklahoma/Tulsa County 2018 – Laura Dester children's shelter closes in Tulsa 2019 – Oklahoma recognized as top 5 state for decrease of kids in care and increase in foster families 2021 – 26th county opens for CarePortal officially serving 1/3 of the states counties 2021 – Oklahoma child welfare numbers drop below 7200 for first time in 15+ years 2022 – Oklahoma child welfare numbers drop below 6800
305 In this episode, I conclude my teaching on the crucified life.I use Galatians 2:20, Romans 12:1, and parts of Romans 6 and 8 to make my point.I conclude with Hebrews 11:6God wants you and me to learn to walk in the Spirit. God is not angry but trying to show us how to please Him in His word.Contrast Hebrews 11:6 with Romans 8:8."But without faith, it is impossible to please Him...So then, those who are in the flesh can not please God.If you and I want to please God, we must learn to walk by faith.
On this episode of ‘Grab A Glass', DT reiterates his intention for the podcast, internal vs. external attraction, and Drake's 'Shot For Me'.
This week Demar and Adriel discuss Drake's seventh studio album ‘Honestly, Nevermind', Drake finally being unpredictable and him returning to being an artist rather than a scientist. Demar's rating: 6.5Adriel's rating: 6.5The Love List: Massive, Texts Go Green, Jimmy Cooks, Flights BookedPS. Is there a single song that's more out of place than Jimmy Cooks on this album? It's a great song, but uh…Follow us:Twitter / Instagram/ TikTok:@AlbumModePod@AdrielSmileydotcom@DemarjGrantClubhouse / Greenroom:@demar@adrielsmiley
The Big College Search: Are you trying to help your teen find the right college?From essays and finances to picking the perfect experience; what if I mess up and it ruins their incredible college experience? How do you start the conversation when neither of you have an answer?Picking a college? Cost, fees/ majors offered, specialties, size, location, intern program, extracurricular, potential sports scholarship, culture, religion, weather?When is the best time to start researching? Sophomore, junior year? Some kids haven't filled out admissions papers or written the essay yet. How do we encourage them to move forward vs. procrastinating? 2. It feels like there's a ton of pressure these days to pick the right college. Legacy, Reputation, Comparison, Connections. What if they don't get accepted? Sometimes it's more about the parent than the child. How do let go and focus on our kids needs over ourselves? 3. Do you take a physical tour, an online tour? Do you have them take the initiative?Resources:Who Gets in and Why: A year inside college admissionsCollege Board - Scholarship sourcesBe the 1st 20 listeners to contact Courtney for 15 minutes of free college coaching: email admin@confusedtoready.com with subject: Motherhood Mindset Free CallCONTACT:Website: www.confusedtocollegeready.comWebsite: stephaniepletka.com Guess What?Courtney narrows down what questions to ask:What environment best creates college conversations?You don't need to pay thousands of dollars in consulting fee to find the right place. Scripture:Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 3:6God has a plan for your child. Don't carry this burden on yourself, as if you are here to save it all. Give Away:Be the 1st 20 listeners to contact Courtney for 15 minutes of free college coaching: email admin@confusedtoready.com with subject: Motherhood Mindset Free CallFree guide on How to Start or Expand Your College Search: https://confusedtoready.com/howtostartEmail: admin@confusedtoready.comIG/FB: Confused to ReadyTop 3 takeawaysIt isn't too early or too late to start the search. You and your student are exactly where you're supposed to be and have time to find the right fit! The only perfect college is the one that is just right for your child as an individual. Students do not have to attend elite colleges or find the best fit in a college to be successful. There is a school out there that will be just right and no matter where they end up, God is in control. You can find the right school with simple and effective steps, maintain positive communication (with minimal tears and arguments), and not spend a fortune on application fees when you have a defined college list. Courtney's Bio:Today I'm talking with Courtney Kountz, host of the podcast: Confused to College Ready: Unlocking the Secrets to Your College SearchWith over 15 years experience as both a mental health and school counselor, she earned a Masters in Social WorkHelping parents & students easily and
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. John 6:5–6God always knows what He is going to do. He always has a perfect plan for our lives. Always. In the passage above, we read a snippet from the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. Jesus knew He was going to multiply the few loaves and fish they had and feed over five thousand people. But before He did this, He wanted to test Philip, and so He did. Why does Jesus test Philip and why does He test us at times?It's not that Jesus is curious about what Philip will say. And it's not that He is just playing games with Philip. Rather, He is seizing this opportunity to let Philip manifest His faith. So, in fact, this “testing” of Philip was a gift to him because it gave Philip the opportunity to pass the test.The test was to let Philip act on faith rather than just on human logic alone. Sure, it's good to be logical. But very often the wisdom of God supersedes human logic. In other words, it brings logic to a whole new level. It brings it to a level where faith in God is brought into the equation.So Philip, in that moment, was being called to offer a solution given the fact that the Son of God was there with them. And he fails the test. He points out that two hundred days' wages would not be enough to feed the crowd. But Andrew somewhat comes to the rescue. Andrew states that there is a boy who has a few loaves and some fish. Unfortunately he adds, “but what good are these for so many?” This little spark of faith in Andrew, however, is enough faith for Jesus to have the crowds recline and to perform the miracle of the multiplication of the food. It seems that Andrew at least had a small insight into the fact that these few loaves and fish were important to mention. Jesus takes this from Andrew and takes care of the rest.Reflect, today, upon the precious gift of even a little faith. So often we find ourselves in difficult situations where we don't know what to do. We should strive to have at least a little faith so that Jesus has something to work with. No, we may not have the full picture of what He wants to do, but we should at least have a small inkling of the direction God is leading. If we can at least manifest this little faith then we too will pass the test. Lord, help me to have faith in Your perfect plan for my life. Help me to know that You are in control when life seems out of control. In those moments, may the faith I manifest be a gift to You so that You can use it for Your glory. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2022 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Teaching NotesNew: The Church is birthed and spreading like a wildfire But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.Acts 1:8 Testament: The Church changed the very fabric of every city they entered These are the men who have turned the world upside down and have now come here. Acts 17:6 Phillips Challenge: Make a clean break from your old life, and step into your new life 3 Marks of a True Conversion (1 Thessalonians 1:1-10) Turning from idols (v.9) Serving God (v.9) Waiting for Christ's Return (v.10) 4 Habits of the New Life (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12) Control your own body (v.4) Don't wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister (v.6) Mind your own business (v.11) Work with your hands (v.11) Going Deeper Discussion But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.Acts 1:8These are the men who have turned the world upside down and have now come here.Acts 17:6God has given us his Spirit to turn the world upside down by displaying his love. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth represent expanding geographic areas of influence.What would you consider to be your Jerusalem? This could be as simple as your neighborhood, gym or workplace. What do you think?What is your Judea? This would be someplace that is more of a stretch for you to reach outside your immediate life rhythms. What is your Samaria? This is that group of people who are different from you and with whom you disagree or dislike. What is your "ends of the earth?" Have you thought about how you could be a blessing in someway outside of your borders? Is there a people group that you have a burden for?Share some ways that you have shared love of Christ in one or more of these areas of influence.Are there any areas in your life that you feel are an obstacle for you and blessing people in this way? If you're comfortable with it, share that with your group. How would you overcome that? How can you help someone else overcome their obstacles? Sunday Set ListWFC Lenexa + WFC AnywhereOpen The Gates- Vertical WorshipWho My God Is- Mitch LangleyPeace Be Still- The Belonging Co. Feat/ Lauren DaigleWay Maker - Tasha Cobbs LeonardWFC SpeedwayRaise A Hallelujah-Bethel MusicThe Blessing- Kari JobeSurrounded (Fight My Battles)- Upper RoomBe sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday's set!
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