Week of April 3, 2011, Psalm 23

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 23, a well-known psalm of David that describes our relationship to God so well. In the middle of the psalm, David shifts from statements about the Lord, to a prayer to God: 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Dear Lord, these words of David remind us of our overwhelming need for You. When our world shifts, and pillars of familiar things collapse, You remind us to look to You, our Great Shepherd, who brings calm and rest and contentment in green pastures, and who leads us to still and quiet waters. Through all of life’s struggles and our own sinfulness, You restore our souls. You cleanse us. You forgive us. You set us on the right path again, leading us, guiding us, teaching us, comforting us, strengthening us. Lord, even though we walk through darkest valleys where no light seems to shine, we fear no evil, for You are with us. We look to You for all things – and we do not lack. Your rod and staff protect us, guide us, rebuke us – but we are comforted knowing we are surrounded with Your love and strength. You prepare a table before us, reminding us of the feast to come, and also in our present lives – even in the presence of enemies – that enemy of fear, that enemy of cancer, that enemy of violence. And your anointing oil – the oil that reminds us that we are Yours, and we can only depend on You – and our cup overflows. Jesus, help us to live lives of goodness and kindness, with Your mercy and love, as we live out our days, until we see You face to face. Thanks for Your love, Your mercy, Your peace, Your presence with us always. Amen. May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself; May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service; May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls; May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring us comfort, guide us in our decisions, and fill us with a fervent desire to serve God better. And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net. May you be more and more aware of God’s presence as you live each day.

Week of March 27, 2011, Psalm 95

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 95, a psalm about coming to God in worship, and a warning from God not to be hard headed or hard hearted, as the Israelite nation was in the 40 years of wandering in the desert:
1 O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 when your ancestors tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
10 For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they do not regard my ways.’
11 Therefore in my anger I swore, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’

Dear God, we come into Your presence with a glad heart, making a joyful noise, singing with joy to You, the Rock of our salvation. For You are the Lord, our great God, the great King above all gods. You made the heavens; Your hands made the depths of the earth; You made the heights of the mountains. You made the sea and the dry land. You made this fantastic creation, and it is good.

Dear God, we come to worship You and bow down, to kneel before You, the Lord, our Maker. For You are our God, and we are the people of Your pasture, the sheep of Your hand. You draw us to Yourself, offering rest beside green pastures, rest by still waters. And You, as our God, are always with us, whether we are in desert or wilderness times, or can clearly see Your path for our lives. Help us, dear Lord, not to harden our hearts, but to listen for Your voice, to listen to Your voice, which comes to us in Your Word, in Your creation, in others around us, and sometimes, that quiet, still voice that comes to our heart.

Jesus, thanks for Your love, Your peace, Your joy, Your presence with us always. Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and working in our lives each day.

Week of March 20, 2011, Psalm 121

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 121 – a great psalm about God’s love, protection and provision:
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Dear Lord, my help comes from You, the Maker of heaven and earth. My help does not come from anything other than You, O God – not wise leaders, not material possessions, not great ideas or traditions – my help in times of trouble comes from You and You alone!

You will not let my foot slip, for as You watch over Your people, You neither slumber or sleep. Lord, You are my shade at my right hand, and the sun will not harm me by day or the moon by night. Jesus, help me to be more aware of Your presence with me always. No matter the situation, You are here.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, that You keep Your people from harm; You watch over our lives, our comings and goings, now and forevermore.

God, watch over the people in Japan, miraculously providing and caring for them, for resources needed, for protection in the midst of nuclear disaster. For You Yourself, in Your Word, declare Your watchfulness and protection and provision. In the chaos of people’s lives, Heavenly Father, through Your Son Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit, bring all that is needed quickly and powerfully.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your great love for us, Your peace in turmoil, and Your presence with us always. Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and God working in our lives each day.

Week of March 13, 2011, Psalm 32

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 32 – a psalm calling us to confession and experiencing forgiveness:
1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Dear God, You are a great God, quick to forgive. I confess to You, Lord, that when I keep silent, when I don’t acknowledge my sins, my bones waste away. I spend my days and nights groaning because of my sadness and my stubbornness. I felt Your hand heavy on me, and my strength has been gone.

Then I acknowledged my sin to You. I didn’t cover them up. I confessed my sins to You, Lord, and You forgave the guilt of my sin. You were quick to forgive, quick to cleanse, quick to restore.

Lord Jesus, Your love is unfailing, and it surrounds all who trust in You. We all rejoice in You, Lord, and are exceedingly glad – thrilled to experience Your presence in powerful ways, blest to know that You are our God who loves us, and brings forgiveness and peace.

Thanks for Your presence with us, Your great love that surrounds us, Your peace as we wait on You, sit in Your presence, and experience Your fullness, Lord. Amen.


The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and God working in our lives each day.

Week of March 6, 2011, Matthew 17:1-9

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Matthew, chapter 17, verses 1-9 – the account of the Transfiguration, the event on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured, becoming as a bright light, before the eyes of several of his chosen disciples:
17Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ 5While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ 6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ 8And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’

Jesus, thank You for leading some chosen disciples to a mountaintop experience. Remind each of us, Lord, that we also have had some experiences like that, where we have truly seen You as the Son of God in our midst. Remind us that we have at times known with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength that You are real, that You love us so much, that You are concerned with every detail of our lives, that You draw us powerfully to Yourself, identifying with us fully and unconditionally through the cross. Jesus, thank You.

Father God, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ into the chaos of our world. Thank You, that You loved us so much to allow Your Son, Jesus, to suffer and die for our sins. Thank You, that because of this atonement for our sins, we have immediate access into Your presence, Lord. Thank You.

Jesus, thanks for being our Redeemer, our Friend, our Savior. Thanks for Your love, Your peace, and Your presence with us always. And help me to listen to You, Lord, to Your voice – especially in Your Word. Amen.

May the Lord bless you as you go on your way. May He go before you to show you the way. May He go behind you to encourage you. May He go beside you to guide and befriend you. May He always be above you to watch over you. And may He be within you to give you peace.

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

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May you know God’s presence with you more and more each day.

Week of February 27, 2011, Matthew 6:24-34

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 24-34, where Jesus calls us to a higher lifestyle – seeking God’s kingdom above all else, and the rest will take care of itself. Jesus says:
24 ‘No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Jesus, You remind us that whatever is our passion, whatever takes up our time – that is our god. Help me, Jesus to look to You above all else. Help me not to worry about all the cares of this life that I think are so important – what I should eat, what I should wear, what needs to be done next. Jesus, You remind us that just as You care for the birds of the air, so You care and watch over us.

Thank You, Jesus, that You call us to Yourself – to grow in Your likeness, to be obedient to Your call, to be faithful in well-doing, to always follow You, Your Word, Your path, empowered and helped by Your Spirit. And Your promise to each of us, Lord, is that as we look to You, as we seek first Your kingdom, worries and cares of this world are lessened and put into perspective, and a joy for life, a joy of loving, a joy of serving are the result.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love, Your help, Your care for each of us, and Your presence with us always. Amen.

May the Lord bless you as you go on your way. May He go before you to show you the way. May He go behind you to encourage you. May He go beside you to guide and befriend you. May He always be above you to watch over you. And may He be within you to give you peace.

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

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May you know God’s presence with you more and more each day.

Week of February 20, 2011, Psalm 119:33-40

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 119, a great psalm describing the writer’s love for God’s principles of living and God’s word, verses 33-40. The writer finds many ways of saying Word – but they all refer to living our lives according to God’s teachings:

33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
36 Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you.
39 Turn away the disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.
40 See, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.


Dear God, thank You for Your Word. Thanks for Your Word that teaches, brings understanding, leads me, gives life, and confirms Your promise of life with You. Help me, Lord, to fall more and more in love with You, to fall more in love with Your Word. Help me to carve out time in my day to read Your Word, to listen to Your voice in that Word, to take it with me in my world, and to always be aware that You are with me wherever I go.

Your statues, laws, commandments, decrees, ordinances, precepts – Your teaching and principles of love, grace, mercy, peace, kindness, respect, - they all give me life. They all fill me with hope.

Jesus, may I always realize Your Word directs me to You, to Your light, to new life, to new beginnings. May Your Word come alive in my life and lead me to service to others. Thanks, Jesus, for Your presence with me always. Amen.


The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May we be more and more aware of God’s presence and working in our lives each day.