Week of January 1, 2006 - Psalm 8

One of the Scriptures for this Sunday, liturgically called "Name of Jesus" or the First Sunday after Christmas, is Palm 8 -- a psalm reminding us of the majesty and mystery and inscrutability of God’s ways:
1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise Your Name – filled with majesty and glory in the heavens and now on the earth, as a Baby, the Christ. This mystery of the heavens, the work of your hands, and mankind –- that You are mindful of us. O Lord, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth! Jesus, how majestic is Your Name – not only as a Baby, but as a King – the King of kings, Prince of Peace.

In this new year, may we be ever mindful of this mystery of the Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, always available to us, always all-powerful, all-knowing, all holy, and all-loving.

Thanks for Your presence, Emmanuel, with us always. Amen.

May the Lord shower you with His mercy; may the light of His presence be ever your guide; may He guard you and uphold you; may His Spirit be ever by your side. May He bless Your comings in and your goings out. When you sleep, may His angels watch over you; when you wake, may He fill you with His grace. May you love Him and serve Him all your days, and then in heaven to see His face forevermore.
In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a prayer request or response by e-mailing: peacewm@tds.net.
May our God, whose Name is Majesty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with us now and always.

Week of December 25, 2005 - Luke 2:1-20

The Christmas story as found in Luke, chapter 2, verses 1 to 20:
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
3 And everyone went to his own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the Gift of Your Son, Jesus. Come, Lord, Jesus, Emmanuel, this gift always with us, a baby yet a King, born in a stable, yet the King of Glory, commander of the Heavenly Host. Thanks Jesus, for Your presence, Your peace, Your joy in me this day and 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 an e-mail message or prayer request at: peacewm@tds.net.

May Jesus, our Savior, Messiah, Friend and King be with us always.

Week of December 18, 2005 - Luke 1:26-38

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Luke, chapter 1, verses 26 to 38 – the emphasis this Sunday during this Advent season is on Mary.
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
38 "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Dear Lord, You are a great God who gives me a holy perspective of historical events – an angel, Gabriel to be the messenger to Mary, who then is told she will give birth to a son to be called Jesus, the Son of the Most High, whose kingdom will never end.

Jesus, what a way to be a part of the lives of Your people – not as a king with a mighty army, but as a Baby. Help me, Lord to understand, to grasp the power of Your love towards Your people, towards each of us, towards me. And may I always remember that nothing is impossible with You, Heavenly Father. When life does not slow down and seems to get more and more frenetic, especially during this season, may You be my Center, my Hope, my Focus, so that I can look for times in the day when I can be with You in thought and prayer, and know that You are Emmanuel, always with me. And that all things are possible when all things seem impossible.

Thanks for Your love, Your presence, Your peace during this Advent season. 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 by e-mail at: peacewm@tds.net. May God, Emmanuel, always with us, and where all things are possible through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you now and always.

Week of December 11, 2005 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

In some liturgical churches, the Third Sunday in Advent has been known as “Gaudete” or “Rejoice” Sunday. And one of the Scriptures for Sunday begins with that thought -- from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 16 to 24, a list of things for the Christians from Thessalonica and us to remember:
16 Be joyful always;
17 pray continually;
18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
20 do not treat prophecies with contempt.
21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
22 Avoid every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Dear Lord, with a joyful spirit, I praise You and give thanks to You in every circumstance and situation. And in my day to day living may prayer be a part of everything I do, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, counsel, teach and comfort. May I look for the good in people, avoid evil of every kind, and with God’s help and His Word a part of me, Jesus, may You sanctify me through and through. Help me, Lord – every part of me – soul, spirit and body, to grow in holiness, have a hatred for sin, and seek You in all things I do throughout my life.

Remind me, Lord Jesus, that You have been a part of my life from my very creation, that You forgive me as I confess my sins to You, that You refresh and renew me each day, that You call me to Your service – helping others and growing in Your likeness each day, and that You will help me be obedient and faithful with the Holy Spirit’s help.

Thanks for Your presence, Your love, Your peace – 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 e-mail a response or prayer request to: peacewm@tds.net.
May God be with you now and always.