Week of February 26, 2006, Psalm 50: 1-6

Welcome. One of the Scripture lessons for Sunday (Transfiguration Sunday, where Jesus shows His true glory to three of His disciples, Peter, James and John) is from Psalm 50, verses 1 to 6 - showing the Old Testament perspective of Almighty God, shining forth:

1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.
3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages.
4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 "Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge.

Dear God, the Almighty God, the Lord, You speak and summon the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. You ordain everything in order. You shine forth in Your creation. Shine forth in me. May the fires and tempests that sometimes surround me be silenced.

Speak, Lord, for I need to hear You. Whether in Your creation, through Your Word, through Your people, shine forth and remind me that You are God, the Mighty One. For You judge Your people. You gather Your people, consecrating, with a covenant that reminds each of us that You are our God and we are Your people. Come, Heavenly Father, speak forth Your Word to each of us as we need.

Jesus, thanks for Your love, Your presence with us now and 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 e-mail me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May God, our gracious Judge, be with you now and always.

Week of February 19, 2006, Mark 2: 1-12

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 2, verses 1-12 – the story of four friends tearing apart a roof of a house to lower a man on a mat so that he could be brought to Jesus:
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.
2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.
4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,
7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?
9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,
11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."
12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Dear Jesus, You help us realize that we need friends who care for us, who are persistent and who will do anything to bring us to Your feet. Remind us, Lord, that we cannot go it alone. We need You, and we need others to help, to encourage, to keep us faithful and keep us focused on You.

Jesus, thanks for the power that You bring in any situation in our lives. And that while the friends and the paralytic may not have come to You for sins to be forgiven, that You tell us that that is the first and most important part of our walk with You. For You “blot out our transgressions and remember our sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25). Thanks for that great promise, Lord. Thanks for Your healing power. And thanks for Your love 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.

If you would like to leave a message or have a prayer request, e-mail me at: peacewm@tds.net.
Thanks, and God be with us now and always.

Week of February 12, 2006, Mark 1: 40-45

The Gospel lesson for this Sunday is from Mark, chapter 1, verses 40 to 45, and it involves one of the stories about Jesus healing ministry:

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"
42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:
44 "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."
45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Dear Jesus, I come to You, too, begging You to make me clean. And no matter the condition of my body or my heart or my mind, You are always filled with compassion and love for me, and You are always willing to respond. Touch me and make me clean. Fill me with that certain faith that knows beyond any doubt that You are God, the Son, Savior, Redeemer, Healer.

Thanks for Your love, Your presence, Your healing touch, Jesus. 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 e-mailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May God, our Great Physician, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us now and always.

Week of February 5, 2006, Isaiah 40: 21-31

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from an Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, in Chapter 40, verses 21-31, reminding each of us of one of the great promises of the Bible:
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 "To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God"?
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are the great and mighty God, who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. You never grow tired or weary, and we can not fathom Your wisdom and understanding.

Father God, You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. There are many times, Lord, that I am tired and weary, but You Word reminds me that You give me strength when I stumble and fall. You give me hope when I wait on You, spend time with You, rest in Your presence. Thanks for Your renewing and restoring presence, Your grace, Your love in my life. 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.

If you'd like to leave a message or prayer request, please e-mail me at: peacewm@tds.net.
God's peace, hope and joy be with you this week.