Week of November 23, Psalm 95:1-7

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 95, the first seven verses. The psalmist encourages us to worship:
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;
7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Dear Lord, we come before You with thanksgiving and praise, and extol Your holy name, for You are our Rock, the Rock of our salvation. For You are the great God, the great King above all gods. In Your hands are the depths of the earth, and in Your hands are the mountain peaks. For You made all things – the sea and all things in the sea, the dry lands that Your hands formed, and all the things living on the land – everything, including us, Lord.

So we come before You, bowing down and worshipping, kneeling before You, Lord, our Creator. You are our God, and we are Yours, the people of Your pasture, the flock under Your care, the great Shepherd who watches over us, tending and caring, protecting and directing.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love, Your joy, Your presence 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 message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.

May God be with you now and always.

Week of November 16, 2008, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 1 to 11 – a reading in which the Apostle Paul is encouraging the Christians at Thessalonica to be alert and watchful:
1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Dear God, I worship You. You sent Your Son, Jesus, to personally draw each of to Yourself, and now Your word says we need to be watchful and alert for the day of the Lord – for the time, Jesus, when You come back to us again, or when You come to each of us personally.

You are the light of the world, Jesus, and You call us to be sons and daughters of the light – Your Word that is light that lights our daily path, Your word that encourages us, Your Word that sheds light on our sinfulness. But then You remind us, Jesus, that as we confess our sin and cry out to You, You are quick to forgive, quick to cleanse, quick to restore.

Help us, Lord, to be self-controlled, to be open to Your Spirit in our lives, to be watchful and alert to share with others Your love, and so to continue to encourage and build up each other in the faith.

Thanks for Your presence, Your love, Your peace in our lives 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 God be with you now and always.

Week of November 9, 2008, Psalm 70

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 70, a psalm describing our great need for God:
1 Hasten, O God, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
2 May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
3 May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" turn back because of their shame.
4 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be exalted!"
5 Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

Heavenly Father, come quickly and save me. O Lord, come quickly to help. I exalt You in all things, Lord, and may everyone who seeks You, rejoice and be glad in You. O God, I love Your salvation – for all of us, for me. It is You, Jesus that bring Your saving power, and at this time I cling to the cross. For I am poor and needy. Come quickly to Me, for You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord. Hasten. Do not delay.

It seems like there is no answer. It seems like You have rejected me, and enemies are turning on me from all sides. I am shamed and confused. Jesus, I need You now, and at times, You seem far away. Help me to know, Lord, that You are always with me, always at my side, always upholding me, always guiding me.

Thanks for Your presence, Lord, Your love that surrounds me, Your peace that brings comfort and quiet strength during this time.


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 message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.

May God, who saves and delivers us, be with us now and always.