Week of March 29, 2009, Psalm 51:1-12

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 51, the first twelve verses – a psalm of forgiveness and pardon -
 1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment.
5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Dear Lord, have mercy on me because Your love is steadfast, unconditional and everlasting. Because of Your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me, cleanse me, Lord, for I know my sin – my sin is ever before me.

You teach me wisdom, Lord; in the depths of my heart I am aware of Your love for me, and Your wisdom, as You lead and guide me. As You cleanse me, Lord, I am whiter than snow. You fill me with joy and gladness because of Your great and incredible, forgiving presence.

Heavenly Father, create in me a clean heart – through Your Spirit put a new and right spirit within me. May I always come into Your presence, knowing that You forgive, and that You bring hope and help.

Thanks for reminding me of Your overwhelming love, Your powerful presence with me, Your peace within me. 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 March 22, 2009, John 3:14-21

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 14 to 21 – the famous section of Scripture that we all need to remember:
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

Jesus, You are the light of the world. And Your Word is true, for You are the Word made flesh. You come into the world to bring salvation. You come to each one of us, so that believing in You, we have eternal life. There is something beyond this life, beyond what we know, and it is spectacular! For You have come out of Love so that no one would perish. You did not come to condemn the world. You have come in love to draw all people to Yourself.

Help me, Lord, to see how You work, that You died for each one of us, so that we might be saved. Help us, Lord, to look to You as Light, the true Light.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love, for Your peace, for Your presence with each one of 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 God be with you now and always.

Week of March 15, 2009, Psalm 19:1-14

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 19 – a psalm about God’s handiwork as revealed in God’s creation and God’s Word:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Dear God, the heavens do declare Your glory; the skies do proclaim the work of Your hands. Your words and Your knowledge are displayed day after day, throughout the earth.

Your Words, O Lord, through Your wisdom, through Your precepts, are perfect, reviving and restoring my soul. Your statutes, I trust, and they give me wisdom. Your commands, O Lord, are radiant, and they give light to my eyes. Your ordinances are sure and in everyway they are righteous. They are more precious than gold.

Lord Jesus, keep me close to You. May my words and my thoughts be pleasing in Your sight. My everything I do, everything that motivates me, everything I say and think be a reflection of Your love, and give glory to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Thanks for Your presence, Your joy, Your peace with me 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, our great God of creation, be with you now and always.

Week of March 8, 2009, Psalm 22:23-31

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 22, verses 23 to 31
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.

Dear Lord, we praise You. All the descendants of Jacob have honored You, and continue to honor You through the ages. All the families of the earth bow down before You, Lord.

We seek You, Lord. We cry out to You. Lord, You have listened to our cries for help. In the midst of our suffering, Lord, You respond. You respond to the cries of the poor. You respond to the cries of all the suffering.

Lord God, help us to serve You, to tell others about You as we share our stories and life journeys with others. For You are merciful and gracious, righteous in all You do.

Jesus, thanks for Your presence in our lives, Your love that surrounds us, Your joy and peace that are a part of who we are because of the promises of Your Word. 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.