Week of November 22, 2009, Mark 12:41-44, Psalm 136:1-9

This is a season of thanksgiving and service, and so our Scriptures reflect that. From Mark, a passage about the Widow’s Offering. Mark 12:41-44:
41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
And from Psalm 136, the first 9 verses – a reason for giving thanks to God:
1Praise the LORD! He is good. God's love never fails.
2Praise the God of all gods. God's love never fails.
3Praise the Lord of lords. God's love never fails.
4Only God works great miracles. God's love never fails.
5With wisdom he made the sky. God's love never fails.
6The Lord stretched the earth over the ocean. God's love never fails.
7He made the bright lights in the sky. God's love never fails.
8He lets the sun rule each day. God's love never fails.
9He lets the moon and the stars rule each night. God's love never fails.

Dear God, Your love never fails. Your love never quits. You are the great God who gives and gives. You cannot be outgiven. No matter how much we give back to You – You give more. You bless us to overflowing. You bless us with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who gave very His life for each one of us.

And You remind us, that everything is Yours. So help us to be good stewards of Your resources, good stewards of our energies and time and talents. Help us to have eyes that see the needs of others, ears to hear You calling us forth to serve, hands that are willing, hearts that share Your love with others.

Jesus, remind me to always be thankful, to give You praise. Thanks for Your presence with us always, Your love that continues to move us closer to You, Your Spirit that empowers us, Your peace that surrounds us. 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 you experience God in great ways this week and always.

Week of November 15, 2009, Psalm 16

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 16; while this psalm is written by David, and some things here can refer to what he has experienced as King of Israel, the psalm also foreshadows our Lord Jesus:
1 Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."
3 As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Dear God, keep me safe, because I find my refuge and strength in You. I have learned, Lord, that I can do nothing of any worth apart from You.

Jesus, my delight is in You. Because of You, my hope is secure. As a child of God, I have a delightful inheritance, experiencing Your presence and Your love, Your guidance and counsel. I praise You, Lord God, for You counsel me, even instructing me at night. For Your heart instructs my heart. And so, Lord, I have set You always before me. Your right hand gives me strength, and I am not shaken. For I rest secure in Your presence. My heart is glad and I rejoice. Jesus, You have shown me the path of life. You guide my footsteps. You fill me with joy in Your presence, and with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. So, Lord, I experience Your presence now, but even more fully when I pass from this life and see Your glory manifested as I see You face to face. And in the meantime, Lord, help me to serve others with You always in mind.

Jesus, thanks for Your love, Your peace, Your presence with each of us. 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 you experience God’s presence and counsel with you always.

Week of November 8, 2009, Psalm 146

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 146 – a psalm of praise about God’s provisions:
1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Dear God, I praise You. From the depths of my soul, with my whole heart and mind and soul and strength, I give You praise. I have learned not to trust in my surroundings or people for they cannot save. Only You, Lord, can save.

You are my Help and my Hope, the Maker of heaven and earth – of the sea, and everything in it, of all the earth and all the creatures and the people on the earth. You have made them all, and You, Lord, are faithful.

Lord, You uphold the cause of the oppressed and give food to the hungry. You, Lord, set the prisoners free. You, Lord, give sight to the blind. You, Lord, lift up all those who are bowed down, for You love the righteous. You, Lord, watch over the alien and those who feel alienated. You watch over those who are fatherless and motherless. You watch over the widow.

You, Lord, reign forever, for You are God for all generations. And I give You praise and thanks for being God of the moment for the needs that each of us. Thanks for Your love and Your presence 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 and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request after the beep.
May you experience God in powerful ways this week, for God is our Hope and our Help, always with us.