Week of February 28, 2010, Psalm 27

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 27 – a psalm about having faith and confidence in God:
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Dear Lord, You are my light and my salvation. You are the stronghold of my life. I am confident in You and I will not be anxious or afraid, no matter the enemies that surround me, or that seem to surround me, that come in the forms of illness, of despairing relationships, of destructive emotions like anger and fear, alienation or rejection. Lord God, I seek Your face, I seek Your presence, to dwell in Your house all the days of my life, to seek Your face, to gaze upon Your beauty, to wait confidently knowing that You are always with me. Thanks for Your promise of keeping me safe, for Your promise that You are merciful and will answer me. Help me, Lord, to listen, to be strong and take heart, and wait on You, and then to listen some more.

Thanks for Your ever-present love, that brings peace, that keeps me aware of Your presence always 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 we be more and more aware of God’s presence and that God is working in our lives each day.

Week of February 21, 2010, Psalm 91

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 91 - a psalm about God's protection and provision.
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Dear God, thank You for watching over us, for protecting us. For we rest in Your shadows, in the protection of Your wings, and You save us. You are our refuge and fortress, and we trust in You. Because of Your protection and faithfulness, we will not be afraid, no matter the terror of the night, the pestilence in darkness, nor the arrows of evil that fly by day, or the plague that destroys at midday. For You are with us. You are our refuge, as we make Your dwelling place our dwelling place. Then, even angels guard and protect us. You rescue us, Lord, in the midst of our troubles, and You respond to us as we call out to You. You deliver us, and bring us to Your salvation. Once, we were lost, but now we are found. Once we were blind, but now we see. We see Your glory, Lord, Your presence, Your hand in all things. Continue to help us, Lord. Continue to save us, Lord. Continue to rescue and protect us.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love that surrounds us, Your peace in the midst of turmoil, Your presence every time, everywhere. 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 we be more and more aware of God’s presence and working in our lives each day.

Week of February 14, 2010, Psalm 99

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 99, a psalm about the greatness and holiness of God, who loves us and hears our prayer and responds:
1 The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble;
he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
2 Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.
4 The King is mighty, he loves justice— you have established equity;
in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name;
they called on the LORD and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.
8 O LORD our God, you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.
9 Exalt the LORD our God
and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.

Dear Lord, You reign on the earth, exalted over the nations. As Master and Savior, reign in me. Let Your kingdom come in me.

You are a great God, mighty and awesome. Help me to see You as mighty and great, who loves Your people and watches over them as You watched over the Israelites in the wilderness – a pillar of cloud during the day, a pillar of fire at night.

You are a holy God. Help me, Lord, to be more like You. May Your holiness reign in me.

Millions and millions, Lord God, worship You every day, as did Moses and Aaron, Samuel and so many others. When they called on Your name, You answered them. Lord Jesus, I call on You now, giving You praise and thanks, and asking for help in these times, and You respond. Help me to listen for Your voice.

You remind me that You hear and answer. You remind me that You love and forgive. Help me to see You, Lord, in those around me.

Jesus, thanks for forgiving me, for loving me, for bring me joy and peace, and surrounding me with Your presence. Amen.

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself;
May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring comfort to you, guide you in your decisions, and fill you
with a fervent desire to serve Him better.
And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always.
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 be more and more aware of God’s presence as you live each day.

Week of February 7, 2010, Psalm 138

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 138, a psalm of praise and hope:
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
3 When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.
4 May all the kings of the earth praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.
5 May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great.
6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.

Dear Lord, I praise You with all my heart. I bow to You, worship You, and praise Your holy name, for Your love and faithfulness. I exalt Your name and Your Word. When I called, Lord, You answered me. You have made me strong in body and strong in heart.

Lord, Your promises are especially to the humble in heart, for You look upon the lowly. You preserve my life as I walk in the midst of trouble. You stretch out Your hand against my enemies to protect me, and You save me. No matter what enemies I face, Lord, whether known or unknown, fears and frustrations, trials and turmoil, You, Lord, are with me. You save me. You have created each of us for Yourself, and work within each one of us, Your purpose to fulfill. Lord Jesus, I pray that Your purpose would be fulfilled in me, with the strength of Your Word and the power of Your Holy Spirit, for Your love endures forever, Your peace surrounds us always, Your presence is in our midst, as we work with hearts, minds, and hands to accomplish what You call each of us to do. Thanks, Lord, 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 you know God’s presence with you more and more each day.