Week of March 28, 2010, Philippians 2:5-11

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Philippians, chapter 2, verses 5-11.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who came to this earth with the nature of a servant, humbling Himself, totally obedient, even to death, to death on a cross. Help us to understand, Father God, the sacrifice, the suffering, the dying and death of Jesus Christ – that it was for us, to draw the world heavenward, to Jesus – who is exalted to the highest place, having the Name above all names, so that everyone would confess, proclaim, and shout that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Jesus, thank You. We exalt You, above all, and we bow before You and confess that You are our Lord and King. Jesus, thank You for Your sacrificial and unconditional love, Your presence in our lives, Your peace that You bring fresh to us each day. 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 God’s working in our lives each day.

Week of March 21, 2010, Philippians 3:8-14

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Philippians, chapter 3, here beginning at verse 8 to verse 14. The Apostle Paul is writing to the Philippians that we come to God by faith, by trusting in Jesus Christ, and not by the law, not by something that we earn. Beginning with verse 8:
8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Jesus, with these words, we are reminded that the most important thing we do in our life is knowing You. Everything else is meaningless and rubbish. Everything we do to get ahead in this world, everything we do to have more things, everything we do to satisfy our own personal desires – all is meaningless if we do not have You, Jesus.

It is the gift of faith that You bring to each of us that comes not by any law or demand, but comes from God, by faith. For we die each day, sharing in Your sufferings, and with You, Jesus, we rise to new life – each day.

So dear Lord, help us to press on, straining toward what is ahead, the goal of eternal life, the reality of Your presence with us right now, life lived to the fullest because of You, Jesus.

Thanks for Your amazing love, Your all-encompassing peace, Your all-surrounding presence. 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.

Week of March 14, 201, Psalm 32

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 32, a psalm of forgiveness and joy:
1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD "— and you forgave the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You forgive our sins.

Thank You, Lord, that You do not count my sin against me. When I keep silent about my sins, Lord, my bones waste away. I am heavily burdened, and my strength is sapped from me. But when I acknowledge my sin, You are quick to forgive. When I come to You, Lord, seeking forgiveness, You respond, cleanse, renew and refresh me.

You are my hiding place, dear Lord, and You watch over me and protect me from trouble and surround me with strength. You instruct and teach me in the way I should go. You counsel me and watch over me. Your unfailing love, Lord surrounds each of us as we trust in You.

So we rejoice in You Lord, and are hearts are filled with praise and thanks. Thanks for Your love, Your peace, Your presence with us 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.

Weekof March 7, 2010, Psalm 63

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 63, a psalm written by King David when he was in the desert:
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Dear God, You are my God, and I earnestly seek You. My soul thirsts for You; my body longs for You; in a dry and weary land where there is no water, I thirst for You. In the weariness of my entire being, dear Lord, it is You I long for. There are times when I have been in the sanctuary and saw Your power and Your glory in action. I praise You and sing for joy in the sanctuary. And there are so many times when I have sensed Your presence in worship. I know Your love, Lord, and it is better than life itself. You are my help, my strength, my comfort, my hope, and so I cling to You and know that Your right hand upholds me.

Thanks, Lord Jesus, for Your presence with each of us always, for Your love that overwhelms us, for Your peace that surrounds us. 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 you be more and more aware of God’s presence and Spirit in your life each day.