Week of October 3, 2010, 2 Timothy 1:5-10

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from the second letter of Paul to Timothy, chapter 1, and here a shortened version from verses 5 to 10, where Paul encourages us to live a holy life:
5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Jesus, thanks for the strong faith of those around us, the confidence of You in our midst and the promises in Your word, that faith that is a part of our heritage and includes our own relatives, and hopefully our moms and dads, but ultimately that faith that comes from You.

Jesus, thanks for the gifts that You have given us, the passion for You that has been, and continues to be fanned into flame, that fervent desire to know You better, to fall more deeply in love with You.

And thanks, Jesus, that when You call us into new areas of life, new commitments, new journeys of service, You equip us, You give us understanding and wisdom, for it is not by our own power that anything happens well, but by Your Spirit working in us. For You did not give us a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit’s help, empowering us to love and self-discipline.

Jesus, thanks for saving us; thanks for drawing us into holy living, not because of anything we can do, but because of Your own purpose for our lives, and Your grace and mercy, given to us in Christ Jesus, and revealed when You first appeared on this earth, bringing life to each of us, and immortality to light through the Gospel, bringing us to a strong hope of life after our life, seeing You face to face.

Jesus, thanks for Your power in our lives, Your love that surrounds us, Your peace that fills us. 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 us comfort, guide us in our decisions, and fill us
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 out each day.

Week of September 26, 2010, Psalm 146

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 146 – a psalm of praise:
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, we praise You. We praise You from the depths of our hearts. All our lives we praise You, Lord, and sing praises to You as long as we live. For You, You only can save us, Lord. You only are our help and our hope. For You are the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea – everything in them – all creatures on land and ocean You have made. And You, Lord, remain faithful forever.

You uphold the cause of the oppressed and give food to the hungry. You set the prisoners free; You give sight to the blind; You lift those bowed down from their cares and troubles. Lord, this describes each of us, for we all feel oppressed at times; we all are hungry for You, and sometimes are starving for Your peace; we all feel like prisoners at times – prisoners of our fears, prisoners of the demands on our time and energy; we all need to have our spiritual eyes open to see You in others; and we are all bowed down from the turmoil and unsettled parts of our lives. But then You come, Lord, and bring hope and help us by walking with us every moment. You watch over us when we feel alienated and orphaned – alone and unloved. You come and lift us up and draw us to Yourself.

Dear God, thank You, that You reign in our life, that You reign forever. Thanks, Jesus, for Your overwhelming love, Your profound peace, and Your constant presence with 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 we be more and more aware of God’s presence and working in our lives each day.

Week of September 19, 2010, 1 Timothy 2:1-7

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verses 1-7 – a passage from the Apostle Paul, about prayer and our relationship to Jesus Christ, and then Paul reminds us of his credentials to stand behind his words and thoughts – that they are from God, and they are crucial and vital for our lives:
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

Jesus, thanks for these words from Paul about the power and importance of prayer. Help each of us to have a heart for prayer – talking with You about everything, about every situation, every fear, every hope – everything about our life, and our life with others – to pray for our personal needs and our deepening relationship with You, but then also to pray for others and their needs, to be thankful, and filled with gratitude, Lord, for Your grace and mercy, Your love and peace, to be praying for all of our leaders, spiritual leaders, and our leaders over us from mayors to governors to our president, so that we can live lives of peace and quiet, with godliness and holiness.

Jesus, thanks that we do not have to go to anyone but You when we need Your help and guidance, Your strength and comfort. You only are our mediator, and You know us intimately. Thanks for Your love and peace, for Your strength and comfort as we grow in understanding and maturity in our deepening relationship with You. 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 September 12, 2010, Psalm 51:1-10

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Psalm 51, verses 1 to 10, a psalm of mercy and forgiveness with God’s unfailing love:

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Dear Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. O God, because of Your unfailing love and Your great compassion, blot out my sins. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Wash away all my sins and cleanse me, for I know my own weaknesses and my failings, and my sin is always before me.

For we all have sinned, and are not allowed into Your presence except because of the sufferings and death of Your Son, Jesus, who died for our sins, who cleanses us, restores us, cleanses us and renews us. You make us clean, Lord, whiter than snow. Continue to create in each of us a pure heart, a clean heart dedicated to You, O God. And renew within each of us a steadfast spirit.

Thank You Jesus, for Your forgiveness, Your wisdom, Your peace, Your presence, Your Holy Spirit within us. 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 September 5, 2010, Psalm 1

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 1, from several different translations – first from The New International Version, then from The Message:
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

1 How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.
2-3 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.
You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.
4-5 You're not at all like the wicked, who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court, unfit company for innocent people.
6 God charts the road you take. The road they take is Skid Row.

Dear God, You are a great God who blesses us, as we delight in and are thrilled with Your Word. Your Word is with us day and night as we reflect on it, as we see Your Word that leads and guides us in our daily life. So chart our road, Lord; continue watching over us – our comings in, our goings out – every part of who we are.

Jesus, Your Word is ever present, for You are the Incarnate God, the Living Word, in our midst – in the midst of disciples two thousand years ago, and in our midst as we lift Your name on high, as we walk in step with Your Spirit.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love, Your wisdom, Your peace, Your presence in our lives – 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 we be more and more aware of God’s presence and God’s Word working in our lives each day.