Week of November 28, Romans 13:11-14

Now begins a new season in the Christian year called Advent, a time of preparation for Jesus’ coming to earth some two thousand years ago, coming to each of us each day, and a reminder that Jesus will come again at the end of time.

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Romans, chapter 13, verses 11 to 14, where Paul talks about putting on Christ, and getting rid of the junk in our lives that hinders our relationship with God:
Paul says:
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Dear God, in this new season called Advent, a time of preparation for Your Son, Jesus, we have so many things to do to get ready. Remind us, Lord, that Jesus has already come. He has impacted the world in powerful ways. Jesus has broken into the world – into our own world also, calling us to Himself, calling us to live lives of purity and goodness and joy and service to others.

Jesus, You call us to put aside deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light, for You, Jesus, are the light of the world. In this world that needs You so much, Jesus, help us to put aside the nonessential things, and focus on time with You, to put aside all the frenetic activity that the world calls us to, and rest in the manger with You, born once two thousand years ago, and continuing to impact our lives today.

So Jesus, we thank You for the gifts of joy, peace, comfort, strength, Your presence. Help each of us to be men and women of joy, peace, comfort, and strength because of who we are in You, and to reflect those gifts to others this Advent season. Thanks, Jesus, for the relationship that we have with You, where we can experience 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 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 November 21, 2010, Colossians 1:11-20

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Colossians, chapter 1, verses 11 to 20:
Paul says: 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Dear God, thanks for Your word that brings help to us in every situation. Lord, strengthen us; give us patience; bring joy to us; help us be thankful. Remind us of our inheritance with You, as a holy people in Your kingdom of light. Thanks for Your love, which rescues us from darkness. Thanks for redeeming us, for forgiving us.

For Jesus, You are the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. You are God incarnate, God breaking into our world, bringing us help and hope. Jesus, You are the head of the Body, the church. Jesus, You are the fullness of God dwelling in You, and You reconcile all things to Yourself, through Your blood, shed on the cross. You bring us close to You.

Jesus, thanks for being our Savior. Thanks for Your incarnate love. Thanks for Your peace. Thanks for Your 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 November 14, 2010, Psalm 98

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is Psalm 98, a descriptive psalm of praise to God:
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn-- shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

Dear Lord, we give you thanks and praise by singing a new song to You, for You have done marvelous things. Your right hand and Your holy arm have worked salvation in us. You have made Your salvation known, and revealed Your righteousness to us all, even to all the nations. Your love and faithfulness are over the house of Israel, they are over each of us. All the ends of the earth have seen your glory.

Lord, give us a passion for worship, a worship that is filled with joy and praise and thanks. Lord, help us to shout for joy, giving You praise with great joy. From the depths of our hearts, may we burst into jubilant song and make music to You Lord in every possible way, shouting with joy to You, the King, the King of our lives. May the seas resound and the rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing for joy. May Your creation, Lord, each of us, in our own ways, always give You praise.

Thanks, Jesus, for your life in us, your love and grace that You bring, Your Spirit that empowers us, Your 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 November 7, 2010, Ephesians 1:13-23

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Ephesians, chapter 1, verses 13-23. The first part is the basic plan of salvation, the second part a great prayer for all of us to experience. Paul says to the Church in Ephesus and to us:
13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, 18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. 20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Jesus, through these words we see You at work. For the Gospel of our salvation is Your life and teaching with Your disciples, Your suffering and death on a cross for us, Your resurrection from the dead, and Your empowering Spirit to each of us. Thanks, Jesus, for this promise to us of eternal life, our inheritance as a people of God.

Jesus, we ask for strengthened faith, that depends totally on trusting in You. We ask for wisdom and a deeper revelation to know You better, to enlighten our heart, to live with a sense of great hope knowing that You have called us, that You want to pour out riches of Your glorious inheritance to us. We ask that You would remind us that You are all-powerful, and that You have given us power – to those of us who believe, to work in Your kingdom for others – that same power that You, God, used to raise Your Son, Jesus, from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand, ruling over all, in this age and in the age to come.

Jesus, may You continue to work in Your Church, Your body, Your fullness – who fills all in all. Thanks for Your power in us, Jesus, Your love which surrounds us, Your peace in our midst. 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 we be more and more aware of God’s power and presence in us as we live each day.