May 16, 2018

Season of Easter

As you enter into this Morning Prayer, remember that God is with you and ready to speak to you because he loves you. Enjoy the presence of your Lord and Savior. Pray as you are able: use the entire email or for a shorter time of prayer, be led through all five sections but focus on one element in each of the sections. 

- Calling - 

For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. (Colossians 2:12)

 

- Confession - 

Prayer of Repentance
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Almighty and merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us miserable offenders. Spare those, O God, who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to the world in Christ Jesus, our Lord. And grant, O merciful God, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous and sober life,  to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

(Pause for a time of silent confession)

Words of Assurance
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus... make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints... He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.  (1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, 5:24)

The Invitation
(An invitation to praise God after confession and prior to the daily Psalm(s) and Lessons)

O Lord, open our lips.
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
                  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!

Alleluia. The Lord is risen indeed: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

 

- Constitution - 

Morning Psalm(s) - Psalm 101
A Psalm of David.

    I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
        to you, O LORD, I will make music.
    I will ponder the way that is blameless.
        Oh when will you come to me?
    I will walk with integrity of heart
        within my house;
    I will not set before my eyes
        anything that is worthless.
    I hate the work of those who fall away;
        it shall not cling to me.
    A perverse heart shall be far from me;
        I will know nothing of evil.    
    
    Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly
        I will destroy.
    Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart
        I will not endure.    
    
    I will look with favor on the faithful in the land,
        that they may dwell with me;
    he who walks in the way that is blameless
        shall minister to me.    
    
    No one who practices deceit
        shall dwell in my house;
    no one who utters lies
        shall continue before my eyes.    
    
    Morning by morning I will destroy
        all the wicked in the land,
    cutting off all the evildoers
        from the city of the LORD. 
 

Psalm 109:1–30
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

    Be not silent, O God of my praise!
    For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
        speaking against me with lying tongues.
    They encircle me with words of hate,
        and attack me without cause.
    In return for my love they accuse me,
        but I give myself to prayer.
    So they reward me evil for good,
        and hatred for my love.    
    
    Appoint a wicked man against him;
        let an accuser stand at his right hand.
    When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
        let his prayer be counted as sin!
    May his days be few;
        may another take his office!
    May his children be fatherless
        and his wife a widow!
    May his children wander about and beg,
        seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
    May the creditor seize all that he has;
        may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
    Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
        nor any to pity his fatherless children!
    May his posterity be cut off;
        may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
    May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
        and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
    Let them be before the LORD continually,
        that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!    
    
    For he did not remember to show kindness,
        but pursued the poor and needy
        and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
    He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
        He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
    He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
        may it soak into his body like water,
        like oil into his bones!
    May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
        like a belt that he puts on every day!
    May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
        of those who speak evil against my life!    
    
    But you, O GOD my Lord,
        deal on my behalf for your name's sake;
        because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
    For I am poor and needy,
        and my heart is stricken within me.
    I am gone like a shadow at evening;
        I am shaken off like a locust.
    My knees are weak through fasting;
        my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
    I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
        when they see me, they wag their heads.    
    
    Help me, O LORD my God!
        Save me according to your steadfast love!
    Let them know that this is your hand;
        you, O LORD, have done it!
    Let them curse, but you will bless!
        They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
    May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
        may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!    
    
    With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
        I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
          as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen



Old Testament - Isaiah 4:2–6

In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. 

The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God


New Testament - Ephesians 4:1-16

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says,

    “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
        and he gave gifts to men.”    
    
    (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.  

The Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God


Slowly read one or more of the lessons again... did a word or phrase catch your eye or move your heart...meditate on it and pray your thoughts, desires, needs, and feelings.
 

A Song of Response - Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision
O Lord of my heart
Nought be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light

Be Thou my Wisdom
And Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me Lord
Thou my great Father
And I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with Thee one

Riches I heed not
Nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My Treasure Thou art

High King of Heaven
My victory won
May I reach heaven’s joys
O bright heav’n’s Sun
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still be my vision
O Ruler of all

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
          as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

 

The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried:
he descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

- Communion - 

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Prayers of Thanksgiving & Petitions
Take this time to offer personal prayers.
Where have you seen the Lord faithfully at work this past week?
Where do you hope to see the Lord's help and healing this coming week?
What prayers can you offer for our church, neighborhood, nation, and world?


A Collect for the Seventh Sunday of Easter

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 

- Commission - 

The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. We pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Blessing
May the God of peace
who raised to life the great shepherd of the sheep
make us ready to do his will in every good thing, 
through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. 
(Based on Hebrews 13:20-21)

Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

 

- Family Devotion- 

If you have children, below are two suggestions to help your family create a daily habit of prayer and Bible reading, meditation, and application. Use these suggestions as guides for your specific family situation and the ages of each of your children. Corporate times around the table (like breakfast or dinner) or during bedtime routines may be good times for your family.

Suggestion 1
For a family devotion follow the Calling - Commission flow: 

Calling - Remind your children that God loves them and is with them.                   

Cleansing - Together and/or individually pray your own prayer of repentance or use the corporate prayer of repentance. Remind them that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and rose from the dead, that their sins are forgiven and Jesus now reigns as their king.

Constitution - Read one or more of the appointed readings. Then ask them some follow up questions like: (Read) What does this passage say?  (Think) What does this passage mean? (Live) How does this passage apply to us today? In addition to an appointed reading, you can also read a children's Bible, like The Jesus Storybook Bible.   

Communion - Then pray thanksgivings & petitions and/or The Lord's Prayer. 

Commission - Close by saying the Blessing over your children.

Suggestion 2
For those families going through the 10-minute family devotional Old Story New, this week we are on WEEK 59, PAGES 412-419.

Close your time with prayers of repentance, thanksgiving, petitions, and/or The Lord's Prayer.