Someplace Special
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Someplace Special
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Read Romans 13:11-14 "Do this because we live in an important time. It is now time for you to wake up from sleep, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” Romans 13:11 Over a three month period I watched my father die. In the beginning I wondered if he was spiritually ready for death - was he kingdom bound. I think he was! I am not sure what happened but he went from a young man very active in the church to one who saw very little good in the institutional church. This did not mean he did not have a relationship with God. Some of my most vivid images of him were of watching him nightly kneeing beside his bed in silent prayer. Perhaps knowing his death was rapidly approaching he joined a church a month or so before his death but was never able to attend. Paul writing in Romans is referring to the sudden second coming of Christ. Elsewhere in the scripture, we are also reminded of the suddenness of the Master's return. In the early Church, the second coming of Christ was expected at any moment and therefore there was an urgency to be ready. That expediency had grown din and faint, but one permanent fact remains - no person knows when God will rise and bid him go. The time grows ever shorter, for we are every day one day nearer that time. We, too, must have all things ready. Two days before my father's death, I sat at his bedside repeating Psalm 23 to him. I wanted him to know that he had nothing to fear for God would take care of him in the other world just as he had in this world. When we are ready, God will take care of us. Prayer Dear Lord we are called to a state of preparedness. When we falter, help to direct us back on the right course. Amen Pastor Billy
Read Luke 1:46-53 I chose this text because it is one of my favorites. It is also one of the only texts I can repeat from memory. This happened because as children we prayed this prayer and as an adult I have repeatedly prayed with this scripture. “MY SOUL MAGNIFIES THE LORD”......How can this be true for me? I must be open to God's entry into me, just as Mary was open to God's request to be open to the Son. “MY SPIRIT REJOICES IN GOD MY SAVIOR”....How can this be true for me? It is easy when things are well, but when children are very ill it is more difficult. The answer I have found is again, be open to the presence of God so that God can love me, change me, guide me, and sustain me. “FOR HE HAS LOOKED WITH FAVOR ON THE LOWLINESS OF HIS SERVANT”...How can this be true for me? How can this be so when I know me, where I've come from, where I've been? That is it, God does know me and has a plan for me and most of all LOVES ME. “SURELY ALL GENERATIONS SHALL CALL ME BLESSED”...I know this is true for me. God has surely blessed me with husband and children, with health and illness, with riches and struggles. GOD LOVES ME. This I know is true. And so- my soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely all generations shall call me blessed. PrayerO God, enhance our souls so that we may rejoice in you. Amen Sheila Banks
Read Luke 10:21 – 24 “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see” Luke 10:23 I have a very dear friend – Elaine – who is suffering with cancer – the outlook appears dim. A few weeks ago one of our members delivered altar flowers to Elaine. She called me and was so thankful to have received flowers from our church – she exclaimed “THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL’. Two amazing things are going on here - # 1 although gravely ill, Elaine maintains such a positive attitude AND # 2 Elaine is totally blind and has been so most of her life. While our visual acuity is better than her’s – often times she “SEES” so much that we miss. Luke, Chapter 10 Verse 24 tells us that “many prophets and kings desired to see what You see – but did not”. Elaine has opened her eyes to God’s creation and creatures – beyond her darkness she “SEES” beauty, she “SEES” love – she “SEES” with her heart. Prayer Lord, help us to “SEE” – not just with our eyes, but with our beings – enable us to see people, places, situations as you would have us see them and give us the faith of Elaine to maintain a positive attitude despite the adversities we face in life. Help us “SEE” beyond the obvious to what you SEE. Amen Sue Swanson/Wittek
Read Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lay down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters; he restores my soul; He lead me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
Psalm 23 :1-4
“You are never alone. In you heart of hearts, where no two people are ever alike, Christ is waiting for you. And what you never dared hope for springs to life.” Brother Roger of Taize Dare to believe in God’s unconditional love and trust in Jesus’ love, through the Holy Spirit we know and experience that love ebbs to and through us for God’s greatest glory. Prayer God, we pray for the opportunity to share the awesomeness of our Lord with other. Amen Brother Bernie Bruenn of Buffalo
Read Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” Matthew 7:24 The Sermon on the Mount is filled with Jesus’ teachings that if followed would lead to peace and prosperity throughout the world. The trouble is that most of us do not try to carry out his teachings, but simply say they are calling for too much for an average man to follow. They are calling for perfection. I disagree. I think if those people in positions of authority would try to follow Christ’s teachings as found in the Sermon on the Mount, there would be a drastic change in the world situation, and our world would be built on a rock. Prayer Dear Lord, help us to follow your teachings as found in the Sermon on the Mount, and lead us to build a house on rock. Amen Bob Esch
Read Revelation 3:20 “Listen! I am standing at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me.” Revelation 3:20 This is one of the only verses of scripture that I can quote verbatim. I only know it because I was given it to pray with when I was "learning" how to practice Lectio Divina-a Latin term for praying with scripture. This has been a gift! I was encouraged to gently repeat the words, over and over. Maybe one or two would stand out for me. I was encouraged to continue this gentle repetition until the words became mine. Then perhaps I would be moved to prayer-verbal prayer for someone else, for the world or for me. AND THEN- I was encouraged to rest in God. Just rest in God's vast presence. Over the years I have been "stopped" in many different places in this verse. I have been led to many different prayers & there have been times of resting in God. These gifts I offer now to you. I invite you to gently read the verse & listen for God's knocking. Make the verse your own through gentle repetition. Offer a prayer as it rises from within and then, REST IN GOD. Listen! I am standing at the door knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you and you with me. Prayer Blessed One, as we anticipate Your birth, help us be open to Your Presence in our lives and in our hearts. Help us invite You in to our "heart rooms" so that we may know you in ways we can't even imagine and so that we might experience YOUR LOVE. Sheila Banks
Read Psalm 147:1-7 “Praise the Lord…Sing to the Lord with Thanksgiving.” Psalm 147:1a & 7a When I was in Confirmation, one assignment was to write a prayer for the church. Pastor Roberts gave us what we had to include in the prayer and one thing was thanksgiving. At home I sat down to write this prayer. I was stumped when it came to include thanksgiving. I told my brother we have to include something about Thanksgiving Day in this prayer. What do you say about Thanksgiving Day in a prayer? So I did not write anything in my prayer about Thanksgiving, so I thought. We read our prayers out loud to the class. Pastor Roberts commented that I began my prayer with thanksgiving. Then a light bulb went on. Thanksgiving was giving thanks to God. I did not think I included thanksgiving in my prayer but I did. Sometimes we do not realize we are singing to the Lord with Thanksgiving. When I go outside and take a deep breath and enjoy the fresh air or when I look up and just enjoy the sky, I am singing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Giving thanks to the Lord does not always have to be with words. Prayer God, ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫. Amen Penny Paschka |
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