Members phkrause Posted March 4, 2010 Author Members Posted March 4, 2010 Psalm 32 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Psalm 32: Today's reading is a psalm of confession and forgiveness. The psalmist celebrates the happiness of those who are forgiven. He compares the exhaustion of holding onto one's sins with the peace and protection that comes with confessing one's sins. Today’s Scripture: Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me. Today’s Reading 1Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. 2Happy is the one whom the LORD does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from all deceit. 3When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long. 4Day and night you punished me, LORD; my strength was completely drained, as moisture is dried up by the summer heat. 5Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you, and you forgave all my sins. 6So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them. 7You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me. 8The LORD says, “I will teach you the way you should go; I will instruct you and advise you. 9Don't be stupid like a horse or a mule, which must be controlled with a bit and bridle to make it submit.” 10The wicked will have to suffer, but those who trust in the LORD are protected by his constant love. 11You that are righteous, be glad and rejoice because of what the LORD has done. You that obey him, shout for joy! Reflect How does the psalmist describe what it feels like to hold onto sin? How does he go about confessing them? What does it mean for God to be a hiding place? What does that image mean to you? Pray O God, you are my hiding place! You will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation because you protect me. Forgive me for my sins, and show me the way I should go. I praise you and thank you. Amen. Prayer Concern Those who have injured others pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 6, 2010 Author Members Posted March 6, 2010 Psalm 33 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Psalm 33: Today's reading is a psalm of praise. The psalmist invites people to praise God with shouting, instruments and song. He affirms God's truth and justice and celebrates the whole of creation. God is described as omnipotent and omnipresent, protecting those who trust him. Today’s Scripture: Psalm 33:2 Give thanks to the LORD with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments. Today’s Reading 1All you that are righteous, shout for joy for what the LORD has done; praise him, all you that obey him. 2Give thanks to the LORD with harps, sing to him with stringed instruments. 3Sing a new song to him, play the harp with skill, and shout for joy! 4The words of the LORD are true, and all his works are dependable. 5The LORD loves what is righteous and just; his constant love fills the earth. 6The LORD created the heavens by his command, the sun, moon, and stars by his spoken word. 7He gathered all the seas into one place; he shut up the ocean depths in storerooms. 8Worship the LORD, all the earth! Honor him, all peoples of the world! 9When he spoke, the world was created; at his command everything appeared. 10The LORD frustrates the purposes of the nations; he keeps them from carrying out their plans. 11But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally. 12Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD; happy are the people he has chosen for his own! 13The LORD looks down from heaven and sees all of us humans. 14From where he rules, he looks down on all who live on earth. 15He forms all their thoughts and knows everything they do. 16A king does not win because of his powerful army; a soldier does not triumph because of his strength. 17War horses are useless for victory; their great strength cannot save. 18The LORD watches over those who obey him, those who trust in his constant love. 19He saves them from death; he keeps them alive in times of famine. 20We put our hope in the LORD; he is our protector and our help. 21We are glad because of him; we trust in his holy name. 22May your constant love be with us, LORD, as we put our hope in you. Reflect The psalmist encourages worshipers to use a musical instrument in singing praises to the LORD. Many psalms were sung as music was played. How is music incorporated into your worship? Why do you think music is an important means of worshiping God? Pray Lord, I sing to you in praise! Thank you for all the good things you have done: for your love and justice; for the glory of your creation; for your plans for peace and for your constant protection. Praise the Lord! Amen. Prayer Concern Musicians pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 6, 2010 Author Members Posted March 6, 2010 PKRAUSE MUSIC can lift a person up but we must chose the best music for this dgrimm60 Yes dgrimm I agree, rap is so uplifting isn't it? :):) hahahaha You know I'm just kidding. I think there might be 0.01% of rap that I like, otherwise, NOT!!!! pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 6, 2010 Author Members Posted March 6, 2010 Psalm 34 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Psalm 34: Today's psalm praises God's goodness. The psalmist affirms that God will save all who seek him. The psalmist goes on to say that all should respect God and live righteously, trusting that God will listen to and answer prayer. Today’s Scripture: Psalm 34:18 The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. Today’s Reading 1I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him. 2I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad! 3Proclaim with me the LORD's greatness; let us praise his name together! 4I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me; he freed me from all my fears. 5The oppressed look to him and are glad; they will never be disappointed. 6The helpless call to him, and he answers; he saves them from all their troubles. 7His angel guards those who honor the LORD and rescues them from danger. 8Find out for yourself how good the LORD is. Happy are those who find safety with him. 9Honor the LORD, all his people; those who obey him have all they need. 10Even lions go hungry for lack of food, but those who obey the LORD lack nothing good. 11Come, my young friends, and listen to me, and I will teach you to honor the LORD. 12Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? 13Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies. 14Turn away from evil and do good; strive for peace with all your heart. 15The LORD watches over the righteous and listens to their cries; 16but he opposes those who do evil, so that when they die, they are soon forgotten. 17The righteous call to the LORD, and he listens; he rescues them from all their troubles. 18The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. 19Good people suffer many troubles, but the LORD saves them from them all; 20the LORD preserves them completely; not one of their bones is broken. 21Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22The LORD will save his people; those who go to him for protection will be spared. Reflect Having been saved by God, the psalmist presents his experience as an example for others. Sayings like the one at 34:9 must be heard alongside the one at 34:19. God's promises do not mean the end of suffering, but rather joy and protection even while suffering exists. What does this message mean to you? Pray Holy God, thank you for saving me from my fears and my oppression. Thank you for being with all who are discouraged and have lost hope. You are a loving and gracious God, and I praise your name. Amen. Prayer Concern Those who feel hopeless pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 8, 2010 Author Members Posted March 8, 2010 Numbers 14:1-25 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Numbers 14:1-25: Today's passage comes from the book of Numbers. The Israelites are camped out in the wilderness and getting frustrated. Ten of the twelve leaders sent into Canaan return with reports that frighten the people. They rebel against Moses and question God's intentions. Then Moses prays for the people. Today’s Scripture: Numbers 14:19 And now, LORD, according to the greatness of your unchanging love, forgive, I pray, the sin of these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt. Today’s Reading 1All night long the people cried out in distress. 2They complained against Moses and Aaron, and said, “It would have been better to die in Egypt or even here in the wilderness! 3Why is the LORD taking us into that land? We will be killed in battle, and our wives and children will be captured. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Egypt? ” 4So they said to one another, “Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!” 5Then Moses and Aaron bowed to the ground in front of all the people. 6And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of the spies, tore their clothes in sorrow 7and said to the people, “The land we explored is an excellent land. 8If the LORD is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land. 9Do not rebel against the LORD and don't be afraid of the people who live there. We will conquer them easily. The LORD is with us and has defeated the gods who protected them; so don't be afraid. ” 10The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the LORD's presence appear over the Tent. 11The LORD said to Moses, “How much longer will these people reject me? How much longer will they refuse to trust in me, even though I have performed so many miracles among them? 12I will send an epidemic and destroy them, but I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are! ” 13But Moses said to the LORD, “You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people, 14they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, LORD, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15Now if you kill all your people, the nations who have heard of your fame will say 16that you killed your people in the wilderness because you were not able to bring them into the land you promised to give them. 17So now, LORD, I pray, show us your power and do what you promised when you said, 18‘I, the LORD, am not easily angered, and I show great love and faithfulness and forgive sin and rebellion. Yet I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents. ’ 19And now, LORD, according to the greatness of your unchanging love, forgive, I pray, the sin of these people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt. ” 20The LORD answered, “I will forgive them, as you have asked. 21But I promise that as surely as I live and as surely as my presence fills the earth, 22none of these people will live to enter that land. They have seen the dazzling light of my presence and the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, but they have tried my patience over and over again and have refused to obey me. 23They will never enter the land which I promised to their ancestors. None of those who have rejected me will ever enter it. 24But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land which he explored, and his descendants will possess the land 25in whose valleys the Amalekites and the Canaanites now live. Turn back tomorrow and go into the wilderness in the direction of the Gulf of Aqaba. ” Reflect Moses calls upon God to continue his saving work and not allow them to die in the desert. But some from the older generation of Israelites who escaped from Egypt will not survive. What parts of Moses' prayer most resonate with you? What do you think of God's response? Pray Lord, sometimes we need you to protect and save us, even when we are not worthy of your grace. Forgive me for the ways in which I have failed to live according to your will, and fill me with your righteousness. Amen. Prayer Concern Refugees pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 8, 2010 Author Members Posted March 8, 2010 1 Samuel 2:1-11 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 1 Samuel 2:1-11: Today's reading is Hannah's prayer upon offering Samuel as a servant to the LORD. She offers God praise and thanksgiving, celebrating the ways in which God offers safety, sustenance, and care. Today’s Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:8a He lifts the poor from the dust and raises the needy from their misery. He makes them companions of princes and puts them in places of honor. Today’s Reading 1Hannah prayed: “The LORD has filled my heart with joy; how happy I am because of what he has done! I laugh at my enemies; how joyful I am because God has helped me! 2No one is holy like the LORD; there is none like him, no protector like our God. 3Stop your loud boasting; silence your proud words. For the LORD is a God who knows, and he judges all that people do. 4The bows of strong soldiers are broken, but the weak grow strong. 5The people who once were well fed now hire themselves out to get food, but the hungry are hungry no more. The childless wife has borne seven children, but the mother of many is left with none. 6The LORD kills and restores to life; he sends people to the world of the dead and brings them back again. 7He makes some people poor and others rich; he humbles some and makes others great. 8He lifts the poor from the dust and raises the needy from their misery. He makes them companions of princes and puts them in places of honor. The foundations of the earth belong to the LORD; on them he has built the world. 9He protects the lives of his faithful people, but the wicked disappear in darkness; a man does not triumph by his own strength. 10The LORD's enemies will be destroyed; he will thunder against them from heaven. The LORD will judge the whole world; he will give power to his king, he will make his chosen king victorious.” 11Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah, but the boy Samuel stayed in Shiloh and served the LORD under the priest Eli. Reflect Some scholars believe that parts of this prayer may have been taken from older prayers that were used to give thanks after receiving God's help. The prayer celebrates God's power to change human situations from bad to good so that those in need are helped. What are some of the ways God helps people, according to Hannah? Does God act in similar ways today? Pray You fill my heart with joy, Lord. How happy I am because of what you have done! Thank you for the ways in which you care for me and protect me. You alone are God. Amen. Prayer Concern Children in foster care pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 9, 2010 Author Members Posted March 9, 2010 2 Samuel 22:1-25 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 2 Samuel 22:1-25: Today's reading is David's victory song. He compares God to a fortress, a shield, a place of protection, and more. He praises God for saving him from his enemies, and recounts a dramatic narrative of danger and rescue. Today’s Scripture: 2 Samuel 22:2 The LORD is my protector; he is my strong fortress. Today’s Reading 1When the LORD saved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to the LORD: 2The LORD is my protector; he is my strong fortress. 3My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. He is my savior; he protects me and saves me from violence. 4I call to the LORD, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the LORD! 5The waves of death were all around me; the waves of destruction rolled over me. 6The danger of death was around me, and the grave set its trap for me. 7In my trouble I called to the LORD; I called to my God for help. In his temple he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. 8Then the earth trembled and shook; the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered because God was angry! 9Smoke poured out of his nostrils, a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth. 10He tore the sky open and came down, with a dark cloud under his feet. 11He flew swiftly on his winged creature; he traveled on the wings of the wind. 12He covered himself with darkness; thick clouds, full of water, surrounded him; 13burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him. 14Then the LORD thundered from the sky, and the voice of Almighty God was heard. 15He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; with flashes of lightning he sent them running. 16The floor of the ocean was laid bare, and the foundations of the earth were uncovered when the LORD rebuked his enemies and roared at them in anger. 17The LORD reached down from above and took hold of me; he pulled me out of the deep waters. 18He rescued me from my powerful enemies and from all those who hate me— they were too strong for me. 19When I was in trouble, they attacked me, but the LORD protected me. 20He helped me out of danger; he saved me because he was pleased with me. 21The LORD rewards me because I do what is right; he blesses me because I am innocent. 22I have obeyed the law of the LORD; I have not turned away from my God. 23I have observed all his laws; I have not disobeyed his commands. 24He knows that I am faultless, that I have kept myself from doing wrong. 25And so he rewards me because I do what is right, because he knows that I am innocent. Reflect David's victory song, one of the oldest major poems in the Jewish Scriptures, was also collected in a slightly different form in Psalm 18. In verses 21-25, David makes it clear that he thought the LORD supported him because he was innocent by God's standards and because he obeyed the LORD. Does this sound like boasting? Why or why not? Pray Mighty God, you are my rock, my fortress, and my protector. You are the place where I am safe. I praise you and thank you for the ways in which you protect and care for me. Amen. Prayer Concern Disaster relief workers pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 11, 2010 Author Members Posted March 11, 2010 2 Samuel 22:26-51 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 2 Samuel 22:26-51: David's prayer continues. David praises God's loyalty and faithfulness. He says that God's ways are perfect and God's words are dependable. He goes on to describe his battles with his enemies and the ways in which God saved him. Today’s Scripture: 2 Samuel 22:31 This God - how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. Today’s Reading 26O LORD, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you, and completely good to those who are perfect. 27You are pure to those who are pure, but hostile to those who are wicked. 28You save those who are humble, but you humble those who are proud. 29You, LORD, are my light; you dispel my darkness. 30You give me strength to attack my enemies and power to overcome their defenses. 31This God—how perfect are his deeds, how dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. 32The LORD alone is God; God alone is our defense. 33This God is my strong refuge; he makes my pathway safe. 34He makes me sure-footed as a deer; he keeps me safe on the mountains. 35He trains me for battle, so that I can use the strongest bow. 36O LORD, you protect me and save me; your help has made me great. 37You have kept me from being captured, and I have never fallen. 38I pursue my enemies and defeat them; I do not stop until I destroy them. 39I strike them down, and they cannot rise; they lie defeated before me. 40You give me strength for the battle and victory over my enemies. 41You make my enemies run from me; I destroy those who hate me. 42They look for help, but no one saves them; they call to the LORD, but he does not answer. 43I crush them, and they become like dust; I trample on them like mud in the streets. 44You saved me from my rebellious people and maintained my rule over the nations; people I did not know have now become my subjects. 45Foreigners bow before me; when they hear me, they obey. 46They lose their courage and come trembling from their fortresses. 47The LORD lives! Praise my defender! Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me! 48He gives me victory over my enemies; he subdues the nations under me 49and saves me from my foes. O LORD, you give me victory over my enemies and protect me from violent men. 50And so I praise you among the nations; I sing praises to you. 51God gives great victories to his king; he shows constant love to the one he has chosen, to David and his descendants forever. Reflect What are the ways in which David experienced God's protection? Have you ever experienced a sense of God's protection? What was it like? What would you say about God to someone who has not felt a sense of God's protection? Pray Our Lord and God, you are my light. You dispel my darkness because you are the living Lord! Thank you for protecting me. I will praise you and honor you all my days. Amen. Prayer Concern Those seeking God's protection pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 12, 2010 Author Members Posted March 12, 2010 PKRAUSE THERE have been several times that I AM sure that GOD and my Guardian Angel have protected me dgrimm60 I second that dgrimm pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 12, 2010 Author Members Posted March 12, 2010 1 Kings 3:1-15 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 1 Kings 3:1-15: When the Lord appears to Solomon in a dream, the young king asks God for the wisdom to rule his people. God is so pleased that Solomon has asked for wisdom that God promises to make him rich and respected as well. Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 3:9a So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Today’s Reading 1Solomon made an alliance with the king of Egypt by marrying his daughter. He brought her to live in David's City until he had finished building his palace, the Temple, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2A temple had not yet been built for the LORD, and so the people were still offering sacrifices at many different altars. 3Solomon loved the LORD and followed the instructions of his father David, but he also slaughtered animals and offered them as sacrifices on various altars. 4On one occasion he went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices because that was where the most famous altar was. He had offered hundreds of burnt offerings there in the past. 5That night the LORD appeared to him in a dream and asked him, “What would you like me to give you?” 6Solomon answered, “You always showed great love for my father David, your servant, and he was good, loyal, and honest in his relation with you. And you have continued to show him your great and constant love by giving him a son who today rules in his place. 7O LORD God, you have let me succeed my father as king, even though I am very young and don't know how to rule. 8Here I am among the people you have chosen to be your own, a people who are so many that they cannot be counted. 9So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours? ” 10The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this, 11and so he said to him, “Because you have asked for the wisdom to rule justly, instead of long life for yourself or riches or the death of your enemies, 12I will do what you have asked. I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever had before or will ever have again. 13I will also give you what you have not asked for: all your life you will have wealth and honor, more than that of any other king. 14And if you obey me and keep my laws and commands, as your father David did, I will give you a long life. ” 15Solomon woke up and realized that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then he went to Jerusalem and stood in front of the LORD's Covenant Box and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings to the LORD. After that he gave a feast for all his officials. Reflect Reread 3:5-15. What specifically does Solomon ask for? How does God respond? What would you have asked for if you were chosen to be a ruler of a great country? What is your prayer for the leaders of nations today? Pray Mighty God, bless the leaders of all the nations with the wisdom they need to rule people with justice and to know the difference between right and wrong. Grant them strength and courage to lead your people. Amen. Prayer Concern Leaders of nations pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 14, 2010 Author Members Posted March 14, 2010 1 Kings 8:1-21 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 1 Kings 8:1-21: In today's passage, Solomon brings the Covenant Box to the Temple. The priests carry it into the Most Holy Place, and God's glory shines through the Temple. Then Solomon speaks to the people, praising God and explaining his actions. Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 8:12 Solomon prayed: ... "Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in forever." Today’s Reading 1Then King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem in order to take the LORD's Covenant Box from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. 2They all assembled during the Festival of Shelters in the seventh month, in the month of Ethanim. 3When all the leaders had gathered, the priests lifted the Covenant Box 4and carried it to the Temple. The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of the LORD's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. 5King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Covenant Box and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle—too many to count. 6Then the priests carried the Covenant Box into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures. 7Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. 8The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. (The poles are still there today.) 9There was nothing inside the Covenant Box except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt. 10As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud 11shining with the dazzling light of the LORD's presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties. 12Then Solomon prayed: “You, LORD, have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness. 13Now I have built a majestic temple for you, a place for you to live in forever.” 14As the people stood there, King Solomon turned to face them, and he asked God's blessing on them. 15He said, “Praise the LORD God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him, 16“From the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.” ” 17And Solomon continued, “My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel, 18but the LORD said to him, ‘You were right in wanting to build a temple for me, 19but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple. ’ 20And now the LORD has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built the Temple for the worship of the LORD God of Israel. 21I have also provided a place in the Temple for the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt. ” Reflect The Covenant Box was the acacia wood box that accompanied the Israelites on their wilderness wanderings in the time of Moses. It contained the two flat stones that had the Ten Commandments written on them. This box was sacred to God's people. Are there objects or places that you consider to be sacred? What are they? Pray Holy Lord, you inhabit both the heavens and the earth, filling them with your light and love. Make me aware of your presence that I may more easily see and know your grace. Amen. Prayer Concern Those whose homes are in foreclosure pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 14, 2010 Author Members Posted March 14, 2010 1 Kings 8:22-53 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 1 Kings 8:22-53: Solomon continues to pray. He praises God for keeping promises and asks for God's blessing upon the Temple. He asks for God's justice and forgiveness. He requests that God hears the prayers of foreigners. Then he affirms that he is God's servant and that the people of Israel are God's people. Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 8:52 "Sovereign LORD, may you always look with favor on your people Israel and their king, and hear their prayer whenever they call to you for help." Today’s Reading 22Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar, where he raised his arms 23and prayed, “ LORD God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. 24You have kept the promise you made to my father David; today every word has been fulfilled. 25And now, LORD God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. 26So now, O God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to my father David, your servant. 27But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough? 28LORD my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer, and grant the requests I make to you today. 29Watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. 30Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people when they face this place and pray. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us. 31When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, 32O LORD, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one as he deserves, and acquit the one who is innocent. 33When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and then when they turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness, 34listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land which you gave to their ancestors. 35When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you, and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you, 36listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O LORD, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession. 37When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or the crops are destroyed by scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when your people are attacked by their enemies, or when there is disease or sickness among them, 38listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, 39hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, forgive them, and help them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person as he deserves, 40so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors. 41-42When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, 43listen to his prayer. In heaven, where you live, hear him and do what he asks you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is the place where you are to be worshiped. 44When you command your people to go into battle against their enemies and they pray to you, wherever they are, facing this city which you have chosen and this Temple which I have built for you, 45listen to their prayers. Hear them in heaven and give them victory. 46When your people sin against you—and there is no one who does not sin—and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away, 47listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O LORD. 48If in that land they truly and sincerely repent and pray to you as they face toward this land which you gave to our ancestors, this city which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for you, 49then listen to their prayers. In your home in heaven hear them and be merciful to them. 50Forgive all their sins and their rebellion against you, and make their enemies treat them with kindness. 51They are your own people, whom you brought out of Egypt, that blazing furnace. 52Sovereign LORD, may you always look with favor on your people Israel and their king, and hear their prayer whenever they call to you for help. 53You chose them from all the peoples to be your own people, as you told them through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt. ” Reflect Reread 8:39. Here, Solomon's understanding is that God looks at people's motives as well as their actions. This is similar to the message the prophet Jeremiah would later give the people of Israel and Judah about a new agreement, one in which the LORD would write his laws on people's hearts and minds (Jeremiah 31:31-34). Why do people's motives matter? Pray Lord God of All, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love. Thank you for keeping your promises and for loving us. Amen. Prayer Concern Victims of identity theft pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 15, 2010 Author Members Posted March 15, 2010 1 Kings 8:54-66 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction 1 Kings 8:54-66: Solomon concludes his prayer and blesses the people. He praises God for keeping his promises and delivering the Israelites to freedom. He prays that God will watch over the people of Israel, that they may reflect God's glory. Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 8:57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. Today’s Reading 54After Solomon had finished praying to the LORD, he stood up in front of the altar, where he had been kneeling with uplifted hands. 55In a loud voice he asked God's blessings on all the people assembled there. He said, 56“Praise the LORD who has given his people peace, as he promised he would. He has kept all the generous promises he made through his servant Moses. 57May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us; 58may he make us obedient to him, so that we will always live as he wants us to live, keeping all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. 59May the LORD our God remember at all times this prayer and these petitions I have made to him. May he always be merciful to the people of Israel and to their king, according to their daily needs. 60And so all the nations of the world will know that the LORD alone is God—there is no other. 61May you, his people, always be faithful to the LORD our God, obeying all his laws and commands as you do today. ” 62Then King Solomon and all the people there offered sacrifices to the LORD. 63He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,00 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple. 64That same day he also consecrated the central part of the courtyard, the area in front of the Temple, and then he offered there the sacrifices burned whole, the grain offerings, and the fat of the animals for the fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar was too small for all these offerings. 65There at the Temple, Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the Egyptian border in the south. 66On the eighth day Solomon sent the people home. They all praised him and went home happy because of all the blessings that the LORD had given his servant David and his people Israel. Reflect The completion of the Temple fulfills two important promises that God made to the nation of Israel. The first is the promise to David that his son would follow him as king and be the one to build the Temple (2 Samuel 7). The second is that Israel would have a time of peace after entering the Promised Land (Canaan) and establishing a central place of worship. How do you experience God's promises? Pray God of Covenant, thank you for the ways in which you keep your promises to your people. Make me ever mindful of your will that I may live and serve according to your ways. Amen. Prayer Concern Ministers pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 17, 2010 Author Members Posted March 17, 2010 Ezra 9:1-15 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Ezra 9:1-15: The Book of Ezra is set during the formation of the Jewish community in Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile (538-430 BC). God returned the people to the land so that they could worship according to the Law of Moses. But the people too often ignored the Law. In today's passage, Ezra condemns marriages between Israelites and non-Israelites, and offers a prayer of repentance. Today’s Scripture: Ezra 9:15 LORD God of Israel, you are just, but you have let us survive. We confess our guilt to you; we have no right to come into your presence. Today’s Reading 1After all this had been done, some of the leaders of the people of Israel came and told me that the people, the priests, and the Levites had not kept themselves separate from the people in the neighboring countries of Ammon, Moab, and Egypt or from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Amorites. They were doing the same disgusting things which these people did. 2Jewish men were marrying foreign women, and so God's holy people had become contaminated. The leaders and officials were the chief offenders. 3When I heard this, I tore my clothes in despair, tore my hair and my beard, and sat down crushed with grief. 4I sat there grieving until the time for the evening sacrifice to be offered, and people began to gather around me—all those who were frightened because of what the God of Israel had said about the sins of those who had returned from exile. 5When the time came for the evening sacrifice, I got up from where I had been grieving, and still wearing my torn clothes, I knelt in prayer and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God. 6I said, “O God, I am too ashamed to raise my head in your presence. Our sins pile up higher than our heads; they reach as high as the heavens. 7From the days of our ancestors until now, we, your people, have sinned greatly. Because of our sins we, our kings, and our priests have fallen into the hands of foreign kings, and we have been slaughtered, robbed, and carried away as prisoners. We have been totally disgraced, as we still are today. 8Now for a short time, O LORD our God, you have been gracious to us and have let some of us escape from slavery and live in safety in this holy place. You have let us escape from slavery and have given us new life. 9We were slaves, but you did not leave us in slavery. You made the emperors of Persia favor us and permit us to go on living and to rebuild your Temple, which was in ruins, and to find safety here in Judah and Jerusalem. 10But now, O God, what can we say after all that has happened? We have again disobeyed the commands 11that you gave us through your servants, the prophets. They told us that the land we were going to occupy was an impure land because the people who lived in it filled it from one end to the other with disgusting, filthy actions. 12They told us that we were never to intermarry with those people and never to help them prosper or succeed if we wanted to enjoy the land and pass it on to our descendants forever. 13Even after everything that has happened to us in punishment for our sins and wrongs, we know that you, our God, have punished us less than we deserve and have allowed us to survive. 14Then how can we ignore your commandments again and intermarry with these wicked people? If we do, you will be so angry that you will destroy us completely and let no one survive. 15LORD God of Israel, you are just, but you have let us survive. We confess our guilt to you; we have no right to come into your presence. ” Reflect After beginning his prayer with "I" (9:6), Ezra immediately shifts to "our" and "we" and to show that he includes himself as one of the people, even though he was innocent. Since the nation of Israel as a whole was bound together in the agreement made with God, all the people were threatened by sin in their community. How do collective, institutional sins like racism, environmental degradation, and economic injustice impact our individual relationships with God? Pray Holy Lord, too often I participate in sinful political and social systems rather than speaking out against them. May I resist the temptation of complacency and seek your justice in all things. Amen. Prayer Concern Community organizers pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 17, 2010 Author Members Posted March 17, 2010 Nehemiah 1:1-11 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Nehemiah 1:1-11: Nehemiah was originally one book with Ezra. It provides a written history of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, lists of those who returned to Jerusalem, and a report of the people's commitment to worship and remain faithful to the God of Israel. Nehemiah was a servant of King Artaxerxes of Persia. In today's passage, he prays in repentance over the sins of the people of Israel. Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 1:5 LORD God of Heaven! ... You faithfully keep your covenant with those who love you and do what you command. Today’s Reading 1This is the account of what Nehemiah son of Hacaliah accomplished. In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was emperor of Persia, I, Nehemiah, was in Susa, the capital city. 2Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived from Judah with another group, and I asked them about Jerusalem and about the other Jews who had returned from exile in Babylonia. 3They told me that those who had survived and were back in the homeland were in great difficulty and that the foreigners who lived nearby looked down on them. They also told me that the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down and that the gates had not been restored since the time they were burned. 4When I heard all this, I sat down and wept. For several days I mourned and did not eat. I prayed to God, 5“ LORD God of Heaven! You are great, and we stand in fear of you. You faithfully keep your covenant with those who love you and do what you command. 6Look at me, LORD, and hear my prayer, as I pray day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess that we, the people of Israel, have sinned. My ancestors and I have sinned. 7We have acted wickedly against you and have not done what you commanded. We have not kept the laws which you gave us through Moses, your servant. 8Remember now what you told Moses: ‘If you people of Israel are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the other nations. 9But then if you turn back to me and do what I have commanded you, I will bring you back to the place where I have chosen to be worshiped, even though you are scattered to the ends of the earth. ’ 10Lord, these are your servants, your own people. You rescued them by your great power and strength. 11Listen now to my prayer and to the prayers of all your other servants who want to honor you. Give me success today and make the emperor merciful to me. ” In those days I was the emperor's wine steward. Reflect Like Ezra before him (Ezra 9:6-15), Nehemiah admits that he and his family share in the sins of the people of Israel. Reread 1:8. What promise of God's does Nehemiah recall? What is his prayer to God? What is it like to return to God after turning away? Pray Gracious God, forgive me for the times when I have rebelled against your love and failed to follow your way. May I serve you in grace and humility, that your love may be revealed through my words and actions. Amen. Prayer Concern People seeking a church pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 17, 2010 Author Members Posted March 17, 2010 Nehemiah 8:1-18 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Nehemiah 8:1-18: Today's reading begins a section in which the returning exiles come together to form a new community of God's people. Ezra reads God's Law to the people. The people worship God and listen to explanations of the meaning of the Law. Then they celebrate the Festival of Shelters for the first time. Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10b Today is holy to our Lord, so don't be sad. The joy that the LORD gives you will make you strong. Today’s Reading 1By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns. On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the LORD had given Israel through Moses, to get the book of the Law. 2So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered—men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand. 3There in the square by the gate he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively. 4Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion. The following men stood at his right: Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and the following stood at his left: Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him. As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up. 6Ezra said, “Praise the LORD, the great God! ” All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, “Amen! Amen!” They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground. 7Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah. 8They gave an oral translation of God's Law and explained it so that the people could understand it. 9When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry. So Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, and the Levites who were explaining the Law told all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God, so you are not to mourn or cry. 10Now go home and have a feast. Share your food and wine with those who don't have enough. Today is holy to our Lord, so don't be sad. The joy that the LORD gives you will make you strong. ” 11The Levites went around calming the people and telling them not to be sad on such a holy day. 12So all the people went home and ate and drank joyfully and shared what they had with others, because they understood what had been read to them. 13The next day the heads of the clans, together with the priests and the Levites, went to Ezra to study the teachings of the Law. 14They discovered that the Law, which the LORD gave through Moses, ordered the people of Israel to live in temporary shelters during the Festival of Shelters. 15So they gave the following instructions and sent them all through Jerusalem and the other cities and towns: “Go out to the hills and get branches from pines, olives, myrtles, palms, and other trees to make shelters according to the instructions written in the Law.” 16So the people got branches and built shelters on the flat roofs of their houses, in their yards, in the Temple courtyard, and in the public squares by the Water Gate and by the Ephraim Gate. 17All the people who had come back from captivity built shelters and lived in them. This was the first time it had been done since the days of Joshua son of Nun, and everybody was excited and happy. 18From the first day of the festival to the last they read a part of God's Law every day. They celebrated for seven days, and on the eighth day there was a closing ceremony, as required in the Law. Reflect The Festival of Shelters, also known as Sukkoth, is a yearly festival celebrated by the Jewish people beginning on the fifteenth day of the seventh month and lasting eight days. Participants would construct huts or shelters of myrtle, olive and palm branches as symbols of God's protection. Then they lived in these shelters for seven days to remember the wandering of their ancestors in the desert and God's care for them. What rituals and celebrations remind you of God's care for you? Pray Merciful God, just as you cared for the ancient Israelites in the desert, so you care for me when I feel lost, abandoned and afraid. Be present with all who yearn for your comfort, and help them to know your love. Amen. Prayer Concern Rebuilding efforts in Haiti pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 18, 2010 Author Members Posted March 18, 2010 Nehemiah 9:1-14 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Nehemiah 9:1-14: After hearing the Law read aloud, the people respond with worship, prayer and confession. The beautiful prayer in this passage is a summary of God's dealings with Israel. These include creation, the promise to Abraham, the exodus from Egypt, and their experiences in the desert. Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 9:5b "Stand up and praise the LORD your God; praise him forever and ever! Let everyone praise his glorious name, although no human praise is great enough." Today’s Reading 1-2On the twenty-fourth day of the same month the people of Israel gathered to fast in order to show sorrow for their sins. They had already separated themselves from all foreigners. They wore sackcloth and put dust on their heads as signs of grief. Then they stood and began to confess the sins that they and their ancestors had committed. 3For about three hours the Law of the LORD their God was read to them, and for the next three hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God. 4There was a platform for the Levites, and on it stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They prayed aloud to the LORD their God. 5The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God; praise him forever and ever! Let everyone praise his glorious name, although no human praise is great enough.” 6And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer: “You, LORD, you alone are LORD; you made the heavens and the stars of the sky. You made land and sea and everything in them; you gave life to all. The heavenly powers bow down and worship you. 7You, LORD God, chose Abram and led him out of Ur in Babylonia; you changed his name to Abraham. 8You found that he was faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him. You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites, the land of the Hittites and the Amorites, the land of the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites, to be a land where his descendants would live. You kept your promise, because you are faithful. 9You saw how our ancestors suffered in Egypt; you heard their call for help at the Red Sea. 10You worked amazing miracles against the king, against his officials and the people of his land, because you knew how they oppressed your people. You won then the fame you still have today. 11Through the sea you made a path for your people and led them through on dry ground. Those who pursued them drowned in deep water, as a stone sinks in the raging sea. 12With a cloud you led them in daytime, and at night you lighted their way with fire. 13At Mount Sinai you came down from heaven; you spoke to your people and gave them good laws and sound teachings. 14You taught them to keep your Sabbaths holy, and through your servant Moses you gave them your laws. Reflect When the people offered this prayer of confession, they wore sackcloth. Sackcloth was a rough, coarse fabric that was often worn in times of trouble or sorrow. They also threw dirt or ashes on their heads to express sorrow and grief. What are outward signs of sorrow and grief for us today? How can physical expressions become a part of your prayer life? Pray You, Lord, you alone are Lord; you made the heavens and the stars of the sky. You made land and sea and everything in them; you gave life to all. Thank you for your many gifts of creation, healing and renewal. Amen. Prayer Concern Those who are grieving pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 20, 2010 Author Members Posted March 20, 2010 Nehemiah 9:15-37 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Nehemiah 9:15-37: Today's reading is a continuation of the prayerful response of God's people following the reading of the Law. It recounts the stubbornness of the Israelites in the desert as well as God's grace and mercy. The prayer celebrates their arrival in the Promised Land, recounts the time of the judges and the prophets, and engages their present situation. Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 9:17b But you are a God who forgives; you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry. Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them. Today’s Reading 15When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven, and water from a rock when they were thirsty. You told them to take control of the land which you had promised to give them. 16But our ancestors grew proud and stubborn and refused to obey your commands. 17They refused to obey; they forgot all you did; they forgot the miracles you had performed. In their pride they chose a leader to take them back to slavery in Egypt. But you are a God who forgives; you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry. Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them. 18They made an idol in the shape of a bull-calf and said it was the god who led them from Egypt! How much they insulted you, LORD! 19But you did not abandon them there in the desert, for your mercy is great. You did not take away the cloud or the fire that showed them the path by day and night. 20In your goodness you told them what they should do; you fed them manna and gave them water to drink. 21Through forty years in the desert you provided all that they needed; their clothing never wore out, and their feet were not swollen with pain. 22You let them conquer nations and kingdoms, lands that bordered their own. They conquered the land of Heshbon, where Sihon ruled, and the land of Bashan, where Og was king. 23You gave them as many children as there are stars in the sky, and let them conquer and live in the land that you had promised their ancestors to give them. 24They conquered the land of Canaan; you overcame the people living there. You gave your people the power to do as they pleased with the people and kings of Canaan. 25Your people captured fortified cities, fertile land, houses full of wealth, cisterns already dug, olive trees, fruit trees, and vineyards. They ate all they wanted and grew fat; they enjoyed all the good things you gave them. 26But your people rebelled and disobeyed you; they turned their backs on your Law. They killed the prophets who warned them, who told them to turn back to you. They insulted you time after time, 27so you let their enemies conquer and rule them. In their trouble they called to you for help, and you answered them from heaven. In your great mercy you sent them leaders who rescued them from their foes. 28When peace returned, they sinned again, and again you let their enemies conquer them. Yet when they repented and asked you to save them, in heaven you heard, and time after time you rescued them in your great mercy. 29You warned them to obey your teachings, but in pride they rejected your laws, although keeping your Law is the way to life. Hard-headed and stubborn, they refused to obey. 30Year after year you patiently warned them. You inspired your prophets to speak, but your people were deaf, so you let them be conquered by other nations. 31And yet, because your mercy is great, you did not forsake or destroy them. You are a gracious and merciful God! 32O God, our God, how great you are! How terrifying, how powerful! You faithfully keep your covenant promises. From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us, even till now, how much we have suffered! Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors, and all our people have suffered. Remember how much we have suffered! 33You have done right to punish us; you have been faithful, even though we have sinned. 34Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priests have not kept your Law. They did not listen to your commands and warnings. 35With your blessing, kings ruled your people when they lived in the broad, fertile land you gave them; but they failed to turn from sin and serve you. 36And now we are slaves in the land that you gave us, this fertile land which gives us food. 37What the land produces goes to the kings that you put over us because we sinned. They do as they please with us and our livestock, and we are in deep distress!” Reflect How did the people show that they were truly sorry for their sins and that they meant to keep their promises to God? In what ways do you identify with the Jewish community in Nehemiah? How do you show that you are sorry for your sins? Pray Gracious and loving God, too often I have failed to keep my promises to you. Forgive me when I fail, and receive me again. Help me to trust that I have the strength and the faith to keep my promises to you just as you keep your promises to me. Amen. Prayer Concern Those struggling with addiction pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 20, 2010 Author Members Posted March 20, 2010 Esther 4:1-17 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Esther 4:1-17: After Persia defeated Babylonia, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem, but many chose to stay in Babylon rather than returning to the ruins of their former homes. The story of Esther involves those exiles. In this passage, Esther's cousin, Mordecai, gets into trouble with Haman, a court official, for refusing to honor him. Haman threatens to have all the exiled Jews killed. In this passage, Mordecai asks for Esther's help in saving the Jews. Today’s Scripture: Esther 4:15, 16a Esther sent Mordecai this reply: ... "hold a fast and pray for me. Don't eat or drink anything for three days and nights." Today’s Reading 1When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with ashes, and walked through the city, wailing loudly and bitterly, 2until he came to the entrance of the palace. He did not go in because no one wearing sackcloth was allowed inside. 3Throughout all the provinces, wherever the king's proclamation was made known, there was loud mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, wailed, and most of them put on sackcloth and lay in ashes. 4When Esther's servant women and eunuchs told her what Mordecai was doing, she was deeply disturbed. She sent Mordecai some clothes to put on instead of the sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5Then she called Hathach, one of the palace eunuchs appointed as her servant by the king, and told him to go to Mordecai and find out what was happening and why. 6Hathach went to Mordecai in the city square at the entrance of the palace. 7Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him and just how much money Haman had promised to put into the royal treasury if all the Jews were killed. 8He gave Hathach a copy of the proclamation that had been issued in Susa, ordering the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai asked him to take it to Esther, explain the situation to her, and have her go and plead with the king and beg him to have mercy on her people. 9Hathach did this, 10and Esther gave him this message to take back to Mordecai: 11“If anyone, man or woman, goes to the inner courtyard and sees the king without being summoned, that person must die. That is the law; everyone, from the king's advisers to the people in the provinces, knows that. There is only one way to get around this law: if the king holds out his gold scepter to someone, then that person's life is spared. But it has been a month since the king sent for me.” 12When Mordecai received Esther's message, 13he sent her this warning: “Don't imagine that you are safer than any other Jew just because you are in the royal palace. 14If you keep quiet at a time like this, help will come from heaven to the Jews, and they will be saved, but you will die and your father's family will come to an end. Yet who knows—maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen! ” 15Esther sent Mordecai this reply: 16“Go and get all the Jews in Susa together; hold a fast and pray for me. Don't eat or drink anything for three days and nights. My servant women and I will be doing the same. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. If I must die for doing it, I will die.” 17Mordecai then left and did everything that Esther had told him to do. Reflect Mordecai writes to Esther, "maybe it was for a time like this that you were made queen!" (Esther 4:14). What does Mordecai mean by this? What choices did Esther face as she discerned how to use her influence? What influence do you have to help others? Pray Empowering God, give your Church and its people the eyes to see the ability they have to lead others with love, mercy and justice. Call us into your service and give us the strength and wisdom to respond as your people. Amen. Prayer Concern Those discerning their vocations pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 21, 2010 Author Members Posted March 21, 2010 Job 42:1-17 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Job 42:1-17: Today's reading is from the end of the Book of Job. Job acknowledges that the LORD's wisdom is beyond human understanding. The LORD accuses Job's friends of not telling the whole truth and tells them to make special offerings to avoid being punished. Job prays for his friends and then receives the LORD's blessings. He regains his riches and has many more children. Today’s Scripture: Job 42:5 In the past I knew only what others had told me, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. Today’s Reading 1Then Job answered the LORD. 2I know, LORD, that you are all-powerful; that you can do everything you want. 3You ask how I dare question your wisdom when I am so very ignorant. I talked about things I did not understand, about marvels too great for me to know. 4You told me to listen while you spoke and to try to answer your questions. 5In the past I knew only what others had told me, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. 6So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes. 7After the LORD had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you did not speak the truth about me, the way my servant Job did. 8Now take seven bulls and seven rams to Job and offer them as a sacrifice for yourselves. Job will pray for you, and I will answer his prayer and not disgrace you the way you deserve. You did not speak the truth about me as he did. ” 9Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did what the LORD had told them to do, and the LORD answered Job's prayer. 10Then, after Job had prayed for his three friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had had before. 11All Job's brothers and sisters and former friends came to visit him and feasted with him in his house. They expressed their sympathy and comforted him for all the troubles the LORD had brought on him. Each of them gave him some money and a gold ring. 12The LORD blessed the last part of Job's life even more than he had blessed the first. Job owned fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, two thousand head of cattle, and one thousand donkeys. 13He was the father of seven sons and three daughters. 14He called the oldest daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the youngest Keren Happuch. 15There were no other women in the whole world as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father gave them a share of the inheritance along with their brothers. 16Job lived a hundred and forty years after this, long enough to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 17And then he died at a very great age. Reflect Reread 42:2-6. The experience of facing the LORD and the LORD's questions has made Job realize just how powerful the LORD is. The LORD is beyond Job's understanding. Have you ever had an experience that revealed God's power to you? What happened? Pray Holy Lord, you are indeed all-powerful. You can do everything you want. Give me humility to acknowledge my own limitations and trust in your ways. Amen. Prayer Concern Those in poverty pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 22, 2010 Author Members Posted March 22, 2010 Daniel 9:1-19 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Daniel 9:1-19: This prayer follows two of Daniel's visions. These visions show God's control of historical events and provide hope for those who remain faithful in times of persecution. Upon reading Jeremiah's writings foreseeing Jerusalem's 70-year ruin, Daniel fasts and wears sackcloth. In this passage, he confesses his sin and prays to God. Today’s Scripture: Daniel 9:4b "Lord God, you are great, and we honor you. You are faithful to your covenant and show constant love to those who love you and do what you command." Today’s Reading 1Darius the Mede, who was the son of Xerxes, ruled over the kingdom of Babylonia. 2In the first year of his reign I was studying the sacred books and thinking about the seventy years that Jerusalem would be in ruins, according to what the LORD had told the prophet Jeremiah. 3And I prayed earnestly to the Lord God, pleading with him, fasting, wearing sackcloth, and sitting in ashes. 4I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed the sins of my people. I said, “Lord God, you are great, and we honor you. You are faithful to your covenant and show constant love to those who love you and do what you command. 5We have sinned, we have been evil, we have done wrong. We have rejected what you commanded us to do and have turned away from what you showed us was right. 6We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our rulers, our ancestors, and our whole nation. 7You, Lord, always do what is right, but we have always brought disgrace on ourselves. This is true of all of us who live in Judea and in Jerusalem and of all the Israelites whom you scattered in countries near and far because they were unfaithful to you. 8Our kings, our rulers, and our ancestors have acted shamefully and sinned against you, Lord. 9You are merciful and forgiving, although we have rebelled against you. 10We did not listen to you, O LORD our God, when you told us to live according to the laws which you gave us through your servants the prophets. 11All Israel broke your laws and refused to listen to what you said. We sinned against you, and so you brought on us the curses that are written in the Law of Moses, your servant. 12You did what you said you would do to us and our rulers. You punished Jerusalem more severely than any other city on earth, 13giving us all the punishment described in the Law of Moses. But even now, O LORD our God, we have not tried to please you by turning from our sins or by following your truth. 14You, O LORD our God, were prepared to punish us, and you did, because you always do what is right, and we did not listen to you. 15O Lord our God, you showed your power by bringing your people out of Egypt, and your power is still remembered. We have sinned; we have done wrong. 16You have defended us in the past, so do not be angry with Jerusalem any longer. It is your city, your sacred hill. All the people in the neighboring countries look down on Jerusalem and on your people because of our sins and the evil our ancestors did. 17O God, hear my prayer and pleading. Restore your Temple, which has been destroyed; restore it so that everyone will know that you are God. 18Listen to us, O God; look at us and see the trouble we are in and the suffering of the city that bears your name. We are praying to you because you are merciful, not because we have done right. 19Lord, hear us. Lord, forgive us. Lord, listen to us, and act! In order that everyone will know that you are God, do not delay! This city and these people are yours. ” Reflect What was the main purpose for Daniel's prayer for his people? What are some of the reasons God allowed the people to endure suffering, such as the exile or later persecutions? How do you understand God's relationship with human suffering today? How can God be present with us in our suffering? How does God's grace play a role in suffering? Pray Great and awesome God, forgive our society for the ways in which we have turned away from your love and justice for all. Let your face shine upon your people, that we may know your forgiveness and mercy, and that we may ultimately do your will. Amen. Prayer Concern Those in need of justice pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 23, 2010 Author Members Posted March 23, 2010 Jonah 2:1-10 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Jonah 2:1-10: Jonah tries to run away from God's call to prophesy to Nineveh. He is thrown from a boat, and God rescues him by sending a big fish to swallow him and deliver him safely to shore. In this passage, Jonah prays to God, thanking God for rescuing him. He promises to sacrifice to God because God saved him. Today’s Scripture: Jonah 2:2 "In my distress, O LORD, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me." Today’s Reading 1From deep inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God: 2“In my distress, O LORD, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me. 3You threw me down into the depths, to the very bottom of the sea, where the waters were all around me, and all your mighty waves rolled over me. 4I thought I had been banished from your presence and would never see your holy Temple again. 5The water came over me and choked me; the sea covered me completely, and seaweed wrapped around my head. 6I went down to the very roots of the mountains, into the land whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, brought me back from the depths alive. 7When I felt my life slipping away, then, O LORD, I prayed to you, and in your holy Temple you heard me. 8Those who worship worthless idols have abandoned their loyalty to you. 9But I will sing praises to you; I will offer you a sacrifice and do what I have promised. Salvation comes from the LORD!” 10Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah up on the beach, and it did. Reflect The ancient Hebrews believed that a deep sea was located under the surface of the earth. The world of the dead, the "pit," lay beneath this great sea. Jonah uses this imagery to show that he felt both physically and spiritually separated from God. When have you felt separated from God? What parts of Jonah's prayer resonate with you? Pray In my distress, O Lord, I called to you, and you answered me. I cried for help, and you heard me. You, O Lord my God, brought me back from the depths alive. I praise you and thank you for the great things you have done! Amen. Prayer Concern Those suffering in the face of severe weather pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 25, 2010 Author Members Posted March 25, 2010 Habakkuk 1:1-17 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Habakkuk 1:1-17: The Book of Habakkuk records a prayer-filled conversation between the prophet Habakkuk and the LORD God. In today's passage, Habakkuk complains to the LORD about the violence and injustice within his own nation of Judah. He does not understand why God is so slow to deal with this evil. Yet God surprises Habakkuk by saying that the armies of Babylon will bring an end to the evil in Judah. Today’s Scripture: Habakkuk 1:12a LORD, from the very beginning you are God. You are my God, holy and eternal. Today’s Reading 1This is the message that the LORD revealed to the prophet Habakkuk. 2O LORD, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence? 3Why do you make me see such trouble? How can you stand to look on such wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are all around me, and there is fighting and quarreling everywhere. 4The law is weak and useless, and justice is never done. Evil people get the better of the righteous, and so justice is perverted. 5Then the LORD said to his people, “Keep watching the nations around you, and you will be astonished at what you see. I am going to do something that you will not believe when you hear about it. 6I am bringing the Babylonians to power, those fierce, restless people. They are marching out across the world to conquer other lands. 7They spread fear and terror, and in their pride they are a law to themselves. 8Their horses are faster than leopards, fiercer than hungry wolves. Their cavalry troops come riding from distant lands; their horses paw the ground. They come swooping down like eagles attacking their prey. 9Their armies advance in violent conquest, and everyone is terrified as they approach. Their captives are as numerous as grains of sand. 10They treat kings with contempt and laugh at high officials. No fortress can stop them—they pile up earth against it and capture it. 11Then they sweep on like the wind and are gone, these men whose power is their god. ” 12LORD, from the very beginning you are God. You are my God, holy and eternal. LORD, my God and protector, you have chosen the Babylonians and made them strong so that they can punish us. 13But how can you stand these treacherous, evil men? Your eyes are too holy to look at evil, and you cannot stand the sight of people doing wrong. So why are you silent while they destroy people who are more righteous than they are? 14How can you treat people like fish or like a swarm of insects that have no ruler to direct them? 15The Babylonians catch people with hooks, as though they were fish. They drag them off in nets and shout for joy over their catch! 16They even worship their nets and offer sacrifices to them, because their nets provide them with the best of everything. 17Are they going to use their swords forever and keep on destroying nations without mercy? Reflect According to the Law of Moses, the people of Israel were to treat each other with fairness. Yet many of the Lord's prophets accused the people and their leaders of being unjust. In 1:2, Habakkuk asks, "O LORD, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence?" Do you ever talk to God about the violence and injustice you see in the world? How can prayer move people toward justice? Pray Lord, the violence in our world fills me with frustration, despair and sadness. Too often I feel powerless against it. Help me see the ways in which I can be a peacemaker in your world. Amen. Prayer Concern People living amid war pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 26, 2010 Author Members Posted March 26, 2010 Habakkuk 2:1-20 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Habakkuk 2:1-20: The LORD offers Habakkuk a vision of justice, saying that the Babylonians will be punished according to how they have treated others. This vision is borne out by history: the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC and stole the treasures of Israel's temple. Yet by 539 BC, the Babylonian leaders became so weak that King Cyrus of Persia captured the city of Babylon without a fight. Today’s Scripture: Habakkuk 2:4 "Those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous will live because they are faithful to God." Today’s Reading 1I will climb my watchtower and wait to see what the LORD will tell me to say and what answer he will give to my complaint. 2The LORD gave me this answer: “Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance. 3Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed. 4And this is the message: ‘Those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous will live because they are faithful to God. ’ ” 5Wealth is deceitful. Greedy people are proud and restless—like death itself they are never satisfied. That is why they conquer nation after nation for themselves. 6The conquered people will taunt their conquerors and show their scorn for them. They will say, “You take what isn't yours, but you are doomed! How long will you go on getting rich by forcing your debtors to pay up?” 7But before you know it, you that have conquered others will be in debt yourselves and be forced to pay interest. Enemies will come and make you tremble. They will plunder you! 8You have plundered the people of many nations, but now those who have survived will plunder you because of the murders you have committed and because of your violence against the people of the world and its cities. 9You are doomed! You have made your family rich with what you took by violence, and have tried to make your own home safe from harm and danger! 10But your schemes have brought shame on your family; by destroying many nations you have only brought ruin on yourself. 11Even the stones of the walls cry out against you, and the rafters echo the cry. 12You are doomed! You founded a city on crime and built it up by murder. 13The nations you conquered wore themselves out in useless labor, and all they have built goes up in flames. The LORD Almighty has done this. 14But the earth will be as full of the knowledge of the LORD's glory as the seas are full of water. 15You are doomed! In your fury you humiliated and disgraced your neighbors; you made them stagger as though they were drunk. 16You in turn will be covered with shame instead of honor. You yourself will drink and stagger. The LORD will make you drink your own cup of punishment, and your honor will be turned to disgrace. 17You have cut down the forests of Lebanon; now you will be cut down. You killed its animals; now animals will terrify you. This will happen because of the murders you have committed and because of your violence against the people of the world and its cities. 18What's the use of an idol? It is only something that a human being has made, and it tells you nothing but lies. What good does it do for its maker to trust it—a god that can't even talk! 19You are doomed! You say to a piece of wood, “Wake up!” or to a block of stone, “Get up!” Can an idol reveal anything to you? It may be covered with silver and gold, but there is no life in it. 20The LORD is in his holy Temple; let everyone on earth be silent in his presence. Reflect Habakkuk 2:4 is used by a number of New Testament writers (see Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 10:38). The "proud" likely refers to the Babylonians. But it also refers to those who take pride in their own abilities, power or wealth above trusting God. How does pride interrupt your relationship with God? Pray Holy One, you alone are God. Forgive me for my foolish pride, and remind me that you are the source of all things. Make me a humble servant, that I may become an agent of your justice and peace. Amen. Prayer Concern Those serving in the National Guard pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
Members phkrause Posted March 26, 2010 Author Members Posted March 26, 2010 Habakkuk 3:1-19 (Good News Translation) Embodying Hope and Turning to God in Prayer Introduction Habakkuk 3:1-19: In today's passage, Habakkuk's prayer begins with a request for the LORD to be merciful to the people of Judah and then continues with a description of the LORD's presence and power in the world. Habakkuk is overwhelmed by the LORD's awesome power, which makes him confident that the LORD will save the people of Judah, despite their present struggles. Today’s Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19 The Sovereign LORD gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer and keeps me safe on the mountains. Today’s Reading 1This is a prayer of the prophet Habakkuk: 2O LORD, I have heard of what you have done, and I am filled with awe. Now do again in our times the great deeds you used to do. Be merciful, even when you are angry. 3God is coming again from Edom; the holy God is coming from the hills of Paran. His splendor covers the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. 4He comes with the brightness of lightning; light flashes from his hand, there where his power is hidden. 5He sends disease before him and commands death to follow him. 6When he stops, the earth shakes; at his glance the nations tremble. The eternal mountains are shattered; the everlasting hills sink down, the hills where he walked in ancient times. 7I saw the people of Cushan afraid and the people of Midian tremble. 8Was it the rivers that made you angry, LORD? Was it the sea that made you furious? You rode upon the clouds; the storm cloud was your chariot, as you brought victory to your people. 9You got ready to use your bow, ready to shoot your arrows. Your lightning split open the earth. 10When the mountains saw you, they trembled; water poured down from the skies. The waters under the earth roared, and their waves rose high. 11At the flash of your speeding arrows and the gleam of your shining spear, the sun and the moon stood still. 12You marched across the earth in anger; in fury you trampled the nations. 13You went out to save your people, to save your chosen king. You struck down the leader of the wicked and completely destroyed his followers. 14Your arrows pierced the commander of his army when it came like a storm to scatter us, gloating like those who secretly oppress the poor. 15You trampled the sea with your horses, and the mighty waters foamed. 16I hear all this, and I tremble; my lips quiver with fear. My body goes limp, and my feet stumble beneath me. I will quietly wait for the time to come when God will punish those who attack us. 17Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, 18I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my savior. 19The Sovereign LORD gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer and keeps me safe on the mountains. Reflect As Habakkuk prays, he recounts many of God's great acts. In doing so, he reminds himself of God's mercy and power, and this gives him strength. How can remembering God's works in the world strengthen your faith? How has God been made known to you today? Pray O Lord, I have heard of what you have done, and I am filled with awe. Now do again in our times the great deeds you used to do, that we may know your presence and activity in our world today. Amen. Prayer Concern Those fighting chronic illness pk Quote phkrause When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Proverbs 29;2
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