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Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.

Celtic Prayer for the Morning

I  will kindle my fire this morning in the presence of the holy angels of heaven; Without malice, without jealousy, without envy, without fear; without terror of any one under the sun, but the Holy Son of God to shield me.

God, kindle thou in my heart within a flame of love to my neighbour, to my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all; To the brave, to the coward, to the man in the street, O Son of the loveliest Mary, from the lowliest thing that lives to the Name that is highest of all. In the name of Christ, I pray.

For All Who Sin

Mighty Jesus, you are the radiant dawn bringing life into the world, and yet there are those who would hide in the shadows and under cover, in the caves of the flesh, telling each other that the darkness is good, and easy, and comfortable. I pray dear God that you will send your Holy Spirit to all of them, to show them that the fearful jaws of their insecurity become toothless when seen in the sunshine of your Word, and that they might see the true nature of evil, which hides with them in the dark, to keep them company and whisper lies in their ears.

For those who have seen the light and shrunk from it, I pray that they may be restored, and that you will ease the terrible pain that drove them to hide from you, that they might be assured of forgiveness if they will only repent. Lighten the minds of those who have been warped by anger, by bitterness, by selfishness, or by the allure of glittering bangles of wealth or status or pride.

Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, where I have strayed; and bring your light to all our brothers and sisters, that they may seek your mercy also, and find your perfect and eternal life.

Mason Barge 11/26/13

Dedication

Finally, let me go forth in thanks for the victory I have been given through our Lord Jesus Christ. May I be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, and always remembering that in the Lord our labor is not in vain.

Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.

Psalm 43:3-4 (NKJV)

Romans 12:15-16[a] (ESV)

Sharing Pain and Joy

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly [or, give yourself to humble tasks].

Notes on the Scripture

aul seems to anticipate here that Christ’s followers will center their lives around a church; and that is church with a small “c”, because it is hard to imagine he would have approved of a diversity of denominations marked by mutual jealousy, division, and even enmity that was to occur. Unfortunately, as Christianity grew and became an official and often mandatory national religion, churches began to wield both economic and political power. As is often noted, power corrupts; the corruption of the church was profound and heartbreaking.

Most people in the United States think “separation of church and state” is a doctrine created for the good of the state, so that people will not be forced to worship in a certain way. But it is the best thing that could happen to churches. If you doubt this, simply read a history of Europe from 1400 to 1800. Churches, which were intended as rather informal gatherings of faithful Christians to rejoice and weep with one another, to learn and to worship, were co-opted by unscrupulous men seeking wealth, power, and political advantage.

Take the phrase “live in harmony with one another,” which is simple to understand but impossible to implement when church leadership interests itself in politics rather than salvation. The most devastating war ever fought, the Thirty Years’ War in the early 1600s, was the sole product of church involvement in politics. Catholic and Protestant interests utterly devastated the many states that comprised what is now Germany. In a number of areas, every house was burned and every farm destroyed. Scholars estimate that the male population of the German States decreased by as much as 50%.

Consider: Were these people interested in following the teachings of the Bible? Or were their interests elsewhere?

We must always return to the Bible and keep its lessons at the forefront of our mind, especially the lessons that do not comport with our political views. Paul tells us to have empathy with our fellow Christians, to live in harmony, not to be haughty or arrogant. If we find ourselves saying “yes, but . . . ” to these instructions, we must always remember that it is the “yes” part that is right, and the “but” part which needs examination and correction.

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Daily Inspiration

“ Joyful Long-time Friendships ”

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