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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.

Sunday Prayer of Praise to God’s Glory

Heavenly God, you are the King eternal, immortal and invisible. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you hadformed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlastingyou are God; the same yesterday, today, and forever.

In times long past did you lay the foundation of the earth, and theheavens are the work of your hands: Yet they will perish, but youwill endure; yes, all of them will grow old like a garment, as acoat you will change them, and they will be changed; but youare the same, and your years will have no end.

You alone are God, and do not change; and because of this, we may hope to be preserved. Are you not from eternity, O Lord our God, our Holy One? The everlasting God, even the Lord, the Creator of the ends ofthe earth, who does not faint nor grow weary? There is no searchingout your understanding, mighty Lord, but by our praise we may glorify your Holy Name, now and all our lives.

Heal My Spirit

Heal me, oh Lord. Heal me in my body, for it is broken and pained from the afflictions of sin.
Heal me in my mind, for it is filled with love for the things of the world, and I suffer for my disobedience to you.
Heal me in my words, for they escape my lips in vain.
Heal me in my heart, for I too often judge others, resent others, grow angry and nurse my grievances.
Heal me in my life. Like a stupid and headstrong sheep, I have wandered from your path until I became lost in the desert of pride.
And above all, I implore you: Heal me in my spirit.
I am battle-ravaged by my sin, sick by my own will. The pure spirit you gave me is wreckage and rubble. I regret every abuse of your gifts. Forgive me, dear Christ, and replenish me with your infinite mercy, with your pure, clear, perfect love, until I am restored to the perfect beauty and peace of soul that can be found only by your grace.

Mason Barge 8/11/2015

Benediction

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, let me think about these things. What I have learned and received, let me do; and the God of peace be with us all.

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.

Laced with Wisdom

Acts 2:1-11 (ESV)

The Pentecost

hen the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

Notes on the Scripture

The Pentecost was, in effect, a “jump start” for the reign of the Holy Spirit. Christ had finished His mission on earth and had ascended to heaven. He promised that after he had left the world, He would leave “another Advocate” to dwell with those who believed in Him and followed His commandments. The Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy Spirit, the name by which we call the Spirit of God that remained with us after Christ had ascended.

The event itself is colorful and wonderful, a short time when everybody in the vicinity of the disciples could witness the miracle of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were speaking in the native language of every person present.

There is a wonderful metaphor in this, relating back to the ancient promise that Christ would make God’s grace available to all nations. The old covenant was specifically a relationship between God and the Jews; Christ brought a new covenant, that could be shared by anyone who believed in Him. The best we know, God had never spoken to human beings in any language but Hebrew, or Hebrew and Aramaic, if one counts the teachings of Jesus. Now, God speaks in the languages of all the nations.

On a more personal level, if we have accepted Christ into our hearts and follow His commandments, the Holy Spirit will live within us and we can know God in a way different from how we “know” anything else. He will speak to us in a language we can understand.

Coptic (Egyptian) painting of the Pentecost in icon style, artist unknown.

Daily Inspiration

“Beauty”

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