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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.

Prayer for the Morning

Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray.

Prayer for Grace and Strength

Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

Paul's Prayer from Ephesians 1

May the God of my Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give me a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the full knowledge of Him, and may the eyes of my heart be enlightened, in order that I may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the incomparable greatness of His power toward us who believe.

Community of Prayer

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.

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.

Gospel of Matthew 10:2-3

Names of the Twelve Apostles

These are the names of the twelve apostles:

The first, Simon, who was called Peter;

Andrew, his brother;

James the son of Zebedee;

John, his brother;

Philip;

Bartholomew;

Thomas;

Matthew the publican;

James the son of Alphaeus;

Thaddaeus;

Simon the Cananaean;

and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.

The Less-Known Apostles

Thaddeus (also known as Jude, Judas the son of James, or Lebbaeus) is perhaps the least known of the apostles. He spoke only one time in the Gospels, at the Last Supper, when he asked Jesus, " Lord, how is it that you will show yourself only to those that love you? Why not the whole world?" (John 14:22-23) Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him." As St. Jude, he became the patron saint of lost causes.

Simon, the Cananaen, was also known as "Simon the Zealot". Very little is said of him in the New Testament. Perhaps, like Paul, he started out harassing the followers of Christ. Tradition has it that he was killed with a saw, and he is often depicted holding one.

Thomas (known as Didymus, meaning "the twin" in Greek, as Thomas comes from a Hebrew word meaning the same thing) was rather brave. He gave rise to the expression "doubting Thomas" because he would not believe that the resurrected Christ was really Jesus, until he had put his finger into the spear wound in His side.

Both the James were known as brothers of prominent apostles. We have just met James, the son of Zebedee, who was recruited with John to become a "fisher of men". He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recounted in the New Testament. James, the son of Alphaeus, was apparently a rather quiet man. He might have been Matthew's brother.

Philip was the fourth apostle called. It was the first time Christ is quoted saying "follow me". He spoke Greek and was apparently the link to the Greek-speaking community.

There is little about Bartholomew in the Gospels. He may be the person called Nathanael. Later writings assert that, after Christ's death, he traveled east, ending somewhere in present-day India. He is a patron saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church (along with Jude).

Andrew, was one of the third pair of brothers; he was a fisherman and Simon Peter's brother. He was traditionally killed by crucifixion on a sideways cross, giving rise to the Scottish "cross of St. Andrew", the blue and white X shape on many flags, including the British flag.

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