Scripture and Prayer on Thursday, December 10, 2020

Pastor David reads Luke 22:1-13 and offers a prayer from Thomas Merton:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Thursday, December 10, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Pastor David reads John 7:53-8:11 and offers a prayer from Richard Rolle:

O holy God, whose mercy and compassion made you come from the high throne down into this world for our salvation: mercifully forgive us all the sins we have done and thought and said. Send us cleanness of heart and purity of soul; restore us with your Holy Spirit, that we may from now on live virtuously and love you with all our hearts; through Jesus Christ your Son.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Pastor David reads Luke 21:29-38 and offers a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer:

Blessed Lord, who has caused all holy scriptures to be written for our learning: grant that we may in such ways hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Monday, December 7, 2020

Pastor David reads Luke 21:20-28 and offers a prayer from Henri Nouwen:

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day,
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!’
Amen.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Monday, December 7, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Friday, December 4, 2020

Pastor David reads 1 Thessalonians 5 and offers a prayer from Clement of Rome:

We beg you, Lord, to help and defend us.
Deliver the oppressed,
have compassion on the despised,
raise the fallen,
reveal yourself to the needy,
heal the sick,
bring back those who have strayed from you,
feed the hungry,
lift up the weak,
remove the prisoners’ chains.
May every nation come to know that you are God alone,
that Jesus is your Son,
that we are your people, the sheep of your pasture.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Friday, December 4, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Thursday, December 3, 2020

Pastor David reads 1 Thessalonians 4 and offers a prayer from a 16th century primer:

O good Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that you will open my mouth, so that I may praise you, and give you thanks for all your goodness towards me; and I ask you to keep it from all vain talk, and from all other ways of offending you.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Thursday, December 3, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Pastor David reads 1 Thessalonians 3 and offers a prayer from Alcuin:

O King of Glory and Lord of Valors, our warrior and our peace, who has said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”: be victorious in us your servants. Grant your compassion to go before us, your compassion to come behind us: before us in our undertaking, behind us in our ending. And what will I now say, unless that your will be done, who wills that all should be saved? Your will is our salvation, your glory our joy.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Pastor David reads 1 Thessalonians 2 and offers a prayer from the English reformers:

O almighty God, who has built your church on the foundations of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head cornerstone: grant us to be so joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching that we may be made into a holy temple, acceptable to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Scripture and Prayer on Monday, November 30, 2020

Pastor David reads 1 Thessalonians 1 and offers a prayer from the Gallican Sacramentary:

Give us, O Lord, purity of lips, clean and innocent hearts, and rectitude of action; give us humility, patience, self-wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, and of your fear; make us ever to seek your face with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind; grant us to have a contrite and humbled heart in your presence, to prefer nothing to your love. Have mercy upon us, we humbly ask you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted by Mt. Haley Church of God on Monday, November 30, 2020