26 October 2014

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Sunday 26 October 2014 

Morning Prayer

Psalm 19

The sky in silence, every day and every night shows us that God is magnificent. God’s commandments are magnificent. They are right, they delight the heart, they are simple, they are more precious than gold. And the commandments warn us – but can we ever truly detect all our own faults? David asks for help so that he does not commit presumptuous sins*. He finishes with:

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”

1 Thessalonians 2: 13 – 16

Paul praises the Thessalonians for accepting and integrating God’s word in their lives and being diligent even in the face of persecution.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Mandurah Estuary WA
2014 L Osburn

 God of new dawns, you gave us commandments for our direction and sent your Son, revealed in the gospel, to free us. Forgive us our presumptuous sins, make us acceptable to you so that we may tell others of your greatness and do so with hearts full of songs and praise just like the birds at first light through Jesus Christ our saviour, Amen.

Sunday 19 October 2014

Evening Prayer

Joshua 1: 1 – 9

Joshua is commissioned by God to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. Joshua is to be strong, courageous and act in accordance with the law given to Moses. Joshua must be diligent in his knowledge and administration of the law so that the community prospers. He is not to be frightened of dismayed for God will be with him wherever he goes.

Psalm 1

People who set themselves apart from all the turmoil of the world, who contemplate God, and God’s laws are like trees with good soil and water that bear fruit, don’t wither but prosper. The wicked are like chaff – an empty hull – they will not be with God at the end.

Matthew 24: 1 - 14

Jesus is with the disciples. He tells them how the temple will again be destroyed. Privately, later on the Mount of Olives the disciples ask when will this occur. Jesus tells them not to be led astray by false messiahs, wars, rumours of wars, civil and political strife, famine or earthquakes. He warns then too that before the end there will be persecution and torture of Christians. False prophets will appear. Because of the lawlessness, many people will cease loving God and each other but those who endure to the end will be saved. Then the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world and the end will come.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Cycling Across the Continent on the Eyre Highway
SA 2014 L Osburn

God of the long haul, you are with us. We have no need to fear. Keep us full of courage and resolve to read your word, love you and love one another and set ourselves apart from turmoil so that we may bear fruit to your glory and be ready to proclaim your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Presumptious sins are:

1      When we do know better

2      When we deliberately plan to do it or keep nurturing the thought about doing it, or have built up a habit of          a particular sin

3      Sinning to show total disregard for God

4      Thinking that we are immune from a particular type of sin because we are strong or “able to manage it”.  This is risky.

        And, “I’ll repent tomorrow…” presumes a tomorrow.

 From
 Rev. C. H. Spurgeon 1857