2 JUL 2024 · Today is July 2. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of 1 Samuel, chapter 31. And our passage is one that tells a historical story that is filled with chaos and trouble. It tells graphically about the death of Saul, his sons, and his armor bearer. If this feels like too intense of a passage to consider this morning, go ahead and move to the end for a moment of worship.    The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically. Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.     Today’s reading is troubling. It tells about the tragic demise of Saul and his sons at the hands of the Philistines. Saul, facing imminent capture and fearing dishonor, chose to end his own life rather than endure the enemy's brutality. Do you know anyone who might feel at the end of their rope? Anyone who might be experiencing shame? If so, end your time of prayer now, and instead reach out to the person you know who may be feeling vulnerable. Or take a moment now to intercede for those who know who might be facing a desperate situation.     Saul had been the first king of Israel, but then demonstrated a pattern of pride, disobedience, selfishness, and ego. The more he chose against the ways of God, the more he spun out of control… becoming vain, angry, and violent. Over and over, turned his back on God. His is a story of the vector of sin… how our sin, and selfishness, and pride – over time – draw us away from becoming the person God has made us to be. Listen to the story again and ask God to help you understand the story of Saul.        Sometimes these stories in scripture are disorienting. Why, we ask, does the Bible include such heavy, real, painful, texts? Well… I think it’s because they are true to life. The Bible, and Christian faith, describe things as they are. Christian faith is not afraid of or in denial about reality. And reality includes some rough things. This is why the interruption of the world’s reality through Jesus Christ is such good news! He gives us a different vector. A different way. And while our way is real, and often difficult, Christ is with us. No matter the shame or despair. God is with you, and God loves you. As we end our time together, ask God to show you more about who He has made you to be. And if you do happen to find yourself in despair today, or feeling personally vulnerable, please reach out to a friend, a safe person, a pastor. You are loved. You are not alone.   Music: The Gospel - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7We8rOFcgI&themeRefresh=1

2 JUL 2024 · Today is July 1. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.    Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from Psalm 86.           I love you, LORD, my strength.         The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;            my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,            my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.          I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,            and I have been saved from my enemies.         The cords of death entangled me;            the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.         The cords of the grave coiled around me;            the snares of death confronted me.          In my distress I called to the LORD;            I cried to my God for help.            From his temple he heard my voice;            my cry came before him, into his ears.     This psalm expresses a heartfelt expression of trust and reliance on God's strength and protection, even as it communicates the feelings of overwhelm. In times of trouble and danger, we turn to God for refuge, strength and deliverance. Talk to the Lord as we begin, and invite him into any areas of distress you’re experiencing.    Do you see God as your source of strength and refuge? Are you quick to turn to him in times of distress, or do you first try to handle problems on your own? The psalmist write that he calls to God when He is in need of help. He cries out, even. Listen again to the psalm and find a few words or a phrase to hold to in your own times of trouble.  This psalm reminds us that no matter how dire our circumstances may seem, God is always ready to hear our cries for help. This is true for you personally, and for us corporately. As we end of our time of prayer today, ask yourself how you might entrust a significant concern to him, and what that would mean for you practically. What might you do differently as you abide in the truth that “from his temple he hears your voice, and your cry comes before him, and into his ears?” Music: The Name - Vineyard Worship -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akLMH6oI19w 

29 JUN 2024 · This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

28 JUN 2024 · Today is June 28. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from the book of Daniel, chapter 7.           “As I looked,             “thrones were set in place,            and the Ancient of Days took his seat.            His clothing was as white as snow;            the hair of his head was white like wool.            His throne was flaming with fire,            and its wheels were all ablaze.         A river of fire was flowing,            coming out from before him.            Thousands upon thousands attended him;            ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.            The court was seated,            and the books were opened.  “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.   What immediate impressions come to your mind after listening to this vision from the book of Daniel? What do you think it would feel like to participate in a scene like this from heaven?      Scripture is full of prophetic images and visions. This passage in Daniel is reminiscent of the passage in Revelation. People from every nation are gathered around the throne worshipping God. As you listen to this reading again, try to visualize a mental picture of what Daniel is describing.      When we think of God, very often we consider his imminence: how he became human in Christ, and drew near to us. His presence with us. This passage from Daniel brings to mind God’s transcendence: his big-ness. His other-ness. His holiness. His majesty. His power. As you walk through your day today, cultivate a sense of awe for his majesty and power over your life.     Music: Who Can Compare - Vineyard Worship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjLgWZr1nlk

27 JUN 2024 · Today is June 27.   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from Psalm 139.           You have searched me, LORD,            and you know me.         You know when I sit and when I rise;            you perceive my thoughts from afar.         You discern my going out and my lying down;            you are familiar with all my ways.         Before a word is on my tongue            you, LORD, know it completely.         You hem me in behind and before,            and you lay your hand upon me.         For you created my inmost being;            you knit me together in my mother’s womb.         I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;            your works are wonderful,            I know that full well.         My frame was not hidden from you            when I was made in the secret place,            when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.         Your eyes saw my unformed body;            all the days ordained for me were written in your book            before one of them came to be.            Contemplate for a moment how deeply God knows you. Is that a comfort to you? Does it make you feel exposed in any sense?      You hem me in behind and before… what do you think this means? As you listen to this scripture again, pay attention to what particular phrases or words stand out to you.      The words of this Psalm speak comfort to us. In a world that often chaotic, we hear the purposes of God through the text. In a world that often feels haphazard, we hear the order of God. And in a world where we often feel lost or unseen, we hear the closeness and attentiveness of God. As we end our time of prayer.... do you need to feel the comfort of God in any particular way?     Music: Creator - Vineyard Worship:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfxsMWPWwiQ

26 JUN 2024 · Today is June 26. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from the book of 1st Thessalonians, chapter 4.      Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.      This passage speaks to death, grief, and the resurrection of all believers. It’s a passage filled with hope, and a heavenward view. How do you feel, thinking about such things?     Holding a mixture of grief and hope is a uniquely Christian experience. As you listen to the passage again, think about which side of that mixture feels most real to you today: the side of grief? Or the side of hope?      Can you recall a time when you experienced a deep sense of hope – a kind of hope that you know is a gift from God, because perhaps your circumstances weren’t that hopeful? As we end our time of prayer, remember that your hope is grounded in the reality of the resurrected Christ, who will come again.     Music: All Things Rise - Vineyard Worship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLttio7yWCo

25 JUN 2024 · Today is June 25. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.       Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of Exodus, chapter 9.     Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.”   Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.”     Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the LORD; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.         "He sinned again”. What a confronting line. Pharoh had hardened his heart. He asked for a sign from God, got a sign from God, and then: ignored it. As we come to prayer today, invite the Lord to search you, and know your heart... to see if there is any hardened way inside of you.      Does it feel difficult to admit that there might be a part of your heart that is hardened toward God? Does that make you defensive? Listen again to the passage and pay attention to what the Lord highlights for you.       Hardened hearts are sometimes found under unforgiveness, an inability to admit fault, pride, ego, or perfectionism. As we end our time of prayer, ask God for the grace to examine your own heart, and invite Him to soften you by His spirit.  Music: Will You Worship - Vineyard Worship - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vq7BQt3jdU

24 JUN 2024 · Today is June 24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.      Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”         Today’s reading is from the book of Acts, chapter 27.     When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.      Welcome to prayer today. Listen again to a few descriptive passages from our text: gentle wind, caught by the storm, driven along, violent battering, gave up all hope... The story begins with a ‘gentle wind’, and ends with all hope lost. Which image feels more resonant to you today: being guided by a gentle wind? Feeling battered and without hope? Talk to the Lord about the state of your soul.       Listen again to the text, and pay attention to one word of phrase that feels instructive or highlighted for you.       In the storm, they let the ship be driven along. That’s a picture of lowering the sail, and allowing the wind and waves to take control. To stop fighting the storm. If you are in a place that feels like a place where ‘neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and the storm continued raging... if you are tempted to give up all hope.... i pray that the God of all power meets you in this moment. I pray you feel His hands holding you together. And I pray for mercy and relief from the storm that you are facing. God’s peace to you in the midst of the wind and waves, in Jesus’ name. Music: Fix My Eyes - Vineyard Worship - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D45LaxLoP0eI&ved=2ahUKEwjzz_7jk_CGAxVhSjABHYAJDWEQtwJ6BAgPEAI&usg=AOvVaw3z_WemuGeKDoCI0IgsX2Pi

22 JUN 2024 · This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced. 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow.

21 JUN 2024 · Today is June 21. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.     Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”       Today’s reading is from Galatians, chapter 6.     Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.    Have you ever experienced a personal restoration? Maybe in relationship? Or spiritually? How did that feel to you?     Paul tells the Galatians to restore one another gently, and with some caution. He encourages humility, as you listen to the passage again pay attention to what stands out to you     What might it mean for you to carry someone else’s burden, today? Look for a way to practice the carrying, or gentle restoration, as you go about your day?.As we end our time of prayer, ask the Lord to guide you throughout your day.    Music: You're Carrying Me - Vineyard Worship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HLg2nPKZyk