Hi Christians, welcome to my website, I am in the process of starting a new Ministry and I hope you will all join me in celebrating the Life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who came to earth to save us all.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Psalm and reading for today
First Lesson
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two of their community to Peter with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing the tunics and other clothing that Tabitha had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said.
"Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the community he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me
beside still waters.
He revives my soul, and guides me along right
pathways for his name's sake
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the house of the lord for ever.
A Reading from the book of Revelation
Rev. 7:9-17
The Epistle
After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor and power and might
to be our God forever and ever! Amen."
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God
and worship him day and night within his temple
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
for the lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
The Holy Gospel
The Holy Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ according to John 10:22-30
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.
So the jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "
"I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."
The Sermon
We are all impatient and in a hurry for our prayers to be answers, we want to see things plainly.
But God hears our prayers and answers them, we may not get the answers we want immediately,
but our prayers are being answered, we just have to be patient and wait on the Lord. He is with us every step
we take, he hears our prayers, He is at the wheel when the road is icy and slippery, just call on Him and he
will take the wheel, He is with us when we are troubled, when our finances are troubling just call on Him and
He will handle the creditors, He is all we need to help us in these troubling times. Praise to The Living God.
O LORD, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever Amen.
FIRST READING 1 KINGS 19:1-15A
AHAB told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.
But he himself went a day's journey in the the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no longer than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." He looked, and there at hi head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you." He got up, and ate and drank; then he went to the strength of that food forty days and forty night to Horeb the mount of God. At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."
He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you here, Elijah?" He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seking my life, to take it away." Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus."
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God throgh faith. As many of you as were baptized in Christ have clothed yourelves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. As If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.
GRADUAL PSALM 42
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among
the festive throng
14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul?
and why are you so disquieted within me?
15 Put your trust in God;
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
SECOND READING Galatians 3:23-29
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
Sons of God
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
The HOLY GOSPEL LUKE 8:26-39
The Healing of a Demon-possessed Man
Jesus and his desciples sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!"
For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30 Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
SUNDAY JUNE, 28, 2010
Rev. Dr. Maxime Alexis Long
COLLECT FOR PURITY
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name, through Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect of the day June 28, 2010
The Lord be with you.
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the Foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Lesson
First Reading 1 Kings 19:15-16,19-21
The Lord said to Elijah, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as King over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as King over israel; and you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as King over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place."
So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth.
Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then i will follow you." Then Elijah said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?" He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh , and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.
Psalm 16
1. Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;*
I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord, my
good above all other.
2. All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,*
Upon those who are noble among the people.
3. But those who run after other gods*
shall have their troubles multiplied.
4. Their libation of blood I will not offer,*
Nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5. O LORD, YOU are my portion and my cup;*
it is you who uphold my lot.
6. My boundaries enclose a pleasant land;*
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7. I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel;*
my heart teaches me night after night.
8. I have set the Lord always before me;*
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
9. My heart, therefore is glad, and my spirit rejoices;*
my body also shall rest in hope.
10. For you will not abandon me to the grave,*
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11. You will show me the path of life;*
in your presence there is fullness of joy
and in your right hand are pleasure for evermore.
Second Reading Galatians 5:1,13-25
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. Live by the spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the spirit, and what the spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing
what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcry, enmitis, stride, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before; those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
By contract, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
THE HOLY GOSPEL Luke 9:51-62
When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And ye sent mesengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them, Then they went on to another village.
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of rhe
air have nests; but the Son Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said "Follow me" But he said, "Lord, first let me go and follow my father."
But Jesus said him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me
first say farewell to whose at my home." Jesus said to him, " No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God,"
Maximebeautyplus
