Tuesday 21 January 2014

Covenant Fidelity

Refrain
Yahweh is the God of my salvation:  [Lord, you are...]
I trust in him and have no fear.
I sing of the joy which his love gives to me,
And I draw deeply from the springs of his [your] great kindness.
Verse 1
Open our eyes to the wonder of each moment,
the beginning of another day.
Refrain
Verse 2
Be with us, Lord, as we break through with each other,
to find the truth and beauty of each friend.
Refrain
Verse 3
When ev’ning comes and our day of toil is over,
give us rest, O Lord, in the joy of many friends.
Refrain
Verse 4
Take us beyond the vision of this day to
the deep and wide ways of your infinite love and life.
Refrain
Copyright © 1972
The Benedictine Foundation of the State of Vermont, Inc.,
Weston Priory, Weston, Vermont.
Used with permission.
www.westonpriory.org
Covenant Fidelity 
Scripture response:

Hebrews 6:10-20

New International Version (NIV)
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

The Certainty of God’s Promise

13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”[a] 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hopeset before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Footnotes:

  1. Hebrews 6:14 Gen. 22:17                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 My dear people.God would not be so unjust as to forget all you have done,the love that you have for His name or the services you have done and are still doing.Our desire is that everyone go on showing the same earnestness to the end to the perfect fulfillment of our hopes never growing careless but imitating those that have perfect faith and the perseverance to inherit the promises of God!
  2. When God made the promise to Abraham He swore by His own self since it was impossible to answer to anyone greater than Himself.He said I will shower you with blessings and give you many descendants. Because of that Abraham perservered and saw the promise fulfilled.
  3. The Lord keeps His Covenant ever in mind psalm 111

Psalm 111

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 111[a]

Praise the Lord.[b]
I will extol the Lord with all my heart
    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
    giving them the lands of other nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established for ever and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
    To him belongs eternal praise.



Leader: The Lord has sent deliverance to His people and established His covenant forever!His name is to be feared His Praise shall last forever!Amen
People: The Lord keeps His covenant ever in mind!
Leader: I will Thank The Lord with all my heartt in the meeting of the just and their assembly. Great are the works of The Lord to be pondered by all who love Him.
People:The Lord keeps His covenant ever in mind!
Leader: He makes us to remember His compassions an His wonders.The Lord is compassion and Love.He gives food to those who fear Him and keeps His covenant ever in mind.
People: The Lord keeps His covenant ever in mind! He is compassion and Love Our Source and Provision He is Merciful and kind to those who love His name- Yeshua Our salvation Christ The anointed YHVH The I AM

Discussion questions?
1-Covenant is an agreement between people in which they bind or commit themselves to each other at the deepest level.The obligation is on both sides. Have you ever made a covenant? When? Have you had an experience of a broken covenant? Or do you know someone who did?
How did it feel?
2- How do we keep covenant with God today?
3-In what ways do we break it? (sin) How do we correct this? confess
and ask forgiveness! Jesus forgives and restores us to right standing with God The Father.
4 Weekly and daily we celebrate our covenant with God How do we do this? 
Scripture Readings on Salvation History Covenant Fidelity
Gen 3 Gen 15:7 Gen 22:15-18 Ex 19:  20:1-17  24:1-8  Psalm 89:3-5
Mt 26:26-28 Mk 14:22-20 1 Cor 11: 23-25 

Genesis 22:15-18

New International Version (NIV)
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself,declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed,[b] because you have obeyed me.”

Genesis 15:7

New International Version (NIV)

He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.

Exodus 19

New International Version (NIV)

At Mount Sinai

19 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priestsand a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words theLord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything theLord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s hornsounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain[b] trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.[c]
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.

Exodus 20:1-17

New International Version (NIV)

The Ten Commandments

20 And God spoke all these words:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, theLord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work,10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lordblessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Exodus 24:1-8

New International Version (NIV)

The Covenant Confirmed

24 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, but Moses alone is to approach the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”
When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.
He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”
Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Psalm 89:3-5

New International Version (NIV)

You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David my servant,
‘I will establish your line forever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[a]
The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.

Matthew 26:26-28

New International Version (NIV)
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 14:22-24

New International Version (NIV)

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.

Luke 22:19-20

New International Version (NIV)

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

1 Corinthians 11:23-25

New International Version (NIV)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying,“This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

This the new covenant Jesus made to save all who would believe and be saved Amen!

Hosea-GregoryNorbet



The hymn is "Hosea" by Gregory Norbert. Here are the lyrics I found: 

Come back to me with all your heart, 
don't let fear keep us apart. 
Trees do bend, tho' straight and tall; 
so must we to others' call. 

Long have I waited for your coming 
home to me and living deeply our new life. 

The wilderness will lead you 
to your heart where I will speak. 
Integrity and justice 
with tenderness you shall know. 

Long have I waited for your coming 
home to me and living deeply our new life. 

You shall sleep secure with peace; 
faithfulness will be your joy. 

Long have I waited for your coming 
home to me and living deeply our new life.

Jesus the Lord by Roc O'Connor - Saint Louis Jesuits - with lyrics




Jesus the Lord by Roc O'Connor, S.J.
Based on Jesus Prayer:
Phil, 2:5-11; Acts, 17:28

1...Let all creation bend the knee to the Lord.
In Him we live, we move and have our being;
In Him the Christ, In Him the King!
Jesus the Lord.

2...Though Son, He did not cling to Godliness,
But emptied Himself, became a slave!
Jesus the Lord.

3...He lived obediently His Father's will
Accepting His death, death on a cross!
Jesus the Lord.

A Community Prayer
Leader: Let us open our minds to The Lord
To the Presence of God
People: We know what it is to live in God's presence
as His people
Leader: Ours is a God of Life
leading us to the unexplored,
fresh territory everyday.
People: We seek abundant life-
life that is lived to the fullest extent
Leader: Let us commit ourselves to a searching out and a following
of God's will for us this day and all the days of our lives.
People:In the spirit of search and commitment,
Let us worship God.

Reader: Isaiah 43:1-5

Isaiah 43

New International Version (NIV)

Israel’s Only Savior

43 But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.

Luke 4:16-22

Luke 4:16-22

New International Version (NIV)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a]
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilledin your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Footnotes:

  1. Luke 4:19 Isaiah 61:1,2 (see Septuagint); Isaiah 58:6