Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help. PS 84:8
NUMBERS 24:2-7,15-17
My Soul's Beloved,
What God has ordained, He has ordained. No power is greater than the power of the Most High. No power can gainsay what God has in store for His Church, His people, His Bride, His children, His world.
It is so easy, my Lord, to become fearful of the powers in the world and the powers of individuals who act as if they are in control. The power of evil has spun a web of deceit and has spread lies so convincingly that it is difficult not to become anxious. But You, O Lord, have won a decisive victory over evil. The head of the serpent is crushed and is in its death throes. All-powerful and all-merciful Savior, we trust in the power of Your love, and while we wait in joyful hope for Your triumphant return to claim all creation under Your Lordship, we will wait with prayer, hope, and great longing. Marantha, Lord Jesus. Maranatha! Come quickly, Beloved.
Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob!
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens by the banks of a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock,
he reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag,
his majesty is exalted.’
Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God,
of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see him – but not in the present,
I behold him – but not close at hand:
a star from Jacob takes the leadership,
a sceptre arises from Israel.’
PSALM 24(25):4-6,7a-9
Lord, make me know your ways.
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob!
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens by the banks of a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock,
he reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag,
his majesty is exalted.’
Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God,
of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see him – but not in the present,
I behold him – but not close at hand:
a star from Jacob takes the leadership,
a sceptre arises from Israel.’
PSALM 24(25):4-6,7a-9
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.
In you I hope all day long
because of your goodness, O Lord.
Remember your mercy, Lord,
and the love you have shown from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth.
In your love remember me.
because of your goodness, O Lord.
Remember your mercy, Lord,
and the love you have shown from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth.
In your love remember me.
The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
He teaches his way to the poor.
He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
He teaches his way to the poor.
Lord, make me know your ways.
MATTHEW 21:23-27
My Soul's Beloved,
MATTHEW 21:23-27
My Soul's Beloved,
More often than not, we are like the chief priests and the elders; we know the right answers, but we do not wish to say them out loud for fear of being held accountable. We desire to live according to our flesh, according to the dictates of the world and the culture, and this is why we deliberately act obtuse. We know what is right, true, and beautiful, but we want to go with the herd rather than go against the current of popular opinion.
Lord Jesus, the time is now, the place is here, when I have to take stock of my life and my purpose in it. We are living at a time when opposition against revealed Truth is greater than at any other time. The Church and Christians are being persecuted, murdered, marginalized, ostracised, for standing firm and declaring our faith in You boldly and uncompromisingly. You warned us, Lord, that if they killed the Master, the Savior, the Lord, then we who are Your ardent followers can expect no less.
Beloved, when the time of testing comes, grant us the courage to stand firm in our faith. Fill us with the fire of Your Holy Spirit, so we may speak boldly and fearlessly no matter the cost and be prepared to lose our lives so we may gain it eternally. Amen.
Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
No comments:
Post a Comment