Daily Office Journey

It’s a Long Journey to Heaven

Randy — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 00:26:00 +0000

I Prayed this evening from the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. The Psalmist in Psalm 44 complains to God of what he sees as injustice being done to him,

Psalm 44:17-22
All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

It amazes me how many of the Psalms deal with very tough questions and complaints that the modern Christian would never out of fear of being seen as a blasphemer would say or ask. The Old Testament readings from Job in morning and evening prayer have Job complaining towards God and not understanding what is going on in his life. I appreciate the honesty of the Bible. We all have probably asked God “why are bad things happening to me?”

Folks, many times there are no logical answers to these questions. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is it that a Church that teaches and preaches the Word of God and does mission work see very little growth yet cult groups with their false gospels grow? There are no easy answers. The worst thing you can do is lose faith in God and abandon Him.

We know for one thing we live in a fallen world and that we are in a spiritual battle with evil. We don’t understand all things as God does. The Psalmist and Job were asking God tough questions but neither had lost faith in the Lord. They were just confused about what was happening and were being honest. I believe God appreciates honesty in our prayers.

The fact is God sees the whole picture of our lives and has not forsaken us. Jesus never said being a Christian was easy. Christianity is the Way of the Cross which implies suffering injustice. Too often we want to blame God when the real culprit is this fallen world and the demonic forces that wage war on us. The Christian life is tough and it is a war. Until we get to Heaven there will be struggle and conflict and this makes the journey seem long and hard. But don’t give up!

One of the closing prayers in the Book of Common Prayer tonight was

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom: Defend us, thy humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Amen! Lord help us and have mercy on us daily and forgive our unbelief.

PRAYER REQUESTS

My Mother. Please pray for her healing and the chemo treatments.

Raymond Eames, still not doing good after brain surgery.

Continue to also remember Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh who are in prison in Iran.

Healthcare Debate in the USA

Ferriday Water problems

For those who have lost loved ones in the California fires and also those suffering great losses from these fire

Our Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families plus all the innocent ones in these countries.

Elvie Mirano – preparing for Mission Trip.

Posted in Evening Prayer

Weeping for China

Randy — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:55:00 +0000

This evening I prayed Evensong (Don’t you just love that name for Evening Prayer?) from The 1549 Book of Common Prayer. The Penitential Psalm I prayed at the beginning of Evensong was so powerful!

Psalm 6 (NKJV)

¹ O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
² Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
³ My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O LORD—how long?
⁴ Return, O LORD, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake!
⁵ For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?
⁶ I am weary with my groaning;
All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
⁷ My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.
⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
⁹ The LORD has heard my supplication;
The LORD will receive my prayer.
¹⁰ Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.

Verse 6 really gets me. How often do I weep over my sin? How often do I weep over my troubles when bringing them to the Lord? How often do I weep over others before the Lord?

As I later prayed the Suffrages (Old English term for short intercessory prayers) in the Book of Common Prayer three of the suffrages brought to mind the imprisoned Christians in China and I prayed for them and encourage you to do also. May we weep and pray before the Lord as the Psalmist did in Psalm 6.

Suffrages
*Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
*And make thy chosen people joyful.
*O Lord, save thy people.

Ms Li Ying
Arrested: April 2001
Days Imprisoned: 3078

Ms Mengyu Tang
Arrested: May 2002
Days Imprisoned: 2670

Sun Minghua
Arrested: September 2001
Days Imprisoned: 2905

Kim Kyung Il
Arrested: May 2002
Days Imprisoned: 2664

Zhang Rongliang
Arrested: December 2004
Days Imprisoned: 1738

Li Mei
Arrested: July 2007
Days Imprisoned: 781

Alimujiang Yimiti
Arrested: January 2008
Days Imprisoned: 601

Gao Zhisheng
Arrested: February 2009
Days Imprisoned: 212

Shi Weihan
Arrested: November 2007
Days Imprisoned: 646

To write and encourage these prisoners for Christ visit VOM Prisoner Alert

Posted in Book of Common Prayer, China, Evening Prayer

The Darkened Heart

Randy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:16:00 +0000

I have tried to make it a habit recently of going to the Church Prayer Room around midday on Fridays to have a special time of prayer for the Church, the unconverted and the wayward. I usually use the Agpeya Prayer Book of the Hours as my guide since it’s midday prayers focus on the Crucifixion of Christ.

The Old Testament readings were again from Job where in one part of the Scripture readings he declared, ‘The fear of the Lord–that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.’ “(Job 28:28 NIV) Wow! If we want true wisdom, we must have a fear of God (That is a reverential fear of God) and staying away from evil is understanding. How true! How many of us have a reverence of God or a casual approach to sin? I see so many living their lives anyway they want with no fear of God . Do they not realize a day of reckoning is coming?

The New Testament reading was from the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Church of Corinth. In Chapter 3 Paul reminds us why so many reject the Word of God and live anyway they choose. About the unbelieving Jews of his day he wrote,

2 Cor. 3:14-16
But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

As I went into intercessory prayer, I was reminded by these words that the reason so many are living their lives anyway they want with no fear of God is because a veil is over their hearts. They are spiritually blind. They need the Holy Spirit to lift the veil in order for them to look to Jesus by Faith. One of the Agpeya midday prayers states, “accept us unto Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, as Thou hast accepted the right-hand thief on the Cross. Shed Thy light on us as Thou hast enlightened those who were in the darkness of Hades” (Agpeya 9th hour prayer)

Many, many today are in their own personal hades/hell. They are dead in trespasses and sins. My own community, town and parish [county] seems unconcerned about spiritual matters and the condition of their souls. This is so true for so many who live in the Bible belt of the South and believe they are going to Heaven because they said a sinner’s prayer or walked the aisle in a revival meeting etc… They have a veil of religion blinding them to Jesus Christ. I prayed for the unconverted in my area. I prayed to be a better witness and for all our churches to be a testimony of Jesus Christ to the lost that the veil may be removed.

I ask you my friend, Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you living your life anyway you want with no fear of God? Is your assurance of Salvation based on praying a sinner’s prayer or walked the aisle or something else you have done? or is it based on a living faith in the Crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ and in Him alone? If you have questions email me at my Church’s Prayer Chapel I will do may best to answer your questions from the Word of God.

Posted in Agpeya, Midday Prayer

The Conversion of Dini

Randy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Here is the story of a teenage Muslim girl during the Feast of Ramadan seeking Allah but in the process comes to know Jesus as Lord. Apparently she had never heard the Gospel and there were no churches or missionaries in her area. The 30 day Prayer Network is praying for Muslims during the Feast of Ramadan (which is occuring right now) that Jesus will reveal himself to them and lead to their conversion.

Posted in 14311566

The Unseen God

Randy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:12:00 +0000

One of the hindrances to our ability to believe in God and pray to Him is that we cannot literally see Him. As I prayed using the 1549 Book of Common Prayer this morning, the Psalm I prayed said,

Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

The Psalmist had a deep desire for God. He does not doubt He exists but he faces the same dilemma we all face. Where can I meet God? In his desire to know God he is mocked by people for His belief in a unseen God

Psalm 42:3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long “Where is your God?”

Have you ever been ridiculed for your belief in God? Do some people think you have an imaginary friend who is not there? The Psalmist though discouraged wrote,

Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul?Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

We walk by Faith in our God and not by sight. He is unseen to our literal eyes but by the eyes of Faith we know God is there. We see His works in our life by His saving us, blessing us, and by answered prayer and so many other ways He reveals Himself to us.

PRAYER REQUESTS

My Mother. Please pray for her healing and the chemo treatments.

Raymond Eames, still not doing good after brain surgery.

Continue to also remember Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh who are in prison in Iran.

Our Farmers

Unemployment Rate in the USA

Healthcare Debate in the USA

Ferriday Water problems

For those who have lost loved ones in the California fires and also those suffering great losses from these fire

Our Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families plus all the innocent ones in these countries.

Elvie Mirano – preparing for Mission Trip.

Earthquake victims in Indonesia

Posted in Book of Common Prayer, Morning Prayer

The Paths of the Wicked

Randy — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:19:00 +0000

Prayed the Daily Prayer Office using the Agpeya Book of Prayer and the One Year Bible. The Daily Prayer of Repentance in the Agpeya is one of my favorite Psalms – Psalm 51 which can be prayed before or after your personal prayer of repentance. I prayed Psalm 51 using the Amplified Bible this evening and vs. 2 really hit me, ” Wash me thoroughly [and repeatedly] from my iniquity and guilt and cleanse me and make me wholly pure from my sin!”(Amplified Bible). Yes, Lord! That is what I need. I am in constant need of Your washing.

After the Confession from Psalm 51 and then praying Psalm 41 the reading from the Proverbs was this

Proverbs 22:5
In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

A warning from the Word for us. We must guard our souls from our own sinful desires, the temptations of the Devil and the World. We must look to Christ daily by Faith crying out for His mercy to cleanse us and purify us from indwelling sin and the spiritual forces that wage war against us. A later prayer in Vesper prayer service this evening as I prayer stated,

Hasten, O Savior, to open to me the fatherly bosoms, for I wasted my life in pleasures and lusts, and the day has passed by me and vanished. Therefore, now I rely on the richness of Your never‑ending compassion. So, then, do not forsake a submissive heart which is in need of your mercy. For unto You I cry, O Lord, humbly, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before You, and I am no longer worthy to be called Your son, so make me as one of Your hired servants.” – Agpeya Vesper Prayer

I have known so many who have professed Jesus as Lord and Savior over the years and have seen so many who were faithful to His Church. It shocks me to see so many of them who have abandoned their profession in Jesus and have forsaken His Church. They now live lawless, rebellious lives. I think, that could be me! Certaintly Satan is out to destroy me as he is them. I don’t condemn them but realize without constant daily confession of sins, and calling on God’s mercy that I could be brought down by evil. We guard our Soul by clinging to Jesus daily by Faith.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Salvation of the Wayward from the Church (either for their justification or sanctification)
Spiritual Protection for all our Churches and Church leaders.
Salvation of unconverted people we know.

OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS

My Mother. Please pray for her healing and the chemo treatments.

Raymond Eames, still not doing good after brain surgery.

Continue to also remember Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh who are in prison in Iran.

Our Farmers

For those who have lost loved ones in the California fires and also those suffering great losses from these fire

Our Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families plus all the innocent ones in these countries.

Elvie Mirano – preparing for Mission Trip.

Earthquake victims in Indonesia

Posted in Agpeya, Evening Prayer

Continue to Pray for California

Randy — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Things are improving in California but continue to pray for

California Fire Fighters and their safety
California Residents enduring this tragedy

Posted in California, Prayer Alert

Prayer Alert: Indonesia

Randy — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Posted in Indonesia, Prayer Alert

Comfort in the Resurrection of Christ

Randy — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Well, we had a great prayer meeting at Church tonight. Among Louisiana Southern Baptists, September is a month to focus on Local and State Missions. After getting home for my private night time devotions I prayed from The Agpeya Daily Office or Prayer Book (An ancient Christian prayer book dating back to the Church fathers of Egypt). The Old Testament Lessons for tonight were from Job 18-19. In all his trouble and torment, Job declares

Job 19:25-26 (KJV)

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job though full of doubts about God and very confused about his own torment never the less still declares His faith in God and looks to be vindicated by God His Redeemer who will resurrect him. I don’t think Job understood completely the doctrine of the resurrection but he certainly is looking to the Messiah in the future by faith. In the New Testament Lesson, the Apostle Paul speaks with greater revelation when he wrote the Corinthian Church

2 Cor. 1:21-22 (NIV)

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Paul rejoices in the Salvation found in the resurrected Jesus Christ (who was that Redeemer that Job looked to in the future by faith). One of The Agpeya Veil Prayers was so comforting

Lord, You know the alertness of my enemies, and as for my weakness, You are aware of it, My Creator. Therefore, I, hereby, place my soul into Your Hands. So cover me with the wings of Your goodness, lest I might sleep till death. Enlighten my eyes by the greatness of Your sayings, and raise me up at all times for Your glorification, for You alone are good and lover of mankind.

One’s complete and only comfort is found only in Jesus Christ, the lover of mankind. Job knew it as he looked toward the Redeemer in the future and Paul declared the comfort of eternal life in the Risen Lord to the Church of Corinth. On that note my intercessory prayers were in line with the Louisiana Baptist emphasis on local and State missions in September on this first Wednesday of September

PRAYER REQUESTS

Salvation of the Doty Road (where my local Church is located)
Salvation of the Wayward from the Church (either for justification or sanctification)
Salvation of Ferriday and Concordia Parish from Drugs and Alcohol
Hill Memorial Baptist Church (That we will be a faithful witness of the Jesus Christ)

OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS

My Mother. Please pray for her healing and the chemo treatments.

Raymond Eames, still not doing good after brain surgery.

Continue to also remember Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh who are in prison in Iran.

Our Farmers

For those who have lost loved ones in the California fires and also those suffering great losses from these fire

Our Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families olus all the innocent ones in these countries.

Elvie Mirano – preparing for Mission Trip.

Earthquake victims in Indonesia

Surround us by Your holy angels, that, by their camp, we may be guarded and guided, and attain the unity of faith, and the knowledge of Your imperceptible and infinite glory. For You are blessed forever. Amen. ~from the Agpeya closing prayer

Posted in Agpeya, Night Prayer

Is God Against Me?

Randy — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:14:00 +0000

picture copyright By Axel Rouvin

Well, I just finished praying morning prayer at a very early time today (Taking my Mother to get chemo this morning). The Old Testament Scripture Lessons were from Job 16-17. Job declared

Job 16:7-9
Surely, O God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household.You have bound me–and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me. God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.

Let’s be blunt here. Job saw God as working against him and being angry. Now Job could not understand the spiritual warfare going on much like we can’t. Most of us have questioned God about why He has allowed a tragedy or bad things happen in our life. The answers are not easy but in the Psalms to be prayed in the Agpeya Prayer book this morning we are reminded by David in Psalm 131 to “put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”We must ever trust God even during bad times when things don’t make sense. God has not forgotten or abandoned us.

One of the early morning prayers from the Agpeya reminds us, “With eyes full of compassion O Lord, look upon my weakness, for life is well nigh to an end, and in my works there is no salvation. Wherefore I beseech Thee O Lord, with merciful eyes look upon my weakness, my affliction, my lowliness and my sojourning and save me.(Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.)

By His grace, God gives us His loving compassion. We cannot gain favor with God by works or good deeds. God’s mercy is given freely out of love. Don’t think or believe God does not care about you. We may not understand why things are happening the way they are but even in the hardest of times we must cast ourselves on Him by faith.

Special Prayer

My Mother. Please pray for her healing and the chemo treatments.
Raymond Eames, still not doing good after brain surgery.
Continue to also remember Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh who are in prison in Iran.
Our Farmers
For those who have lost loved ones in the California fires and also those suffering great losses from these fires
For all suffering from depression, lost jobs, poverty, tragedy.
For the unconverted and those wayward fron Christ Church.

Posted in Agpeya, Morning Prayer