Archive for August, 2007

Prayer & Readings – I look to You Lord, without You I can do nothing, with and through You all things are possible!

August 21, 2007

When: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:00 AM-9:30 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, O Lord I see Your hand is everything as the world is at war over its interpretation of what You desire, but as Solomon said under the sun all is folly for under the sun our human nature can never know and can only serve itself. I look at myself and see how natural it is to focus on myself and create a false sense of understanding to justify whatever behavior I thought best for that moment, but now through Jesus I see the error of my ways, and when I meditate on Him I believe I see the world through His eyes and I cry; for so many of us who accept Him as our savior have used Him and we will have to deal with that fact. I do not seek to judge, but as the song goes the world has a voice and it is ‘crying for mercy’. And I hear that voice, sometimes as one, sometimes as many, but the cry is the same. O Lord have I so many thoughts running through my mind and my nature tries to react to each one, but in this time with You I try to let go and just practice Your presence, to meditate on Your readings, to rest in and be with You. For in this state there is no need, no need to react, no need for anything, but then the clock says it is time to get going. O Lord God for the sake of His sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the all world. In Jesus name I pray and ask that You be with me and my love ones as I travel; help us all to use this time to grow closer to You, Amen.
 
To rely on our talents is a cause of great loss. When soneone places confidence in his own prudence, knowledge, and intelligence, God, To make him know and see his insufficiency, withdraws from him His help and leaves him to work by himself. This is often why our undertakings miserably fail.
— St. Vincent de Paul
11 Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Jo’ash the Abiez’rite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Mid’ianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor." 13 And Gideon said to him, "Pray, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all his wonderful deeds which our fathers recounted to us, saying, `Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Mid’ian." 14 And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Mid’ian; do not I send you?" 15 And he said to him, "Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manas’seh, and I am the least in my family." 16 And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall smite the Mid’ianites as one man." 17 And he said to him, "If now I have found favor with thee, then show me a sign that it is thou who speakest with me. 18 Do not depart from here, I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring out my present, and set it before thee." And he said, "I will stay till you return." 19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and there sprang up fire from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face." 23 But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die." 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The LORD is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiez’rites.
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 Yea, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way.
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" 28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many that are first will be last, and the last first.
 
 

Readings – Strong in You, walking with Jesus

August 21, 2007

When: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:30 AM-10:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, I look back at yesterday with thanksgiving and praise; for You put me where I asked, doing what I wanted – You are truly an assume God, loving, forgiving and through Jesus I see how I get to know You more. Thank You for safe travel, thank You for watching over my love ones. Lord You see my heart, You know my every thought; I seek You, to serve and worship You. I ask and pray that I will run a good race and that through Jesus Christ I will serve Your will and fulfill Your purpose powerfully and peacefully, in Jesus’ Holy name I pray and ask that You will help me see and stay strong in You, Amen.
A weak minded person is frequently diverted toward pursuing exterior happiness when the breath of popular favor accompanies his good actions. So he gives up his own personal choices, prefering to remain at the mercy of whatever he hears from others. Thus, he rejoices not so much to become but to be called blessed. Eager for praise, he gives up what he had begun to be; and so he is severed from God by the very means by which he appeared to be commendable in God.
— Pope St. Gregory the Great
11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Ba’als; 12 and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 13 They forsook the LORD, and served the Ba’als and the Ash’taroth. 14 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and he sold them into the power of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had warned, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in sore straits. 16 Then the LORD raised up Judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them. 17 And yet they did not listen to their Judges; for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up Judges for them, the LORD was with the Judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the Judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them; they did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

Psalm 106:34-37, 39-40, 43-44
34 They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, 35 but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did. 36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; 39 Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the harlot in their doings. 40 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; 43 Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.
Matthew 19:16-22
16 And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
 
 

Readings – Strong in You, walking with Jesus

August 21, 2007

When: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 9:30 AM-10:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, I look back at yesterday with thanksgiving and praise; for You put me where I asked, doing what I wanted – You are truly an assume God, loving, forgiving and through Jesus I see how I get to know You more. Thank You for safe travel, thank You for watching over my love ones. Lord You see my heart, You know my every thought; I seek You, to serve and worship You. I ask and pray that I will run a good race and that through Jesus Christ I will serve Your will and fulfill Your purpose powerfully and peacefully, in Jesus’ Holy name I pray and ask that You will help me see and stay strong in You, Amen.
A weak minded person is frequently diverted toward pursuing exterior happiness when the breath of popular favor accompanies his good actions. So he gives up his own personal choices, prefering to remain at the mercy of whatever he hears from others. Thus, he rejoices not so much to become but to be called blessed. Eager for praise, he gives up what he had begun to be; and so he is severed from God by the very means by which he appeared to be commendable in God.
— Pope St. Gregory the Great
11 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Ba’als; 12 and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 13 They forsook the LORD, and served the Ba’als and the Ash’taroth. 14 So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers, who plundered them; and he sold them into the power of their enemies round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15 Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had warned, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in sore straits. 16 Then the LORD raised up Judges, who saved them out of the power of those who plundered them. 17 And yet they did not listen to their Judges; for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed down to them; they soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up Judges for them, the LORD was with the Judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the Judge died, they turned back and behaved worse than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them; they did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
34 They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, 35 but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did. 36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; 39 Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the harlot in their doings. 40 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; 43 Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. 44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.
16 And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
 
 

Fruit of the Spirit

August 19, 2007

Dear Lord God, my spirit cries out as my human machine with all of its stories and rackets consumes me and block off my connection to You. How do I balance? How do I know? How do I? Only You can show me, only in You will I find what I seek; without You I cannot be ripe branch and an unripe branched will not produce fruit for my image is a reflection of You and without You I have only light and there is no image. Just the empty reflection of under the sun; for under the sun there is not reflection, just a darkness that consumes rather than produce, but in You there is fullness and light that produces fruit. The fruit of the Spirit and these is what I ask and pray for now. Do not let my heart be closed and grow hard. Give me discerning heart, an understanding mind and an inspiring word. Convict us now this moment with love, the unconditional love that over comes everything including ourselves to put others first and to inspire the same. Use this coming stage, create this state! In Jesus name I ask forgiveness and seek Your hand, Amen.

 

Your brother in Christ Jesus, Richard

Email: raa@richardangulo.com

IM: raagroup (AIM, Google, Skype & Windows Live)

Website: www.richardangulo.com

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Prayer & Readings – The Lord, rewards great services with trials, and there can be no better reward, for out of trials springs love for God.

August 19, 2007

When: Sunday, August 19, 2007 8:30 AM-9:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, today I think of serving You, managing my time and priorities around You. The last few months have tested me in many ways and in many areas. I see where I have grown and I see where I need to grow; the possibilities are limitless and harvest is ripe, help me to be a ripe branch. To be in the now with You, letting go of the past moment, not looking at the next, but present in the now with You. O Lord I know I cannot change the past, it is Yours to use within my purpose, I know I cannot control the future for it is Your will that will be done on earth as in heaven, but in the now through the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ I can serve You, Your will and Your purpose for me; this is my prayer today. Let the coming weeks server as testimony of my faith, hope and love. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
His Majesty, The Lord, rewards great services with trials, and there can be no better reward, for out of trials springs love for God.
— St. Teresa of Avila
4 Then the princes said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm." 5 King Zedeki’ah said, "Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you." 6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchi’ah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire. 8 E’bed-mel’ech went from the king’s house and said to the king, 9 "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern; and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city." 10 Then the king commanded E’bed-mel’ech, the Ethiopian, "Take three men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

Psalm 40:2-4, 18
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods!
Hebrews 12:1-4
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Luke 12:49-53
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
 
 

Prayer & Readings – The Lord, rewards great services with trials, and there can be no better reward, for out of trials springs love for God.

August 19, 2007

When: Sunday, August 19, 2007 8:30 AM-9:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, today I think of serving You, managing my time and priorities around You. The last few months have tested me in many ways and in many areas. I see where I have grown and I see where I need to grow; the possibilities are limitless and harvest is ripe, help me to be a ripe branch. To be in the now with You, letting go of the past moment, not looking at the next, but present in the now with You. O Lord I know I cannot change the past, it is Yours to use within my purpose, I know I cannot control the future for it is Your will that will be done on earth as in heaven, but in the now through the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ I can serve You, Your will and Your purpose for me; this is my prayer today. Let the coming weeks server as testimony of my faith, hope and love. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
His Majesty, The Lord, rewards great services with trials, and there can be no better reward, for out of trials springs love for God.
— St. Teresa of Avila
4 Then the princes said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm." 5 King Zedeki’ah said, "Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you." 6 So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchi’ah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire. 8 E’bed-mel’ech went from the king’s house and said to the king, 9 "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern; and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city." 10 Then the king commanded E’bed-mel’ech, the Ethiopian, "Take three men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."
2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods!
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
 
 

Prayer & Readings – "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD"

August 18, 2007

When: Saturday, August 18, 2007 8:30 AM-9:00 AM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
 
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Dear Lord God, how today’s reading remind me of my time under the sun, first Joshua reminds me of all my broken promises to You, the many times I promised to follow and obey, I would try to make deals; if You help me with this, I would do that. Yet knowingly I disobeyed and sinned against You and others. I put other things first and made things under the sun my god and closed my heart to You, I believed I could find want I wanted under the sun and then return to You. But through my Lord Jesus Christ I was saved and found redemption; I was awakened to the reality of my beliefs and Your presence inside me. It became clear to me that I was sacrificing myself for the ways and things under the sun; for under the sun as Solomon proclaimed all is vanity and all is temporary, the only permanence is the loss of ourselves and the experience of You. Through Jesus I was able to find forgiveness and learn to forgive, and most of all forget. One of the first verses that penetrated my heart and engulfed my spirit was Joshua 24:15 and I too proclaimed "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD". This became and continues my vision and quest, my hope and prayer as a legacy. I now walk under the sun according to Psalm 16 I take refuge in You, I know I have no good apart from Thee, You are my chosen portion and my cup, You give me counsel and instruction, I practice Your presence, I seek Your will and pray that I will fulfill Your purpose for me. I realize as Jesus taught in Matthew 19:14 that it is only when I allow myself to be like a child that I am closet to You. Wisdom and knowledge are things we seek as we grow, but only get in the way; it is the innocence of a child that I need to seek, for it is in that state that I can be closest to You. So while I need to be capable to witness and testify the Gospel, it is the innocence and total dependence of a child that I must practice and share. O Lord God thank You, in Jesus name I ask and pray for Your continued blessings, counsel and instruction, Amen.
But I would not believe in the Gospel, had not the authority of the Catholic Church already moved me.
— St. Augustine, Contra epistolam Manichaei
14 "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if you be unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." 16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land; therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God." 19 But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD; for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "Nay; but we will serve the LORD." 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 And the people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God." 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance. 29 After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old.

Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
1 Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, "Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee." 5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot. 7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 11 Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fulness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.
Matthew 19:13-15
13 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people; 14 but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." 15 And he laid his hands on them and went away.