My Daily Prayers and Readings for 4/23/2011
< >< My Prayer >< >
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” This becomes such a challenge when placed with those that seek to take advantage of us, yet we must practice Jesus’ teachings by remembering ‘give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back’ and ‘do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you’, but stay in conscious connection with His presence likening your heart to His, and ‘if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them’. For it is God and not us who triggers change in people’s hearts, so when the people we’re talking to refuse to accept the Gospel, we aren’t to get upset, but merely to move on to the next opportunity.
Abba Father in the name of Christ Jesus who lives within me through the Holy Spirit I pray that You create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, for my one walk in and with Jesus today. Asking that You bless me and mine in fulfillment of Your will and keep us from evil and pain; and if we get nothing else done this day, let us spend it loving You and others as You love us. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
< >< My Utmost for His Highest >< >
THE WORSHIP OF THE WORK
“Labourers together with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9
Beware of any work for God which enables you to evade concentration on Him. A great many Christian workers worship their work. The one concern of a worker should be concentration on God, and this will mean that all the other margins of life, mental, moral and spiritual, are free with the freedom of a child, a worshipping child, not a wayward child. A worker without this solemn dominant note of concentration on God is apt to get his work on his neck; there is no margin of body, mind or spirit free, consequently he becomes spent out and crushed. There is no freedom, no delight in life; nerves, mind and heart are so crushingly burdened that God’s blessing cannot rest. But the other side is just as true – when once the concentration is on God, all the margins of life are free and under the dominance of God alone. There is no responsibility on you for the work; the only responsibility you have is to keep in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your co-operation with Him. The freedom after sanctification is the freedom of a child, the things that used to keep the life pinned down are gone. But be careful to remember that you are freed for one thing only – to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.
We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”
< >< Today in the Word Devotion >< >
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Luke 19:38
During this earthly life, the Christian experience can often be bittersweet. The bitter includes suffering, rejection by the world, battles with sin and temptation, and the rigors of pilgrimage. The sweet includes the reality of redemption, the love of God, fellowship with His people, and the joys of pilgrimage. As we walk in this way, we follow in the footsteps of our Lord: “Wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you” (Prov. 24:14).
< >< Today’s Mass Readings >< >
Holy Saturday Night: The Easter Vigil
1) Genesis 1:1 – 2:2 or Genesis 1:1, 26-31
Psalm 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12-14, 24, 35 or Psalm 33:4-7, 12-13, 20-22
2) Genesis 22:1-18 or Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18
Psalm 16:5, 8-11
3) Exodus 14:15 —15:1
(Ps) Exodus 15:1-6, 17-18
4) Isaiah 54:5-14
Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
5) Isaiah 55:1-11
(Ps) Isaiah 12:2-6
6) Baruch 3:9-15, 32 – 4:4
Psalm 19:8-11
7) Ezekiel 36:16-28
Psalm 42:3, 5; Psalm 43:3-4 (Read when baptism is celebrated)
(Ps) Isaiah 12:2-6 or Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19 (Read when baptism is not celebrated)
8) Epistle: Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
9) Gospel: Mark 16:1-7
< >< Today’s Video Reflection >< >
We confess that one and the same Christ, Lord, and only-begotten Son, is to be acknowledged in two natures without confusion, change, division or separation. The distinction between the natures was never abolished by their union, but rather the character proper to each of the two natures was preserved as they came together in one person (prosopon) and one hypostasis.
— Council of Chalcedon
< >< Online Sources for Devotion Scripture References & Daily Mass Readings >< >
Link to Devotion Scriptures unless noted from New International Version BibleGateway.com
Links for today’s readings from USCCB using the New American Bible or
Links for today’s readings from EWTN using the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
For audio link to today’s readings from USCCB using the New American Bible click:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_04_23.mp3
For link to today’s video Reflection http://www.usccb.org/video/reflections.shtml
< >< Bible Online >< >
< >< Other sources of inspiration on God’s Word >< >
Christianity – Faith in God and Jesus Christ
Light Source – Christian Video Broadcasts and Ministry Television Online
Moody Ministries – From the Word to Life
Today in the Word Radio Online
< >< One Walk – Continuity in Change >< >
See what I’m thinking, listening and reading visit www.RichardAngulo.com follow me on Twitter @richardangulo
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