Daily Devotion 1 2 2015

[Suzuki Johnny]

Lord God, thank you for giving me another morning! I am lucky to be alive on your beautiful planet, so full of marvelous things and the beautiful plants and animals and all the people you have created in your image. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, now and all day long, until I go to sleep, because I want to live with you every minute of this day.
The time and opportunities I have right now will never return, so help me make the best of it, Lord. And let me remember this one thing: You know what you are doing, whether I can see it or not; so I will try to remember today that you are in charge, that you put me here for a reason and that, by your grace, things will turn out with your triumph and the Kingdom of Heaven, for all those who live by your grace. All praise to you forever,
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
I call upon you, O Lord. In the morning you hear me; in the morning I offer you my prayer, watching and waiting.
I lift my heart to you, O Lord, to be strengthened for this day. Be with me in all I do, my God; guide me in all my ways.
I will carry some burdens today; some trials will be mine. So I wait for your help, Lord, lest I stumble and fall.
I will do my work, Father, the work begun by your Son. He lives in me and I in him; may his work today be done.
Amen




Religious Observances
Muslim-Brunei : Mohammed's Ascension
RC : Memorial of St Anthony-Mary Zaccaria, confessor (opt)
Religious History
1439 At the Council of Florence, the Decree of Union ('Laententur Coeli') was signed,creating an official theological union between the Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Catholic)churches. Unfortunately, the Eastern Church at large never accepted the document and a fullworking unity between these two major
1768 English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: 'We are reasonablecreatures, and undoubtedly reason is the candle of the Lord. By enlightening our reason tosee the meaning of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit makes our way plain before us.'
1903 Death of English theologian William Burt Pope, 81. His 'Compendium of ChristianTheology' (1875-76) set forth the most powerful systematic arguments of his day for theholiness doctrine in Methodism.
1962 Death of Helmut Richard Niebuhr, 67. Christian Ethics professor at Yale for 30years, Niebuhr is better remembered for his popular and oft-reprinted 1951 classic, 'Christand Culture' -- a work that explores available options of relating one's personal faith tothe world's highest and noblest principles.
1963 In an instruction given by the Holy Office, disposal of the dead by cremation wasofficially granted sanction by the Catholic Church. (Belief in the resurrection of the deadhad previously made cremation repugnant to many Christians.)

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
I call upon you, O Lord. In the morning you hear me; in the morning I offer you my prayer, watching and waiting.
I lift my heart to you, O Lord, to be strengthened for this day. Be with me in all I do, my God; guide me in all my ways.
I will carry some burdens today; some trials will be mine. So I wait for your help, Lord, lest I stumble and fall.
I will do my work, Father, the work begun by your Son. He lives in me and I in him; may his work today be done.
Amen

Religious Observances

Luth : Commemoration of Jan Hus, martyr
Old Catholic : Commemoration of St Thomas More, humanist/martyr
RC : Memorial of St Maria Goretti, virgin/martyr (opt)
Religious History

1415 Martyrdom of Jan Hus, Czech reformer, who was condemned for heresy and burned atthe stake because of his outspoken appeals for church reform and for political and religiousrights for the common people.
1535 English Catholic theologian Thomas More was beheaded for refusing to recognizeHenry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England, which had just broken with the RomanCatholic Church.
1757 Birth of William McKendree, colonial American church leader. In 1808 he wasordained the first American-born bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1846 Birth of John H. Sammis, American Presbyterian clergyman and author of the hymn,'Trust and Obey.'
1941 English Bible expositor Arthur W. Pink observed in a letter: 'It is those who walkthe closest with God who are most conscious of their sins.'

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
Blessed are you, O Lord my God, who removes sleep from my eyes, that I may see the returning light of the your day. I thank you for all that you have done while I was asleep, watching over me and all your children while we slept unaware, and I pray that my thoughts and acts this day may show forth my love and thanks for you and all you have done for me.
Help me through your Holy Spirit, that I may remember what you have taught me in the Bible and it may show forth in my every deed. Let me not wander into the hands of sin, nor into the hands of pride or perversity, nor into the hands of temptation, nor into the hands of shame, but steer my inclinations towards goodness and charity this morning and all the day. In the name of Christ I pray.
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Saturday, July 8, 2017 12:00 AM
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:21-30

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:21

Lord Jesus, you are the head of the church. We know it cost you your life. Take from us any desire to lord it over anyone. Give us submissive hearts toward you and others. For your sake, Amen.

[Suzuki Johnny]

For a New Day
Lord, the newness of this day
Call me to an untried way;
Let me gladly take the road,
Give me strength to bear my load.
Thou my guide and helper be —
I will travel through with Thee.
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Thanks for the Gifts of This Life
O God, I thank You for this day of life
for eyes to see the sky
for ears to hear the birds
for feet to walk amidst the trees
for hands to pick the flowers from the earth
for a sense of smell to breathe in the sweet
perfumes of nature
for a mind to think about and appreciate
the magic of everyday miracles
for a spirit to swell in joy at Your mighty presence
everywhere.



Religious Observances

Buddhist-Burma : Beginning of Buddhist Fast
Christian : SS Rufina & Secunda, virgins & 7 Brothers
RC-Bilbao, Spain : Feast of Virgin of Bego¤a
Religious History

1509 Birth of John Calvin, French religious reformer. His 'Institutes of the ChristianReligion' became the most popular doctrinal statement of the Protestant Reformation.
1629 The first non-separatist Congregational church in America was established atSalem, Massachusetts.
1851 California Wesleyan College was chartered in Santa Clara, under sponsorship ofthe Methodist Church. In 1961 its name was changed to the University of the Pacific.
1925 The famous 'Scopes Monkey Trial' began in Dayton, TN, after high school biologyteacher John T. Scopes, 24, was charged with teaching evolution to his students.
1950 American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: 'I am just tryingto deliver familiar truth from the oblivion of general acceptance.'

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
Lord, give me the strength to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely on Your holy will. Reveal Your will to me every hour of the day. Bless my dealings with all people. Teach me to treat all people who come to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unexpected events, let me not forget that all are sent by you.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the physical strength to bear the labors of this day. Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray in me.
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer of Thanks for God's Creation
O Lord God of Israel and God of the nations, you are the only God in heaven above or the earth below. I walk before you with all my heart. I bless your name in the morning when I rise and in the evening when I sleep, and all the day when your creation fills my eye. Bless me to remember you this day. When I see and hear the thousand miracles of your creation, let me see them anew, recalling that you have made them, and no other; that I may live in your presence among the common miracles I take for granted. Through Christ I pray,

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer to Dedicate This Day to God
Holy God, as I face another day, I know I am going to face many challenges: to my faith, to my patience, to my love for others. I am going to have constant temptations to lapse into sin. Come to me now, Lord, and stay with me all day. Let your Spirit encompass my mind. Let me know your presence. Steer my hand, direct my words, guide my thoughts in everything I think and say and do. I resolve to live this day as a beacon of your glory, the best I can, with your help. I commit myself to give this day to you. In the name of Christ, be with me and help me.
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for Faith During this Day
Holy God, I am weak, and sometimes the way grows fearsome; for this world is filled with evil, hiding at every corner, ready to steal my soul. Help me to keep my faith today, through every trial and doubt I face. Stay close to me; Holy Spirit, abide in me and make your presence known in everything I see and do. Give me strength the whole day through, in the name of Christ I pray,
Amen

Religious Observances

Muslim-Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Yemen PDR : Mohammed Ascension
Old Catholic : Commem of St Bonaventure, bishop/confessor/doctor
RC : Mem St Camillus of Lellis, patron of nurses/sick (opt)
RC : Memorial of Bl Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, virgin
Religious History

1773 The first annual conference of the Methodist Church in America convened at St.George's Church in Philadelphia, PA.
1775 Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'The knowledgeof God cannot be attained by studious discussion on our parts; it must be by revelation onHis part.'
1800 Birth of Anglican clergyman Matthew Bridges. In 1848 he converted to Catholicism,under the influence of the Oxford Movement in England. He is remembered today for authoringthe hymn, 'Crown Him with Many Crowns.'
1833 Anglican clergyman John Keble preached his famous sermon on national religiousapostasy. It marked the beginning of the Oxford Movement, which sought to purify andrevitalize the Church of England.
1892 The Baptist Young People's Union held its first national convention in Detroit.The founding of the BYP Union was inspired by the earlier work of Francis E. Clark, aCongregational pastor who founded the first 'modern' youth fellowship in 1881.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

I rise today with the power of God to pilot me,
God's strength to sustain me,God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look ahead for me,God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,God's hand to protect me,
God's way before me,God's shield to defend me,
God's host to deliver me,from snares of devils,
from evil temptations,from nature's failings,
from all who wish to harm me,far or near,
alone and in a crowd.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for Purity of Worship
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires are known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you and worthily praise your holy name. Through Christ I pray,

[Suzuki Johnny]

To Treat Others as I Would Be Treated
Lord, while I pray for peace and goodwill in our world, I ask you to help me to change my own attitude for the better, so that peace and goodwill may start with the way I behave towards those who have hurt me. Inspire me to be as generous to others as I would like them to be with me.
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for the Morning
Father, as I face this new day, let me be aware of the work you have done for me as I slept. I praise you that your loving care never slumbers, but has been with me while I was least aware of it; and that you renew me and the whole world, fresh every day, preparing your plans for me.
I pray that I may seek your will this day, your plan for my life, and carry out your plan in my every action. I lay my hopes and fears on an altar before you, that your Holy Spirit may guide my hopes toward the light of your holiness, and may quiet my fears with the knowledge of your infinite peace, in total confidence that your grace will save me from the evils of this world. In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen


Religious Observances

Old Catholic : Feast of St Camillus de Lellis, confessor
Religious History

1504 Birth of Heinrich Bullinger, Swiss reformer. He continued Zwingli's work afterhis death at Kappel (1531), and composed the Second Helvetic Confession in 1566.
1753 Birth of Lemuel Haynes, colonial American Congregational clergyman. In 1785,Haynes, 32, was ordained to a church in Torrington, Connecticut, making him the firstAfrican-American to pastor a white church.
1870 The Vatican I Ecumenical Council issued the proclamation 'Pastor Aeternus,'declaring the pope's primacy and infallibility in deciding faith and moral matters. (FewProtestants agree with this doctrine.)
1876 American philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson noted: 'Great men are theywho see that spiritual is stronger than material, that thoughts rule the world.'
1944 German theologian and Nazi martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from prison: 'Thereligious act is always something partial; "faith" is something whole, involving the wholeof one's life. Jesus calls us not to new religion but to life.'

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

To Be Free of Anxiety
Lord Jesus, I have allowed myself to be filled with depression and negativity over what I see as my failures in life, where I have been disappointed in something I wanted from this world. I find myself hiding, full of anger and self-righteousness and self-pity, and have turned my eyes away from you.
Give me the hope I need and help me never to be afraid to begin again. You told your disciples to be anxious for nothing. I give to you my anxiety, Lord Christ, and lay my troubles upon your mighty back; and I pick up your burden, for you have promised that it is light, and that you are gentle and kind. Let me work for your glory and not my own, Lord Jesus, that the anxiety that comes from pride and vanity and fear of others might be gone from me, and I may serve you in joy and peace.
Amen


Religious Observances

Old Catholic : Feast of St Vincent de Paul, confessor
Religious History

1649 In London, Edward Winslow, governor of the Plymouth Colony, helped organize theSociety for Propagating the Gospel in New England, for the purpose of converting theAmerican Indians to Christian faith.
1692 Five Massachusetts women were hanged for witchcraft. Fifteen young girls in theSalem community charged as many as 150 citizens in the area with witchcraft during thegreater part of this year.
1825 The American Unitarian Association was founded by members of the liberal wing ofthe Congregational churches in New England.
1835 Birth of Jesse Engle, pioneer missionary. In 1898 he led the first party of fivemissionaries to Africa under sponsorship of the Brethren in Christ Missions.
1904 Construction began on the Liverpool Cathedral in England. The cathedral wascompleted 20 years later and consecrated on this same date in 1924.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track

Religious Observances

Christian : Commemoration of St Victor
RC : Memorial of St Lawrence of Brindisi, confessor/doctor (opt)
Religious History

1773 Clement XIV issued the brief, 'Dominus ac redemptor noster,' officially dissolvingthe Society of Jesus (Jesuits). This politically-based suppression afterward leftconspicuous gaps in Catholic education and foreign missions.
1829 Birth of public school teacher Priscilla Jane Owens. A Methodist who remained inBaltimore all her life, she left behind two enduring hymns: 'We Have an Anchor' and 'JesusSaves.'
1886 The cardinal's hat was conferred upon Elzear Alexandre Taschereau, 66, archbishopof Quebec. He was the first Canadian to be made a cardinal in the Catholic Church.
1925 Following a sensational 12-day trial, high school biology teacher John T. Scopeswas found guilty of teaching evolution in his Dayton, TN classroom and was fined $100.
1958 English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'What the devil loves is thatvague cloud of unspecified guilt or unspecified virtue, by which he lures us into despairor presumption.'

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer to Have Inner Peace in this Day
Heavenly God, may I have peace within, this day;
May I trust God that I am exactly where I am meant to be.
May I not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May I use those gifts that I have received, and pass on the love that has been given to me.
May I be confident knowing I am a child of God.
Let this presence settle into my bones, and allow my soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. This I pray in Christ's name,
Amen

[Suzuki Johnny]

For Perseverance Today
If things get tough today, Lord — and in all hard times — let me stay motivated and calm. Let me look at how far I have come rather than how far I still have to go. Let me continue counting my blessings, not what I've been missing. May every day bring new chances to grow, new beautiful things to see, new plans to do, and new goals to pursue, as every new day is Your miracle day.

[Suzuki Johnny]

Prayer for Grace and Strength
Lord God, I pray that you will fill my heart with the blessing of your Holy Spirit. Grant me this day the strength to be temperate in all things, diligent in my duties, and patient under my afflictions. Direct me in all my ways. Give me grace to be just and upright in all my dealings; quiet and peaceable; full of compassion; and ready to do good to all people, according to my abilities and opportunities. For the sake of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Amen


Religious Observances

Ancient Rome : Neptunalia, honoring Neptune (a d x Kal Aug)
Buddhist-Laos : Beginning of Buddhist fast
RC : Comm of St Apollinaris, 1st bp of Ravenna, martyr
RC, Luth : Memorial of Bridget, mystic, patron of Sweden (opt)
Religious History

1779 Pioneer American Methodist bishop Francis Asbury wrote in his journal: 'I findit of more consequence to a preacher to know his Bible well, than all the languages or booksin the world -- for he is not to preach these, but the Word of God.'
1846 Birth of William R. Featherstone, Canadian Methodist hymnwriter. He penned thewords to 'My Jesus, I Love Thee' before age 16.
1860 Birth of William W. McConnell, missions pioneer. In 1891, he became the firstmissionary sent out by the Central American Mission, after its founding in 1890.
1918 Death of Joseph H. Gilmore, 84, American Baptist clergyman. He is remembered todayprimarily for the hymn, 'He Leadeth Me,' which he wrote at the age of 28.
1976 The First National Southern Baptist Charismatic Conference closed. Baptist pastorand charismatic leader Howard Conatser (1926-78) was a speaker at this convention.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Additional information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)