“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Luke 12:37,40

Posted on 7 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“How happy are those servants whose master finds them awake and ready when he returns!

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You, too, must be ready,

because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you are not expecting Him.”

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– Luke 12:37,40 (NLT)

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QUOTE…

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“Watch with the heart,

watch with faith,

watch with love,

watch with charity,

watch with good works […];

make ready the lamps,

make sure they do not go out […],

renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience…”

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– St. Augustine

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PRAYER…

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Heavenly Father,

help me to do the best I can as I live my life.

Make me watchful

so that I do not waste the precious time that You have given me,

and not reject the divine grace of faith.

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Grant, O Lord, that I will love You with all my heart

and that I will always seek to love and forgive others

like You love and forgive me.

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Keep me away from temptation, O God,

and deliver me from all evil.

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Amen.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, help me always stay watchful, and in a state of grace;

always ready for Your visit.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Matthew 17:20

Posted on 6 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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“You don’t have enough faith,”

Jesus told His disciples.

“I tell you the truth,

if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,

you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’

and it would move.

Nothing would be impossible.”

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– Matthew 17:20 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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We give up so easily,

yet we claim to have faith!

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If Jesus said so,

then why shouldn’t we believe that by sowing even the tiniest of seeds

we will reap the intended harvest?

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Jesus asks us to believe in His promise

and to sow the seeds of faith, in the right measure,

and at every opportunity that He presents us with,

because true and humble faith moves mountains

…eventually…and always in God’s time.

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Have faith,

keep your eyes on Jesus,

listen to what He says and do as He says.

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Believe with all your heart, mind, soul and strength

in the power of prayer full of faith.

Trust fully in the Lord

and then let His will be done…and humbly accept it.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, fill me with faith…and use me!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Exodus 14:14

Posted on 5 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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The Lord Himself will fight for you.

Just stay calm.

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– Exodus 14:14 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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A true Christian, who is committed to walk with Christ,

will find that evil is always close by,

placing all sorts of stumbling blocks along the way in its determination to frustrate spiritual progress

and, ultimately, to discourage.

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This is our constant battle,

but if we turn back to Christ,

even after having fallen for those traps that prey on our weaknesses and insecurities,

we will always find Jesus lovingly and patiently waiting for us.

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We need to stay calm and believe in God’s unconditional love for us.

If, as we determinedly return to His path of righteousness and hope,

we humbly entrust our weaknesses, our hurts and our problems to Jesus,

He – the Lord our God and Saviour – will fight for us.

…..

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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O Lord my Saviour, You are my strength and I entrust my heart and soul to You.

Take over, Jesus, love me, protect me, bless me.

Thank You, sweet Lord my God.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Matthew 16:15-17

Posted on 4 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus asked His disciples,

“But who do you say that I am?”

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Simon Peter answered,

“You are the Christ,

the Son of the Living God.”

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And Jesus answered him,

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!

For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,

but My Father in Heaven.”

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– Matthew 16:15-17 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus,

we get to recognise Him for who He truly is.

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We can enter into such a relationship,

by reading about and reflecting upon what the Lord did and said during His life on Earth,

as recounted by the four evangelists in the four books of the Gospel.

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Touched by God’s great love for us,

which is reflected in Jesus’ story and by Christ’s great sacrifice to save us,

we will be filled with this desire to learn more about Our Lord.

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As we find ourselves reading and meditating on the other books of the New Testament,

we will receive a deeper dimension of Christ

and we will begin to understand and to acknowledge

that “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

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And God’s Holy Spirit will open our minds and hearts,

and we will exclaim, with love and conviction,

“Lord, You truly are the Christ,

the Son of the Living God.”.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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With the help of Your grace, O Father, and through the prompting of Your Divine Spirit,

I joyfully exclaim, with love and certainty:

‘Lord, You truly are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Posted on 3 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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God does not see as man sees;

man looks at appearances

but the Lord looks at the heart.

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– 1 Samuel 16:7 (JB)

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REFLECTION…

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We truly need to look closer at ourselves.

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Am I really what I project myself to be?

Am I aware of my own weaknesses; my bad habits…?

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Okay, so people seem to react very positively towards me

and they are friendly and even respectful,

but would they do the same

if they knew what I was truly like inside?

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Have I reached a stage where I believe my own lies;

where I am even fooling myself?

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That’s why I need to call upon Jesus and invite Him in,

right in to the depths of my being.

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He already knows what He will find there,

but if I humbly call Him in, He will help me go through every corner of my heart,

even those places which I had arrogantly and consciously shut out of my mind

…and the Lord will give me a clean heart

and He will renew me and make me more like Him!

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, Son of the Living God, Name above all names,

beautiful Saviour, Glorious Lord,

come and probe, and clean, and heal this heart that eagerly awaits You.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Matthew 14:27-33

Posted on 2 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said

“Don’t be afraid,

take courage.

I am here!”

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Then Peter called to Him,

“Lord, if it’s really you,

tell me to come to you,

walking on the water.”

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“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

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So Peter went over the side of the boat

and walked on the water toward Jesus.

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves,

he was terrified and began to sink.

“Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

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Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.

“You have so little faith,” Jesus said.

“Why did you doubt me?”

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When they climbed back into the boat,

the wind stopped.

Then the disciples worshipped Him.

“You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

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– Matthew 14:27-33 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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In life there are many horrible moments,

which are totally beyond our control,

and where we find ourselves desperately afraid.

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If we know of Jesus,

and if we humbly listen to the promptings of our soul,

we will acknowledge that Jesus is our only true hope.

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If we seek Jesus with eyes of faith,

we will always find Him right there in the midst of our troubles

…reassuring us, and telling us

“Don’t be afraid, take courage. I am here!”

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As we ride the storms of life with Him by our side,

they may still prove to be too much for us

and they can start to drag us down.

It is then that the little faith we have, will,

even if only out of sheer desperation and fear,

make us cry out, “Save me, Lord!”

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And the Lord will always reach out to grab us and save us

– but it is really up to us to humbly accept His help.

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If we do entrust ourselves fully to Jesus,

our anxiety will be calmed,

our spirit will exalt,

and we will call out to Him and gratefully exclaim,

“You really are the Son of God!”

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, my Lord and my God,

I entrust my all into Your loving hands.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – 2 Peter 1:16-19

Posted on 1 August 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

…comes from none other than Saint Peter himself, who was present and witness, with two other Apostles, James and John, when Christ’s divinity was revealed in His glorious transfiguration on Mount Tabor.

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“For we were not making up clever stories

when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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We saw His Majestic Splendour with our own eyes

when He received honour and glory from God the Father.

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The voice from the Majestic Glory of God said to Him,

“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

We ourselves heard that Voice from Heaven

when we were with Him on the Holy Mountain.

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Because of that experience,

we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets.

You must pay close attention to what they wrote,

for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place –

until the Day dawns and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.”

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– 2 Peter 1:16-19 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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[…today, in our quiet place,

we ask the Holy Spirit to help us reflect, in the silence of our hearts,

on Christ’s glorious transfiguration…

Today, in our quiet place, we call upon the Lord and ask Him to fill our soul with joy…]

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PRAYER…

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My Lord, my God, my Bright Morning Star,

fill me with Your Light.

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Open my eyes and let me see,

and help me begin to understand Your divine omnipotence,

and Your great love for me.

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Jesus, my Saviour,

fill me with hope and joy,

and help me accept

that no suffering nor any difficulties I may face

can compare with the glory which You will reveal,

when I am brought before You, to bow in awe of Your Glorious Presence.

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Lord, let my heart shout out in truth,

that there is no other Lord but You!

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For this grace I pray, with all my heart.

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Amen.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus my God, fill me with hope and joy; fill me with Your Light.

There is no other Lord but You!

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Colossians 3:1-2,5,8-11

Posted on 31 July 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Since you have been raised to new life with Christ,

set your sights on the realities of heaven,

where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand.

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Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

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So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.

Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy,

for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

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But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language.

Don’t lie to each other,

for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

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Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.

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…Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.

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– Colossians 3:1-2,5,8-11 (NLT)

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REFLECTION…

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Those who try to seek holiness by imitating Jesus

…will be people full of hope;

they will be optimistic and happy people;

and after their death they will share in the glory of the Lord:

they will hear Jesus’ praise:

"Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little;

I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your Master." (Mat 25:21)

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Almighty and Merciful God,

in Your goodness take away from me all that is harmful,

so that, made ready both in mind and body,

I may freely accomplish Your will.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Psalm 69:29-30

Posted on 30 July 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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I am in pain and despair;
lift me up, O God, and save me!
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I will praise God with a song;
I will proclaim His greatness by giving Him thanks.

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– Psalm 69:29-30 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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When we find ourselves

going through the dark valleys of life,

we are quick to approach the Lord

and plead for His help and grace.

No harm in that…at all, of course, because it reflects faith.

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But our personal faith can show itself to be shallow and selfish,

especially if, once we feel that we are back on top of things

we forget about Who we had gone to when we needed help!

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We have all been there and back

– through dark patches –

and God has helped us carry our burdens,

and even to overcome them.

So why do we sometimes – often? – not reflect much joy in our faces, when we attend Mass?

Why the apparent lack of enthusiasm in our voices when we respond and when we sing (if we bother to sing at all)?

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Surely it cannot be because only very few of us present have anything to be grateful for!

Could it be because we do not focus on the Lord when we visit Him?

Could it be because we are simply too engrossed in ourselves?

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When I meet someone, anyone, who has always been so readily available to help me,

and who has done so time and time again,

I certainly do not put on a tired or disinterested face.

In fact I usually make sure that my gestures and mannerisms all reflect joy, love and gratitude.

Even if I am not feeling up to it, I certainly make the effort.

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But is that my attitude at Mass, where I go to visit and give praise and thanks to my Maker – the One I call my Saviour?

Does my participation at Mass,

do my attention, my prayers, my singing, reflect a genuine love for the Lord,

and the joy I should feel in His presence?

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Do I heartfully proclaim His greatness

and give Him thanks with all my heart, my mind, my body and my soul?

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If I do, then that special joy and thankfulness, which should fill my heart,

will certainly be reflected in my face and in my entire demeanour.

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Is it?

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, I praise You with my lips, with my heart and with my life.

My very existence is a gift from You,

and to You, O God, I offer all that I have and all that I am.

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“a Lamp to my feet. a Light for my path.” – Psalm 146:1-2

Posted on 29 July 2016 by Christ the King Prayer Group

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TODAY’S WORD…

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Praise the Lord!
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Praise the Lord, O my soul!
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I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

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– Psalm 146:1-2 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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In all the circumstances of my life

I can give glory and praise to my God

by raising my voice in song;

lifting my hands in praise;

bowing my head in worship.

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In all the circumstances of my life

I can, I must, give glory and praise to my God

with my heart and mind,

putting everything else aside and focusing on Him

and declaring my love for Him who is always with me.

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In all the circumstances of my life

I must seek to give glory and praise to my God

with what I say and do as I live my daily life,

by being truly loving and caring in my attitude towards all others,

always striving to be more like Jesus,

trusting fully in Him,

humbly accepting His will,

always thankful to Him for His mercies; His forgiveness; His love.

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I want to determinedly make my life a song of praise to God!

I want to gladly sing praises to Him who is my Lord

– with all my being

and with every breath that I take. Amen!

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Jesus, I will praise You as long as I live;

I will sing praises to You, my God, all my life long.

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