Tag Archives: greed

Midweek Devotion- Matthew 21.33-46

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SCRIPTURE: Matthew 21:33-46

SONGS:
My Hope is Built
Bind Us Together

BREATH PRAYERS:
IN: Jesus
OUT: My hope is built on you

IN: Jesus
OUT: I lean on your name

IN: On Christ the solid rock I stand
OUT: All other ground is sinking sand

You’re encouraged to use the following process as you read scripture.
We use this process together on Wednesdays at 8:00AM EST.

STILLNESS: Spend 5-20 minutes in silence looking to God and listening for God.

ATTENTION: Read or listen to the Scripture. What word, phrase or verse captures your attention? Underline it or copy it onto a piece of paper.

CONNECTION: What connections do you see to other scriptures? To your own experience or current situation? Or, to the character or promises of God?

ACTION: What is God inviting you to trust, say, or do? How will your life be different because of this scripture?

PRAY: Talk to God about what you just experienced or anything else on your heart.

Recorded 9/30/2020

My Hope is Built
Text: Edward Mote
Music: William B. Bradbury
Public Domain

Bind Us Together
CCLI Song # 1228
Bob Gillman © 1977
Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
CCLI License # 686715

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Midweek Devotion- Matthew 21:33-46 © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Breath Prayers Based on Mark 12

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summer in the scriptures- Mark

Breath Prayers based on Mark 12:41-44
The Widow’s Offering
Silently pray the phrase after IN on your breath in. Then silently pray the phrase after OUT on your breath out. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Choose one, a few, or all of them as is most helpful to you. ⁠

IN: All I have
OUT: is a good gift from you

IN: All I have
OUT: is yours

IN: Jesus,
OUT: heal me of consumerism

IN: Jesus,
OUT: heal me of hypocrisy

IN: Jesus, deliver me
OUT: from performing and parading faith

IN: Generous One
OUT: Make me generous

IN: Faithful One
OUT: I trust you to provide

How do breath prayers help you?
Share a breath prayer you’ve written.

_______________

For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.

You’re most welcome to read along and to join the Facebook discussion group, Summer in the Scriptures. You don’t need to be a Methodist or attend a Methodist church. All are welcome and all means all.

As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.

May the grace of the Gospels, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <><

Breath Prayers based on Mark 12 © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

God of Abundance, Provision, Plenty (Genesis 13)

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biryanni dish on round stainless steel tray

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Based on Genesis 13
Abraham and Lot end their conflict peaceably
God’s generous promise to Abraham of land and children

You are the God of Abundance, Provision, and Plenty
Generous Creator and Sustainer

Yet
So many do not have enough
So many are burdened by too much
So many squander what they have
So many do evil to get more
Corruption, Injustice, Oppression, Greed, Graft, Violence…
Fear-filled Competition

Lord, have mercy

Help me choose You and your ways
Help me approach every need and conflict
with fairness, generosity, openness
Help me see all you are providing
Help me hear and listen to all you are saying
Your ways, always

Fill me with gratitude for all you entrust to me
Collaboration over competition
True love for those I work with
Eyes to see all people as you see them… beloved

Forgive and heal my fears when there doesn’t seem to be enough
You know my worry and lack of faith

God of Abundance, Provision, and Plenty
I trust you to provide everything I need
and everything others need
Increase my faith and trust
Amen

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God of Abundance, Provision, Plenty © 2019 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Prayer: Abundance, Provision, Plenty (Genesis 13)

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biryanni dish on round stainless steel tray

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

November and December, the Superbowl of consumerism. It’s everywhere- buy buy buy, do do do, eat eat eat. ⁠
⁠
What are you doing this season to keep things in perspective and whole? What are you doing to encourage peacemaking? (Oh the truth of family gatherings!)

I’m choosing silence, generosity, and sabbath. Let’s help each other out by sharing our practices below. ⁠

⁠Prayer: Abundance, Provision, Plenty
You are the God of ⁠
Abundance, Provision, and Plenty⁠
⁠
Yet⁠
So many do not have enough⁠
So many are burdened by far too much⁠
So many squander what they have⁠
So many do evil to get more⁠
⁠
The “many” include me⁠
Lord, have mercy
⁠
Help me choose ⁠
Collaboration over competition
Gratitude over greed ⁠
Rest over hustle
Generosity over fear ⁠
⁠
Help me choose You and Your ways⁠

I trust you to provide everything I need
and everything others need
Increase my faith and trust

Help me approach every need and conflict
with fairness, generosity, openness
Help me see all you are providing
Help me see all people as you see them
Help me hear and listen to all you are saying
Your ways, always. Amen

This prayer is based on Genesis 13, the division of property between Abraham and Lot in light of the promises of God to Abraham

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Abundance, Provision, Plenty © 2019 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

The Gifts of Manna (Exodus 16)

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mannaRe-posting two wonderful reflections by Steve Garnaas Holmes based on Exodus 16. In the first, he compares God’s provision of manna in the wilderness to those escaping slavery to the steadfast provision of what we need to get through our own wilderness. The second is an important reminder of the dangers of greed. Consider subscribing to his blog, Unfolding Light. – Lisa <><

Exodus 16:13-15
In the morning there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that God has given you to eat.“

What gets you through the desert?
What gets you through?
What gets you through the chemo,
the healing from abuse, the bad marriage,
what gets you through
the job that tries to kill you,
the dark valley of the shadow of death,
the rotten places, the placeless places,
the evil you fear, the evil you’ve done,
your daily inadequacy,
what gets you through?

Some will call it courage or stamina,
luck or faith or reaching down deep.
But you know it’s not you, not yours.
It’s given. To you. For you.
From the Holy One.

The thread you follow,
the source you drink from,
the encouraging voice,
the Divine desire that you thrive,
the gift amid the desolation,
you find it anywhere—
the usual, the impossible,
the unwelcome.
You learn to recognize it.
You learn to receive it.

For that grace that gets you through
you learn to say thank you.

You learn to count on it,
and be surprised,
every morning.
Every morning.

Exodus 16:18-21
Those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. Some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. Morning by morning they gathered it,
as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

God’s vision of justice
is that everyone has what they need.

Manna in the wilderness,
the widow’s jar of meal,
laborers in the vineyard,
feeding the five thousand,
God’s forgiveness upon each heart:
each is given what they need.

It is gift,
that you can’t earn or possess.

Your excess rots in your hands.
What you have beyond your need
you have taken from your neighbor.
It poisons you.

Starve your greed
and feed on justice.
Until all have what they need
even God is hungry.