Saint Matthew's

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Giving Thanks for the Holy Spirit


Today’s Bible Verse:
Acts 7:51
ESV

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.”


I am sorry for the lateness today. I overslept. Being that oversleeping is never a problem for me, I do not set an alarm. Maybe tomorrow.

Saint Stephen spoke today's verse before being stoned to death. But his point is clear - the Jews rejected the Holy Spirit. Stephen used harsh language, but he was clear. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot believe in the Triune God. We can't believe in something so fantastical that it boggles the human mind. Yet with the Spirit, we confess God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and believe in them wholeheartedly. We believe the Father created us, the Son redeemed us from sin, and the Spirit sanctifies us and keeps us on the path of true faith. The Spirit allows us to be disciples of God; let us stand firm in our faith, giving thanks to God daily.

PRAYERS

Keep in Your Prayers:

  1. For all across our country dealing with excessive heat.

  2. All people dealing with cancer

  3. Those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

A Prayer for Today:

I pray, gracious God, for Your Spirit that helps me live as Your disciple. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Luther’s Morning Prayer:

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.


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A Song for Today

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