Anglican Prayer Before Corporate Worship

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O Lord, we thy servants bow down before thy holy presence waiting for the rich mercies which are from thee. Send down upon us richly, we beseech thee, thy grace and benediction and sanctify our souls and minds and bodies that we may worthily worship thee. For thou, O God, with thine only begotten Son and thy most Holy Spirit art to be worshipped and glorified now and forever. Amen.
(Source Unknown)

Word #1 From The Cross

I would like to share some meditations with you over the next seven weeks on the seven words of Christ from the Cross. I will post one entry per statement on consecutive Sunday mornings. I will continue to post on Wednesday nights on other topics.

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

Relational strife is exceedingly taxing on human personhood. Few things eat away at us like unreconciled relationships.

Though there was no fault in him, Jesus was at odds with many people at the time of his death. Nevertheless, he called upon his Father to forgive them of their sins. This prayer was an expression of his own willingness to die without holding a grudge.

A great trial for some people as they approach death is a relationship in which forgiveness and reconciliation are needed but have not been achieved. Christ took this suffering into himself. He left us an example for how to deal with those who refuse reconciliation.

We may walk in his steps in peace. We may die having expressed forgiveness to all who have ought against us. If we are at fault, we must see ourselves as members of the mob at the foot of the cross. We need to be forgiven. If this is our plight, Jesus has secured our forgiveness and calls upon us to seek reconciliation with those whom we have offended.

Poem - Likeness

Yourself in me
In verity
My goal
Now and eternally

Your likeness bear
Your image wear
My priveledge here
My pleasure there

Times of Refreshing

Sometimes we need to be refreshed by the Lord. Sometime we feel like we are under a blanket of malaise. When we come out from under the blanket we breathe in the fresh air. We find that the stars are out. There is a nice breeze. We hear the Lord walking in the garden. We join him for a stroll.

Sometimes it is a passage of Scripture that triggers the recovering. Sometimes it is formal prayer. Sometimes it is silence, a conversation with a friend, a moment in nature. Sometimes theologically sound devotional literature is the catalyst the Lord uses.

Sometimes a sermon may be what gives us help. I heard a sermon a few years ago that was like a cool shower after a long day of work in the sun.

I remember when I was 18 years old. I was "in love." It was immature. I am thankful that the Lord kept us from immorality. We were spending time outdoors during the Summer break. A quick sun shower came upon us. It was so pleasant. Young, in love, warm rain. Spiritual refreshing can be something like that, but deeper.

There is a phrase in a prayer for Communion preparation that contains the phrase, "inebriated with the blood of Christ." Spiritual refreshing can be like that, inebriating. It brings us back from our barrenness. God satiates our beings totally.

No Pride is Spared

Christ calls to no ascetic ascent.
Nor does He offer a decent descent.
Thus, there is no legalistic ladder.
Nor is there a pride-preserving plummet.
But both the way down
and the way up to God
are by a crucifying cross
in union with a personalizing Person.

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Prayer - Revelation of the Trinity

Holy Trinity,
God of all time and space,
we both bow our hearts to you in humility
and lift our hearts to you in praise.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you have gathered us together as your family.
Reveal yourself to us.

Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten,
the incarnate One,
you have redeemed us from our sins
and freed us to live in newness of life.
Reveal yourself to us.

O Holy Spirit,
the Comforter,
Indweller of the faithful,
you fill the world with goodness.
You are the One who fills us with the glory of God.
Reveal yourself to us.

We ask for your life of holy, self-giving love to fill our lives.

Amen.

List - Blues Monickers

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Possible Nicknames if I Were to Become a Blues Musician

Whole Wheat Kranzusch

Not Actually Blind Jason Kranzusch

Suburban J. Kranzusch

The White Boy With the Funny Last Name

Off-White Kranzusch

Flesh-Tone Kranzusch

Neither Lucky, Nor Unlucky, But a Bit of Both, But Mostly Good Luck Kranzusch

B. B. King (the remix)

STD Jakes

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He's funny. He's handsome(?). He's charismatic. He's spreading like a sexually transmitted disease.

He's STD Jakes. He's a spiritually transmitted disease.

He doesn't believe in the Trinity? No problem. He's an engaging speaker, isn't he? Time Magazine calls him the best preacher in America. I say, "God help us."

Get a grip, people. The dude does not believe in the Trinity as articulated by the Christian Tradition. He does not believe in the Trinity. Are you hearing me?! He does not believe in the Trinity!

Has our spiritual discernment really degenerated this far?

Jakes refuses to use the word "person" in his explanation of the Trinity. He uses the word "manifestations" to refer to the Father, Son and Spirit. He then denies that he is a modalist because the Bible uses the word "manifestation" in reference to God's activity. Some horrid exegesis, that.

He claims to follow only the Scriptures as his rule for what to believe. Boy, have I heard that line about a thousand times. My question to Jakes, and others who use the same line, is, "Who is doing the interpreting of what the Scriptures are saying?"

Jakes admits he is not a theologian (no duh) and says that he avoids interacting with theologians about questions pertaining to God (obviously).

He claims to emphasize the unity of people, racial reconciliation, healing of human afflictions, etc. He grounds all of this in the unity of God. TD, did you ever stop to consider that the only way that you have any grounds to minister to unique, diverse people is because there is diversity in the Godhead, not just unity?

Read the madness in Jakes's own words.

*By the way, the "STD" quip is not original with me. I think I stole it from the Door. "Well, the door was open." Ha-Ha, Aah, nevermind.

Hymn - Are Ye Able?

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A Reworking of The Hymn

"Are Ye Able?"*
by Jason Kranzusch

verse 1:
"Are ye able" said the Master,
"To be crucified with Me?"
"Yes," the arrogant apostles
Said from hearts that were deceived.

refrain:
Lord, we're not able. Our spirits are blind.
We can't accomplish what is divine.
Only Thy dwelling within us can free
Our hearts from sin to rise and follow Thee.

verse 2:
Are ye able to remember
When a thief to Jesus cries
That before he's fit for heaven
He needs inward paradise?

verse 3:
Are ye able when the shadows
Close, and to the throne of God
You are called to your accounting,
To hope only in the Blood?

verse 4:
"Are ye able?" still the Master
Whispers down eternity.
Our dependant spirits answer,
"Lord, all power is with Thee."

Final Refrain:
Lord, You are able Our spirits to bind
Unto Your ho---ly Nature Divine
Spiritual radiance Comes only from Thee,
Father, Son, Spirit, Holy Trinity.

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Original lyrics can be found here.