Psalm 35

Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me. (Psalm 35:1)
      Jesus, please plead the cause of Bishop Bill and all your faithful bishops now gathered in Texas for the House of Bishops meeting. Fight against those who fight against them.

Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. (Psalm 35:2)
      Jesus, let Holy Michael and all your legions of angels surround these faithful witnesses with your help.

Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” (Psalm 35:3)
      Jesus, help all your faithful people confess with their lips that you are our salvation.

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt. (Psalm 35:4)
      Defeat all those who come against your faithful people throughout the Episcopal Church. Thank you for the witness of the healing teams in this diocese, the Daughters of the King, and the Sisters of St. Mary. Protect them from every attack of the world, the flesh and the devil. Raise up many to join in these ministries of the Spirit.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; it shall rejoice in his salvation. (Psalm 35:9)
      Father, help me rejoice in the salvation you offer me through your son Jesus; help me reject ever other false promise of salvation.

All my bones shall say, “LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?” (Psalm 35:10)
      Jesus, your people are being plundered by the drug dealers in our community; please shut down the crack house next door to Christ Church Schenectady and all the other crack houses in our community.

Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions. (Psalm 35:17)
      Jesus, come soon and rescue your faithful people in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada from the hands of those who persecute them.

I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you among many people. (Psalm 35:18)
      Jesus, thank you for all you have done for us; help me give you praise both inside and outside of church. Thank you.

A word received: Ask for the power of my Spirit.

Monday: 35: Exodus 4:10-20(21-26)27-31; Corinthians 14:1-19; Mark 9:30-41
Tuesday: 124, 125, 126, [127]: Exodus 5:1-6:1; 1 Corinthians 14:20-33a, 39-40; Mark 9:42-50

      Notes from the Front Line

Pray for the House of Bishops meeting, March 7-12, Camp Allen, Texas:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:5-9)
      May the Holy Spirit manifest Himself in a mighty way during this gathering, touching and transforming the hearts, minds and souls of every bishop here, guiding and leading us in all that is said and done, that it will be in accordance with His will, and to His honor and glory and the benefit of His Church and people. Come Holy Spirit! Come now and come with power to cleanse and redeem your Church. We need you Lord Jesus. Amen.

***** Notable and Quotable Posted by Kendall Harmon
      Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all…As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength. –G.K. Chesterton

Albany Intercessor

House of Bishops - Reconciliation Seminars

 Christ Carrying the Cross - Bosch

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  II Corinthians 5:17-19

Amen.  Father, you were reconciling the sinful world to yourself in Christ, and you have entrusted this message to the church.

Father, if it is not too late, if there is still time for turning and mercy, reconcile the Bishops of the Episcopal Church to yourself, that the people in their care might be reconciled to you and take the message of Christ to the world.

But if your judgment is enacted, Father, save your people and give them shepherds who are reconciled to you.

We pray in the Name of Jesus, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in Trinity of Persons and Unity of Divine Glory.  Amen.

San Joaquin

A single candidate chosen to be the provisional Bishop of San Joaquin will participate in a two-day walkabout visitation to the diocese immediately after the House of Bishops’ meeting concludes at Camp Allen in Texas on March 12.The bishops are scheduled to vote on whether to depose the Rt. Rev. John-David Schofield as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin during a “business session” after Morning Prayer on that day. Bishop Schofield has already formally resigned from the House of Bishops. Bishops with jurisdiction must obtain consent from the House of Bishops to resign, according to national church canons.

20For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land.     21Yes, they open their mouths wide against me; they say, Aha! Aha! Our eyes have seen it!     22You have seen this, O Lord; keep not silence! O Lord, be not far from me!

    23Arouse Yourself, awake to the justice due me, even to my cause, my God and my Lord!

    24Judge and vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness (Your rightness and justice); and let [my foes] not rejoice over me!

    25Let them not say in their hearts, Aha, that is what we wanted! Let them not say, We have swallowed him up and utterly destroyed him.

    26Let them be put to shame and confusion together who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify and exalt themselves over me!

Psalm 35 Amplified

 

House of Bishops

Exodus 4:11 (Amplified Bible)

And the Lord said to him, Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or the deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

O Lord, we see through a glass darkly.  You are the Maker of each bishop, and You can make all things right.  We cry out, make right their spiritual vision and hearing.  Bring their words into alignment with Your heart.  Heal them and make them whole.  Amen.

House of Bishops

O Lord, contend with deceitfulness, envy, greed, pride, unforgiveness, unbelief, blindness, deafness, mockery, and hardness of heart in the House of Bishops meeting.  Fight against the ungodliness that fights against Your sons and daughters.  Take up Your mighty weapons, O Lord, and come to the aid of Your children. 

Speak to Your children and say, ”I am Your salvation and healing.”  Commission Your holy angels to drive away any demonic spirits like chaff before the wind.  In the name of Jesus we pray, Deliver Your sons and daughters in the House of Bishops.  Amen.

Psalm 35:1-6