Category: Time to Pray

  • Philippians 4 18-20

    And I have received in full  
      and more than enough. 

    I have been filled
      having received  from Epaphroditus
    the (gifts)  from you all. 
       a fragrant offering
      an acceptable sacrifice
      pleasing to God. 

    And my God will fill your every need
         according to his riches, 
                   in glory
        in Christ Jesus. 
    And may glory (honour)
        be given to  God and our Father
    for ever and ever. Amen.

    Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
    Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
    where there is injury, pardon;
    where there is discord, union,
    where there is doubt, faith;
    where there is despair, hope;
    where there is darkness, light;
    and where there is sadness, joy.

    For your mercy and your truth’s sake

    Amen.

    St. Francis of Assisi

  • Philippians 415-17

    And you all also know, (as I do)
    Philippians,
    that in the beginning of (proclaiming) the Gospel
    when I had left  Macedonia, 
    no church partnered with me
    in the business of giving and receiving 
    except you only,
    because even in Thessalonica 
    once, and again,
    you sent for my needs.
    Not that I seek for the gift,
    But I seek for the fruit/profit
    that increases in your (business) account.

    O Lord Jesus Christ,
    stay beside me to defend me,
    within me to guide me,
    before me to lead me,
    and above me to bless me,
    that with you and in you,
    I may live, and move and have my being,
    for ever and ever.
    Amen.

    (unknown)

  • Philippians 4 10-14

    I rejoiced 
    in the Lord, 
    greatly
    because 
    once again
    you have revived 
    your thoughts of me; 
    with regards to which
    indeed
    you were thinking
    but with no opportunity (to help).

    It is not that I say 
    (that I have) need,
    for I have learned how
    in whatever (situation)
    I am (in)
    to be (self-) sufficent.

    I have known both how to be deprived ,
    and I have known to (live in) abundance.

    In all and every  (situation)
    I have learned (how to live)
    and to be filled,
    and to be hungry
    and to be in abundance
    and to be lacking. 

    I have strength to do all things
    in the one who empowers me. 

    Yet you have done well, 
    by sharing in my trouble.

    Take from us,
    O God, all pride and vanity,
    all boasting and self-assertion,
    and give us the true courage that shows itself in gentleness,
    the true wisdom that shows itself in simplicity,
    and the true power that shows itself in modesty.

    Charles Kingsley

  • Philippians 4 8-9

    In addition
    whatever is truthful
    whatever is honourable
    whatever is just,
    whatever is right,
    whatever is pure, 
    whatever is lovely,
    whatever is winning
    if there is anything excellent
    of if there is anything worthy of praise
    focus on these things.
    And 
    that which you learned and received
    and heard and saw in me, 
    do these things.
    And the God of peace will be with you all.

    O thou, who art the light of the minds that know thee,
    the life of the souls that love thee,
    and the strength of the wills that serve thee;
    help us so to know thee that we may truly love thee;
    so to love thee that we may fully serve thee,
    whom to serve is perfect freedom.
    Amen

  • Philippians 4 4-8

    Rejoice in the Lord, always.
        Again I say – rejoice!

    Let your graciousness be known to all people.
    The Lord is near.

    Stop being anxious, 
    but in all things
    by your petition
    and your prayer
    with thanksgivings
    make known your requests 
    to God

    And the peace of God
    which surpasses all thought
    will guard your hearts
    and your minds
    in Christ Jesus. 

    God be in head and in my understanding;
    God be in my eyes and in my looking;
    God be in my mouth and in my speaking;
    God be in my heart and in my thinking;
    God be at my end and at my departing.

  • Philippians 4 2,3

    I strongly urge Euodia
    and I strongly urge  Suntuke
        to think the same thing in the Lord.
    Yes,
        I ask you also,
              true partner,
          help them,
                who have struggled side by side
                        with me
                            for the Gospel
    and with Clement,
                and other coworkers 
                         whose names are in the Book of Life.

    Lord God,
    your feed us with the living bread from heaven.
    You renew our faith
    increase our hope
    and strengthen our love.
    Teach us to hunger for Christ
    who is the true and living bread
    and live by every word that comes from your mouth,
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.

  • Philippians 4 1

    Therefore,
      my beloved
      and longed for
        sisters/brothers,

              my joy
              and crown
    thus
        stand firm in the Lord,
       beloved. 

    God, give me grace to accept with serenity
    the things that cannot be changed,
    Courage to change the things
    which should be changed,
    and the Wisdom to distinguish
    the one from the other.

    Living one day at a time,
    Enjoying one moment at a time,
    Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
    Taking, as Jesus did,
    This sinful world as it is,
    Not as I would have it,
    Trusting that You will make all things right,
    If I surrender to Your will,
    So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
    And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

    Amen.

  • Philippians 3 17-21

    Be,
    with others,
    imitators of me
      sisters / brothers
    and pay attention
    to those who ‘walk’ like this
    as you have an example in us.

    For many ‘walk’ whom I have often spoken you about
    and now
    crying
    I speak, 
    the enemies of the cross of Christ,
    whose end is destruction
    whose God is their stomach
    and they glory in  their shame
    they are people whose minds are set on earthly things. 

    For our ‘place of citizenship’ exists in the heavens,
    from where indeed we eagerly wait as saviour, 
    the Lord Jesus Christ. 
    who  will transform the body of our lowly state
    (in)to sharing the likeness of the body of his glorious state
    according to the working of his power
    also to subject all things to himself. 

    Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
    Naught be all else to me, save that thou art –
    Thou my best thought, by day or by night;
    Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

  • Philippians 3 12-16

    Not that 
    already
    I have got (this)
    nor
    already 
    have been made mature

    but

    I press on 
    if indeed I can grasp  (it)
    because
    indeed I have been grasped
    by Christ.

    Sisters / brothers, 
    I myself 
    I am not reckoning
    to have grasped (it)
    but one thing- 

    on the one hand
    disregarding  the things that are behind
    and on the other 
    straining for the things that are ahead, 
    I am pressing on toward the goal
    to the prize of the upward call
    of God
    in Christ Jesus. 

    So whoever is mature
    let us think like this. 

    And if someone thinks otherwise
    God will reveal this to you.  

    In any case

    whatever we have attained
    we must walk in step with.

    Lord, you have given me so much,
    I ask for one more thing –
    a grateful heart.

    George Herbert

  • Philippians 3 7-11

    But these very things
        which were profit to me, 
    these
       I have reckoned
              for the sake of Christ
         loss. 

    But 
    more
    than that
       I reckon 
    all things
       to be loss
              for the sake of the surpassing worth
    of  knowledge of  Christ Jesus,
                                          my Lord. 
            for his sake
                   I have (willingly) lost all things
                   and I reckon them garbage,
       in order that I might gain Christ
       that is be found in him, 
                 not having
                     of my own
                   a righteousness from the Torah
                    but
                        through faith in Christ, 
                   the righteousness from God 
               by faith. 
        so that I may know him
    that is  the power of his resurrection
                  and the sharing of his sufferings
    being shaped like him,
          in  his death
    if in some way
    I may reach the resurrection out from the dead people. 

    Be thou a bright flame before me,
    Be thou a guiding star above me
    Be thou a smooth path below me
    Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
    Today – tonight -forever
    Amen.

    St Columba