Psalm on Truth | The Pastor's Workshop

liturgy

God of grace and truth—Father, Son, and

Author

Scripture

Matthew 5:14-16, Ephesians 4:15, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 46:1, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, John 14:27, Psalm 145:8

God of grace and truth—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Thank You. Thank You for being there even when we don’t feel it. Thank You for keeping Your eyes on us, even when we lose sight of You. Thank You f...

liturgy

Lord of yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 1:8, Isaiah 44:6, Psalm 90:2, Malachi 3:6, Colossians 1:17, 2 Peter 3:8, Isaiah 41:4, Romans 11:36

Consider using the prayer of adoration by itself or as a prelude to the prayer of confession. Prayer of Adoration Lord of yesterday, today, and tomorrow: You alone rule the universe; setting time...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide Luke 6:17-26

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:17-26, Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 4:33, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 12:6, Isaiah 41:17, Zephaniah 3:12, Luke 4:18, James 4:8-10, Luke 5:11, 28, Luke 14:25-33, 1 Peter 4:14, Jeremiah 17:5-10, Jeremiah 6:13

The context The beatitudes are one of the most well-known aspects of Jesus teaching. As in the more familiar account in Matthew (5:1-12), Luke presents these words as Jesus’ first public teaching; hi...

lectionary

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 6:17-26, Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 4:33, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 12:6, Isaiah 41:17, Zephaniah 3:12, Luke 4:18, James 4:8-10, Luke 5:11, 28, Luke 14:25-33, 1 Peter 4:14, Jeremiah 6:13

Preaching Commentary The context The beatitudes are one of the most well-known aspects of Jesus teaching. As in the more familiar account in Matthew (5:1-12), Luke presents these words as Jesus’ fi...

illustration

The Music Must Always Play

Author

Fleming Rutledge

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 56:3, 2 Timothy 1:7, Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 6:25-34, 1 John 4:18, Luke 1:30

As Europe plunged ever deeper into a second world war, the British poet W.H. Auden composed a poem (“September 1, 1939”) that peels back our human tendency to cover up all fear and uncertainty with se...

liturgy

Risen and present Lord: There’s no

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

James 5:14-15, Romans 8:38-39, Matthew 28:20, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 23:4, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 139:7-10

Risen and present Lord: There’s no place we go–near or far, high or low, familiar or strange–where you aren’t there with and even before us. There is no experience we have or feeling we feel that’s un...

liturgy

Faithful and Good God–our Father,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 46:1, Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7, James 1:5, 1 Peter 5:7, Isaiah 41:10

Faithful and Good God–our Father, Redeemer and Companion. You know all about us–and love us anyhow; nothing we are or do surprises you or puts you off. Therefore, we turn to you with assurance and tru...

liturgy

God of wonder and strength, compassion,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Psalm 121:1-2, Isaiah 41:10, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 11:28-30, Mark 4:35-41

God of wonder and strength, compassion, grace and love–all of which we see revealed through the power of a storm and its aftermath: You’re so big–and we’re so small. Your might is unlimited–ours is fi...

liturgy

God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We Need

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

1 Timothy 2:1-2, Isaiah 58:10-11, Psalm 34:18-19, Isaiah 41:10, James 5:14-15, Psalm 32:8

God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: We need to hear Your invitation and promise to come to us when we are weary and burdened, and you’ll give us rest ... rest for our souls. So we come. We come with our...

liturgy

Good and Gracious Lord, You hold us in

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Romans 8:28, Psalm 46:1-2, Micah 6:8, Psalm 34:18, Genesis 50:20, Mark 4:35-41

Good and Gracious Lord, You hold us in the palm of Your strong hand, working all things for our good and to Your glory. There’s no place we can go that escapes Your notice and is hidden from Your lovi...

liturgy

The Psalmist draws us into prayer

Author

Richard Herman

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 66:16-19, Matthew 6:6-8, 1 Peter 4:10, Matthew 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 103:1-5

The Psalmist draws us into prayer saying: Come and hear, all you who honor God and let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him and God has surely listened and heard my prayer. Praise ...

liturgy

God of nations and Lord of all

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 15:5-6, Isaiah 58:10-11, Psalm 34:18-19, Matthew 5:4, Isaiah 41:10

God of nations and Lord of all creation: You were there at the beginning of time and at our beginning, and You will be there at the ending and when we finally come home. There is no time You are not t...

Quote

Author

Alicia Akins

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, John 3:8, Hebrews 11:1, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Psalm 66:10-12

We can rest knowing the Lord’s presence transcends what we feel. Just like the flow of the air, he is moving even if his movements cannot be perceived. And where God is not just felt but known, faith ...

Quote

Author

Toby Mckeehan

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Jeremiah 17:7, Psalm 56:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7, Isaiah 41:10

Faith isn’t a feeling; it’s a choice to trust God even when the road ahead seems uncertain.

Quote

Author

Karle Wilson Baker

Keywords

Scripture

Joshua 1:6-9, Isaiah 41:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 10:28-31, Psalm 56:3-4, 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

Courage is Fear That has said its prayers.

Quote

Author

J. R. R. Tolkein

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 23:4, John 16:33, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 41:10, 1 Peter 5:10

“So to end this time together, I won’t say everything will be okay. How could I know that? I’ll just look you in the eye, give you a nod of solidarity, and smile. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack ...

illustration

Is There Anybody Out There?

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 139:7-10, Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 34:18

One of the universal experiences of life is questioning whether God really exists or if we are ultimately, alone in the universe. The great British theologian (this isn’t meant to be taken seriously) ...

Quote

Author

Nelson Mandela

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 41:10, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15, Psalm 27:1, Philippians 4:6-7

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

Quote

Author

Pheme Perkins

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 16:1-8, Isaiah 41:10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 34:18, 1 John 1:9

The women’s response brings readers face to face with the mystery of faith. There are no heroes among Jesus’ followers. The hostility that put Jesus on the cross has reduced them all to flight and fea...

illustration

The Case of Courage

Author

G. K. Chesterton

Keywords

Courage

Scripture

Joshua 1:6-9, Isaiah 41:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 10:28-31, Psalm 56:3-4, 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

Take the case of courage. No quality has ever so much addled the brains and tangled the definitions of merely rational sages. Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to li...

liturgy

Lead Me Out of My Doubts and Fears

Author

Ted Loder

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 1:6–9, Matthew 14:28–31, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 46:1–2

Eternal God, lead me now out of the familiar setting of my doubts and fears, beyond my pride and my need to be secure into a strange and graceful ease with my true proportions and with yours; ...

Quote

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Keywords

Faith

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13, James 2:17, Psalm 37:23-24, Isaiah 30:21, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Proverbs 3:5-6

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

Quote

Author

Nelson Searcy

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 23:4, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15

You’re afraid? So what. Everybody’s afraid. Fear is the common ground of humanity. The question you must wrestle to the ground is, ‘Will I allow my fear to bind me to mediocrity?’

Quote

Author

Ann Voskamp

Keywords

Scripture

John 14:27, James 1:2-4, Psalm 147:3, Romans 8:28, Isaiah 41:10

Not one thing in your life is more important than figuring out how to live in the face of unspoken pain.

illustration

The Everyday Virtue of Courage

Author

Stanley Hauerwas

Keywords

Scripture

Joshua 1:6-9, Isaiah 41:10, Ephesians 6:10-18, Matthew 10:28-31, Psalm 56:3-4, 2 Corinthians 4:8-12

In this short excerpt written by the Christian Ethicist Stanley Hauerwas to his godson, he pontificates on the topic of courage: Usually courage is identified with dramatic and heroic acts. Though I...

illustration

Healing From the Inside Out

Author

Dave Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:13, Psalm 147:3, James 1:2-4, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 17:14, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Isaiah 41:10

The bad news was that a friend’s leg was severed in a gruesome automobile accident. The good news was that it was surgically reattached. A few months later she asked if I wanted to see her scar. I swa...

illustration

Consolation Defined

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Romans 12:15, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 34:18, Matthew 5:4, Psalm 46:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ruth 1:16-18, John 11:32-35, John 14:1-4

The etymology of certain words can profoundly enrich our understanding and experience of life. Consider the word “consolation.” Its roots lie in the Latin words “con-” meaning “ “to be ” and “solus,...

Quote

Author

Helen Keller

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Revelation 21:4, Psalm 34:19, 1 Peter 5:10, Romans 8:18

All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.

liturgy

Almighty God, we have failed to trust

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 46:1, Isaiah 41:10, Lamentations 3:22-23, Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 8:28

Almighty God, we have failed to trust you. Overwhelmed by the pains of life, we have taken charge and pushed you aside. O God, be gracious to us. Remind us of your daily mercies and redemptive power t...

illustration

The Snake in the Cell

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, 1 John 4:18, 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 29:25, Psalm 34:4

John O’Donahue, in his book, Walking in Wonder, shares a story from India that is thousands of years old, but just as relevant today as it was back then. It’s about a man who was forced to spend a nig...

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