Psalm 47

Psalm 47

  ¹ Clap your hands, all you nations;
   shout to God with cries of joy.
² How awesome is the LORD Most High,
   the great King over all the earth!
³ He subdued nations under us,
   peoples under our feet.
⁴ He chose our inheritance for us,
   the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
                         Selah ⁵ God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
   the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises;
   sing praises to our King, sing praises.
 ⁷ For God is the King of all the earth;
   sing to him a psalm^[a] of praise.
⁸ God reigns over the nations;
   God is seated on his holy throne.
⁹ The nobles of the nations assemble
   as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings^[b] of the earth belong to God;
   he is greatly exalted.

Mark 10:17-30

The Rich Young Man

 ¹⁷ As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”    ¹⁸ “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’^[a]”
 ²⁰ “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
 ²¹ Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
 ²² At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
 ²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
 ²⁴ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is^[b] to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
 ²⁶ The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
 ²⁷ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
 ²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!”
   ²⁹ “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

Mark 8:34-38

The Way of the Cross

 ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶ What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Psalm 121

Psalm 121

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.  ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1 - Jerry Miel's missionary experience in Haiti

Psalm 8 & Mark 4:1-20

Psalm 8

 ¹ LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

   You have set your glory
   in the heavens.
² Through the praise of children and infants
   you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
   to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens,
   the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
   which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
   human beings that you care for them?^[c]
 5 You have made them^[d] a little lower than the angels^[e]
   and crowned them^[f] with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
   you put everything under their^[g] feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds,
   and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
   and the fish in the sea,
   all that swim the paths of the seas.
 ⁹ LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Mark 4

The Parable of the Sower

 ¹ Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
 ⁹ Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
 ¹⁰ When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables ¹² so that,
   “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
   and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’^[a]”
 ¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Mark 9:14-29

Mark 9:14-29 (New International Version, ©2011)

Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit

 ¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.    ¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
 ¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
   ¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
 ²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
 ²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
   “From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
   ²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
 ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
 ²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
 ²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
 ²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
 ²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.^[a]”

Psalm 79

Psalm 79 (New International Version, ©2011)

A psalm of Asaph.  ¹ O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance;
   they have defiled your holy temple,
   they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
² They have left the dead bodies of your servants
   as food for the birds of the sky,
   the flesh of your own people for the animals of the wild.
³ They have poured out blood like water
   all around Jerusalem,
   and there is no one to bury the dead.
⁴ We are objects of contempt to our neighbors,
   of scorn and derision to those around us.
 ⁵ How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever?
   How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
⁶ Pour out your wrath on the nations
   that do not acknowledge you,
on the kingdoms
   that do not call on your name;
⁷ for they have devoured Jacob
   and devastated his homeland.
 ⁸ Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
   may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
   for we are in desperate need.
⁹ Help us, God our Savior,
   for the glory of your name;
deliver us and forgive our sins
   for your name’s sake.
¹⁰ Why should the nations say,
   “Where is their God?”
   Before our eyes, make known among the nations
   that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants.
¹¹ May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
   with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.
¹² Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times
   the contempt they have hurled at you, Lord.
¹³ Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
   will praise you forever;
from generation to generation
   we will proclaim your praise.

Mark 4:1-20

Mark 4:1-20 (New International Version, ©2010)

The Parable of the Sower

 ¹ Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. ² He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
 ⁹ Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
 ¹⁰ When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables ¹² so that,
   “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
   and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
 ¹³ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Psalm 8

Psalm 8 New International Version, ©2010
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
1 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

View from Above

Recent pituce from Sherry's Journal of the new home developments and the current places where earthquake victims are still living in tents. Wow!

Mark 2:13-17

Mark 2:13-17 (New International Version, ©2010)

Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners

 ¹³ Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.  ¹⁵ While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ¹⁶ When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
 ¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Meals For Mission Signup Table

Can you see Brianna?

Psalm 5

Psalm 5 (New International Version, ©2010)   

 For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

¹ Listen to my words, LORD,
   consider my lament.
² Hear my cry for help,
   my King and my God,
   for to you I pray. 
³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
   in the morning I lay my requests before you
   and wait expectantly.
⁴ For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
   with you, evil people are not welcome.
⁵ The arrogant cannot stand
   in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
⁶ you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
   you, LORD, detest.
⁷ But I, by your great love,
   can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
   toward your holy temple.
 ⁸ Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
   because of my enemies—
   make your way straight before me.
⁹ Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
   their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
   with their tongues they tell lies.
¹⁰ Declare them guilty, O God!
   Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
   for they have rebelled against you.
¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
   let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
   that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
 ¹² Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
   you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

1 Corinthians 9:19-27

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 (New International Version, ©2011)

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Prayer and Scripture Guide

2011 Haiti Mission Team – Prayer Guide - Northminster Presbyterian Church

Use this prayer guide along with your regular preparations for the trip to Haiti! Just like you would not consider leaving the US without a passport, we must not think that we can do this trip and all the tasks on it, without prayer. What is prayer? It is talking to God about specific things – asking – praising – confessing sin – seeking guidance. It is listening to God. It is dwelling in scripture, and seeing what the Spirit lifts to your attention. Prayerful living is attentiveness to life – in the ordinary and day to day – to see where our prayer and reflection intersects with what God is bringing right in front of us.

Scripture, Prayer & Reflection Challenge

Reflect on this scripture during the week, journal your thoughts and prayers:

January 30 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

February 6 Psalm 5

Feb 13 Mark 2:13-17

Feb 20 Psalm 63

Feb 27 Mark 12:28-34

March 6 Psalm 79

Mar 13 Mark 9:14-29

Mar 20 Psalm 8

Mar 27 Mark 4:1-20

April 3 Psalm 121

Apr 10 Mark 8:34-38

Apr 17 Psalm 22; Mark 15:21-41

Apr 24 Mark 10:17-30

May 1 Psalm 47

May 8 Mark 4:35-41

May 15 Psalm 77

May 22 Hebrews 12:1-15

Challenge to Pray for Haiti

The earthquake of 2010 was a disaster on many levels. It is believed that 230,000 lost their lives, 300,000 were injured and over one million were rendered homeless. Hundreds of thousands of homes and buildings were also destroyed, including some major government buildings. For a host of reasons, Haiti struggled as a nation from its very inception. This shattering disaster could be an opportunity to reshape not just the physical infrastructure of the nation, but the cultural, economic, political and societal infrastructures as well. Some points to cover in prayer include:

a) The rebuilding efforts will take years. Haiti’s infrastructure was never good, and Port-au-Prince’s was especially weak due to rapid urbanization from poorer rural areas. Countless homes will need to be rebuilt or restored; the sheer scale of money and manpower needed is staggering for the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation. Pray for the best long-term development for the city and nation, rather than quick fixes.

b) The human suffering was immense in the immediate aftermath and will continue for years. The shared emotional trauma of the events, the massive loss of life and the long-term injuries will all leave major scars on the Haitian population. Healing from such hurts needs time, care and the love of God.

c) Haiti was a financial and social mess even before the earthquake. Repairing all the damage, however, will not create a healthy economy. Haiti must rebuild beyond its previous state and develop long-term plans and policies that are shaped with wisdom and justice.

d) Cholera - From mid-October to January 16, 2011, 194,000 people throughout Haiti have been infected with cholera. This has resulted in almost 4000 deaths. Though the epidemic has not reached its peak, the lowest number of deaths were reported between January 12-16, according to the World Health Organization.

Pray for family members who have separated from one another and for those who grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones. Survivors have had to try to put their lives together, yet many have lost homes, family, and limbs which have been amputated.

Pray for relief workers and all those on the ground who are trying to bring order out of chaos, comfort and resources to those affected most.

Pray for Haiti’s leaders, as well as the grass roots efforts of the various relief organizations in Haiti—that they might have a vision for a reconstructed Haiti, and the courage, perseverance and resources to make the vision a reality.

Pray that God would use even this to draw people to Himself, and make something beautiful out of this ugly tragedy.

Pray for the church in Haiti—that it might persevere through this trial, and continue to exalt the name of Jesus. Pray also for the pastors and all those who “speak for God” – that they might bring clarity and hope to their communities.

Challenge to Pray for our Mission Team

Pray for Love a Child – missionaries Bobby & Sherry Burnette, and the many who lead ministries: orphanage, schools, radio station, medical clinic, mobile medical team, food distribution, and now…cholera center and home building. Read Sherry’s Journal online – read current stuff and go to the archives to see what has been going on over the past year+ www.loveachild.com

Pray for each member of the team from NPC. We all bring uniqueness to an experience like this – and God can and will knit us together to use us in a powerful way. Pray for friendships and fondness to develop, that we may grow to trust and depend on each other.

Pray for the congregation of NPC. Thanksgiving for their support in fundraising and being an encouragement to us. That they may take ownership of this trip as much as us, and they would be led to pray for our team and trip.

Pray for trip details and plans to come together.

Pray for God to break your heart for Haiti, and the people there.

Pray for God to open our minds to ways that we can be used in spite of our own limitations or differences – local knowledge, language, culture, customs, etc. That we would not be afraid.

Travel – airplanes, airports, security, customs, ground transportation, simple walking, travel to debrief site, and return home.

What else?

Welcome!

Hey there! This blogsite is meant to be a tool for the NPC Mission Team to Haiti to connect with via posts, replys, etc. Particiularly since not all of us are in the same city at the moment, this is a place where we can reflect together on the the scripture of the the week that we are praying though.
Blessings, Pete