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Robert G. Beckstrand

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Devotional

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Hear My Voice, O God, In My Complaint -- Psalm 64 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers ...
I Give You Thanks, O LORD -- Psalm 138 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I Will Bless The LORD At All Times -- Psalm 34 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
... his praise shall continually be in my mouth ...
Not To Us, O LORD ... But To Your Name Give Glory -- Psalm 115 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
Praise Is Due To You, O God, In Zion -- Psalm 65 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion ... O you who answer prayer!
To You I Lift Up My Eyes -- Psalm 123 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
O you who are enthroned in the heavens! As the eyes of servants
Contend, O LORD, With Those With Those Who Contend With Me -- Psalm 35 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
Praise The LORD, All You Nations! -- Psalm 117 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
I Love The LORD, Because He Has Heard My Voice -- Psalm 116 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
When I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest,
LORD, You Were Favorable To Your Land -- Psalm 85 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
You forgave the iniquity of your people ... you turned from your hot anger ...
Make A Joyful Noise To God, All The Earth -- Psalm 66 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Come and see what God has done; he is awesome in his deeds among mortals ...
Praise The LORD! Sing To The LORD A New Song -- Psalm 149 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Let Israel be glad in its Maker,
Transgression Speaks To The Wicked -- Psalm 36 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts;
O Give Thanks To The LORD, For He Is Good -- Psalm 118 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous ...
Happy Are Those ... -- Psalm 1 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
Incline Your Ear, O LORD, And Answer Me -- Psalm 86 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy ...
May God Be Gracious To Us -- Psalm 67 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us,
Praise The LORD! Praise God In His Sanctuary -- Psalm 150 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Let everything that breathes praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!
Do Not Fret Because Of The Wicked -- Psalm 37 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers,
Happy Are Those Whose Way Is Blameless -- Psalm 119 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Happy are those ... who seek him with their whole heart ...
Why Do The Nations Conspire And The Peoples Plot In Vain? -- Psalm 2 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
"I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill." I will tell of the decree of the LORD:
On The Holy Mount Stands The City He Founded -- Psalm 87 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God ...
Let God Rise Up, Let His Enemies Be Scattered -- Psalm 68 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
But let the righteous be joyful; let them exult before God;
O LORD, Do Not Rebuke Me In Your Anger -- Psalm 38 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath ...
In My Distress I Cry To The LORD -- Psalm 120 -- Robert G. Beckstrand -- 2007
Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace;
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Object: This message is a role play. You can do this with only two children playing the parts of the two women, but if you have more children, you could have two more playing the parts of the children, another playing the part of the synagogue leader, and another playing the part of the country’s leader. You can also add any other roles you might want to add to make it interesting. Also, I have created places for your characters to speak, but you can add more of those to make it all more fun and memorable.

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For August 24, 2025:

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C. Knight Aldrich, a medical doctor and the first chairperson of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago (1955-1964), was a keen analyst of the motivations for our behaviors. He worked with the social services agencies of Chicago for a time, particularly spending hours with teenagers who had been arrested for shoplifting or other theft. Aldrich interviewed them to find out how they had come to this. He also talked with the parents, attempting to discover how they had handled the problem from the first time they knew about it.
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Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Psalm 77:1-6

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“We have questions about your conduct as our pastor,” Carl announced as soon as Pastor John sat down at the hastily called board meeting. “We have received complaints about you from the congregation.”

“Complaints?” Pastor John frowned. “From whom and about what?”

“Mrs. Finnigan saw you coming out of what she politely described as ‘A Gentleman’s Club’ last Thursday night when she was driving downtown.” Bruce scowled. “Do you deny this?”

“Not at all,” Pastor John said. “I did have to go to that place on Thursday evening.”

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Call to Worship:
Jesus was aware of people's deepest needs and what prompted their actions. In our worship today let us consider how we can discover people's deepest needs and the motives for their actions.

Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, sometimes we see only the surface and condemn without real understanding.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, sometimes we are afraid to get sufficiently close to other people to see their inner needs.
Christ, have mercy.

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James Evans
(See Epiphany 4/Ordinary Time 4, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)

The old saying, "experience is the best teacher," could serve as a subtitle for this psalm. Written as a prayer for help in a time of distress or oppression, the psalm subtly hints at a recognition and awareness that only comes with time. There is a track record, so to speak, that the psalmist is aware of: God's record of dependability. Based on God's proven record of saving power and grace, the psalmist is able to pray for salvation, but at the same time celebrate the certainty of its arrival.
Lee Ann Dunlap
Carrie's1 high school guidance counselor noticed she had been acting out a bit in school recently. She had appeared depressed and had been having some authority issues over rules and such. The guidance counselor set Carrie up with a local pastor who had been volunteering a few hours each Friday after a teen suicide a few months before. Most of the other students who came to see the pastor just needed someone to listen to their usual teen issues and heartaches. But, shortly into their time together, Carrie began to open up about some real grown-up problems.
Kirk R. Webster
It's a typical Sunday morning at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida. The people file in and sit down in plush pews. Their attention is drawn to the chancel where they see choir members calmly seated, robed in dark blue and white. The mahogany altar table is draped with a silk parament. Two bronze candleholders stand guard at the table edges.
R. Robert Cueni
As was his custom, Jesus went that Sabbath morning to the synagogue for worship. As he was preaching and teaching, he happened to glance toward the fringe of the crowd where he saw a very crippled woman. She was bent over and was unable to stand up straight. When he inquired, Jesus was told the woman had been that way for eighteen years.
John H. Will
Call to Worship
Indeed, this is a day of rest and gladness.
This is God's Sabbath, created for our reflection and renewal.
Let us then not profane it, but keep it holy.
We do this as we honor God and commit ourselves to the well--being of God's creation.
Each of us individually needs a personal rejuvenation of spirit.
Together we seek a strengthening of community, a community that continues to build itself in love.
So do we come as one people to worship God, our Maker and our Sustainer.

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