Epistle Reflection
We have come to the holy mountain
and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem;
before myriads of angels,
before the full assembly of the first-born citizens of heaven.
New Testament Reading - Spiritual strength

1Dear brothers, even when I first came to you I didn’t use lofty words and brilliant ideas to tell you God’s message. 2For I decided that I would speak only of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. 3I came to you in weakness — timid and trembling. 4And my preaching was very plain, not with a lot of oratory and human wisdom, but the Holy Spirit’s power was in my words, proving to those who heard them that the message was from God. 5I did this because I wanted your faith to stand firmly upon God, not on man’s great ideas.
6Yet when I am among mature Christians I do speak with words of great wisdom, but not the kind that comes from here on earth, and not the kind that appeals to the great men of this world, who are doomed to fall. 7Our words are wise because they are from God, telling of God’s wise plan to bring us into the glories of heaven. This plan was hidden in former times, though it was made for our benefit before the world began. 8But the great men of the world have not understood it; if they had, they never would have crucified the Lord of Glory.
9That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord. 10But we know about these things because God has sent his Spirit to tell us, and his Spirit searches out and shows us all of God’s deepest secrets.
. . . . . 1 Corinthians 2:1-10Intercession
Pray for 5 people on your heart ending with the prayer below.
Heavenly Father
We pray for… those in need:
those who suffer;
the sick;
the poor;
the distressed;
the lonely; the unloved;
the persecuted;
the unemployed;
those who grieve; and those who care for them…
Comfort and heal, merciful Lord,
all who are in sorrow, need, sickness, or any other trouble.
Give them a firm trust in your goodness;
help those who minister to them;
and bring us all into the joy of your salvation.
Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.