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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

Because of This I Rejoice

Reading Philippians During Lent

Max O. Vincent • October 2018

BUY Print $13.99

BUY eBook (Available in ePub or Kindle) $9.99

For too long Lent has been thought of as a season of self-sacrifice and discipline that sounds to many Christians like a list of spiritual chores. Lenten disciplines become the spiritual equivalent of New Year's resolutions to lose weight, be healthier, or practice better money management. These promises are easily made and often quickly broken, leaving us feeling like we do not measure up to what we should be.

In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul joyfully turns to spiritual practices that draw him closer to God amid persecution and imprisonment. These practices keep Paul connected to a sense of God's power and presence. Joy flows from Paul and becomes a vital part of his relationship with the Philippians.

Because of This I Rejoice is a 6-week study of Philippians that explores what Paul teaches about joyfully practicing spiritual disciplines. The intent of these disciplines is to help us focus less on ourselves and more on God. This Lenten study invites us to engage in the same spiritual practices as a way to grow closer to God and allow joy to flow through our lives.


Categories: Bible Study, Lent

Max O. Vincent is senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Atlanta. He is the author of Good News of Great Joy: Advent Reflections on the Songs of Luke and Because of This I Rejoice: Reading Philippians During Lent. He is married to Kristen Vincent, and they have one son, Matthew. Max and Kristen coauthored Another Bead, Another Prayer, a collection of devotions and prayers to use with Protestant prayer beads. A Georgia native, Max holds Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Duke Divinity School and a bachelor’s degree in Religion from Wofford College. He studied for one year at the University of Bonn in Bonn, Germany. In addition to serving as pastor of United Methodist congregations in North Carolina and Georgia, Max served for 4 years as a chaplain for the brain injury unit at Shepherd Center in Atlanta. He enjoys teaching workshops on prayer and spiritual disciplines. Max enjoys reading theology, preaching, golf, college basketball, and Girl Scout cookies.



ISBN: 978-0-8358-1793-6

Kindle ISBN: 978-0-8358-1794-3

EPub ISBN: 978-0-8358-1795-0

Imprint: Upper Room

Pub Date: October 2018

Trim Size: 5.5 in (w) x 8.5 in (h) x 0.2775 in (d)

Page Count: 128

BISAC Categories: RELIGION / Holidays / Easter & Lent

BISAC1: REL034030

BISAC2: REL012020

BISAC3: REL012120