“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 NKJV
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” Colossians 3:16 NLT
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Today is a good day to just do that. Sing to You in worship, be thankful and remind ourselves how awesome and wonderful You are.
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father There is no shadow of turning with Thee Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be
Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see All I have needed Thy hand hath provided Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest Sun, moon and stars in their courses above Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow Blessings all mine with 10, 000 beside
Faithful Father, We Pray,
For Our family including friends. For Our church, the one we know. For Our church family around the world. For all Your riches blessings and provision and wisdom to be theirs today. For the world and its conflict. That You would speak peace and men and women would hear and change. For our hearts to find rest in worship, peace in Your presence and life in Your Word.
“So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. 2 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 2:1-3 NLT
God of rest,
Its interesting that when we look at a verses we are very familiar with and think about it how Your Holy Spirit can trigger new thoughts! I always thought of God taking a day off literally and just resting looking at the beauty of all he had created, the universe, the earth and across the diversity of creatures, with his pleasure resting on man and woman as he walked in the garden.
But it actually says You rested from creation. That was actions done. Boxes ticked. But You still had to Govern it’s ongoing and its future. Jesus, Paul reminds us was before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17. Jesus reminded us that His Father, You God, are always at work to this very day, working with Him (John 5:17).
So even though You rested from creation You were still reigning and enabling and direction creation to continue and were sovereign over all.
And I am reminded of one of my favourite Psalms which says my help comes from You, the Maker of heaven and earth who neither slumbers or sleeps (Psalm 121:1).
Thank you that You know even when we have responsibilities that we still hold we can rest. And You carry them with us. You understand. And You never stop giving and being there for us.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
God of rest,
We pray:
For all our family, friends, neighbours, and our church family. For a blessing today. For those who work tirelessly to ensure we have electricity, gas, clean water, farm the land, and run our hospitals. For our town, local council and MP’s to make wise choices. For our King and His family. For Gaza and the Middle East, for the miracle of resting from war and finding peace. For Putin, the Russian people and Ukraine, an end and soon to war. For ongoing comfort, help and relief for those in Afghanistan, Libya and Morocco and where there has been flooding in the UK. For our world, for Governments to see the great benefits to of resting from aggression and seeking good. For ourselves, to be able to find rest in our hearts and minds even while doing chores, work and essential things.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Worship Saturday 28th October 2023
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. Your mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, new every morning: great is your faithfulness, O Lord, great is your faithfulness!
Lyrics: Edith McNeill Inspired by Lamentations 3:21-23
“Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. 30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.” Genesis 1:29-30 NLT
“You must not covet your neighbour’s house. You must not covet your neighbour’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbour.” Exodus 20:17NLT
God of freedom, not license,
The last and tenth time that You, God spoke into creation is like a word of release. Now get on with it and see all that I have provided. Plenty for the two of them and a growing society to come. Shame that with all You provided for them, they just could not leave the one lone tree that was forbidden. All that abundance and variety and they coveted that one fruit. And it only took two seconds temptation by the snake to persuade them they should be able to have it.
When You needed to give Your people the last of 10 all encompassing rules and laws, did You remember how prone we are to wanting what we cannot have! Looks like it as You needed to cover envy, jealousy and greed! Do not covet! Oh, there is nothing new under the sun, as Your Word says (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
We too, when we have plenty still sometimes have eyes for what someone else has or what we have not. Sadly we see the breakdown of marriage due to those wanting someone else’s wife, husband or partner. Jealous and envy can be subtle, flitting through our minds at the speed of thought. Jealousy always leads to discontent not contentment. Lord, help us to learn to give thanks for all the blessings others have and then be able to count our own blessings.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
God of all creation,
We pray:
For all our family, friends, neighbours, our church family. For their best for today. Those living in our street or road or cul-de-sac or area. For a day of blessings. For our town, local council and MP’s. For our King and His family. For Gaza and the Middle East, to an end to the terrorism there without more bloodshed. For Putin, the Russian people and for a change in policy. An end of war in Ukraine. For help, relief and ongoing comfort for those in Afghanistan, Libya and Morocco who last homes and family. For our world, for greed to make way for generosity and contentment. For leaders to be more concerned with blessing their nation than growing their own wealth. For ourselves, to be able to recognise, count and give thanks for our own blessings.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 27th October 2023 Timeless classic beautifully and simply sung.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by.
So, amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
