“And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” ” Luke 9:21
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
John 14:1-4
Father in Heaven,
We love You, because You first loved us. Loved us with an everlasting love. Not like earthly love, fragile, unpredictable, inconsistent. Love stronger than sin, suffering and death. Love that knew our unworthiness but paid the price. We bring You our worship and our praise and our love.
Father when we look at Jesus , in the gospels, we see how focused He was. Focused on the reason He came to earth. Focused on paying for our sin by dying on the cross. The angels announcing His birth and Simeon (Luke 2;11 and 26) called Him the Messiah – the one who came to save the people from their sins. He was the perfect sinless sacrifice. Nothing distracted Him. He prepared His disciples as best He could. He planned, even down to their last meal together. So they would always remember- every time they broke bread, sat down to eat. And then sent His Holy Spirit to be with them and us.
Paul, in Philippians 3:14, calls us to be focused on the goal. To win the prize to which You, God are calling us heavenward in Jesus Christ. Help us to be like Jesus, remembering where we are going. We are less likely to get lost, give up or start going backwards. Assure us, by Your Holy Spirit, that our sin is forgiven, that death is conquered and a place is prepared for us. A glorious place full of life and joyful fellowship and an atmosphere of unconditional love. “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now we know in part; then we shall know fully, even as we are fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Keep us focused on You.
In Jesus beautiful name we pray, Amen.
Father in Heaven,
We pray,
For all our family, friends, neighbours, and our church family. For their needs, some we know, some are urgent and some are known only to You. Bless them.
For our ministers, all who work through churches to support, help and bless their local communities. For food banks, social gatherings and warm places.
For our Government, that You would shake it up, so that those with the good of the nation would be seated there.
For our King and Queen and those who work for the best future for our nation.
For Gaza and the Middle East, Lord a miracle of peace, and wisdom from world leaders not division.
For Putin and Ukraine. An end to this conflict.
For our armed services as they prepare to take part in remembrance services. For Ambassadors who seek to represent our desire for peace and democracy.
For those in the midst of conflict, whose share their faith, to see people choose Christ Jesus.
For ourselves, to appreciate the peace we have in our nation and to give thanks for the peace the world cannot give us and which is only found in You. (John 14:27).
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 10th November 2023
This is in Welsh and then in English.
First verse sung in Welsh.
Here is love, vast as the ocean
Loving kindness as the flood
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom
Shed for us His precious blood
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout Heaven’s eternal days
On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide
Grace and love, like mighty rivers
Poured incessant from above
And Heaven’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love