Friday 25th October 2024

“My child, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for they will provide a long and full life, and well-being for you. Do not let mercy and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favour and good understanding, in the sight of God and people.” Proverbs 3:1-4 NET

Father God,

My scarves have come out and already been draped around my collar to keep the cold out. I do not forget them in cold weather! Proverbs calls us to trust and obey and to help do that to bind truth and mercy around our neck. That would definitely filter everything cold coming down from the head to the heart!

Mercy and truth. Not truth and then mercy. Truth can be a hard task master, unbending. We do not give up truth but, just we need to know mercy first. To be like You. Then we can filter out wrong thoughts, misleading half truths and confusion without being judgemental! Just as You did at the cross.

And Your commandments? The 10 commandments? Jesus said they could be summed up as, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:27-40) That puts it into perspective. Help us love You with all of ourselves and love others – even if we struggle to like them. And to learn to love ourselves. Needs mercy and truth.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

For our family, friends, neighbours, those we promised to pray for.
For our fellowship, ministers and congregations.
For our king and all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2).
For our Government. Lords and commons. Civil Servants. Local councillors
For Ukraine and Russia. For Israel, Lebanon, the Middle East. Your will be done.
Mercy and truth divert those tempted by addiction and evil to turn away.
For us to have hearts made tender by Your mercy but protected and able to love and encourage.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 25th October 2024
A beautiful contemporary take on an old hymn.


Come Thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Here by Thy great help I’ve come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above

Lyrics: Chris Rice


Monday 4th December 2023

“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”” Luke 11:1-4 NLT

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” Matthew 6:9-13 NIV

Father,

I wonder how Jesus prayed when he went off alone. Silent, out loud, in tongues? Perhaps singing the Psalms? The disciples obviously felt humbled by His prayers and wanted to learn. I know the feeling of inadequacy sometimes when I pray.

I have listened to sermons, read books, been to prayer meetings and am often overwhelmed. Others seem to pray with ease. Others know more about it! Thank you that you started by simply leading the disciples in such a simple and yet profound all encompassing prayer. Whichever version we use! Help us not to say it rote like we are saying our times table off by heart.

When we do not know where to start, Your prayer can be like turning on the tap to start the water flowing. It reminds me who You are, what Your reason to be is, how I should live and be dependant on You. Sometimes we need to sort out ourselves out first, deal with any unforgiveness, temptation etc, so we can unblock ourselves and move on to listen and pray. And if, when we are down and it is all we can manage, or out of our depth, we can keep close to You with the familiar words. Thank you.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

We pray,
For all our family, friends and neighbours. For their many individual needs and hopes. We pray they will know the true meaning of Christmas.
For churches as they prepare advent services and carol services that visitors will attend. That visitors will be blessed and drawn to come again to meet You not just to sing about baby Jesus.
For those who turn to Your prayer in times of need – help them to meet with You through it.
For our Government, King, Queen and their family.
For those in Iceland in the dangerous areas and those evacuated.
For Gaza and the Middle East, for a miracle that would enable peace.
For Putin and Ukraine. For a miracle in Putin and his entourages hearts to desire peace.
For all those who need to know they are loved with Your everlasting, unfailing love today.
For giving us a prayer which is relevant for all Christians whatever their background, personality or situation and which reminds us we are all in this together. United in Your love, hope and Your future.
For ourselves, we pray that You would accept our worship, forgive us, deliver us from evil, feed us with all we need to be nourished in mind, body and soul. And touch us with Your Kingdom love and strength.

In Jesus name we pray.

Worship Monday 4th December 2023

Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us to thee our daily bread
And forgive our sins
As we forgive each one of those who sin against us
And lead us not to the time of trial
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory

Our Father who art in Heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us to thee our daily bread
And forgive our sins
As we forgive each one of those who sin against us
And lead us not to the time of trial
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory

Let all the people say amen
in every tribe and tongue
Let every heart’s desire be joined
To see the kingdom come
Let every hope and every dream
Be born in love again
Let all the world sing with one voice
Let the people say amen

Let all the people say amen
in every tribe and tongue
Let every heart’s desire be joined
To see the kingdom come
Let every hope and every dream
Be born in love again
Let all the world sing with one voice
Let the people say amen

Amen Amen Amen . . .