Prayerfully
In 2025 I aim to pray my way chronologically (as it happened) through the Bible and listen for God.
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Forgive me and help me turn from everything I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay the price and set me free from my sin. Please come into my life, fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.”
“Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”” 2 Corinthians 8:10-15 NLT
Generous Father,
Paul touches on a sticky subject for some Christians. Giving. He gives advice only. And in the light of what they said they would do earlier. It is perhaps also about keeping Your word as a church and as the individuals who are the church. The Corinthians had wanted to give, and began doing it. But they had lost their eagerness. Enthusiasm, keenness! Having to be reminded and asked rather than it being keeping their word and a joy?
Do I joy in giving? Do I only promise to support those things I know I will? I remember that in the eyes of half the world, I am wealthy. I have a warm, dry home, three meals a day (at least), a warm dry bed, hot and cold clean running water, and access to health care. Paul does not tell them how much to give, that would be like giving tick boxes and that is not what You desire God is it? You want us to give as a response to others need, sharing what You have provided us with. Not to make ourselves in need but to spread joy from our overflow.
Paul suggests is good to decide what to give to on a regular basis as a church. That means we have to give to our fellowship as we are the church! And that applies to us as individuals as well. To keep our promises, if we have made any to support financially. And not be rash with promises. To know the joy and feeling of well being that comes giving and being a part of what others are doing. Or relieving someone’s suffering. You love giving Lord, and everything I have is because of You.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 5th December 2025
God loves a generous heart, a generous heart
Yes, He does
God loves a generous heart, a generous heart
Cause that’s a heart like His own heart
That’s a heart like His own
There are those who give away
It seems the more they give, the more they gain
There are others who hold back
The more they try to keep, the more they lack
The more they lack
Chorus
God has shown us how to give
He offered up His Son so we might live
Jesus gave His precious blood
To wash us clean and bring us back to God
Back to God
Chorus
We can’t out give God
For He’s the Giver of life
And ev’ry good thing
We can’t out give God
He just keeps pouring out more
He’s the wonderful King!
Lyrics
“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NLT
“We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:5-10 NLT
God of our present circumstances,
Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is much more encouraging and less severe. And is worthy, as all his letters are, of reading at leisure in full. But to get through the whole Bible in a year in chronical order (as it happened) means it must be devoured and a morsel picked out . . .
It is good to look back as Paul did and be reassured that God answered prayer. So we can look forward and trust him for what is to come. And Paul reminds them of the presence of God with them now. Not as a mighty power which He is. Not as a merciful Saviour which he is. But as the light of our life to show to the world. Now is a moment to see His light in us.
I have a lamp which has a battery operated candle inside. It is a warm glow and bright enough to stop me banging myself on the corner of the coffee table. I also have a camping lamp for if the electricity fails. It is a dazzling white light. I am not sure if I am a very consistent light Lord? Help me.
We are just fragile clay jars Father. You made us that way. We do not know what life may hold, hopefully not as troubled as Paul. But some of us may. Help us to turn to You for help first as he did. So those watching can see we rely on You and not ourselves. Thank You for being our help and provider. And for the times when life is good we rejoice. Help us give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 4th December 2025
All these pieces, broken and scattered
In mercy gathered, mended and whole
Empty-handed but not forsaken
I’ve been set free, I’ve been set free
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me, ooh-oh
I once was lost but now I am found
Was blind but now I see, Oh, I can see You now
Oh, I can see the love in Your eyes
Laying Yourself down, raising up the broken to life
You take our failure, You take our weakness
You set Your treasure in jars of clay
So take this heart, Lord, I’ll be Your vessel
The world to see, Your life in me
Chorus
Oh-oh, oh-oh, Oh-oh, oh-oh
Chorus
Lyrics: Jonas Myrin and Joel Timothy Houston.
“If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 NLT
Our ever present God,
If I was not sure what God was like I think I would be afraid of Him being with me all the time. Seeing my every slip, every sliver of selfishness, greed, laziness and imperfectness! But if, as yesterday, we stamped, ‘there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus’ on our faith’ . . . we can walk daily, hourly, moment by mini moment by faith with You God. Loved accepted, forgiven and guided by Your Spirit.
No condemnation and no separation. The two go together as grace and mercy, thank you Lord and Father. Paul so clearly states everything that we might worry about or worry about that could separate us, so we can see the folly of considering it. And if we do it is there to reassure us. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from Your love God.
And because You are always with us, we know our every prayer is heard, You know how we feel and understand what we are going through (Jesus knew what it was like to be one of us completely). You know what we want but more importantly You know what we need. Your grace and mercy is ever present and how can we keep from praising You.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Wednesday 3rd December 2025
Nothing shall separate us From the love of God.
Nothing shall separate us From the love of God.
God did not spare His only Son,
Gave Him to save us all.
Sin’s price was met by Jesus’ death
And heaven’s mercy falls.
Up from the grave Jesus was raised
To sit at God’s right hand;
Pleading our cause in heaven’s courts,
Forgiven we can stand.
Now by God’s grace we have embraced
A life set free from sin;
We shall deny all that destroys
Our union with Him.
Lyrics: Noel and Tricia Richards