Daily Prayer - Saturday
- Give thanks to God that we have good news of salvation to tell that the repentant sinner might have everlasting life through Jesus Christ. (John 3.16.) - Pray the Lord would bless the Gospel outreach by the church in Westminster. Both on Saturday mornings and at services. - Pray the Lord would work in the contacts we have made both on Saturday mornings and at services; through personal conversations and online contacts. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - The army of God: his evil attempts in the latter years: God's judgment against him. Ezekiel 38 Preface - The Psalmist praiseth God for his covenanted mercies to David: for his mighty power, and moral perfections: for his care of his people: for his promised favour to the kingdom of David: then complaining of contrary events, he expostulateth, prayeth, and in the end blesseth God. Psalms 89 Daily Light - Morning Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Why art thou cast down, O my soul! and why art thou disquited within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. - LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. - For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Jacob said unto his household... Let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. - Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD. Ps. 50.15; Ps. 42.11; Ps. 10.17; Ps. 86.5 Ge. 35.2,3; Ps. 103.2 Ps. 116.1-4 Daily Light - Evening Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. - Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. - Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down... For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. He. 10.37; Hab. 2.2-3 2 Pe. 3.8-9; Ps. 86.15; Isa. 64.14 A Puritans Catechism Q 46 - What is forbidden in the second commandment? A - The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of God and the Holy Trinity Chapter 2 PARAGRAPH 2 God, having all life,17 glory,18 goodness,19 blessedness, in and of Himself, is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creature which He hath made, nor deriving any glory from them,20 but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them; He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things,21 and He hath most sovereign dominion over all creatures, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever Himself pleases;22 in His sight all things are open and manifest,23 His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to Him contingent or uncertain;24 He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works,25 and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship,26 service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them. 17 John 5:26 18 Ps. 148:13 19 Ps. 119:68 20 Job 22:2–3 21 Rom. 11:34-36 22 Dan. 4:25,34–35 23 Heb. 4:13 24 Ezek. 11:5; Acts 15:18 25 Ps. 145:17 26 Rev. 5:12-14 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings Jesus bids us shine Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5 v 16 Shine with Christ's light. The moon rises and shines, but not with her own light; she gathers all from the sun; so do you. Shine in such a way that Christ shall have all the glory. They shine brightest who feel most their own darkness, and are most clothed in Christ's brightness. Oh, wherever you go, make it manifest that your light and peace all come from Him; that it is by 'looking unto Jesus' that you shine, and that your holiness all comes from union with Him. Shine in your closet in secret prayer. Ah! let your face shine in secret communion with God. Shine in your family. Shine in your town; that, when you mingle with the crowd, it may be as if an angel shook his wings. Shine in the world. Oh! let your heart's desire and prayer be, that every soul may be saved. Be like Christ Himself, who is not willing that any should perish.
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Daily Prayer - Friday
- Give thanks to God for many good things we enjoy and daily blessings. - Pray the Lord would supply the needs of those in the congregation at Westminster and guide us as we help those destitute and suffering. Especially those we have met in the pandemic. (Numbers 6.24-26.) - Pray for the ministry among the children and that they would know Christ from a young age. A rich blessing in this troubled world. - Pray for the evangelistic work, that people would know the greatest blessing of all salvation by the grace of God through Christ. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - By the resurrection of dry bones the revival of the lost hope of Israel is prefigured. By the uniting of two sticks in shewed the incorporation of Israel with Judah. Their blessings in union under Christ their king. Ezekiel 37 Psalms 87) Preface - The seat and glory of the church: the honourable distinction of its members. Psalms 88) Preface - A prayer containing a grievous complaint. Psalms 87-88 Daily Light - Morning Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. - Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? - In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. - Be clothed with humility. [Jesus] was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. - All that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on [Stephen], saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. - The glory which thou gavest me I have given them. - We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Ex. 34.29; Ps. 115.1; Mt. 25.37; Phil. 2.3; 1 Pe. 5.5 Mt. 17.2; Ac. 6.15; Jn. 17.22; 2 Co. 3.18 Mt. 5.14-15 Daily Light - Evening There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. There fell some of Manasseh to David... And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour. - The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. Of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do. - To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart. - A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. There should be no schism in the body; but...the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. 1 Co. 12.6; 1 Chr. 12.19,21; 1 Co. 12.7 1 Chr. 12.32; 1 Co. 12.8 1 Chr. 12.33; Jas. 1.8 1 Co. 12.25-26 Eph. 4.5 A Puritans Catechism Q 45 - What is required in the second commandment? A - The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his Word. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of God and the Holy Trinity Chapter 2 PARAGRAPH 1 The Lord our God is but one only living and true God;1 whose subsistence is in and of Himself,2 infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but Himself;3 a most pure spirit,4 invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto;5 who is immutable,6 immense,7 eternal,8 incomprehensible, almighty,9 every way infinite, most holy,10 most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,11 for His own glory;12 most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him,13 and withal most just and terrible in His judgments,14 hating all sin,15 and who will by no means clear the guilty.16 1 1 Cor. 8:4,6; Deut. 6:4 2 Jer. 10:10; Isa. 48:12 3 Exod. 3:14 4 John 4:24 5 1 Tim. 1:17; Deut. 4:15–16 6 Mal. 3:6 7 1 Kings 8:27; Jer. 23:23 8 Ps. 90:2 9 Gen. 17:1 10 Isa. 6:3 11 Ps. 115:3; Isa. 46:10 12 Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36 13 Exod. 34:6–7; Heb. 11:6 14 Neh. 9:32–33 15 Ps. 5:5–6 16 Exod. 34:7; Nahum 1:2–3 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings Family government For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Genesis 18 v 19 There are three things very remarkable in these words. 1 - That Abraham used parental authority in governing his family: 'I know him, that he will command his children and servants after him.' He did not think it enough to pray for them, or to teach them, but he used the authority which God had given him. He commanded them. 2 - That he cared for his servants as well as his children. In Genesis 14 v 14, we learn that Abraham had 318 servants born in his house. He lived after the manner of patriarchal times, as the Arabs of the wilderness do to this day. His family was very large, and yet he did not say, 'They are none of mine.' He commanded his children and his household. 3 - His success. 'They shall keep the way of the Lord.' It is often said that the children of good men turn out ill. Well, here is a good man, and a good man doing his duty by his children - and here is the result. His son Isaac was probably a child of God from his earliest years. There is every mark of it in his life. And what a delightful specimen of a believing, prayerful servant was Eliezer! (Genesis 24) It is the duty of all believers to rule their houses well. Daily Prayer - Thursday
- Give thanks to God that we are part of a global church made up of true Christians across the world. - Give thanks to God for the freedoms we have to share the Gospel in England and pray that it may continue. - Pray for missionaries across the world who are seeking to preach the Gospel and establish a faithful church. - Pray for those in persecuted countries who have to meet in secret. Even those who are now in prison for their faith. Give thanks to God that we are part of a global church made up of true Christians across the world. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - The land of Israel is comforted with a prospect of the ruin of its spiteful neighbours, and of its own blessings promised by God. Israel was rejected for their sin, and shall be restored with blessings for the sake of God's name only. Ezekiel 36 Preface - David imploreth God's aid because of his need and religious faith; and of the power and goodness of God: he prayeth for grace, and promiseth praise for past mercies: complaining of the proud, he craveth some token of God's favour. Psalms 86 Daily Light - Morning Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Love is strong as death... Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. - In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Ye are washed...ye are sanctified...ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. - Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. - I beseech you...brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rev. 1.5; Song 8.6,7; Jn. 15.13 1 Pe. 2.24; Eph. 1.7 1 Co. 6.11; 1 Pe. 2.9; Ro. 12.1 Daily Light - Evening There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. Over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses...Jehonathan... And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri... And over the vineyards was Shimei... These were the rulers of the substance which was king David's. God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. - All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. 1 Co. 12.5; 1 Chr. 27.25,26,27,31 1 Co. 12.28; 1 Co. 12.11 1 Pe. 4.10-11 A Puritans Catechism Q 44 - Which is the second commandment? A - The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the their and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 10 The supreme judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit, into which Scripture so delivered, our faith is finally resolved.21 21 Matt. 22:29, 31, 32; Eph. 2:20; Acts 28:23 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings A hymn of prayer And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 1 Chronicles 4 vs 9-10 O God of Israel, hear my prayer! Let me thy riches blessings share; Thy blessings shall my portion be; Oh! Let that blessing rest on me! If shining suns my path attend, And all their cheering influence lend; Thy blessing still I'll most desire, To that my highest hopes aspire. Or, if affliction's storm shall low'r I'll trust thee in the darkest hour; On thee I'll rest my anxious mind, And in thy blessing comfort find. 'Preserve me from the snares of sin, And ever keep my conscience clean: Till all the cares of life shall cease, And, blessing thee, I die in peace!' Thus pious Jabez often prayed, Reclining on Jehovah's aid; And all who seek the Lord shall find The God of Jabez still as kind. O children! who assemble here, With holy love and humble fear. Like him present the fervent prayer, And in God's richest blessing share. Daily Prayer - Wednesday
- Give thank to God for the Bible its inspiration and preservation for us to read it today. (2 Timothy 3.16, Proverbs 30.5.) - Give thanks to God that we have easy access to the Scripture in English, in our mother tongue. - Pray the Lord would bless us as we study the Bible through the ministry this coming year. That as we work through a book of the Bible the Lord would continue to help us to grasp God's truth. - Pray for the Lunchtime outreach service and those who attend; pray that more from the offices nearby and Christians who commute are able to join us. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - The judgment of mount Seir for their hatred of Israel, and insulting over their distress. Ezekiel 35 Preface - The Psalmist, having acknowledged God's returning favour to his people, humbly prayeth for the completion of it: he promiseth to wait God's answer in confidence of his manifold blessings. Psalms 85 Daily Light - Morning The goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. - In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve. - Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. - Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity? All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. - He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Lev. 16.22; Ps. 103.12; Jer. 50.20; Mi. 7.19; Mi. 7.18 Isa. 53.6; Isa. 53.11-12; Jn.. 1.29 Daily Light - Evening Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what has thou that thou didst not receive? By the grace of God I am what I am. - Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth. - It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. - Where is boasting then? It is excluded. - Christ Jesus...is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption... He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. - Ye are washed...ye are sanctified...ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Co. 4.7; 1 Co. 15.10; Jas. 1.18; Ro. 9.16; Ro. 3.27; 1 Co. 1.30,31 Eph. 2.1-3; 1 Co. 6.11 A Puritans Catechism Q 43 - What is required in the first commandment? A - The first commandment requires us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 9 The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which are not many, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly.20 20 2 Pet. 1:20–21; Acts 15:15–16 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings Make haste my beloved Make hast, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. Song of Solomon 8 v 14 It is the presence of Christ that makes a sweet time of refreshing in a Church. When He comes leaping on the mountains, skipping upon the hills, the flowers immediately appear on the earth. The Lord's people are quickened in all their graces; they begin to sing songs of deliverance; anxious souls spring up like the grass, and the whole garden of the Lord sends out spices. Ah! if the Lord Jesus were to come in here with power, I would preach and you would hear in another way than we do. I could not be so hard-hearted, and you would be melted under His word. Oh! will you not pray, 'Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.' Is not such a time desirable? Prayer - Tuesday
- Give thanks to God for those who have recently recovered from sickness. - Pray for those who are sick or receiving treatment in our congregation. - Pray that we each would walk close to God, putting off sins that easily beset us and that we would daily give thanks for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (1. John 1.3; Hebrews 12.1; 1 Thes. 5.16.) Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - A reproof of the shepherds of Israel. God's judgment against them: his providence over his flock. The blessings of Christ's kingdom. Ezekiel 34 Psalms 83) Preface - The Psalmist complaineth to God of a powerful confederacy among the enemies of Israel: he prayeth against them. Psalms 84) Preface - The Psalmist longing for the temple worship, sheweth the blessedness of attending thereupon: he prayeth to be restored to it. Psalms 83-84 Daily Light - Morning The fruit of the Spirit is...temperance. Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. - Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober. - Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Ga. 5.22,23; 1 Co. 9.25-27; Eph. 5.18 Mt. 16.24 1 Th. 4.5-8; Titus 2.12-13 Daily Light - Evening Grow up in him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. - Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God , unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise... But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. The body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Eph. 4.15; Mk. 4.28; Eph. 4.13 2 Co. 10.12,17-18 Col. 2.17-19 2 Pe. 3.18 A Puritans Catechism Q 42 - Which is the first commandment? A - The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 8 The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old),14 and the New Testament in Greek (which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and by His singular care and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentic; so as in all controversies of religion, the church is finally to appeal to them.15 But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have a right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded in the fear of God to read,16 and search them,17 therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,18 that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope.19 14 Rom. 3:2 15 Isa. 8:20 16 Acts 15:15 17 John 5:39 18 1 Cor. 14:6,9,11-12,24,28 19 Col. 3:16 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings No thorn, no throne, And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Revelations 7 v 14 Every one that gets to the throne must put their foot upon the thorn. The way to the crown is by the cross. We must taste the gall if we are to taste the glory. When justified by faith, God led them into tribulations also. When God brought Israel through the Red Sea. He led them into the wilderness; so, when God saves a soul, He tries it. He never gives faith without trying it. The way to Zion is through the valley of Baca. You must go through the wilderness of Jordan if you are to come to the Land of Promise. Some believers are much surprised when they are called to suffer. They thought they would do some great thing for God; but all that God permits them to do is to suffer. Go round every one in glory, - every one has a different story, yet every one has a tale of suffering. One was persecuted in his family, - by his friends and companions; another was visited by sore pains and humbling disease - neglected by the world; another was bereaved of children; another had all these afflictions meeting in one, - deep called unto deep. Mark! all are brought out of them. It was a dark cloud, but it passed away; the water was deep, but they have reached the other side. Not one of them blames God for the road He led them: 'Salvation' is their only cry. Is there any of you, dear children, murmuring at your lot? Do not sin against God. This is the way God leads all His redeemed ones. You must have a palm as well as a white robe. No pain, no palm; no cross, no crown; no thorn, no throne; no gall, no glory. Learn to glory in tribulations also. 'I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.' Prayer - Monday
- Give thanks to God for salvation and the redemption that is found alone through Jesus Christ. - Give thanks to God for granting us particular skills and abilities that we might fulfil our vocations (jobs, studies, family responsibilities and time we spend alone). (Ecclesiastes 9.10, Ephesians 6.6) - Pray for the Lord's blessing on the working week for us and all in the congregation. - Pray the Lord would grant us grace to be good ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5.20) Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - According to the duty of a watchman in warning the people, Ezekiel is admonished of his duty in warning sinners. God sheweth the manner of his dealings with the righteous that revolteth, and with thte returning sinner. He maintaineth the equity of his proceeding. Upon the news of the taking of Jerusalem Ezekiel prophesieth the desolation of the land. The hypocrisy of the captive Jews reproved. Ezekiel 33 Psalms 81) Preface - An exhortation to a solemn praising of God. God challengeth that duty by reason of his benefits. God, exhorting his people to obedience, complaineth of their disobedience, which proveth their own hurt. Psalms 82) Preface - The Psalmist having exhorted the judges, and reproved their misconduct, prayeth God to judge. Psalms 81-82 Daily Light - Morning He knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. He knoweth our frame. - He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that thy may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. - I...will refine them as silver is refined...they shall call on my name, and i will hear them: I will say, it is my people: and they shall say, the LORD is my God. Job 23.10; Ps. 103.14; Lam. 3.33 2 Tim. 2.19-21 Mal. 3.3; Zech. 13.9 Daily Light - Evening Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. And Moses said unto the LORD... I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee... And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. - He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. - I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. - The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth mroe and more unto the perfect day. Ps. 25.4; Ex. 33.12,13,14; Ps. 103.7 Ps. 25.9,12; Pro. 3.5-6 Ps. 16.11; Ps. 32.8; Pro. 4.18 A Puritans Catechism Q 41 - What is the sum of the ten commandments? A - The sum of the ten commandments is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 7 All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all;12 yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.13 12 2 Pet. 3:16 13 Ps. 19:7; Psalm 119:130 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings A Vent for His love Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. John 10 v 17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life. I do not know any word in the Bible that is more sweet to meditate on than the love of the Father to the Son. There are many things that induce the Father to love the Son. He loved Him for His Godhead. But here is another reason why the Father loves the Son - He loves Him for His holy manhood. 'He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.' God never say anything so like Himself. When God made Adam, He said, 'It is very good'; but oh! when He saw Jesus, he saw a loveliness in Him such as He never saw in any created thing. But here is another reason why the Father loves Him - 'Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life.' We are told that He grew in favour both with God and man. He was every day fulfilling a part of His holy obedience, until He came to the last, and then the Father saw obedience as He had never seen before. Oh, brethren! it was love that was never seen before, that He should die for the lowest - for the vilest. And that appears to be another reason why Jesus died: it is, that the Father got a vent for his love to flow out to sinners - 'Therefore doth my father love me, because I lay down my life.' Dear Congregation,
I want to thank all of you who have prayed and supported the work of the Gospel through the church in 2023 and this first month of 2024. It is a great joy to minister at Westminster Baptist and I love the church here greatly. Through this past year, there have been heart-wrenching tragedies alongside blessings too. This is often the case in Christian life and yet we are called to keep trusting and believing. We often bear the battle scars of past experience and circumstance, as we live in this sinful world and anticipate heaven. We see Mordecai, mocked and scorned for years in Esther and on the brink of execution, yet he latterly knew blessing from God. The most important thing was he was faithful in serving the Lord. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful - 1 Corinthians 4.2. This verse especially applies to ministers, church workers, but to all Christians. We are stewards of the oracles of God and to us has the light of the gospel been revealed. We should therefore be striving to be faithful, not popular, faithful. May that be our aim by the grace of God. In the beginning month in recent years we have spent a week praying together on each day for certain things. As a reminder that with continuing faith that prayer is essential. Key to our hope and joy and endurance and love, and with new resolve to make time to pray regularly alone and with your family and with some group of fellow believers. Alongside reading the Scriptures these should be our daily routine. There are various encouragements in the Scriptures to pray: - Pray without ceasing (1 Th. 5:17). - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ep. 6:18). - Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; (Col. 4:2). These are a few verses of the many that encourage us to pray and undoubtedly set before us a biblical mandate that we should be concerned to pray. Maybe you have fallen out of the 'habit' or relegated prayer to a part time practice; or you only pray when trouble or danger comes. To that end I would ask the church to pray, if led, the suggested topics below so we might pray for the same things (roughly speaking) on the same day to encourage us. Let us be prayerful people and realise we too need prayer. To say we are praying for someone should be an expression of concern but an indication of our own action to bring the matter before God, before the throne of Grace through the believers mediator and High Priest. Jesus Christ, Paul even requests prayer for himself and those labouring for the Gospel with him twice in 1 and 2 Thessalonians saying 'brethren pray for us'. May we be a prayerful church and prayerful individuals, knowing that we have a prayer hearing and answering God. Pastor Jonathan Arnold Daily Prayer - Sunday - God thanks to God for His character, perfect, unchangeable, the same yesterday today and forever. - Give thanks to God that we can meet in the church and have fellowship with one another. - Pray the Lord would grant the preaching of his word power and clarity, and there are ready ears to hear and believe it. (2 Thes. 3.1.) - Pray we would be granted faithful ministry and good spiritual food from God's Word. (1 Peter 2.2.) Daily Reading Preface - A lamentation for the fearful fall of Egypt. The sword of Babylon shall destroy it. It shall be brought down to hell among all the uncircumcised nations. Ezekiel 32 Preface - The Psalmist in his prayer complaineth of the miseries of the church. God's former favours are turned into judgments: a prayer for deliverance. Psalms 80 Daily Light - Morning Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. The love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. - Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, thou he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. - Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. - Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. - Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. - For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. - Christ...suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. Ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. - We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 Jn. 3.16; Eph. 3.19; Jn. 15.13; 2 Co. 8.9; 1 Jn. 4.11; Eph. 4.32; Col. 3.13; Mk. 10.45; 1 Pe. 2.21 Jn. 13.14-15; 1 Jn. 3.16 Daily Light - Evening The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. The LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. - I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. - My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Them that are sanctified by God the Father. - He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. - The fulness of him that filleth all in all. I even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. - This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. Jn. 5.19; Pro. 2.6; Lu. 21.15 Ps. 27.14; 2 Co. 12.9 Jude 1; He. 2.11 Jer. 23.24; Eph. 1.23 Isa. 43.11; Jn. 4.42 Titus 1.4 A Puritans Catechism Q 40 - What did God reveal to man for the rule of his disobedience? A - The rule which God first revealed to man for his obedience is the moral law, which is summarized in the ten commandments. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 6 The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man's salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture: unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men.9 Nevertheless, we acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving understanding of such things as are revealed in the Word,10 and that there are some circumstances concerning the worship of God, and government of the church, common to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the Word, which are always to be observed.11 9 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Gal. 1:8,9 10 John 6:45; 1 Cor. 2:9-12 11 1 Cor. 11:13,14; 1 Cor. 14:26,40 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings A holy Carefulness But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Ephesians 5 v 13 Remember you must have a holy carefulness - 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' Dear brethren, some of you will say, How is it possible? Do not I live in an ungodly family? Do I not live in Sodom? But, dear brethren, here is the secret. If you will not be like the world, be transformed to it. God is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. God is able to enlarge your heart so that you will run and not weary in God's ways. Then be of good courage, for there is enough in Christ to satisfy you. Do you want to be holy? Then God wishes to make you holy. Then God's will and yours are one. Say, then, 'Make me holy, I want to be holy.' Holiness is the brightest attribute of Jehovah. Ah! I fear we are not living up to what is in Christ, or we would not live as we do. How much useless talk and conversation is there? Oh! the time of our life is more than sufficient to have wrought the will of the flesh. - Let us now live to Him. Let us give ourselves away to Christ - solemnly to Him; give your wills and affections to Him for time and for eternity. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with your spirit. Amen. Daily Prayer - Saturday
- Give thanks to God that we have good news of salvation to tell that the repentant sinner might have everlasting life through Jesus Christ. (John 3.16.) - Pray the Lord would bless the Gospel outreach by the church in Westminster. Both on Saturday mornings and at services. - Pray the Lord would work in the contacts we have made both on Saturday mornings and at services; through personal conversations and online contacts. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - A recital to Pharaoh of the Assyrian's greatness, and of his fall for pride. The same destruction shall be to Pharaoh. Ezekiel 31 Preface - The Psalmist complaineth of the desolation of Jerusalem: he prayeth for deliverance, and promiseth thankfulness. Psalms 79 Daily Light - Morning They shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. - We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name. All people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. - The LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. - Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?-The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Nu. 6.27; Isa. 26.13; Isa. 63.19 Deu. 28.10; 1 Sa. 12.22 Dan. 9.19; Ps. 79.9-10; Pro. 18.10 Daily Light - Evening The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. - He left not himself without witness. - Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. - They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Ps. 19.1; Ro. 1.20; Ac. 14.17; Ps. 19.2-3 Ps. 8.3-4 1 Co. 15.41-42; Dan. 12.3 A Puritans Catechism Q 39 - What shall be done to the wicked at the day of judgment? A - At the day of judgment the bodies of the wicked being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels for ever. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 5 We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church of God to a high and reverent esteem of the Holy Scriptures; and the heavenliness of the matter, the efficacy of the doctrine, and the majesty of the style, the consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is to give all glory to God), the full discovery it makes of the only way of man's salvation, and many other incomparable excellencies, and entire perfections thereof, are arguments whereby it does abundantly evidence itself to be the Word of God; yet notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit bearing witness by and with the Word in our hearts.8 8 John 16:13-14; 1 Cor. 2:10-12; 1 John 2:20, 27 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings Love for the Lord's day Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that thee be no gatherings when I come. 1 Corinthians 16 v 2 All days of the year are Christ's, but He hath marked out one in seven as peculiarly His own. 'He hath made it,' or marked it out. Just as He planted a garden in Eden, so He hath fenced about this day and made it His own. This is the reason why we love it, and would keep it entire. We love everything that is Christ's. We love His word. It is better to us than thousands of gold and silver. 'O how we love His law! it is our study all the day.' We love His house. It is our trysting-place with Christ, where He meets with us and communes with us from off the mercy-seat. We love His table. It is His banqueting house, where His banner over us is love - where He looses our bonds, and anoints our eyes, and makes our hearts burn with holy joy. We love His people, because they are His, members of His body, washed in His blood, filled with His Spirit, our brothers and sisters for eternity. And we love the Lord's day, because it is His. every hour of it is dear to us - sweeter than honey, more precious than gold. It is the day He rose for our justification. It reminds us of His love, and His finished work, and His rest. And we may boldly say that man does not love the Lord Jesus Christ who does not love the entire Lord's day. Daily Prayer - Friday
- Give thanks to God for many good things we enjoy and daily blessings. - Pray the Lord would supply the needs of those in the congregation at Westminster and guide us as we help those destitute and suffering. Especially those we have met in the pandemic. (Numbers 6.24-26.) - Pray for the ministry among the children and that they would know Christ from a young age. A rich blessing in this troubled world. - Pray for the evangelistic work, that people would know the greatest blessing of all salvation by the grace of God through Christ. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - The desolation of Egypt and her helpers. The arm of Babylon shall be strengthened to break the arm of Egypt. Ezekiel 30 Preface - An exhortation both to learn and to preach the law of God. The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient. The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David. Psalms 78-38 Daily Light - Morning Humble yourselves... under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people. - Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 1 Pe. 5.6; Pro. 16.5 Isa. 64.8-9; Jer. 31.18-19; Lam. 3.27 Job 5.6-7 Daily Light - Evening Yea, hath God said? When the tempter came to [Jesus], he said, if thou be the Son of God... But [Jesus] answered and said, it is written...it is written...it is written... Then the devil leaveth him. I may not return with thee... For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there... He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. So he went back with him... The man of God...was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD. - Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. - Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Ge. 3.1; Mt. 4.3,4,7,10,11 1 Ki. 13.16,17,18-19,26; Ga. 1.8; Ps. 119.11 A Puritans Catechism Q 38 - What shall be done to the wicked at their death? A - The souls of the wicked shall at their death be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and the judgment of the great day. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 4 The authority of the Holy Scripture, for which it ought to be believed, depends not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God (who is truth itself), the author thereof; therefore it is to be received because it is the Word of God.7 7 2 Pet. 1:19–21; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 5:9 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings Look to the cross Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. Galatians 1 v 4 Some are saying, Oh that the world were crucified to me, and I to the world! Oh that my heart were dead as a stone to the world, and alive to Jesus! Do you truly wish it? Look, then, to the cross. Behold the amazing gift of love. Salvation is promised to a look. Sit down, like Mary, and gaze upon a crucified Jesus. So will the world become a dim and dying thing. When you gaze upon the sun, it makes everything else dark; when you taste honey, it makes everything else tasteless: so when your soul feeds on Jesus it takes away the sweetness of all earthly things, - praise, pleasure, fleshly lusts, all lose their sweetness. Keep a continued gaze. Run, looking unto Jesus. Look, till the way of salvation by Jesus fills up the whole horizon, so glorious and peace-speaking. So will the world be crucified to you, and you unto the world. Daily Prayer - Thursday
- Give thanks to God that we are part of a global church made up of true Christians across the world. - Give thanks to God for the freedoms we have to share the Gospel in England and pray that it may continue. - Pray for missionaries across the world who are seeking to preach the Gospel and establish a faithful church. - Pray for those in persecuted countries who have to meet in secret. Even those who are now in prison for their faith. Give thanks to God that we are part of a global church made up of true Christians across the world. Church Services Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (and also available online via Facebook) Doctrine Class - in church (after lunch) (and also available online via Facebook) Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Bible Study and Prayer Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Lunch Hour Service Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (and also available online via Facebook) Outreach/Witnessing Saturday morning at Victoria Street (outside the big Boots store) for 10:30am (across the road from Town Hall - No. 64). Afterwards we go back to church for prayer. Daily Reading Preface - The judgment upon Pharaoh for his treachery to Israel: The desolation of Egypt, and restoration of it after forty years. Egypt the reward of Nebuchaidrezzar's service against Tyrus. Israel shall flourish again. Ezekiel 29 Preface - An exhortation both to learn and to preach the law of God. The story of God's wrath against the incredulous and disobedient. The Israelites being rejected, God chose Judah, Zion, and David. Psalms 78:1-37 Daily Light - Morning A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. Him that judgeth righteously. - We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. - Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. - The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd. - The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. - Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. - Mercy rejoiceth against judgment. - The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. - Just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. - Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Deu. 32.4; 1 Pe. 2.23; 2 Co. 5.10; Ro. 14.12; Ezek. 18.4 Zech. 13.7; Isa. 53.6; Ps. 85.10; Jas. 2.13; Ro. 6.23 Isa. 45.21; Ro. 3.26; Ro. 3.24 Daily Light - Evening Death is swallowed up in victory. Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Forasmuch...as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 1 Co. 15.54; 1 Co. 15.57 He. 2.14-15 Ro. 6.8-10 Ro. 6.11 Ro. 8.37 A Puritans Catechism Q 37 - What benefits do believers receive from Christ at the resurrection? A - At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and made perfectly blessed both in soul and body in the full enjoying of God to all eternity. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith Of the Holy Scriptures Chapter 1 PARAGRAPH 3 The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon or rule of the Scripture, and, therefore, are of no authority to the church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of than other human writings.6 6 Luke 24:27,44; Rom. 3:2 Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings The wonder of it all Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb: And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear: even I will carry and will deliver you. Isaiah 46 vs 3-4 There are times in the life of a believer when he is like a traveller who has arrived at some high eminence; he can look back on the way he has gone and the way he has yet to go. So this is a passage where God tells us what He has done and what He will yet do. The history of a believer is wonderful, whether we look backward or forward. If we look back, there is election in a past eternity; and if we look forward, there is deliverance and final victory. As Christ's name is 'Wonderful,' so all the members of His body are wonderful, for they are 'men wondered at.' |