Daily Readings for Friday 25th August 2023

Prayer
-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.)

Church Services
Sermons
Sunday morning at 11:00am in church (also available online via Facebook)
Sunday evening at 6:30pm in church (also available online via Facebook)
Bible study and prayer
Wednesday evening at 7:00pm in church (also available online via Facebook)
Lunch hour service
Thursday afternoon between 1:00pm and 1:30pm in church (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 armies of the Israelites and Philistines being drawn out to battle, Goliath cometh forward with a proud challenge. David, sent by his father to the army to visit his brethren, heareth the challenge, and expresseth indignation thereat. Eliab his eldest brother childeth him. His words cause him to be brought before Saul, he accepteth the challenge, and sheweth the grounds of his confidence. He refuseth Saul's armour, and armed only with a sling and a stone slayeth the giant. The Philistines are routed. David bringeth back the head of Goliath. Saul enquireth and taketh notice of him.
1 Samuel 17
Preface - We ought, in condescension to the weak, to give up our own will for our neighbour's good, after the example of Christ. The intent of the scriptures. Paul prayeth for unanimity among Christians, exhorteth to receive one the other, as Christ did all, both Jews and Gentiles; and wisheth them all joy, peace, and hope. He apologiseth for his freedom in admonishing them, as he was the apostle of the Gentiles; and sheweth the success and extensiveness of his labours. He excuseth his not coming to them before, and promiseth them a visit on his return from Jerusalem. He requesteth their prayers.
Romans 15

A Puritans Catechism
Q58 - What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
A - The seventh commandment forbids all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.

Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
Satan's objections answered
And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? - Zechariah 3 v 2
If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Christ is the advocate of every one He saves, and not only is He an advocate after conversion, but before, and throughout conversion. He answers Satan's objections. There are two arguments here by which He answers Satan. The first is the free election of God. Jerusalem was the chief city in the world for wickedness. They had sinned against light, against love, against long-suffering mercy. Yet Christ chose it. He might say, Grant that it is the chief of wicketness, yet God hath chosen it. Grant that that sould is the chief of sinners, yet the Lord is sovereign. 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion  on whom I will have compassion.' This is the argument of Christ. Is it not strange that the very argument which troubles souls i sthe one which Christ uses as the reason why you should be saved? Let Satan say, you have sinned against light, against conviction, against love. Still, 'the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem refuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?' This shuts Satan's mouth - this is an argument which he cannot answer. The second argument Christ employs is, the brand is already plucked out of the fire. Christ here says, whatever that sinner may have been, he is now plucked out of the fire. And thus all Satan's arguments are urged in vain.