Daily Readings for Monday 18th December 2023

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
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 - Jehoshaphat's death: Jehoram succeedeth him, and slayeth his brethren. His wicked reign, Edom and Libnah revolt. Elijah's written prophecy against him. The Philistines and Arabians carry off his substance, his wives, and all his sons, except Jehoahaz. His incurable disease, loathsome death, and burial.
2 Chronicles 21
Preface - At the sounding of the fifth angel a star falleth from heaven, to whom is given the key of the bottomless pit: he opens the pit, and there come forth locusts like scorpions, who have power to hurt men for a time. The first woe past. At the sounding of the sixth angel four angels which were bound are loosed, and bring great plagues on the earth for a limited time.
Revelation 9

Daily Light - Morning
Let us...come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in time of need.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. - Having therefore...boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. - We may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
He. 4.16; Phil. 4.6-7; Ro. 8.15
Isa. 45.19; He. 10.19-22; He. 13.6

Daily Light - Evening
Ye shall know the truth,
and the truth shall make you free.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. - The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. - If the Son...shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Brethre, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. - Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Whso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. - Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Jn. 8.32; 2 Co. 3.17; Ro. 8.2; Jn. 8.36
Ga. 4.31; Ga. 2.16
Jas. 1.25; Ga. 5.1

A Puritans Catechism
Q7 - What are the decrees of God?
A - The decrees of God are his eternal purpose according to the counsel of his own will, whereby for his own glory he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH

Of Christ the Mediator
Chapter 8 
PARAGRAPH 8

To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them;38 uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by His Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey,39 governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit,40 and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom,41 in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.42
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38 John 6:37, 10:15–16, 17:9; Rom. 5:10
39 John 17:6; Eph. 1:9; 1 John 5:20
40 Rom. 8:9,14
41 Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:25–26
42 John 3:8; Eph. 1:8

Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
Selfish children
... ye have not, because ye ask not. - James 4 v 2
When God, in Ezekiel 36 v. 26, promises to give a new heart and a new spirit to Israel - 'I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.' - he adds, at verse 37: 'I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them;' And when God promises to give to Christ the heathen for His heritage, He only promises it in answer to prayer: 'Ask of me, and I will give thee.' And just so here; when He wishes to give life to these dead carcasses that are lying in the open valley, His word is: 'Prophesy, O son of man, unto the Spirit.'
O believing brethren, what an instrument is this which God hath put into your hands! Prayer moves him that moves the universe. O men of faith and prayer! Israels who wrestle with God, and prevail! Righteous, justified men whose prayers avail much! You may be a little flock, but be you entreated to give the Lord no rest. O pray for the Spirit to 'breathe upon these slain, that they may live!'
And you, selfish Christians, if such a contradiction can exist - you who approach the throne of God only for yourselves, you whose petitions begin and end only for yourselves, who ask no gifts but only for your own peace and joy - go you and learn what this meaneth; 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' 'Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.'