Daily Readings for Monday 9th October 2023

Prayer
-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 t 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 - The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to make Rehoboam king, appeal to him with Jeroboam at their head for redress of grievances. Rehoboam slighteth the good advice of his father's old counsellors, and consulteth with the young men, who advise to answer the people roughly. He followeth their indiscreet counsel. The ten tribes revolting kill Adoram, and make Rehoboam flee. Jeroboam is made king over Israel. Rehoboam raiseth an army to reduce the revolters, but is forbidden to proceed by the prophet Shemaiah. Jeroboam buildeth Schechem and Penuel. He setteth up the idolatrous worship of the golden calves in Beth-el and Dan.
1 Kings 12
Preface - Paul exhorteth to rejoice in the Lord, and to beware of the false teachers of the circumcision: shewing that as a Jew he had better grounds of confidence than they; but that he disclaimed them all, trusting only to the justification which is of God by faith, and hoping to partake of the resurrection through Christ. He acknowledgeth his present imperfection, and that he was still anxiously striving for the prize: exhorting others to be likeminded, and to follow his example; for many were enemies to the gospel, being earthly minded; but his conversation and views were heavenly.
Philippians 3

Daily Light - Morning
Thou art a God ready to pardon,
gracious and merciful.

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.-The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.

For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.-Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?-Rend your heart, and not your garments and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Ne. 9.17; 2 Pe. 3.9; 2 Pe. 3.15
1 Tim. 1.16; Ro. 15.4
Ro. 2.4; Joel 2.13

Daily Light - Evening
The words of the LORD are pure words.

Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.-The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.- Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.... I will meditate in they precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. - Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. - As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

We are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. - Nor handling the word of God deceitfully.
Ps. 12.6; Ps. 119.140; Ps. 19.8; Pro. 30.5-6
Ps. 119.11,15; Phil. 4.8; 1 Pe. 2.2
2 Co. 2.17; 2 Co. 4.2

A Puritans Catechism
Q19 - Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery?
A - God, having out of his good pleasure from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace to deliver them out of the state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer.

Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
All to Jesus I surrender
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? - Isaiah 5 v 4
He thought nothing too much to do and to suffer for us. Greater love than this hath no man. All His life, between the manger at Bethlehem and the cross of Calvary, was spent in labours and infinite sufferings for us. All that we needed to suffer, He suffered; all that we need to obey,
He obeyed. All His life in glory He spends for us. He ever liveth to make intercession for us. He is head over all things for us - makes every thing in all worlds work together for our good. It is all but incredible that each person of the Godhead has made Himself over to us to be ours. The Father says. 'I am thy God;' the Son, 'Fear not, for I have redeemed thee;' the Holy Ghost makes us a temple, 'I will dwell in them and walk in them.' Is it much that we should do all we can for Him - that we should give ourselves up to Him who gave Himself for us?