Daily Readings for Thursday 18th January 2024

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
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 religious manner in which the law was read by Ezra and expounded to the people. Nehemiah, Ezra and the Levites, comfort them. They are instructed out of the law concerning the feast of tabernacles, which is kept in a solemn manner.
Nehemiah 8
Preface - Paul worketh for his subsistence, and preacheth Christ at Corinth, first to the Jews, and upon their opposing and blaspheming, to the Gentiles with more success: he is encouraged by the Lord in a vision, and abideth there a long time. The Jews accuse him before Gallio the deputy, who will have nothing to do with them. Paul passeth from city to city, confirming the disciples. Apollos, instructed more perfectly in the Christian doctrine by Aquila and Priscilla, preacheth it at Ephesus, and afterward in Achaia, with great efficacy.
Acts 18

Daily Light - Morning
Him that was to com.

Jesus...made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. - One died for all. - As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. - That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. - God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. - God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son...the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. - Thou hast given him power over all flesh.

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
Ro. 5.14; He. 2.9; 2 Co. 5.14; Ro. 5.19
1 Co. 15.45; 1 Co. 15.46; Ge. 1.26,27; He. 1.1-3; Jn. 17.2
1 Co. 15.47-48

Daily Light - Evening
Things which shall be hereafter.

As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit. - The Spirit of truth...will shew you things to come.

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with im... For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rev. 1.19; 1 Co. 2.9-10; Jn. 16.13
Rev. 1.7
1 Th. 4.13-14,16-17

A Puritans Catechism
Q38 - 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.


BAPTIST CONFESSION OF FAITH

Of Good Works
Chapter 16
PARAGRAPH 2
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These good works, done in obedience to God’s commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith;3 and by them believers manifest their thankfulness,4 strengthen their assurance,5 edify their brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel,6 stop the mouths of the adversaries, and glorify God,7 whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto,8 that having their fruit unto holiness they may have the end eternal life.9

3 James 2:18,22
4 Ps. 116:12–13
5 1 John 2:3,5; 2 Pet. 1:5–11
6 Matt. 5:16
7 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Pet. 2:15; Phil. 1:11
8 Eph. 2:10
9 Rom 6:22


Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
When heaven came down
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.  - 2 Chronicles 5 v 14
Before the cloud came down, no doubt the priests were all busily engaged burning incense and offering sacrifices; but when the cloud came down, they could only wonder and adore. So it ever will be when the Lord gives much of his Spirit; He will make it evident that it is not the work of man.
If He were to give only a little then ministers would begin to think they had some hand in it; but when He fills the house, then He makes it plain that man has nothing to do with it. David Brainerd said, that when God awakened his whole congregation of Indians, he stood by amazed, and felt that he was as nothing - that God alone was working.
Oh, it is this, dear friends, that we desire and pray for - that the Lord the Spirit would himself descend, and with His almighty power tear away the veil from your hearts, convincing you of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; that Jesus Himself would take His sceptre and break your hard hearts, and take all the glory, that we may cry out: 'Not unto us. Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory.'