Daily Readings for Thursday 5th October 2023

Prayer
-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)
(Thursday afternoon) scripture reading - Ephesians 6 v 10-18
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 feast of the dedication of the temple; the ark is brought into the holy place. A cloud filleth the house. Solomon blesseth God for the performance of his word to David. His prayer. 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 44 The special petitions contained in it. He again blesseth God, and the people. His sacrifice of peace offerings. After the feast the people go joyful home.
1 Kings 8
Preface - Paul exhorteth to the imitation of God, and of the love of Christ: to avoid fornication and all uncleanness, which exclude from the kingdom of God, and draw down God's wrath on unbelievers; with whose works of darkness Christians, that have better light to inform and influence them, should have no fellowship: to walk with prudence and circumspection; is not to drink wine to excess, but to be filled with the Spirit, singing psalms, and giving thanks to God; and being in due subordination to one another. The duty of wives toward their husbands, and of husbands toward their wives, enforced by the example of Christ and his church. 
Ephesians 5

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 ultar 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 hou 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
Pe. 3.8-9; Ps. 86.15; Isa. 64.1,4

A Puritans Catechism
Q15 - Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
A - The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

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 you heart's desire and prayer be, that every soul may be saved. Be like Christ Himself, who is not willing that any should perish.