Daily Readings for Wednesday 1st November 2023

Prayer
-Give thanks to God for the Bible, its inspiration and preservation for us to read it today. (2 Timothy 3.16, Proverbs 30.5.)
-Give thanks to God that we have easy access to the Scripture in English, in our mother tongue.
-Pray the Lord would bless us as we study the Bible through the ministry this coming year. That as we work through a book of the Bible the Lord would continue to help us to grasp God's truth.
-Pray for the Lunchtime outreach service and those who attend; pray that more from the offices nearby and Christians who commute are able to join us.

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 - Amaziah's good reign. His justice in punishing his father's murderers. He smiteth Edom in the valley of salt. His imprudent challenge to the king of Israel: Joash sheweth him the folly of it, but, finding him obstinate, defeateth him, and, breaking down the wall of Jerusalem, carrieth away the treasures found in it. Jehoash dieth, and is succeeded by Jeroboam. Amaziah is slain by a conspiracy. The people of Judah make his son Azariah king, who buildeth Elath. Jeroboam's bad reign: he recovereth the coast of Israel. He dieth: Zachariah succeedeth him.
2 Kings 14
Preface - Paul giveth Timothy a solemn charge to do his duty with all care and diligence; certifieth him of his approaching end, and of the glorious prospect he had in view. He desireth him to hasten his coming, and to bring Mark with him, and certain other things: warneth him to beware of Alexander: informeth him what had befallen him at his first apology: and concludeth with salutations, and a benediction.
2 Timothy 4

Daily Light - Morning
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

A continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. - In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the mids of them.

The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. - Pray without ceasing.
Pro. 8.34; Ps. 123.2
Ex. 29.42; Ex 20.24
Mt. 18.20
Jn. 4.23
Eph. 6.18; 1 Th. 5.17

Daily Light - Evening
His name shall be called...Counsellor.

The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD.

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?... Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things: and the opening of my lips shall be rith things... Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

The LORD of hosts...is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. - Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Isa. 9.6; Isa. 11.2-3
Pro. 8.1,4-6,14
Isa. 28.29; Jas. 1.5; Pro. 3.5-6

A Puritans Catechism
Q42 - Which is the first commandment?
A - The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
Paragraph 1 - Paragraph 1
The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience,1 although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation.2 Therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in diversified manners to reveal Himself, and to declare (that) His will unto His church;3 and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan, and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing; which makes the Holy Scriptures to be most necessary, those former ways of God's revealing His will unto His people being now completed.4

1 2 Tim. 3:15–17; Is. 8:20; Luke 16:29,31; Eph. 2:20
2 Rom. 1:19-21, 2:14–15; Psalm 19:1-3
3 Heb. 1:1
4 Prov. 22:19-21; Rom. 15:4; 2 Pet. 1:19–20

Robert Murray M'Cheyne - God Makes A Path - Daily Devotional Readings
The true happiness of a believer - Psalm 42 v 1
Hear David - 'As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? He panteth not after the gifts of God - not His favours or comforts - but after Himself. A believer longs after God - to come into His presence - to feel His love - to feel near to Him in secret - to feel in the crowd that He is nearer than all the creatures. Ah! dear brethren, have you ever tasted this blessedness? There is greater rest and solace to be found in the presence of God for one hour, than in an eternity of the presence of man. To be in His presence - under His love - under His eye - is heaven, wherever it be. God can make you happy in any circumstances. Without Him, nothing can.