Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us (Psalm 96.2, GNB).

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Opening

Speak these words out loud:

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.

Jeremiah 17.7 (NIV)

Today’s Proverb

Read the proverb through three or four times, slowly. Pause in-between, maybe write it out by hand – savour the words, let them speak deeply to you.

Proverbs 20.10

Have you ever cheated?

When I was growing up one of my favourite card games was Cheat – have you played it? Everyone has a pile of cards. Each player takes it in turns to put some of their cards on the discard pile, face down… and say what they’ve put down. The other players then decide whether or not that person is telling the truth or cheating… if you call ‘cheat’ and they were cheating, they have to pick up all the cards. If you call ‘cheat’ and they weren’t cheating, you have to pick up all the cards. The person with no cards left at the end wins.

My dad was so good at it, and he used to make us laugh by putting down ‘eight kings’ (for example)… until one day he found a second pack of cards with an identical back, and actually put ‘eight kings’ down to win the game! As he pointed out, the game is called ‘cheat’!

That’s a silly example.

Except that’s how most of us cheat. We don’t necessarily commit massive fraud or rob banks – most of us cheat or lie in little ways every day.

If you’re brave, spend a few moments asking God to help you see the ways in which you have a loose relationship with the truth (the whole truth, and nothing but the truth) – it’s only when we are honest with ourselves and with God that saying ‘sorry’ has any real meaning.

Prayers

Pray for Five – pray for your five friends / family from Thy Kingdom Come.

Our daily prayer sheet includes the names of everyone for whom we have a signed church family directory form – and local parishes and senior church leaders. Today we are praying for:

Don & Jean Sands, Helen Slim, Gill Knight

Father, please bless them with your peace, and a deep awareness of your presence with them, every day and in every way.

We also pray for: Primary Schools in Amington

Please pray for our leaders and healthcare workers, and all those working to keep us safe, well, and fed. Please pray that people would unselfishly put others before themselves.

Church Family Prayer

Come Holy Spirit,
and make us one in heart and action,
so that we can serve God faithfully:
abounding in love,
maturing in holiness,
and seeking out the lost.
Help us grow as disciples of Jesus –
in commitment, in depth, and in number –
that we may be a blessing to Amington;
to the glory and praise of God the Father.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

Closing Prayer

Unless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labour in vain.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
the only way to the Father.

Psalm 127.1, Hebrews 12.2 & John 14.6

May Christ our Saviour give us peace.
Amen.