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 21.6

Wow – the Good News is on good blunt form today! Who knew lying was so dangerous?

Well, actually, you should, if you’ve been following along the Proverbs. I’ve quoted these words from James before:

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 3.6 (NIV)

And I’ll repeat also: what we say, matters.

I suspect your lies won’t have made you a fortune. If they have, can the church have some please?! But they will have gained you other things, perhaps ‘friends’ (or more accurately ‘popularity’ because friends gained by lies or hiding the truth tend not to be real friends and disappear as easily as they come).

And what about me? My most common lies are exaggerations, to win an argument, to make a point, to get what I want based on a half-truth. And you know what? Even though I know how hollow it is to get or win something based on a lie – I still do it.

Maybe, together, we can learn to catch those lies and exaggerations before they slide so easily off our tongues – and instead of setting things on fire, we might spread truth and honesty.

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:

Louise Shaw (Area Dean)

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: Coleshill & Polesworth Deanery

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.