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:

By his power God raised Jesus from the dead,
and he will raise us also.

1 Corinthians 6.14 (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.

A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully. (NIV)

The testimony of a liar is not believed, but the word of someone who thinks matters through is accepted. (GNB)

Proverbs 21.28

My first thought when I read this Proverb was that this is the Bible’s version of The boy who cried ‘wolf!’

Sometimes it looks like we get away with lies, whether they are big or small. But I think of them like the stones and rocks that make up a cairn on top of a hill.

Some of them are larger than others, but each on their own is barely noticeable. But over the years the cairn is built up and up, until it can be seen from miles around, marking the crest or summit of a hill.

Every time we lie – big or small – it’s like adding another stone to the cairn. At first, no-one will notice. But then, the more we add to it, the less we notice (because we get used to lying all the time) and the more others notice.

Lots of Proverbs are about lying – have you heeded any of the warnings or encouragements to be people of the truth?

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:

Robert Birbeck, Helen Thompson, Ann Birbeck

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: TCHA Tenants & Staff, Starfish

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.