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.

Proverbs 22.12

‘Truth will out.’

Lying is for people with good memories. That’s one reason why I avoid doing it – my memory is shockingly bad, I could never keep track of lies. Have you ever been caught out in a lie, or worse, in a web of lies?

Sometimes I wish God would be quicker to ‘disprove the words of liars’… To be honest, speaking as someone who is not the most patient person in the world, often I wish God would be quicker – full stop! Maybe he should start giving people real Pinocchio noses.

He might be slow – by our reckoning – but the truth is something God cares deeply about.

But what about you?

I wonder if you are rolling your eyes or sighing, ‘Not another comment about lying, doesn’t Ben have anything else to say’? But doesn’t it strike you as interesting how many Proverbs are about what we say, as much as what we do? Isn’t it telling that time and again Solomon commends gracious (yesterday) and truthful speaking (today)?

In what situations do you struggle to tell the truth? Probably the hardest is when we know the truth will upset someone. OK – but how can you tell the truth, yet in a way that encourages people?

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:

Dennis & Dorothy Holland, Frank & Sue Joyce

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: Prayer Meetings

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.