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:
Jesus said, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.’
Acts 1.8 (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.
Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker. (NIV)
If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker. Any scheme a fool thinks up is sinful. People hate a person who has nothing but scorn for others. (GNB)
Proverbs 24.8-9
Most of the time I’m glad I don’t know what other people think of me. Though sometimes it can be useful, or encouraging, or both!
As so often, the modern world takes a concern with appearance to extreme. I’m told that cosmetic surgeons are being asked to do more and more procedures to make ‘Insta-face’: big eyes, tapered chin, high cheek-bones – in other words, not what humans actually look like but the concept of beauty peddled by Instagram’s filters. As you can tell, I’m not a fan!!
And yet, what other people think of us is important. For example, when Paul was giving Timothy instructions about how to choose leaders (or elders), he said they ‘must also have a good reputation with outsiders’ (1 Timothy 3.7). When the Apostles chose the first deacons, they said, ‘select from among you seven men of good reputation’ (Acts 6.3). And so on.
Why? Because people tend only to listen to those they respect. Think of it as ‘opening the door’. If people know us as liars and gossips, or as ‘no different’ to themselves, why would they listen to us talking about our faith?
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:
Archbishops Justin and Stephen
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: Malawi & Bolivia Links
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.