Sing to the Lord, and praise him! Proclaim every day the good news that he has saved us (Psalm 96.2, GNB).
If you would like to receive these by email, please click here.
Opening
Speak these words out loud:
Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6.9 (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.
Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbour. Like a broken tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble. (NIV)
A false accusation is as deadly as a sword, a club, or a sharp arrow. Depending on an unreliable person in a crisis is like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot. (GNB)
Proverbs 25.18-19
Speaking as someone who doesn’t have any loose teeth, I rather like the way the Good News puts our Proverb today! It’s quite evocative. What I do remember, is losing one of my milk teeth to a chewy caramel one day on holiday…
Once again – perhaps yet again – Solomon reminds us of the vital importance of the truth. Here he compares false accusations and testimony to murder weapons, and unreliable people to broken and almost useless body parts.
Is this a message you are hearing? After dozens and dozens of Proverbs relentlessly focusing on the truth, are you lying less (even ‘little’ lies)? Are you telling the truth more? Are you being more honest?
It is only as we learn to be honest and truthful that we can be of use to others – otherwise we are like loose teeth or crippled feet.
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:
Brown Family (Abbey, Josh, Mike, Sue)
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 Team
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.