A new hymn: My grace is sufficient for you / My genade is vir jou genoeg!

A new hymn:   My grace is sufficient for you!

Lyrics in English and in Afrikaans.

2 Corinthians 12: 9 & 10:   “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.   That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

“My genade is vir jou genoeg. My krag kom juis tot volle werking wanneer jy swak is.” Daarom sal ek baie liewer oor my swakhede roem, sodat die krag van Christus my beskutting kan wees.       Daarom is ek bly oor swakhede, beledigings, ontberings, vervolging en moeilikhede ter wille van Christus, want as ek swak is, is ek sterk.

Music:  ST PETER – Alexander Reinagle 1830,

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds- SOF 194 

Sufficient is your grace, my Lord,

you help your timid child,

and make me strong although I’m weak:

God’s might with love conferred.

Today your grace, almighty God,

shall grant me strength and power,

I will with joy your love proclaim,

although acutely flawed.

My Father, listen to my plea -

a thorn torments my flesh –

to see that my Redeemer lives,

Christ’s power rests on me.

By grace God called me to belong

to Jesus, Saviour, Lord!

For when I’m weak, through faith I know,

in Christ, my King, I’m strong!

Copy right reserved

Afrikaanse lirieke: Musiek van Liedboek 440.

My genade is vir jou genoeg!

Oor God’s genade sal ek roem,

dit is genoeg vir my!

Al is ek swak, God maak my sterk,

Hom sal ek HERE noem.

Vandag sal u genade Heer,

my krag en toevlug wees.

Met blydskap sal ek nou bely:

U help my elke keer.

My Vader luister as ek vra –

met doring in my vlees –

wys my dat my Verlosser leef,

en dat sy krag my dra.

Wil uit genade in my werk,

maak my ’n Koningskind.

Al is ek swak, ek weet, ek glo,

in Christus is ek sterk!

Kopié reg voorbehou

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. (3)

The Lord will shepherd me because his plans for me are to be safe and to prosper.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 always has been a comfort in the face of uncertainty, fear and danger.  In times when we experience neediness, we certainly want to hear the Word of God saying:  “I shall not want”, meaning, I will not lack what I must have to survive - even to prosper. In looking for an understanding of his plans for me and when his plans are still unclear, the Lord will lead me on his path until I find rest in his green pasture!

Our survival in this challenging time depends on our faith that God is our shepherd, our keeper, our guide, our defender, our strength and our provider.   In his presence my soul, meaning the control centre of my mind, my will, my desires, my emotions and my faith, will be replenished through the peace I find in trusting our Lord’s plan for me.

The Lord refills my cup by leading me on his righteous path.  For the sake of his glory he brings us from the back roads of our foolishness and redirects us to follow the high ways of his wisdom.  Then only can peace and can rest be found – as we journey towards his gracious purpose for us, instead of seeking self-destruction through foolish choices, bitterness and doubt.

On the Lord’s path I will not fear, even when evil impacts on my life’s journey.  The presence of the Lord is like eating from a rich buffet where he prepared a banquet of love, peace, security, contentment and rest for me.

I will remain a faithful, enduring resident in the Lord’s house. It is my safe haven, my source of courage and of the directions of the Lord’s plans, the Lord’s journey, with me. 

Where else can I find a place to feast when I face an enemy and when I face my fears, than in the house of my God?

Seek the peace and prosperity of our country!

When God’s people were in exile, suffering under the imperialistic oppression of Babylon, false prophets told them that it will soon come to an end.  They preyed on the anger and disillusionment of the Israelites in order to become popular preachers and so they told them what they wanted to hear:  God will smite the evil Babylon soon and then everything will be fine again.

So the Lord instructed Jeremiah to write them a letter to tell them that the destruction of the evil and corrupt powers of Babylon will only take place on God’s terms and at his time.  Anger, revenge and vengeance belong to the Lord and do not bring peace of mind, joy and a future for God’s people.

What they have to do, as they live in a city alien to God, his Word and his people, is to build and construct a life for themselves and their children and grandchildren, and to pray for the prosperity of the city in which they live

We are citizens of God’s Kingdom because we seek to follow Jesus in everything we do.  All the wrongs and all the evil and all the bad governance we experience on earth can cause so much fear and anger that it robs us of the vision and passion to receive what God’s plans are for us: to prosper and not to be harmed.  (Jer29:11)

We can become so bitter that we cannot make a difference in the world anymore.

We can become so negative that our children and grandchildren may lose hope and stop expecting God’s blessings and keeping and help.

Our disillusions may bring an end to us being the salt of the earth and the light of the world

No! Let’s make a difference in the city where we live, says the Lord!

For the almighty Christ is our true King and our Leader.  He returned from the hell of Golgotha a victorious Warrior for our sake. He will, on the day of the Lord’s pleasure bring an end to all evil power and authority in this world.  That is his work to do, at his time!

What we have to do is:  (Jeremiah 29: 5 – 7):  "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.  Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.

Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

When the country in which we live prosper, God’s children and his work will prosper too.

Seek the peace and prosperity of the land where we live.

Let’s work smarter, with clear vision, hope and courage, and pray for authorities that disappointed us, that they will become efficient and successful in their task to rule and govern for the good of all.

God is on the side of his people. And God’s purpose for us is to be well. He seeks our well being and our peace! 

Through following Jesus every day, we shall overcome bitterness and then again be able to bring God’s hope and peace where we live and work and will be able to make a difference to the future of our children.

God's promise of gracious salvation is both for me and my children!

Sometimes we call ourselves children of Abraham. Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and in Christ we too received all the grace promises God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Galatians 3: 16 and 29

¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3 is but one passage that confirms God’s firm grace promises to be our God, our Saviour, our Protector, and our Lord. It is the promise that through the death and resurrection of Christ, we are saved and received the Holy Spirit. 

In Acts 2 it is emphasized that the promise to receive the Holy Spirit who grants us faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour is not only for a first generation of believers, but also for their children, and even for far off generations still to come: 

Acts 2: 38 and 39:   ³⁸Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

This is a precious birthright that our parents and grandparents, our church, and our Lord have entrusted to our keep. To head a Christian family is both a breathtaking privilege and an enormous responsibility to hand the gospel to the next generation.

We own this precious faith of the martyrs who during the first centuries died for the Lord and still do today. It is the faith of the fathers and mothers of the Reformation during the 16th century till now and it is the faith of our church fathers that kept it, preserved it and carried it faithfully up to our generation. 

It is, by God’s grace, our birthright and our inheritance to know that although I am a sinner in need of salvation, I am redeemed in and through Jesus, my Lord. It is the faith that says Jesus alone, by grace alone, can redeem me and help me. It is through this faith alone that I know the proper response to God's grace in Christ: to lead a life of sanctification, commitment to God and of gratefulness.

We have a duty to defend this faith, to keep this faith and to guard this faith that has been entrusted to us. We have a holy responsibility to carry the Good News far and wide and to hand it, safe and sound, to the next generation.

It is our duty, our privilege and our calling to keep the true faith for our children’s and grand children’s sake. And most importantly, for the sake of God and his Kingdom. We need to keep and nurture this faith for the sake of the true church of today and of the future and for those who will carry the light of God as the next generation of the followers of Jesus. 

May we put God first in our lives and serve our Saviour Jesus Christ with humble and devoted hearts. Let’s keep and defend our birthright with everything we do and everything we are!

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. (2)

Take courage, God is looking for you.

Jeremiah 29: 14   I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

1.  We heard last Wednesday that God has a plan for our circumstances and our lives. We know his purpose:  “My plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future”. (verse 11)

2. How will these plans start to happen? What must take place before we see the Lord’s plans for our new future begin. 

It starts with a faith that accepts God’s promise that we will be able to find him again. He will make sure of that! It starts with a firm trust that even though we experience a sense of being lost within the challenges we have and the feeling we have of being stuck at a dangerous and scary place, our Lord will make it possible for us to find him, and his purpose for us, again. (verse 14)

3. Two key words explain to us what it means to be enabled to find God again:  To be “gathered” and to be “brought back”. 

4. We will be gathered by the Lord.  It means to be brought together to form a group, a family of believers, again. To joyfully and with excitement join the followers of God, once again. To see the gradual growth, the increasing mass, of God’s children gaining the influence and power to change their world and that I may be part of it, again!

5. For this purpose we are “brought back”.  Back from the captivity of fear, of uncertainty and of being without a vision and excitement for the future. Not to be in spiritual exile anymore and to “come home” to Jesus and his other followers to find rest in him.   

6. Our Lord remains the Good Shepherd.  Even when 99 others are safely in the fold, he goes to gather and to bring back the one who is out in the cold. 

Are you the one the Lord wants to bring back in order to accomplish his plan for your life? When Jesus makes it possible for you to find him – run back to him and his church family today!

We own a powerful treasure, even though it is stored in jars of clay!

We are called to display God’s glory and show his light that shines out of darkness. (2 Cor 4: 6).  But how can we do this, how can we worship and proclaim Christ in a world that is alienated from God and his people?  Especially when we understand how weak we are in the face of life’s many challenges.

2 Corinthians 7 – 9 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;   persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Paul calls us jars of clay. Weak, unpretentious and easily destroyed, jars of clay!

The apostle is thinking of our many imperfections.  He refers to our weakness and helplessness in the presence of sin and temptation. (Rom 7:15,19)

He also looks to the weakness of our appearance, that we often are not impressive, battle to proclaim the light of God boldly and struggle with our insecurities. (2 Cor 10:1 & 10)

We also are jars of clay because of the decay of our bodies, of getting older, weaker and that we are slowly wasting away. (2 Cor 4:16).

We are only jars of clay, acknowledging our weakness and insignificance!

And yet, we have a treasure, even though it is stored in jars of clay!

We have the treasure of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only and almighty Saviour of us and of the whole world.

It is this treasure, and not being weak jars of clay, that shows the all surpassing power of God in a world alienated from God and his people!  Our weakness and insignificance shows off the all surpassing power of our God in the face of the many dangers and challenges before us.

Therefore,

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, since we show the power of God to all;

perplexed, but not in despair, since we show the power of God to all;  

persecuted, but not abandoned, since we show the power of God to all;

struck down, but not destroyed, since we show the power of God to all.

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.

Have courage - God has a plan for our lives!

Jeremiah 29:10-13.   This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

1. Babylon makes us think of a place without hope, a place of exile, oppression, fear, hopelessness, financial deprivation and spiritual despair. Yet the time being in this dark space comes to an end.  God’s promise is that places of exile are never a permanent place for his people and his children. (verse 10)

2.  God has a plan for our circumstances and our lives. It is not always clear and it is often a lot different from what we desire or expect.  We may not know the details of what God has in mind for us, but we know his purpose:  “My plans are to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future”. (verse 11)

3. Faith to a large extent means to trust God so much that we are willing to trade our plans for his purpose, and to trade our hopelessness for the future he has in stall for us.  (verse 11)

4. With such faith we know where to seek for the answers for our lives, where to go for divine council and who will listen to us when our many questions escape our dark and saddened hearts:  It is the Lord. We will call on the Lord! We will pray to the Lord. We will accept in faith that he listens to our prayers, that he remembers us and that his plans are the best plans for us even when we are surrounded by our dilemmas and our confusion. (verse 12)

5. We too need to listen.  We need to submit. We need to trust and we need to follow. When Jesus forgives both our foolishness and our impurity, he always continues to say:  Follow me!

We can do all of this, because we saw at the cross that the plans of the Lord are to prosper, and not harm us, and that his plans intend to give us hope and a future! (verse 13)

Over all other virtues, put on love

Paul is listing all the virtues that characterizes grateful, Christian living in Colossians 3. 

Colossians 3 : 12 - 14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

It is important to note that we must “over all” put on love, which binds all the Christian virtues together. This is our response to being God’s chosen people, sanctified by the Lord and dearly loved by him.  For these, and all our privileges received by the grace of God, we ought to live lives filled with thankfulness. In verse 17 Paul says:  “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

We express our gratitude over all, by putting on love!

What is love?   According to 1 Cor 13, love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (Verses 4 – 7)

God is love and his relationship with us shows his daily passionate love for his chosen people, his holy and dearly loved children. We are to echo to a world that needs to put to death its selfishness, greed and anger, the love of God.  We need to put on love to become the grateful followers of our God who gave his best to us, even Jesus Christ, his Son.

When we make God known through living in daily thankfulness to the Lord for all our blessings and privileges, we will clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

We will bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another.

We will forgive as the Lord forgave us.

A prayer for our children and teens!

How many congregations will unite with us in a prayer for our children and teens?

O heavenly Father of us all, eternal God who made your covenant of grace with us and with our children!

We thank you for the promise in your Word that your Holy Spirit will come to fill and guide not only those who received Jesus Christ as Redeemer, but also is promised to their children and to all the generations of believers and their children still to come.

Hear our prayer, almighty God, for our children and teens.  That they will be lead, guided and taught by your Spirit who reveals to our hearts the truth, the way and the life who is Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Deliver them from temptation and all evil.

Protect them against godless peer pressure and help them to find friendship by living in your Body since they are small and young.

Teach them the dangers of abuse and addiction.

Keep them pure as they discover their sexuality and urges.

Call them to receive the treasure of your Kingdom and the gifts of your Spirit.

Show them the true excitement and adventure to live for their Lord.

Make them hungry for your Word and for the thrill of your Gospel.

Enable them to serve you even though they still are young and not experienced.

Help those children and teens who are neglected, abused or hurt in many ways and deliver them from evil adults, even some parents and teachers and youth leaders, who seek to use them and do not care for their well being!

Provide for the children who are sad, in distress, sick, undergoing treatment, are hungry, living on the streets or are prematurely given the responsibility to head a household.

Father, enable your Church to reach the children in our care with the love of the Lord.

Lord, make all Christian parents aware of their God-given responsibilities and bless them with wisdom, godly discipline, patience, love and compassion.

Jesus Christ our Redeemer, deliver our children from the urge to sin and from foolish choices, wash them in your blood of redemption and keep them pure for the day of your return!

Heavenly Father and Eternal God, bless all schools, centres for further education and training, and universities, that they may be energetic centres of upright learning, originality and creativity, and the search for knowledge and wisdom.

And give to those who teach and to those who learn to find you, our Lord and Saviour, to be the only Way, and the source of all truth and abundant life,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen. 

Let‘s bake heavenly bread, together!

Luke 13: 20-21:  Again Jesus asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."   

What is yeast's secret? Yeast by itself cannot feed us! But allow it to infiltrate the dough that we want to bake the bread with and it interacts with the sugars, causing the dough to raise so that amazing “growth” takes place within it.

In the times of Jesus a baker would keep a piece of dough from one batch of baking to be the yeast for the next batch. So the yeast in the old dough became the seed that created growth and success in a new baking venture. 

Jesus calls all his followers to be like yeast!  Here follow some of his reasons for doing so: 

·         Yeast does nothing good on its own. As Christians we must join the dough, be part of the faith community and influence the world outside the church together.

·         Although yeast seems to disappear into the dough, it makes a very specific and important difference to it.  When we blend together with society, who influences whom?

·         Heat makes the yeast work better and harder!  When times get tough, does our witness improve or disappear?

·         Yeast is continually re-used. Are you resting on past spiritual experiences, or are you ready for the next race to reach God’s goals in your life?

Return to our Lord’s family in order to have your impact on God’s work! The Lord needs you. Jesus Christ wants to use you! The Church needs you!

Let‘s bake heavenly bread together when the Lord has mercy on us!

Be thankful

Colossians 3: 15 - 17:

Be thankful.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and reprimand one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Why should we obey God and live according to his commandments? Why should we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Col 3:12)? Why should we bear with each other and forgive each other and put on love (Col 3:13-14)?

One of the reasons for living the new life in Christ, is thankfulness. Out of thankfulness to God for everything we receive from him, we want to live the new life. Out of thanksgiving for all the material, physical and spiritual blessings he has given to us, we want to respond with obedience and holiness and righteous living.

Through prayer and joyful worship and singing we give thanks to our Lord.

Through everything we do in life, in word and in deed,  through living every aspect of our lives in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the honour of God the Father,  we give thanks to the Lord!

Liturgical prayers for Sunday 25 August 2013

Greeting.

Good morning.

May the Lord bless you and grant you his peace and his grace as you worship and praise God and listen to his Word today.

The Call to Worship comes from Jude:  24 and 15.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Saviour,  be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!  

Glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Prayer of Praise. .

Holy God, almighty and omnipresent, worshiped in heaven and earth through all ages!  As we know that we are in your glorious presence, grant us a sense of your majesty and your grace! This morning guide your people who came to worship you, by the work of the Holy Spirit.

By the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, help us to praise, to worship, to listen and to bring glory to your Name.  Receive us whom you have called to you, dear Lord, and in your mercy listen to our prayers.  Because Jesus has died, Christ has risen – yes, our Lord comes again.  Amen.

Prayer for the forgiveness of sins.

Heavenly Father, keep us from all temptation, deliver us from evil and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us.

Assure us once more of your grace and forgiveness on the grounds of the imputed righteousness of our Saviour, your only begotten Son, we pray,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Intercession

Gracious God and heavenly Father,

It is our greatest joy to praise you, to thank you, and to worship you, for great is the majesty of your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, ever-living and ever-merciful God.

It is not by the spirit of the world, but by your Spirit alone that we may know all the gifts and blessings you so generously grant us. For your Spirit explores everything, even the depths of your own being, and knows what is truly yours and also knows all our needs.

Therefore grant to us that we may be enabled to hear what you say to us, that we will not live according to the foolishness of a godless society, but according to your holy will and divine wisdom.

Lord our God, you are holy and most holy!  Now give us a spirit of adoration, of love, of obedience and complete surrender to you and your will, to your Son, your holy Word and to your Holy Spirit.

Almighty God, for the unity of the Church of Christ, the salvation of all people and the peace of the whole world, we pray.

For our city, and for the faithful who live here and strive to serve you in all humility and obedience, we pray.  Help us now to commit ourselves and one another and our lives and all its challenges and opportunities to you, o Lord, whose power is beyond compare, whose glory we can never understand nor fathom, whose mercy is never-ending, and whose love for us is divine and immeasurable.   

Lord, look upon us and this church with compassion. Give us and those who pray with us, your abundant mercy and show us your love in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We pray for those who travel long distances, 

for the sick,

the suffering,

those in prison, and for their salvation.  

We pray for deliverance from hardship, danger, distress and despondency.

We pray for healing, restoration, joy, gladness and deliverance

and that this church and all her members will be set free from any form of evil, for the sake of your kingdom and glory.

Hear, Father God, our prayers today for.....   

Almighty God, remember us and listen to our prayers.

Speak to us through the reading of the Holy Scriptures and through the preaching of your Word. May we listen your eternal Word, even Jesus Christ your Son, and our Lord.

For yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen.

There is a judgment day!

Music remains one of the most moving ways in which to express love. Isaiah 5:1-7 plays on the genre of a love song, using the marriage theme to describe the relationship between God and God’s people. Yet the irony is clear and sharp!  In this passage, the prophet recomposes the love song into a lament over the nation’s betrayal of God’s principles.

The prophet uses the metaphor of the constant care of the vinedresser for the vineyard as the primary image in this passage. Despite even the Divine Vinedresser’s best efforts, the vineyard yielded grapes that are not only unusable, but release a sour odor.

God asks his people to judge for themselves what they think should be done with the stench of such an offensive, unproductive vineyard: “What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?” (verse 4).

There is a judgment day! Instead of keeping his vineyard, God will remove its protective hedge, allowing it to be ravaged. Instead of planting choice vines, God will allow briars and thorns to overtake the vineyard. God will neither till the soil nor prune the vines or give life giving rain, because his vineyard, his people, did not respond in faithful love to his tender care and his offer to be their God.

We are privileged.  God invested his Word, his Son and his cross and resurrection and the outpouring of his Spirit in us. Are we using our privilege to produce the sweet wine of the works of God’s Kingdom?  Or will our disobedience ultimately repulse God? Are our actions representing the Church’s and God’s work in such a way that it is creating more harm than good?

Through humble repentance we can still return to seeking God’s purpose – as long as the time of grace and mercy remains! 

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). 

Liturgical Prayers for Sunday 18 August 2013.

Call to Worship:  Psalm 29: 1 -  3

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

Glory to the Father,

and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning

it is now

and will be forevermore!

Amen.

Prayer of praise and for the forgiveness of sin!

Glorious Lord, Father of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

We thank you that you kept and blessed us in all circumstances, and helped us, accepting us as your own, and that you spared and supported us, and led us during the past week, and through our lives.  

Father God, your people accept the grace that you bring, and commit their lives to the guidance of the Holy Spirit who empowers your children and your Church to fulfil your commission to preach the gospel to everyone. Now bring justice wherever we serve you and bring hope and light where darkness still hides your glorious reign and redemption.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, for it is through your forgiveness, Father, that your Name is glorified and through our reconciliation with you in Christ, that your Kingdom comes on earth, in our lives and wherever we serve you.

As we have been washed with the blood of the Lamb, have mercy on us and make us new, imitating your holiness and following Christ with all our mind, our heart and our strength.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Almighty, eternal and gracious Lord, our God.

May your Name be glorified in all the earth.

Bless us today with peaceful fellowship with you, our God, and our brothers and sisters.

Bless all the children and young people and touch their hearts and be a Father to us all, we pray. 

Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the gracious privilege to come to you today, because the meeting of your people in your Name, is none other than the house of God.  Thank you for your love and for your mercy. 

Holy God, Father in haven, listen to our prayer –

for marriages and families;

for rulers, those who govern and their officials;

for the church of Christ, our Session and Presbytery;

for the Bible Society of South Africa;

for all who are commissioned to spread your Word across the globe.

Gracious Father, in your mercy, remember the sick, the frail and the home bound and all who care for them, we pray!

During this month of August, which is Women’s Month in our country, remember Lord, women everywhere. We pray especially for all those mothers, grandmothers and sisters who work to care for family members in need while forging their own paths in life. May their loving hearts and nurturing spirits be blessed with strength and joy.

For those most vulnerable to oppression or neglect, especially women and children, we pray.

For all those who go hungry while others feast in plenty, and for those who struggle to support families in the midst of economic injustice and as a result of the greed and corruption of others, we pray

For all who struggle for the basic necessities of life - nourishing food, pure water, fresh air, and adequate housing, we pray!

Loving God, you have heard the cries of your suffering people. Open our eyes to see the immensity of your love for us and the wonder of what you have done for us in Christ Jesus, our Redeemer.

Give us the courage to be your hands and heart for those who are in pain. Give us the wisdom to speak out for justice and righteousness. May your will be done in us and through us, today and always.

We thank you for the Ladies Ministry (Women’s Associations) and the difference they make to your work, and we thank you for all the work that could be done through our mothers and sisters during past years. Bless your daughters today, Lord, have mercy on them and grant us, both your sons and daughters, your peace and your grace.

And we pray for ourselves, Father God, for this congregation that became both our spiritual home and our Christian family, when we listen to your Word today.  Grant us faith through your Spirit, and perseverance, to seek your will and do your bidding!

Comfort us through your holy Gospel, dear Lord, we pray!

In the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, 

Amen.

It is a matter of choice!

Yes, it is a matter of choice!

Col 3:1-2) ... set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Note that the Bible tells us that we do have a choice. We may choose whether we in our lives set our hearts on things above, or on earthly things.

There's always an alternative. The choice is yours.  Every time you have the opportunity to rid yourself of sin, to receive God's forgiveness and to find strength and renewal in Christ, there is also the choice to remain in sin and the misery it causes.

It’s a matter of choice, of focus, of priority and most of all, a matter of love – do I love God with all my heart and mind.  For whatever love dictates or negates, will influence our choice.

We can set our minds on earthly things or on heavenly things. We can pursue treasure on earth or treasure in heaven. We can first seek the things of this world - or we can first of all seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all we need will be added unto us.

We have to make a choice between living for God and living to satisfy our sinful nature.

If I am saved, I live for Jesus.

Then we set our hearts and minds “on things above, not on earthly things."

God wants to do something new...

Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it?" - Isaiah 43:18-19

The Lord asks in this verse that, when we in faith accepts that he “will do a new thing” in our lives, our families and our churches, we would be ready to open ourselves to his new direction, his open door and his response to our needs and concerns.

Are we willing to, within the parameters of the personal relationship God wants to have with us, embrace his plan for us and our lives, our futures and our calling?

The Lord is saying, "I am going to do a new thing. Will you embrace it? Will you receive it into your life?"

May our hearts respond with joy and thanksgiving to our God who knows our need for him to do a “new thing” for us.

May we all say wholeheartedly: “Yes, Lord. I want to be open to whatever you do. I want to be available to your time to do this for me. There is every reason for me to believe that you are preparing me for something new, even something significant.”

We are not to sit back and become spectators of God’s interventions and plans. No, as the Lord plants the “seed” of the “new thing” he is doing in our lives, we will be full partners of God in taking care of the seed he planted in our lives and in faith expects the seed to sprout.

We will be practically involved and asked to work with the Lord, within our relationship with him, to bring his new plan, his open door and his purpose for us, to fruition.

Remember that Jesus said: Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. (John 7: 38 – 39)

Updated Classical lyrics on Psalm 116 in English and Afrikaans.

Psalm. 116   - 
(Melody:  J’aime mon Dieu, 1562 – Genevan.)

Adapted, updated English lyrics by Andries.

I love the Lord, He listens to my prayer.

He cares about my humble plea, He listens.

In darkest night his grace so brightly glistens: -

“Lord save me now, your love I shall declare.”

Most kind and virtuous is God, my Lord.

Our God is merciful indeed, and righteous;

Delighting always to impart me justice:

to me in time of need his help affords.

Be still my soul, to rest in God agree,

the Lord has richly blessed and healed, befriending.

Delivered me, from death and grave ascending!

From loss and sorrow God has set me free.

Since God released my eyes from tears and haze,

enthused my heart: to bring him thanks, to love Him!

Redeemed from life’s distressing fears: adore Him!

with God I walk, to him my song shall raise!

My Afrikaanse verdigting van Psalm 116.  Geneefse melodie

Ja, God is liefde,  want Hy hoor my stem.

God hoor my smeking, luister na gebede.

Omdat Hy luister, wag ek op sy vrede,

as ek nog daagliks vaster aan Hom klem.

Ek vrees nie meer die donker doodsvallei,

geen kommer of benoudheid sal oorwin nie.

Het God nie uit ontferming oor begin nie,

Hy skink die beker waar ek lewe kry.

Ek sal my offers dankbaar vir U bring,

en hartlik uitroep: God se Naam bied lewe!

Geloftes aan U hou, Heer hoog verhewe,

en in u diens u heerlikheid besing.

O my Verlosser, neem my danklied aan,

wie U ontvang, kry liefde as ’n gawe!

U trou, genade is die veil’ge hawe,

waar u gemeente ewig sal bestaan.

Reject nothing that is received with thanksgiving!

God wants us to receive every good thing he gives us with thanksgiving.

The way to recognize whether something is “good” or “bad” is to ask ourselves if we are comfortable to thank the Lord for it. Those things on offer in the world which it is unthinkable to thank the Lord for, should be rejected. The thief cannot thank the Lord for what he stole, and should not steal. The corrupt cannot thank the Lord for what he swindled and should seek integrity.

But more importantly, nothing that God gives to us, because he loves us, should be rejected. And here is the exciting and surprising Word of God found in 1 Tim 4: 4 – 5:

Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Consecration refers to both persons and things being set apart for God, to belong to him and to serve his purpose.   Everything received from the Lord with thanksgiving, continue to belong to God.

And what have been consecrated, are sacred.

All Christian believers are consecrated by Word and prayer to serve our Lord as royal priests every day of their lives. Food, marriage and family life, work and play, responsibility, money and fun, should all be received with thanksgiving and set apart, be given back to God, to serve his purpose in our lives and as such serve his Kingdom.

Everything we receive from God with thanksgiving is consecrated.

It is holy. We are to use every good blessing in our service of God.

Christ, the Redeemer of the bruised and the burnt out

"A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish." (Isaiah 42:3)

The Hebrew children would often go down by the riverside to play where the reeds grew. The reeds were useful for making flutes. The children would cut them down, hollow them out and make the flutes to play their little songs.

The riverbank would be full of these reeds, and many of them were less than perfect. If they came across one that was cracked or bruised, they would break it in half and toss it away. After all, they needed reeds of quality in order to make a flute that would play well. Cracked or bruised reeds were worthless.

Bruised reeds are symbols of people. The word "bruised" is used to refer to suffering, discouraged and less than perfect people.  

We are all bruised reeds. We all experienced disappointment in ourselves, as being hurt and almost broken.

Why won't the Messiah break the bruised reeds? The children would break them and toss them away because there were thousands more along the river. One broken one wasn't important and they weren't good for anything anyway.

Why wouldn't Christ do the same thing with "bruised reed" people?

"A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish." (42:3)

He will also not extinguish a dimly burning and smoking wick.

The Hebrews had to light their homes with oil lamps. These lamps looked a lot like gravy dispensers, with an open top. The bowls were filled with oil and contained a wick, made of flax or linen. As long as the wick would stay moist with the oil, it would burn and give light. But when the oil burned out, the wick would smoulder and give off smoke. The thing to do was to extinguish the damaged wick and toss it away. There was plenty of flax where the first wick came from.

But the Messiah would not extinguish such a dimly burning wick. Again, these wicks can be compared to people. They represent people who are exhausted, or even "burnt-out", in their Christian lives.

We all burn but dimly and our light is smoky.

God says that we will recognise the true Messiah in that he would not break the bruised reed or extinguish the dimly burning wick. 

When you think about these imageries in terms of God’s people, you realize what is said.  

We are not perfect. We often feel down-trodden failures and at best, not the flutes that are able to make the heavenly music of Christ heard or let his eternal light shine in a dark and desperate world.

We often feel that we do not have our lives together and do not live up to expectation as witnesses of Christ.

Some, who may think they are providing perfectly bright light and harmonious music, may be quick to dispense with imperfect people, but Jesus does not.

To the contrary, we know that Jesus is the true Messiah – the anointed One of God - because it is his character to play the glorious music of his Kingdom through bruised reeds, and make his gracious light shine even through smoky, smouldering wicks!

This is how we know that he truly is the Redeemer of the bruised and the burnt out and the lost.

And that he wants to works through us!

Liturgical Prayers for Sunday 4 August 2013.

Liturgical Prayers for Sunday (4 August 2013).

Call to Worship -    From Psalm 130

As soldiers guarding a fortress,

wait for the sun to rise,

for countless, endless hours,

through nights with darkest skies:

So I wait on the LORD God,

I’m waiting long, it’s hard!

But God in grace and mercy,

will not my plea discard. 

Have hope, have faith, God’s people,

and trust in God who saves.

With sunrise comes his mercy!

God rescues from the grave.

His love, his grace, his pity

bring light, create the day.

Absolve my sins, forgive me,

LORD, while I wait, and pray.

Glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Amen.

Prayer of Praise and for the forgiveness of sin

We give thanks, honour and glory to our merciful God who is our Helper and our Father, in and through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God:  who is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, and the eternal Word of the Father!   

We give thanks, honour and glory to our Saviour, for you, Lord, have sheltered and helped us, protected and spared and carried us until this hour.

May your peace and your grace be with us and guide us, o Holy Spirit, as you reveal to us the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ! May we find peace in his imputed righteousness and courage because he lives and lives forevermore!

Have mercy on us, O God, have mercy on us!  We know, Lord, that you love the righteous and that you have mercy on sinners. You do not wish the death of the sinner but rather that he returns and lives and you call us to repentance and salvation today,  to believe in the promise of your forgiveness which will come to us for the sake of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Guide us to fulfil your commandments.

Forgive our sins.

Sanctify our hearts.

Guard and lead our thoughts.

Purify our intentions.

Deliver us from every distress, sadness and feeling of guilt,

o gracious Lord.

Grant us faith, that we may accept your love, your forgiveness and your grace.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Amen. 

Prayers of Intercession:

Almighty God, our Father who is in heaven, you are holy, and most holy! You, Father, and your Son, and your Holy Spirit are holy and most holy!

We worship you, we praise you and we declare our love for you anew.

Have mercy, and listen to our prayers, because without you, Lord Jesus, we can do nothing. When we are one with you, as you are one with the Father, we can fulfil your purposes for our lives, our faith and our love for you. 

For our congregation:

Heavenly Father, today hear our prayer for the preaching of your Word amongst us. Bless the preacher with humility, wisdom and insight in your Word that we may hear the gospel and discover your teaching with grateful and receptive hearts. Grant us the willingness to change according to your Word to receive the true blessings which come from obedience and faith.

Bless our Session with wisdom and diligence in your work, we pray.  Grant each elder the gifts according to your wisdom and pleasure, that together, as they seek your guidance and your will as our Session, they will see the light in the light of your Word and rule and reign amongst us as servants of Christ, our Lord and the Head of the Church.  Bless the Moderator and Clerk of Session with wisdom, patience and love to lead the elders in all humility and righteousness.

Bless and refresh every ministry (or association) of this congregation and enthuse them to minister and work for you, Lord Jesus, with passion and efficiency, that your Kingdom which is near may come where we work, your will may be done through our service and your Name be glorified through our enthusiasm and originality.

For the UPCSA.

God of love and of grace, have mercy on the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.

Guide all who lead and govern within our denomination and who serve you by becoming our servants in Christ.

Grant good health, the joy of the Lord and your wisdom to the Moderator and Clerk of General Assembly and show them the way and the means to fulfil our calling in this country and in Southern Africa that they may lead us in righteousness and wisdom to glorify you in all we do as a denomination.

Grant your love, your peace and strength to the Moderator and Clerk of our Presbytery that we will benefit from their spiritual formation in Christ and their lives being filled with your Holy Spirit. Carry them and grant them good health and much joy in your work, o God.

Dear Lord, unite your people in faith and in passion for your gospel, and help us to love one another even as you love us, we pray.

For those in distress.

Remember today, our Father who is in heaven, all who are in distress, in pain, caught up in sadness and depression and in despondency and hopelessness.

Grant your fellowship to the lonely, your strength to all who are afraid, your mercy to those who are ill and heal them through the might and power of the risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

Provide food for the hungry and shelter for the destitute and show us how to make a difference as your children and as a church that minister in your Name.

Be you our comfort, o Lord. Guide, help and protect us against all evil.

Restore our joy!

Replenish our energy and strength.

Refill our hearts and lives with your love

and deliver us from every form of discouragement, stress and depression.

Listen to our prayers, almighty Saviour, who is always with us, for.....

May your grace and mercy be our guide, may your love be our inspiration and your Word the light for our feet and the lamp on our way.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray.

Amen.