Invitation — Titus 2:11, 13
"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people ... the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."
Quiet
Bible Song — Psalm 7:1-5, 8, 17
Lord my God, I take refuge in you;
save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
or they will tear me apart like a lion
and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
Lord my God, if I have done this
and there is guilt on my hands —
if I have repaid my ally with evil
or without cause have robbed my foe —
then let my enemy pursue and overtake me;
let him trample my life to the ground
and make me sleep in the dust...
Let the Lord judge the peoples.
Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
according to my integrity, O Most High...
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.
Bible Reading — Acts 15:5-11
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses."
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
Quiet
Dwelling
Remind yourself you are in God's presence and read again ... notice how God might be speaking to you through his Word — dwell on a word or phrase that jumps out at you ... let your heart respond to God in prayer ... take refreshment in God's presence.
Free Prayer
- for our national and local communities
- for the continent of Australia
- for military personnel and peacekeepers
Prayer — BC 27
Jesus Christ, light of the world, as the Magi came from far away to bow down and worship, gather your church from every place. Never let your church be bound, confined, or limited to certain places or persons, but always ready to receive those who seek to worship you, and whom you are seeking. Amen.
Blessing — 2 Corinthians 4:6
"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."