Prayer Focus

• Praise God for all He gives to us; for being such a faithful and loving Father.

• Thank Him for His gifts to us, in the form of families and friends.

• Praise Him for His mercy.  He forgives us when we are at out worst; do we ask Him for His forgiveness when we have done wrong?

• Thank Him for the advantages we have: food, homes, clothing and far more than we need - remember that not all are as fortunate even in the UK in 2015.

• Pray for our nation and its governance.

• Thank God again for the safety of our mission partners all over the world, helping in countries at times of war and natural disasters.

Malachi 3:6

"I am Lord and I do not change.  And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost."

An email I received a few days ago

26 Oct 2014

HOW TO BUILD A GREAT MARRIAGE

'Wives, understand and support your husbands...Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives.' Ephesians 5:22, 25

If you want a great marriage, you've got to work at it every day. The Bible gives us God's blueprint for one: 'Be courteously reverent to one another. Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife in the way Christ does to His church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as He exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church--a love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out in her...And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing themselves a favour--since they're already 'one' in marriage. No one abuses his own body, does he? No, he feeds and pampers it. That's how Christ treats us, the church, since we are part of His body. And this is why a man leaves father and mother and cherishes his wife. No longer two, they become "one flesh". This is a huge mystery, and I don't pretend to understand it all. What is clearest to me is the way Christ treats the church. And this provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honour her husband' (vv. 21-33 TM). That's how to build a great marriage! ... If only both people in a marriage could commit to these simple things!

Better Late Than Never

I am finally taking confirmation classes... Luckily I am not the oldest person attending.  Over the next few weeks I will be adding prayers, feelings and thoughts that I feel are relevant to my learning and understanding of God The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I would like to share my journey on this my Faith Memo blog, which I use to store information, which I can revert back to when I needed.

The first thing I would like to share is a section from the opening prayer from the first session.

Loving God, open my eyes to see Jesus
and to know His purpose for my life. Amen

This very simple prayer gets right to the point for me and is a very useful and good prayer to start my journey with. I do not yet know what my purpose is, but hopefully it will present itself in time, as I am feeling very much like a lost sheep in the universe.

"There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent" - Ghandi

HOPE

Here are some notes about HOPE.

Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them. - Vincent McNabb

Hope never abandons you, you abandon it. - George Weinberg.


Poem:

Hope is loving and caring.

Happiness and smiles everywhere.

Wherever you go they will be hope in your heart and soul

Believe in yourself

believe in your heart 

join us with the chain of hope.

Love and care is the same as love in your heart 

and hope in the out.

A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Matthew

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay until I tell you, because Herod intended to search for the child and do away with him,'  So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead.  

This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt.  After Herod's death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said 'Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.'  So Joseph got up, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel.  

But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as the ruler of Judaea he was afraid to got there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee.  There he settled in a town called Nazareth.  In this way the words spoken throughout the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.

The Gospel of the Lord.

When the Father was talking through church, he spoke about "Saint Joseph" and the fact that Joseph never actually says a single work in the Bible, but he takes many actions for the sake of God.  The Father made me realise that what ever Joseph was asked to do, he did without question. One more than one occasion he was instructed to do things form God.  He was told by the prophet to "Get up, take the child and his mother with you" and so Joseph "Got up, taking the child and mother with him."

In life we all know that we must GET UP for God and do what is right.  We don't have to fight it, argue about it or even tell the world about it.  We just need to do as Joseph did and "Get up" and do what is necessary.  It could be something as simple as saying a pray for someone to as inspirational as joining ministry.  

Just "Get Up" and do something positive for God.

Prayers From A Christingle Service (which you may find useful)

Lord Jesus, who came to a world in darkness, we lift to you all who are scared, lonely, sad or unwell - particularly those we know and those who are children.  We thank you that you see everyone, no matter how dark their situation might seem.  Comfort them, protect them and surround them with people who will love and help them.  

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, who is the light of the world, we lift to you all those who seek to lead children in the way of love -  particularly teachers, parents and those who work with young people in churches, or communities.  We thank you that they do this no matter how busy or complicated their lives are.  Give them wisdom, energy, patience and above all love.  

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, who gives good gifts through creation, we lift to you everyone who cannot share in these gifts, the joy of home, the love of families, the company of friends.  We pray especially for children who have run away and are alone and unsafe at this time.  Have mercy on them generous God and stir us up so that we might be generous too.

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus, who loves us so much he gave us his life to save us, we lift to all who work so hard to help children in our country who are desperately in need -  particularly those who work for the Children's Society's projects.  Help them practically, emotionally and spiritually so they can continue to do this important work. 

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ to whom this world and its its history belong, we give you thanks for the wrk of the Children's Society, a faithful witness to your command that not one of your little ones should be lost. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Advent 4 - Name him Immanuel

The Lord himself will give you a sign.  The young woman shall bear a son and name him Immanuel.

Thank you, loving God, that you know my name, that you know me and love me for who I am.

Amen

Reflection of the week

In the Hebrew Bible, children were often given names to reflect current events.  The sign of Immanuel is not simply about peace and security.  The sign of 'God-with-us' is also a sign of warning about what can happen when God really is present.

Live in faith

Each evening, pray for everyone you have met during the day.  Remember their names and thank God for them.

Advent 3 - Streams In The Desert

You shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Lord of life,

when my life is dry,

water me with your joy.

When my life is hard,

pour your gladness into my heart.

Help me to rejoice with singing

as I see your glory in the world.

Amen.

Reflection for the week

It is on the journey through the wilderness that God's people experienced real learning and loving.  The desert symbolised danger and chaos but in Isaiah 35 it has been reclaimed by the creative power of God 

Live in faith

Do one thing to add beauty to the world around you.  Make or hang some Christmas decorations.

Advent 2 - A Child Shall Lead Them

A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

Lord of love,

love is the root that feeds the brach

that burst with leaves of peace.

May love be rooted in my heart

and watered with your spirit.

Amen.

Reflection for the week

The images of a tree can signify majesty and long life, but also pride and vulnerability - because a mighty tree can be cut down.  The 'shoot' that will come is not a restoration of King David's glory days, but the unexpected choosing of a leader who is a mere boy.

Live in faith

Do one thing to show someone you love them and one thing to create peace.  

Encourage others to follow your lead.

Advent 1 - Walk I The Light

This is pretty much the first evening that I have had to myself through the entire Christmas season.  I have a backlog of things that I need to do, and I have created a list to help me get through as much as I can before I go back to work.

On my list, one of my points say, "Add information to FAITH MEMO". Well this is what I am doing right now!  Over the Advent season, I like to collect things that I get from churches, such as useful verses or Christmas hymns that I like.  I then collect them, with the intent of adding them to my MEMO.  One of the things which I collected was a little book of Advent, which gives a series of quotes, prayers and things to think about.

So, I know that the season of advent is almost over, and some of these events that I am going to talk about have past now, but I would still like to share with you everything that I have collected during this festive period, starting with: Advent 1 - Walk in in the light.

Let us walk in the light of the Lord.

Lord, our light,

light of truth, light of hope,

light of life, light of trust,

light of peace, light of life,

shine brightly in our lives this week.

Amen

Reflection for the week

Martin Luther King linked light and peace and said: 

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that." Images of light fill our Advent hymns and songs in this dark season of the year.

Live in faith

Each time you switch on a light this week, pray that you will follow the light of Christ.

A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Luke

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharises; and they watched him closely.  He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour.  

He said the, "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour.  A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, 'Give up your seat to this man.'  And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place.  No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that when your host comes, he may say, 'My friend move up higher.'  In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured.  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted."  

Then he said to his host, "When you give a lunch or dinner, do not ask your friends, brother, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay courtesy by inviting you in return.  No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again."

I chose this Reading because it made me think about me and how I am as a person; the way value myself and the way I value others.

This reading made me realise that you should never think too highly of yourself because there is always someone who is higher than you.  Also, the people that you want to look good to, are not really the people that you should be trying to please or impress.  At the end of the day, they isn't any body who is uniquely special or more higher ranked to the people that actually matter.  The only person that we need to please is God; not ourselves and definitely not to others, just God.  

'Tis The Season To be Jolly!

Even though I can't stand winter, I love the Christmas season.  It's a time to give gifts and to give thanks and to remember the real reason for Christmas.... The birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

I was at church this evening for Christingle and the congregation were asked to say a prayer/ statement. I that this prayer was so true and I think it something that we all do. Below I have added the statement that we asked to say.

"Father God, we are sorry for when we make the Christmas season more about us than about you.  We are sorry for the times when we think, act or speak as if the story of Jesus' birth and his love for us, is more about making ourselves feel good, than following you in loving others.

May God who loved the world so much that he sent His Son to be our Saviour forgive us our sins and make us holy to serve Him in the world, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen"

Hymn 3

Verse 1

As I kneel before you,

as I bow my head in prayer,

take this day, make it yours 

and fill me with your love.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum, benedicta tu.

Verse 2

All I have I give you,

ev'ry dream and wish are yours,

Mother of Christ, Mother of mine

present them to my Lord.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum, benedicta tu.

Verse 3

As I kneel before you, 

and I see your smiling face,

ev'ry thought, ev'ry word

Is lost in your embrace.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum, benedicta tu.

The Servant King

Verse 1

From Heaven you came helpless babe,

entered our world your glory veiled,

not to be served but to serve 

and give your life that we might live.

Chorus

This is our God the Servant King,

He calls us now to follow Him,

to bring our lives as a daily offering

of worship to the Servant king.

Verse 2

There in the garden of tears

my heavy load He chose to bear;

His heart with sorrow was torn

'Yet not my will but yours,'He said.

Chorus

Verse 3

Come see His hands and his feet, 

the scars that speak of sacrifice,

hands that flung stars into space

to cruel nails surrendered.

Chorus

Verse 4

So let us learn how to serve 

and in our lives enthrone Him

each other's needs to prefer 

for it is Christ we're serving.

Chorus

Hymn One

All that I am, all that I do,

all that I'll ever have,

I offer to you.

Take your honour, Lord.

Knowing that I love and serve you

is enough reward.

All that I am, all that I do,

all that I'll ever have I offer to you.

All that I dream, all that I pray, 

all that I'll ever make,

I give to you today.

Take and sanctify these gifts 

for your honour, Lord.

Knowing that I love and serve you 

is enough reward.

All that I am, all that I do,

all that I'll ever have

I offer it to you.

3 Hymns

During Service today, we sung three really nice hymns.  Two of them I have never heard before, but one of them I knew from school, and a always find it to be quite a powerful song.

As usual, in my church they don't put down the names of the hymns, o if anyone knows the names of any of the two that I am unsure about, please send me a message, it will be appreciated. By the way, the hymn I do already know is "Servant King".

The hymns will follow in the posts above. =)

A Hymn That I like

Lord Jesus Christ, 

you have come to us,

you are one with us, Mary's Son.

Cleansing our souls from all their sin,

pouring your love and goodness in,

Jesus our love

for you we sing,

living Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,

now and every day

teach us how to pray, Son of God.

You have commanded us to do

this in remembrance, Lord, of you;

into our lives

your power break through,

living Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,

you have come to us,

born as one of us, Mary's Son.

Led out to die on calvary, 

risen from death to set us free, 

living Lord Jesus 

help us see 

you are Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,

I would come to you,

live my life for you, Son of God.

All your commands I know are true,

your many gifts with make me new,

into my life

your power breaks through,

living Lord.

A Reading From The Holy Gospel According To Luke

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on His way and He turned and spoke to them.  'If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple.  Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  And indeed, which of you here, intend to build a tows, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it?  Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, "Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish."  Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against with twenty thousand?  If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace.  So in the same, none of you can be my disciples unless he gives up all his possessions.