Song: Come, now is the time
Come, Now is the Time to Worship by Kim Hill - YouTube
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the privilege of meeting and bringing you our prayers. We pray for those who have to worship in secret. We pray that you will open your treasure store of blessings to everyone who meets in your name. Amen
Reading: Genesis, chapter 23
Song: Because of you
Because of You (There's a Place) - YouTube
Reading: Acts, chapter 9, verses 1 to 22
Prayer:
Almighty God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, we thank you for your Son, Jesus, the Messiah. We believe that no power can stand against you for ever. Help us to remember this when we see evil apparently unchecked in the world.
We pray for the church worldwide, and ask your blessing on all who call on your name. We especially remember those who encounter daily danger because of their faith. Hunt down those who persecute your followers and convert them to your service as you did Saul.
We pray for time when every knee shall bow in your name and every tongue confess you.
We pray for the state of the world, and pray for your light to overcome the darkness.
Song: King of Kings
We pray for cruel, corrupt and incompetent government; for the homeless; for victims of violence, crime, disease and disaster.
We pray that the agencies that care may be adequately resourced. May governments have wisdom, courage, clarity and compassion.
May harsh governments repent and become a blessing and not a burden to their people.
May people be salt and light, and turn the hearts of their persecutors.
Amen.
King of Kings, Majesty - YouTube
The second letter to Timothy, chapter 3, verses 16 and 17 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” So, what does this rather obscure passage from the book of Genesis, and a better known passage from Acts have to say to us in the 21sr century?
We know that Sarah died aged 127 in Canaan. Canaan had been promised to Abraham, but at this point he did not own any part of it. He makes a polite, and respectful offer top buy a bit. He goes on to reject a free offer, he takes a longer term view and wants a legally binding solution. He again offers to buy for money, and even though Ephron offers it as a gift, he says that he will give money. Eventually a price is agreed in silver, about 45kg, or somewhere in the region of £27000 at today’s prices.
The land became his possession. The sale was witnessed, and would be remembered. It was a permanent place.
Is this just a history lesson? No, it is an illustration of the benefits of persistence, he gets what he wants through his efforts. He kept plugging away, he made sure that all was fair and above board.
As Christians, we are strangers and sojourners in the world. We are just passing through. Rather in the same way as Abraham was in Canaan.
We must be respectful to the powers of this world, without kow-towing to them. We need to live at peace if we are to win people for Christ.
Saul leaned that “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Saul fell whilst trying to win a territory already bought and paid for by Christ. In this fall, he learned who called the shots.
Ananias, is a quiet hero. He was reluctant, as he feared for his own safety, but he went, and the rest is now history. Saul became Paul
In the modern world, there are those who once had the spirit of Saul taking upon themselves the spirit of Paul.
Abraham Lincoln once said “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”
God chooses his vessels, and what they do. We believe that nothing is impossible with God.
“if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10, v9)
This is really very simple, but some find it difficult. May we help others to find this simple truth.
Song: I stand amazed in the presence
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