Reading:
Genesis chapter
1: verses
1 to
5
Song:
Thou whose almighty word
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJuqdIVH8VY
Prayer
:
Creator
God, from the moment your spirit hovered over the waters of this
earth,
we were part of a vision held lovingly within your
heart.
From the moment you spoke and separated darkness from
light,
you created space where we might one day walk.
From
the moment your joy spilled out into green and living things,
your
beauty was revealed for us to taste and see.
Creator
God, for this world, beauty and majesty, passion and artistry, a
green and pleasant place, we praise your mighty name. Amen
Kirsten
Holmberg writes
In
my daughter’s earliest days, I often named for her the things she
encountered. I’d identify objects or allow her to touch something
unfamiliar and say the word for her, bringing understanding—and
vocabulary—to the vast world she was exploring. Though my husband
and I might naturally have expected (or hoped) her first word would
be Mummy or Daddy,
she surprised us with an entirely different first word: her small
mouth murmured dight one
day—a sweet, mispronounced echo of the word light I’d
just shared with her.
Light is
one of God’s first words recorded for us in the Bible. As the
Spirit of God hovered over a dark, formless, and empty Earth,
Taken
from “Our
daily bread 01/05 /22”
There
are lots of famous and less famous people that have given us quotes
on light.
Here
is a few of them
“To
secure one’s freedom the Christian must experience God’s light
which is God’s truth.” Watchman Nee
“Though
the light shines on things unclean, yet it is not thereby defiled.”
Augustine
Christ
is the true light of the world; it is through him alone that true
wisdom is imparted to the mind.”
Jonathan
Edwards“
To
trust God in the light is nothing, but trust him in the dark—that
is faith.”
Charles
Spurgeon
“With
Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over
the light of Christ.”
Dieter
F. Uchtdorf
“Sin
turns ugly and is subject to defeat only when seen in the light of
Christ’s beauty.”
Sam
Storms
“In
faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough
shadows to blind those who don’t.”
Blaise
Pascal
“We
are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to
tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call
attention to their shining- they just shine.”
Dwight
L. Moody
“The
way, like the cross, is spiritual: that is an inward submission of
the soul to the will of God, as it is manifested by the light of
Christ in the consciences of men, though it be contrary to their own
inclinations.”
William
Penn
“Glory
in Christ and you can bask in His light forever.”
Woodrow
Kroll
“We
cannot believe that the church of God is already possessed of all
that light which God intends to give it; nor that all Satan’s
lurking places have already been found out.”
Jonathan
Edwards
“Learn
to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone's life. Be the
light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest
significance.”
Roy
T. Bennett
“It
is the Gospel that can translate you from darkness into light.”
Benson
Andrew Idahos
“If
you want to give a light to others, you have to glow yourself.”
Thomas
S. Monson
“Hope
is being able to see that there is light despite all of the
darkness.”
Desmond
Tutu
Song:
Jesus the light of the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vb3UccwVns
Drawing
close to the light
Have
you ever wondered why many great men of God such as St Peter, &
St Paul, had a great revelation of their sinfulness?
It
is because when you start seeking the face of God you get closer to
the light. When you start getting closer to the light you start to
see more sin than ever before.
Some
Christians are not that close to the light.
They
stay at a distance so the light doesn’t shine on their great
sinfulness. When Jane
first became a Christian
she
didn’t truly understand how sinful she
was. As she
started to grow and sought to know God and be alone with Him, the
light shined brighter and brighter and it showed her
different areas in her
life where she felt she
fell short.
If
Jesus Christ did not die for our
sins, then we
have
no hope. The light makes the cross of Jesus Christ even more
glorious. Jesus is our
only claim. This is why as believers we walk in the light we
continually confess our sins. We
must
get closer to the light. 1st
letter of
John
chapter 1:
verses
7
to
9
says
“But if
we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with
one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all
sin. If we claim to be without sin, we
deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.” In
the letter to the Romans,
chapter
7: verses
24
to
25
Paul
writes “What
a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is
subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through
Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave
to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
The
transforming light of Christ
When
you repent and put your trust in Christ alone for salvation you will
be a light. Not only do you see everything more clearly, but the
light will come to live inside of you. The light of Christ will
transform you.
2nd
letter to the Corinthians, chapter 4: verses1 to 6 says “Therefore,
since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not
lose heart. 2 Rather,
we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use
deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary,
by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s
conscience in the sight of God. 3 And
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are
perishing. 4 The
god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For
what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and
ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 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.”
Reading:
Luke’s
gospel, chapter
5: verses
1to11
Living
in the light
Peter’s
life was being changed even if did not realise it.
What
does your life say? Have you been changed by the Jesus or are you
still living in darkness? Has the light so touched you that you
seek to walk in it? Are you light? Examine yourself. Are you
being fruit? If you are still living in a lifestyle of sin You are
still in the darkness. Now is the time to repent. To stop walk in a
new direction and put your trust in Christ.
Prayer
Confession
Merciful
God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We
have failed to be an obedient to
your will.
We
have let
you down,
we have taken
praise that we should have given to you. We
have not loved our neighbours, and we have not heard the cry of the
needy. We
only shine your light dimly if at all. Forgive
us, we
are sorry.
Father
God fill us with the Light of your son, through the power of your
holy spirit
take away our sins and give us your peace Amen
Let
us say together the Lords
prayer
The
letter to the Ephesians,
chapter
5: verses
8
to
9
says
“For you were
once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as
children of light. (for the fruit of the light consists in all
goodness, righteousness and truth)”
Song:
Shine
Jesus Shine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaTwx0ehbvM
Reading:
Book
of
Acts, chapter
26: verses
1
to
20
God
did not give upon Saul Jesus came to Saul he came in to him through
the power of the holy spirit so Saul became Paul he went go out and
shine the light of Christ.
God
speaks light in your darkness.
God
is faithful even when we are not. He does not want a believer to
give up in the hard times.
Sometimes even a believer will try to turn their backs on God, but
they will not be able to escape the great light. God’s light breaks
through the darkness. We have hope in the Lord.
The
devil will not claim us. God will never let us go. What is
stronger than the light of the Almighty God? You might go through
darkness and pain, but the light of the Lord will always come through
in times of despair. Call on the name of Jesus. Seek the light.
The
psalmist says (Psalm 18:28) “For it is
you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.”
Paul would have known the psalms. The words may have become a light
bulb moment for him. I love light bulb moments don’t you? Where
you struggle with some thing then you suddenly get it Jonathan and I
went to the ministers and pastors fellowship in Nuneaton. We had
booked in to a b&B and the man said he would leave the light on
for on for us but after the meal we were late getting back and the
sign was out, what a difference that made but we knew where we were
heading to. God’s spirit is always shining. The psalmist says
Psalm 139:7-12 “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or
where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You
are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If
I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the
sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will
lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm
me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness
is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness
and light are alike to You.”
John,
Jesus’ disciple and evangelist talked about Gods light and also
quoted Jesus these are some of his words
John
1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has
not overcome it.”
he
also says John
3: 16
– 21
For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal
life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s
one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: light has come
into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because
their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the
light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds
will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes
into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have
done has been done in the sight of God.
Reading:
John’s
gospel, chapter
12: verses
20
to
47
As
you have just read “Yet at the same time many even among the
leaders believed in him.” But because of the Pharisees they would
not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of
the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
It is so easy to take the praise, God gave me the gift of healing
hands, it would be so easy to take the credit, It is God’s gift
Just as Jesus to go to the temple, I was mocked for the gift but by
Gods love be He turned the mocking into believing as they saw a
miracle in front of them. They had their darkness turned into the
light. Then
Jesus cried out, ‘Whoever believes in me does not believe in
me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me
is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as
a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Prayer
of Intercession
Father
God, help us to recognize you above all else. Enlighten the eyes of
our heart that we might see you, and notice how you're at work
through our lives. Give all
leaders of nations
wisdom to make the best choices, fill them
with
a desire to seek and
work for peace.
Be
with all people who are victims of conflict. Be
with all those who are seeking to do you will Let
your Spirit and power guide
them.
We Pray
for all in need of warmth and food. We thank you for the generosity
of others. Be with the giver's and receivers. We see Your Holy
spirit in action. We worship and praise you holy name.
We
pray for those who feel
lost,
fill them with your
presence
and lead
them
in to your peace.
We
Thank
you that your presence goes with us, and that your joy is never
dependent on our circumstances, Warm
our hearts that we may shine with its glow. Amen
Song:
THE SPIRIT LIVES TO SET US FREE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CumpuwbWv4
Being
light of the world
We
are the light of the Lord in a world full of darkness. You will
be a light to others. Your light shines so bright that is why people
look at Christians so carefully. This does not mean to act like
something you are not or try to appear righteous to others. Glorify
God not yourself. It means to be who you are. You are a light. Even a
little light makes a huge difference. Light a small candle in a
house with no electricity at night. You will see that though the
candle is small it still allows you to see in the darkness. You might
be the only light someone ever sees. Some people are going to be able
to see Christ through your light. People appreciate the little things
because most of the time people don’t go the extra mile. One time I
helped a cleaner clear up
a
mess. She
was surprised and so thankful. “No
one offers help”.
Without
me telling her
she
said “you are religious aren’t you.” I replied
that I was Christian. We
started to talk about Christ. Being a beacon
of light is the work of
God You can’t try to be the light. It’s either you are light or
you are not light. You can’t try to be Christian. you are
Christian or you are not.
Matthew
5:14-16 writes “You are the light of the world. A town built on a
hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it
under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light
shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your Father in heaven. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own
possession,
so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you
out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
The
world hates the light
People
don’t like the light. Why do you think that Jesus was hated? He
Shined
His light
on their sins and they are were
determined to get rid of him
John
3:19-21 says “This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds
were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will
not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be
exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so
that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in
the sight of God.” Job writes in chapter 24 verse 16
“In
the dark, thieves break into houses, but by day they shut
themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light.”
And
Paul wrote to the Ephesians 5:13“But everything exposed by the
light becomes visible–and everything that is illuminated becomes a
light.
So
when we have light we have hope.
Psalm
27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I
fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I
be afraid?
Acts
13:47 Luke writes “For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring
salvation to the ends of the earth.”
John
8:12 John quotes these
words “When Jesus spoke
again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
Prayer
for the world
Lord
God fill your world with your peace be with those who are caught in
conflict,
(silence
for you own prayer …..)
be
with all world leaders, Their governments, May they work for the good
all people. Forgive their foolish ways, re clothe them in rightful
minds, may they live to serve all people in love. And may they seek
to shine your light of peace.
(silence
for your own prayer ……..)
Lord
hear my prayer in Jesus’ name Amen
Song:
We’ll walk the land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkZLTLmJaWU
Please
watch then sing, Then
play again and sing along words below
We'll
walk the land, With hearts on fire, And every step will be a
prayer.
Hope is rising, New day dawning, Sound of singing Fills
the air.
Two
thousand years, And still the flame, Is burning bright Across the
land.
Hearts are waiting, Longing, aching, For awakening Once
again.
Let
the flame burn brighter, In the heart of the darkness,
Turning
night to glorious day.
Let the song grow louder, As our love
grows stronger,
Let it shine, let it shine.
We'll
walk for truth, Speak out for love, In Jesus' name,
We shall be
strong, To lift the fallen, To save the children,
To fill the
nation With your song.
Let
the flame burn brighter, In the heart of the darkness,
Turning
night to glorious day.
Let the song grow louder, As our love
grows stronger.
Let it shine,
Let
the flame burn brighter, In the heart of the darkness,
Turning
night to glorious day, Let the song grow louder, As our love grows
stronger,
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it
shine,
MusixmatchSongwriters:
Graham A. Kendrick Let the Flame Burn Brighter lyrics © Make Way
Music
God
of created light, lighten our darkness and fill us with your love
Jesus
light of the world, lighten our darkness, fill us with your peace
Holy
Spirit, shine
through us that we may
live
as children of light.
Amen.
God
bless you.
Susannah
