St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“This Good News tell us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’.” (Romans 1 v 17 NLT)  

Dearest Father, faith assures us of a new life found in Christ Jesus. “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God,” (Matthew 5 v 8 NLT) our spirits reborn in Christ Jesus according to the fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit.

“Who may stand in His holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their Saviour.” (Psalm 24 v 4, 5 NLT)   

The Holy Spirit will guide us to live in a peaceful way as we learn to obey Christ Jesus’ teaching, the biblical teaching through which we learn to trust and hope. 

Eternal Father, we do not know how You will raise bodies long dead lying buried or even more puzzling are our ashes, being cremated. But we do know that having passed through the gates of death, by Your power You will rise us to life. 

“By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us up also.” (1 Corinthians 6 v 14 NIV) We do not know how, nor where, nor when, but we do know why, in whom this happens, Christ Jesus’ resurrection being central to life on earth and hereafter.  

We read in the sacred Scriptures how Jesus’ risen body was radiant with Your eternal, incorruptible life, Lord God Almighty. The disciples glimpsed the heavenly glory, thank You.  

“As He spoke, He showed them His hands and His feet. Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder.” (Luke 24 v 40, 41 NLT) I feel something similar each time the Lord Jesus speaks personally to me. 

The Lord, reared as a holy Child by Mary and Joseph, was conversant with the Scriptures. As a wise Teacher “He said, ‘When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and in the Psalms, must be fulfilled. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (v 44)     

We must, must realise how vital it is for us to learn from Scripture and live by it, the contents being “… perfect, reviving the soul…trustworthy …the commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart…are clear, giving insight for living.” (Psalm 19 v 7, 8)  

The Lord Jesus lived by these, showing us how the “Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever,” (v 9) for we have been gifted a Saviour who redeems us at the †, later sending His Spirit, Your Spirit of holiness, Father, the Spirit of wisdom and counsel.   

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep Your servant from deliberate sin! Do not let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin,” (v 12, 13) all thanks for Your Son and Your Spirit.   

It is through prayerful study of the sacred Scripture we grow in the power of holy wisdom and truth, enabling the revelation as to our new life, a new identity even, which is made ours in the Saviour, by means of the Sanctifier. 

Thank You, I praise You, Father God, for showing us that Your beloved Son, the perfectly holy One, Lord of heaven and earth, our new birth, the risen Saviour, is the principle and source of our resurrection.  

We are being enabled, thank You to leave behind our foolish, rebellious waywardness. Yoked to the Lord Jesus we move forwards to all that is worthwhile, being godly, appointed by the Holy Spirit, the new Life Giver. 

Thank You that the seeds of faith are sown, as we prayerfully study the written word of Scripture, the very seeds of a godly life which allows us to live in peace, experiencing the joy of Jesus’ friendship, the honour of being able to worship and hold firmly on to the hope of heaven.   

The Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, is the safe anchor of our faith, but also the compass helping us find our way, that way which belongs to Christ alone, for His way is truth and life to us.  

We are supremely blessed, thank You, as the living Word of our holy Brother manifests the written word of the Bible, and the Scriptures therein, portray and promise our salvation in and through Christ Jesus, by means of the Holy Spirit. 

May our understanding of the written word ever penetrate deeper, so we can abide by what is right because it is holy. May we continue to be led to the fuller life beyond the grave, realising that nothing other than our own wilful sinning can separate us. 

Now from the loving mercy You have shown us, Father God, almighty in power, in holiness, in faithfulness, in loving forgiveness, according to all that You so wonderfully do for us, we do trust in You and all You do.  

When all around us is said and done, Your written Word, like Your living Word of Life, Christ Jesus, lives 

on. We have a faith that moves mountains, opens locked prison doors, heals the sick and offers all hope to the dying. Our hope is in the One who seeks little reward.

Christ Jesus alive in us by the marvellous efforts of the Holy Spirit, simply asks us to pray, trust and believe, that in so doing, we delight and honour You, holy Father. This is the love which brings the greatest happiness, thank You.

I ask that none believers discover this because life’s events, or personal circumstances, or somebody met causes them to seek and find the almighty power of love and mercy alive and active throughout sacred Scripture, but also available to us. This is my prayer, that they can study and learn.     

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the (wo)man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good works.” (2 Timothy 3 v 16, 17) Yes, this says it all! Amen.