“My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer” Psalm 45 v 1
Belief
POETRY - Belief
Introducing our book: Listen Carefully to Me
A Listen Carefully to Me book extract: 27th May
Believe
and march on, and you will see the glory of God in the land He will give you because you believed and relied upon My Name.
BELIEVE - A SELECTON OF POEMS
- Related Poetry -
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12 v 14) Lord, frequently we conflict with the world, Its ways, its demands, its philosophy, Even indeed with some of its psychology. Life was not meant to be like this. Father, forgive us the sinfulness of stupidity, Of erring, of straying, of disobeying. We look to You for mercy and renewal. “You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people, You have covered all their sin.” (Psalm 85 v 2) You accomplished all of this through the Lord Jesus, Yet so many today fail to pray, And equally disastrously take the famous name in vain. Jesus as Saviour, took our blame to the † , Enabling us to be free of sin’s adversity. He lived and died to restore us to favour. We in our pride, or arrogance or ignorance have forsaken this. “You have taken away all Your wrath; You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.” (Psalm 85 v 3) Why, oh why do we turn our back on this mercy? Why do we pretend all is well and rosy in the garden? We harden our hearts and turn from You. We ignore Your commandments and live wilfully. We carelessly forfeit Your graced goodness. We do not ask the Lord Jesus to help us, Nor do many call on the Spirit of purity. “Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger towards us to cease.” (Psalm 85 v 4) We do not deserve Your mercy, we never did. But we who believe in Jesus as Saviour, Ask You, Father God, to rid us of satan, his attacks, deceits and trickery contributing to our downfall. Call out to us through Your Spirit of love. Let us feel once more the love from above. We have no help but to look to You as a Trinity. “Will You be angry with us forever? Will you prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85 v 5, 6) I imagine Your response to be somewhat surprised, By our thinking You have done nothing, Nothing that is to rescue us, when in fact, You allowed Your Son to live and die for us. Lord God of mercy, show us this mercy once more. I implore a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit, The Faith Giver, the Enabler, making us wise as to this. “Show us Your mercy, LORD, and grant us Your salvation.” (Psalm 85 v 7) Those blessed to have knowledge and understanding of the Lord Jesus, Who have yearned for Him, turned to Him, Trusted in Him and depended upon Him as Saviour, Already know the power of holy love as redemption. Through mercy, Jesus became our salvation. I ask for the world at large to seek to find this. The answer to all of our sinfulness lies in Jesus. “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly.” (Psalm 85 v 8) Let us acknowledge our Saviour, the Lord of life. Let us turn to Him, risen and real. Let us hear the appeal of mercy to believe, Believe in the Lord Jesus and be freed from sinfulness. Believe in the salvation won for us at the † . Accept this as the starting point of our holiness, Requiring us to call on the Spirit to work now with us through Jesus. “Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land.” (Psalm 85 v 9) “Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the LORD will give what is good; and our land will yield its increase.” (Psalm 85 v 10, 11, 12) All thanks for salvation’s free gift, we are a people of promise. Let us then pray in response to, through and with the Lord Jesus, that “Righteousness will go before Him and shall make His footsteps our pathway,” (Psalm 85 v 13) for all our future wellbeing and national prosperity depends upon this. Lord God, we have sunk to a new low in our country’s proposal to ignore and defy an international agreement written in law, so breaking our promise, a failure in Your eyes and the eyes of the world. There is no glory here. Forgive us, Lord God, forgive us and call us back to the way the Lord Jesus has taught us to live. Yes, let us pray about this. Amen 23.09.20 Sue O’Donnell
“Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.” (Psalm 5 v 11) Advent was a time to look backwards and forwards. We recall that Jesus has come as the Light of the world. A Saviour who was to be born amongst us. God reaches out to us in mercy and healing power. Our hope is centred upon the Word of Life. No more darkness, no more sin, no more death, For we claim to have a forever Saviour in Christ Jesus. The Light of the World is personified. ‘Trust Me’, He will say to us. ‘I come to help you’. This Light of Jesus will conquer all sinfulness, As long as we co-operate with our Father’s plan for our redemption. “Therefore we have no cause to be downhearted because, by God’s mercy, we have been given His ministry of glory. For this reason we have put all shameful ways behind us and have nothing to hide.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 1, 2 The Truth) His plan for our salvation, our redemption, this ministry of glory, Is God’s plan purposed in the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Do we truly, fully believe this has happened? Or is the gospel consigned to ancient history? Do we meet with our Saviour Brother regularly By praying and receiving Him in the Holy Eucharist, So we become convinced Jesus is as He says He is? Do we live by this truth that our Father of mercy Out of compassionate love for us has sent us a Saviour? Do we receive the quality and quantity of love the Lord Jesus offers us As the Light of the World and the Bread of Life? “But as for me, I will sing about Your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of Your unfailing love.” (Psalm 59 v 16) “God, You are my God, I pine for You; my heart thirsts for You, my body longs for You, as a land parched, dreary and waterless. Thus I have gazed on You in the sanctuary, seeing Your power and Your glory. Better Your faithful love than life itself; my lips will praise You. Thus I will bless You all my life, in Your name lift up my hands. All my longing fulfilled as with fat and rich foods, a song of joy on my lips and praise in my mouth.” (Psalm 63 v 1-5 TNJB) Please pray for a greater trust in the peace and joy which become ours when we turn our life over to the Lord Jesus. Please pray that we do not lose the vigour and determination of our Advent prayer, our hopeful awaiting. “My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning – yes, more than those who watch for the morning.” (Psalm 130 v 6) Should we not pray in this vein because it expresses our ardent desire for our Saviour Brother to be with us, and it must honour Him to say so? Please pray with the peace and joy gifted us during the Christmas season. Pray that we never lose our confidence in the One born to save us from sin and to sanctify us by His Spirit. “...hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever.” (Psalm 131 v 3) Please pray that our hope develops a firm trust in all the benefits our holiness reaps for us in Jesus’ friendship and the Spirit’s efforts. Amen. 14.01.21 Sue O’Donnell
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say again – rejoice!” (Philippians 4 v 4 NLT) Declare the gospel message, share! Look at life with and without Christ Jesus; compare. Ensure we all seek to obey, Develop our faith daily, wanting to pray. How should we do this? Always through the Lord, Christ Jesus. “ ‘Look I am making everything new’.” (Revelation 21 v 5 NLT) We must seek to find, eagerly, yearn. Pray each day to assess and learn. He is the One we must, must heed, For great indeed is our world’s need. What did Christmas world wide gift us? The Christ Child born as the Lord Jesus. “ ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations...And because of this: I am with you always...’.” (Matthew 28 v 19, 20 NLT) Come then now, the Spirit of Peace, Come be the ongoing gift, a release, Of fear, fret, many an anxiety, Of doubt, despair, so many a worry. Christ’s peace offered to every nation, His peace is brought into every situation. “ ‘I will send you the Advocate – the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father, and will testify all about Me’.” (John 15 v 26 NLT) Peace arises from knowledge of holiness. Holiness arises when we are made righteous. Peace walks hand in hand with justice, This is the peace Jesus wins for us. Our strength of hope and a sure security Is in the presence of the Holy Trinity. “ ‘Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’.” (Matthew 28 v 19 NLT) The Cornerstone is the One gifted us, To save us from sin, He is called Christ Jesus. Forgiveness emanates from His †, love blessed, It is with God’s mercy we are now assessed. How blessed to know we are a new creation, No more under sins’ disastrous condemnation. “Now there is no condemnation to those who believe in Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” (Romans 8 v 1, 2 NLT) Peace is God’s everlasting gift. All Jesus does is our faith’s uplift. Out of this GOOD NEWS now we live, Ours to claim and ours to give. Gifted peace is graciously ours to be receiving. Holy love is for prayerfully sharing by believing. “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is there for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” (Romans 3 v 22 NLT) There is a defined, proven way We should pray day by day. We know why, but must also know how To bless through our worship as we bow. As in Christ Jesus, true love we profess, Hope, peace and joy we can realistically confess. “ ‘My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life’.” (John 10 v 10 NLT) “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before You as attendants. Happy those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of Your presence, LORD.” (Psalm 89 v 14, 15 NLT) “They rejoice all day long in Your wonderful reputation. They exult in Your righteousness. You are their glorious strength. It pleases You to make us strong. Yes, our protection comes from the LORD and He the Holy One of Israel, has given us our King.” (Psalm 89 v 15-18 NLT) All of this is my experience of coming to faith brought by Your Spirit and longing to learn to pray, so keeping looking to the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for making this possible. Our world needs the encouraging uplift of Your life giving, sanctifying Spirit, revealing You as the King of Glory. For this is what delights and honours our Father. May the season of Christmas, leave a lasting impression of awe and wonder, such that more people will want to pray so as to discover who is behind all of life’s goodness and eternal purpose. Let the Nativity be their joy. Thank You Lord Jesus, for agreeing to come and live amongst us, to save us from sin. We rejoice to know You as Saviour. But You are too, our Brother, showing us the way to live so as to be instep with all our Father wishes for us. Although the Second Person of the Trinity, You were prepared to humble Yourself and become human. It is so helpful to know You as our best Friend and trustworthy Companion on the long and often challenging journey home to heaven. We delight to know You as a Brother. Also, You are the perfect reflection of the Lord God, the Almighty who is our Father and who we would have no clear idea about His nature or personality, had You not been His perfect likeness. We look at You and we see the image of a perfect love, a profound mercy, unfailing truth, incomparable wisdom and we sense the awe of Your presence. We exalt to worship with You, through You and offer our life to You. Thank You for sending Your life affirming Spirit of faith, He who always helps us to pray. May we ever confess You, profess our belief in word and action and bless You as a Trinity by truly being Your disciples. Amen. 08.01.21 Sue O’Donnell
“I...command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer, nor indulge themselves in controversies concerning myths and traditions from the past. Such things never enable people to do God’s works, which can only be accomplished by faith in Him.” (1 Timothy 3, 4 The Truth) Jesus is with us as God’s truth, do you know this? ‘Where is the evidence’ you say. Well, firstly you must pray. Prayer opens up the line of communication Between heaven and us. This is because of Jesus. He tells us “ ‘I am the way...’ .” (John 14 v 6) The way to live to prove love, Love given between heaven and earth. Holy love is given birth in Jesus, God’s gift of life to us. Our Father’s presence is manifest to us, In the Person of Christ Jesus. He is not only the way, We discover as we pray, He is the truth that God cares for us, the truth to live by. “Love is the motive behind this command, (to have faith in God) the kind of love that comes from a pure heart, is inspired by faith, and results from having a clear conscience.” (1 Timothy 1 v 5 The Truth) Jesus does share everything with us, Be life happy or sad, be we glum or glad. Jesus shares life with us fully By means of the Holy Spirit, The Third Person of the Trinity. He who makes Jesus as God’s Promise, Real to us, effective, active and attractive. All of life is given an eternal purpose, Spelled out by the perfect life of love seen in Jesus, He who is wisdom and truth set before us. Do you know the purpose of the †? Jesus comes to free us from satan’s clutches. He cannot do this however, cannot be Saviour If we mistrust this truth and disbelieve, For then we do not receive the blessings of grace to share. “Set the other believers an example by the way you speak and live, in your love for peoples, your faith in God and the purity of your heart ...Keep a close watch on the way you live and in what you teach. If you persevere in the truth, God will save both you and those who listen to you.” (1 Timothy 4 v 11, 16 The Truth) We have to pray not just once, but continuously, Every day making time to connect with heaven. We have to inspect our life and put this to Jesus. He, by the Spirit, will help us to adjust To whatever it is our Father asks of us, Sets us as a task for us to make good progress, In all the ways of Jesus, His way of holiness. We have to pray so as to obey Him, Thus avoiding running into the danger of sin, Where we stumble along in bondage to satan. Jesus is our Father’s all loving rescue plan for man. Jesus, by His †, has freed us from this captivity. In Jesus, living through the Lord, we find liberty. He untangles the mess we get ourselves in. But we have to begin to pray and ask for invaluable help. “Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death or life...neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow.” (Romans 8 v 38 NLT) Seek to speak with Jesus early before the day unfolds. Allow Him, by the Spirit, to mould your time, Then all will be well in the end. For God does send His Son to us, mercifully kind as He is, To result in His own purposes for good, for holiness. So we should, we must pray to Jesus, Asking to receive of His Spirit of life, He who always directs our attention to the Saviour. To know Jesus as our Brother, the Lord and Master, The living hope, scope of our prayer offered sincerely, Is to be blessed fully, becoming entirely dependent. By this you will know the Lord Jesus is with us. Pray today and say you trust in God’s mercy. “ ‘So I tell you: continue to ask and it will be given to you; go on seeking and you will find; keep knocking and the door will be opened to you’.” (Luke 11 v 9 The Truth) “ ‘For everyone who asks in this way receives; (s)he who is determined when (s)he seeks finds; and to him (her) who persistently knocks the door will be opened.” (Luke 11 v 10 The Truth) Come, Lord Jesus, come to us by Your Holy Spirit, for You say to us: “ ‘If you, who are far from perfect, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven, who is perfect, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him’?” (Luke 11 v 12 The Truth) Let us pray to ask that all we do may begin with Your Spirit’s inspiration, Lord Jesus, and evolve under His direction with the blessing of Your help enabling us to respond to holy guidance. Thank You for caring for us and for sharing all of life’s ups and downs, achievements and setbacks, hopes and disappointments, plans and decisions. May Your Spirit ever safeguard us. According to the mercy of our Father’s love for us and the sincerity of love You show by living and dying for us at the † of our rescue from sin, remind us please, that we begin anew. In living through You, may the Holy Spirit help us to judge wisely everything on earth, whilst keeping a full focus on that which is holy and will lead us homewards to heaven. Please by the Spirit, keep us in Your presence, so we do not take our eyes off the goal. Your Spirit makes us Yours, Lord Jesus, and You make us children of God. Let this perfect plan succeed. We need You as Saviour, Brother, Lord and Master. We have to recognise You as the living, active, effective Word of God, our wisdom and truth to live by. Let us pray to make Your all loving presence the foundation of our daily life, a life lived to give glory to God, all because we prayed and learned to rely upon You! Thank You that by Your Spirit, Lord Jesus, You teach us to long for heaven, to see this as our Father’s promise fulfilled by You, our hope of heaven eventually. Please ever be our way to live on earth, the truth we stand by, the wisdom we follow, the Holy Spirit the impact and full, full godly influence upon us because He always but always draws us closer to You. Thank You for making us God’s masterpiece, creating us anew in You, by the Holy Spirit, daily as long as we pray. We are being equipped to live wisely, confident in our Father’s powerful protection and all loving support. Lord Jesus, You are life to us in all the fullness of the blessings of Your holiness. Please keep us praying, calling on the Spirit, asking to receive all the many blessings of grace, that He the Trinity be all the glory. Amen. 18.11.20 Sue O’Donnell
New year, new hopes, new dreams, New purpose living in Jesus. Seeking, finding, knowing, sharing, spreading His love In the resolve to serve our Father, Through our Lord and Master, by the Spirit. We have no merit of our own to offer. But conformed to the love of Christ Jesus, And nothing will be impossible, For all that is holy is accomplished lovingly. The Spirit of love and life is transformative. He evolves our will to decide upon godly purpose. The Spirit is our power to live well, Conforming ourselves prayerfully to Christ Jesus. Much has happened since His birth, More grace and favour is yet to come. “Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to You for refuge. I said to the LORD, ‘You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You’.” (Psalm 16 v 1, 2 NLT) When we depend upon the Holy Trinity, Building our life on the firm foundation Found in the love of Christ Jesus, God’s most precious, eternal gift to us. Reach out through our Saviour Brother. Reach out led by the prayerful, life shaping Spirit, Reaching to touch those in need we plead for. Let them be lifted into love’s security In knowing Christ Jesus and His will for us. New year, new hopes, new dreams. It seems all this is made possible By our Father’s loving concern for us, Acting in sending His Holy Spirit, To and through His beloved Son. It is in the Lord Jesus Our new purpose in life lies and depends upon Dearest Father, we are told that “It is by believing in your heart you are made right with God and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us ‘Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced’.” (Romans 10 v 10, 11 NLT) For “ ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved’.” (v 13) Thank You for this revelation. May we be receptive pupils, ever open to the Holy Spirit’s impact upon us, enabling us to confess and proclaim that Jesus, the Christ, is Lord, Lord over us and Lord with us, in us. Thank You for our new life in Christ Jesus. It is His righteousness which works in our favour, working on our behalf. Christ’s saving work is our hope established in the homeland of heaven and our peace renewed as You forgive us all sinfulness. May our faith be ever active in daily life. The Lord Jesus winning love and mercy for us at the †is our confessed belief, the new covenant ratified by His blood shed that we be saved from sin, and death is conquered. We believe in the Lord Jesus’ resurrection and Your blessing is upon all believers. Thank You for the new purpose of serving in the holiness of Christ Jesus as motivated by the Holy Spirit. We are protected and provided for. “Show us the right path, O LORD; point out the road for us to follow. Lead us by Your truth and teach us, for You are the God who saves us. All day long we put our hope in You.” (Psalm 25 v 4, 5 NLT the singular invocation changed to plural) Lord, I read today “Waiting with hope is very difficult, but true patience is expressed when we must even wait for hope. I will have reached the point of greatest strength once I have learned to wait for hope.” (George Matheson) Our hope is in You, arising from, given shape by and affirmed according to our meeting with the Lord Jesus in friendship, blessed by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, the Life Giver. Thank You for this mercy. Out of Your steadfast loving kindness You chose to reveal Yourself to us in Christ Jesus, Your Word made Flesh. Then, that we might have access to You, seeking to share in the holy nature of our Saviour, You granted us the Holy Spirit. You spoke in many and varied ways to us by the prophets, but now You speak to us through the One we call Jesus, because He has come to save us from our sinfulness. Love in all its holy power is incarnated and we are fully blessed to possess this gift. Freed from the darkness of sin and death, we are raised up to life eternal. What a most glorious manifestation we gain in Christ Jesus, the new life, new purpose, holy Son, come to share with us. New dreams and fresh hope become ours as the Holy Spirit is released to work with us. Thank You so much for the New Year, containing new hopes, new dreams, new purpose living in Jesus, making Him our service in word and action, sharing and spreading His gospel Good News by means of the Holy Spirit. May we be successful so as to delight and honour You, dearest Father. All our hope is founded on the Trinity Amen. 16.01.21 Sue O’Donnell
Move forwards, do not slide backwards. Look upwards, do not glance downwards. Reach heavenwards, do not heed wickedness. Believe Jesus, do not doubt Him. Heed the Spirit, do not ignore Him. Honour our Father, do not dismay Him. Begin anew through Jesus’ friendship. Develop a faith which is based on worship. Call on the Spirit to help with this. Combat all that is evil vigorously. Look to the Lord God of mercy. Declare the marvellous and mighty works of the holy Trinity. May the power of God, propel us. May the vision of God, inspire us. May the belief in Jesus, enlist us. May the call to the Spirit, empower us. May the knowledge of God, spur us on. May the love of God, enfold us, Now today, everyday and evermore, To share in the One in Three who enfold us as a Trinity. Amen. 30.08.20 Sue O’Donnell
Close up you can see Detail not clear from afar. Sunlight too, helps the view, Shining brightly with clarifying detail. You may well see effects Not noticed previously, Like a colour change or range. Yesterday I saw something unusual. The sunshine was summer bright, All around bathed in light. I glanced at our Tamarisk tree, The sight enthralled me. Hanging like precious jewels From the delicate feather fronds, Were raindrops glittering and glinting in the sun, But not as they normally do. Somehow the light spectrum had become split, Like with a rainbow. I looked more closely and was amazed to see A tree bedecked with apparently, jewels Not merely shining in silver, But in violet, green, blue and yellow. The sight was breathtaking at a far distance, And even prettier as I drew nearer. I could not count the jewels, so many! A question well worth asking regarding faith, Is how does our perspective on God our Father change As we draw close to the Lord Jesus, our Brother? What vision are we given in Jesus’ decision To love us so fully, He gives up His life As a suitable sacrifice to earn forgiveness for us. Look more closely then, to seek and see The Lord God of such mercy, He would allow His beloved Son to live and die for us. When you realise more fully the intention of Christ’s crucifixion, The decided intention of God to seek and save us by intervention, Surely you will see this differently compared with When you stood afar, placing yourself at a distance? Love gifted in God’s guidance emanating from the †, A gain or loss according to our view on this †. Draw closer to the Lord Jesus, our Saviour, the Healer, Gain a fresh perspective as to God’s steadfast kindness. Draw up closer for clearer vision, see the Lord God’s decision. To make us family through the Lord Jesus, His friendship now our focus and worship as believers in Christ Jesus. Life is much more wondrous and joyous As and when you come close up to the Lord Jesus. Because the Lord God of mercy, ever daily Longs to share His life fully with us, His family. This is a detail of life not to be missed! Come, Lord Jesus, come to us as we pray, seeking to find and follow You. Come, share each and every aspect of life with us, for only then will Your kingdom of love be extended. We need You and the impact and influence of the Spirit of holiness convincing us how vital holiness is, if we are to be of good help in our Christian witness and service, so as to delight and honour our Father. Come, Lord, live within us. Amen. 22.08.20 Sue O’Donnell
“Look to Jesus and love Him, that is all.” (Mother Agnes of Jesus) Blessings abound, newly found In the holiness of Jesus. The Word of God come to us. He is full of grace In His life of duty. Here we find beauty unalloyed. Let our praises be employed. We are under the guiding care Of a covenanted love, our dignity, Our new identity in Christ Jesus. In Him is daily opportunity To offer our talents in His service. The perfect love of Jesus is our worship. For He does all things well As is our Father’s pleasure, our treasure. Jesus is the Word of Life Wiping clean our sinfulness. For His way for which we pray, Is perfect in shape and outcome, Meaning we are not far from home. Faith and prayer are our safe passage, As we listen to and learn from Jesus. Jesus, the Christ, the living and abiding Word. May the Spirit make us receptive. Thank You that He makes us introspective, That we be disciplined willingly, meaningfully. Our productivity has to be accomplished in Christ Jesus, The love of God evident in and amongst us. The Lord Jesus at the helm, the Spirit guides us Over the choppy seas of life’s stormy waters. We need help always and will receive this In Christ Jesus, the King of Glory, The principal Person in our faith’s story. He prays for us, interceding mercifully, lovingly, Asking to safeguard and guide us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is love’s strength, truth, wisdom and power. Christ Jesus’ crucifixion is our eternal salvation. Out of love’s confident expectancy, we call upon Him in the Trinity, For our forgiveness is freely, graciously gifted, how joyous! “Above all, make Christ to be found in us, that we may dethrone ourselves in our hearts and make Him King.” (Bishop Bloemfontein) “So that He may be in me, and I in Him, today and forever.” (Bishop Bloemfontein) Dearest Father, let us ever love, honour, admire and adore You, through our allegiance to Christ Jesus as the Word of life and King of Glory as taught us by the Spirit of faith. Let us thank You for Your unfailing love and mercy shown to us at the crucifixion of Christ Jesus, gaining forgiveness for all our sinfulness. Let us rejoice with praise for being able to work alongside Jesus, offering love as His name as inspired by the Holy Spirit. Let us thank You for Jesus’ sovereign authority over all things, including those matters which pertain to life, death, mercy, forgiveness, heaven and hell. Let us extol and esteem You for our fresh start won for us by Christ Jesus once our sins are repented of and forgiven. Let us esteem Your mercy and share this, forgiving as we are forgiven. Let us admit our inadequacy to You, whilst claiming how we make good progress in faith’s practices, through Spirit led submission to all You ask of us and we pray about. Let us pray appreciatively, because we are increasingly learning to trust in and depend upon our relationship with You, as won for us by the King of Glory, He who is the Prince of Peace and the world’s Saviour. Let us exalt You, Lord of our good progress, our righteousness, our growing holiness, our hope for our blessed future. Let us venerate You, Lord God, Father Deliverer and Protector, for this new life You gift us in Christ Jesus, Your living and abiding Word, available to us by means of the Spirit of holiness. “Save us, God our God, gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, and may gory in praising You. Blessed be God, from all eternity and for ever! Let all the people say, ‘Amen’.” (Psalm 106 v 47, 48) 06.02.21 Sue O’Donnell
What is Christian faith? It is an encounter with Christ Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth, The One born to be Saviour. A marvellous, exciting, rewarding meeting. Jesus, our Brother, A Man perfectly holy. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, Divesting temporarily of His Godhead. Jesus, ever Spirit led. Jesus, the living Word of God. Jesus, the risen Lord Having been sacrificed at the †. Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth. Jesus, the highest name, The name above all names. Belief in Jesus, This is our Christian faith. He is the promised Messiah, The Christ, the anointed One. Jesus, our Saviour He is the Redeemer of mankind, The One in whom, through whom We receive of God’s Spirit And inherit a blessed sense Of expectant hope, Of a realistic, God given peace, And an ever deepening joy. Joy in a holy friendship As through Christ Jesus we worship. For the One we meet is “Christ, the power of God And the wisdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 1 v 24) “The Word” (John 1 v 14) who became God’s love manifest, The beloved Son placed Nearest to the Father heart of love and mercy. The One blessed And anointed to bless us, Being “The glory as of The only begotten Of the Father, Full of grace and truth… (v 14) And of His fullness We have all received, And grace for grace.” (v 16) By the Holy Spirit We meet with Christ Jesus, God with us. This is our Christian faith. Dearest Father, for all the hope, peace and joy we experience in seeking and finding Your Son as our Saviour, introducing us then to the Holy Spirit as our Sanctifier, we praise and truly thank You . How marvellous is the gift of Christian faith. Be ever lifted up high O Lord, in our thoughts, words, decisions and actions. Amen. 28.07.20 Sue O’Donnell
“Since we are surrounded by so great a crowd of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...” (Hebrews 12 v 1) What is real Christian faith? Christian Faith is the outworking of life Lived through awareness of God’s goodness. Christian Faith is the belief, The assurance that God blesses us in Jesus. Christian Faith is the means by which We open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s impact and inspiration. Christian Faith is our understanding Of love given in Jesus, as God’s influence and preference. “...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12 v 2) Christian Faith is the way by which We live as a follower of Jesus. Christian Faith is asking and allowing The Holy Spirit to guide us. Christian Faith is developing a humility Which puts God at the centre of everything. Christian Faith is a purposeful direction, Leading us homewards to heaven. Christian Faith is a certainty in divine providence Without accidents or coincidences. “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for our salvation. God does nothing without this goal in mind.” (St Catherine of Siena) “Nothing can come but than what God wills, and it makes me very sure that whatsoever that be, seeing it never so bad in sight, it shall indeed be the best.” (St Thomas More) Lord, the goal of our Christian faith, please accompany us on our journey of faith, that by the teaching Spirit, we hold true all that we learn from the finest example of a pure life, that of the Lord Jesus. Stay with us, Lord God, in Your Son, by Your Spirit, to walk along the paths that lead to life. We must thank You for this, as we start to grasp Your eternal faithfulness towards us. “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.” (Psalm 107 v 21, 22) Thank You for Your wonderful work of our deliverance by means of the salvation won for us by the Lord Jesus, according to the work of the Spirit who corrects and counsels us, the Trinity bringing us “...out of darkness and the shadow of death.” (v 14) Thank You that the Spirit encourages us to believe in the Christian faith, by convincing us of the biblical narrative, of its authenticity and intrinsic value, showing us that the Lord Jesus is the living Word who manifests the written word of holy truth. The Spirit is the Spirit of peace because as we believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the fullness of Your revelation to us, holy Father, we learn how to please and honour You by adhering as closely as is possible to Your will. In the Christian faith lies our eternal hope and our deepest peace, both of which in turn lead to fullness of joy in accepting the many marvels of Your love and forgiveness. We reach out to touch the love of Jesus and in His ascended and glorified divine nature, He sends us the promised Spirit to transform our life, moving us away from, setting us apart from, all that is evil, as long as we pray. Thank You for revealing to us the power behind praying in the highest, holiest name of the Lord Jesus, our Saviour. Thank You for the blessing of the Spirit of freedom found in the Lord Jesus. I ask that all believers in the Christian faith reverence You through the Spirit, active and effective in working with us, convincing us that Jesus the Saviour is Master over heaven and earth. Then, may Your glory shine through the countless ways that You bless us, a glory undiminished by sin, the deceit of satan and the lure of the world. Thank You for placing the full fullness of truth before us in the Lord Jesus, made possible by His and the Spirit’s guidance and mentoring, helping us to become good works in progress. The world needs this fullness of truth which is holy, to become its wisdom and means of reverence as developed through obedience. When we lodge our trust in the exemplary life and sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus, herein is our safekeeping. “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.” (Hebrews 3 v 14) A partaker is a partner, an associate. Our friendship with the Lord Jesus is such joy, thank You, as the Spirit of faith continues to deepen, strengthen and embolden our faith. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11 v 1) or not yet seen in the promised fullness we secure through the Spirit of knowledge, teaching us regarding the role and status of Jesus. This will follow in the heavenly destiny we are promised after dying, rising once more to the new and everlasting life salvation gifts us in the Lord Jesus, as long as we remain properly steadfast in faith, trust and dependency. Our Christian faith is, thank You, Father God, an established conviction coming from the Holy Spirit, as to the full meaning and purpose of the life and death of the Lord Jesus and our future reward in heaven. Our assurance rests on all Your promises dearest Father, as fulfilled for us by the Lord Jesus, established and developed by faithfulness in Christian service, according to the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit breathe on us, live in us, act through us, defend us, strengthen us and empower us to pursue and live by the holiness the Lord Jesus offers us, always based on love. May our love desire above all else, to become as loving towards everyone as the finest example set for us by Jesus, that conformed to this, by the Spirit of love, we learn to love and forgive, to love mercifully more and more. Let the holiness of the Lord Jesus and His intercessory prayer for us – “ ‘For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth’,” (John 17 v 19) being kept well away from all that is evil, that Christians are set apart from the world’s mistaken ways, whilst at the same time working to reveal the truth found in the love of Jesus. Jesus has overcome the distress of sin at the † of forgiveness and prays not “ ‘...that You shall take us out of the word, but that You should keep us from the evil one’.” (v 15) To heed the devil in any way at all is disastrous as he is the father of lies, deception and despair. May the Spirit who is holy fill us top to toe with a devotion to Jesus, cleansing us. May He in purifying us of all that is wrong in attitudes, actions and language, make us into empty vessels awaiting filling with the Lord Jesus’ life of truth, of goodness, of the beauty of holiness. Jesus has to be the King of our heart and mind, of our will and conscience, of our Christian faith as the zealous Spirit is ever hard at work with us to develop our conformity to Jesus’ likeness. By this we will spread holy love across the wide world and the blessings of hope, peace and joy, the experience of meeting with Jesus as Saviour, living in Him as Lord, obeying Him as Master, all will be well, very well indeed. Amen. 01.08.20 Sue O’Donnell
''O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wonderful works. Now also when I am old and grey headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.” Psalm 71 v 17,18l'
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