St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“ ‘I am not what I ought to be; I am not what I hope to be; but by the grace of God I am what I am’.” (John Newton, the reformed slave trader and author of the notable hymn ‘Amazing Grace’)

By the grace of God

Gifted to us at Christmas

In His Son, the Lord Jesus,

We will become as God intended.

Graciously we are gifted love and mercy

That we can become in our Saviour Brother

What God always intended for us, holiness.

We become partakers of the divine nature,

That we inherit eternal life, the reward of heaven

Given through the Person of Christ Jesus.

“ ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law’.” (Romans 13 v 10 NLT)

By the grace of such love, such mercy.

We are called and equipped to be made holy,

The Spirit of our Father and of Christ Jesus,

The Spirit who is entirely holy,

Has a very large part to play in this.

The Holy Spirit is our Counsellor, our Adviser,

The Revealer of all of God’s truth embodied in Christ Jesus.

Wisdom and truth have been born amongst us,

But we need to pray joyously, asking for a share in this.

“ ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen’.” (Revelation 7 v 12 NLT)

“Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. For the LORD is a great God, a great King over all gods.” (Psalm 95 v 2, 3 NLT)

“Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker, for He is our God.” (Psalm 95 v 6 NLT) Please pray because “We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care” (v 7) This is why the Lord Jesus has been born amongst us.

Please pray to, through and with the living and abiding Word of God, He who is holy love manifest in human flesh so He can safely Shepherd us by the Holy Spirit.

“If only you would listen to His voice today’.” (Cont) Please pray to the Lord Jesus as Saviour, Brother and Teacher, the One come to gift us a purposeful life which is virtuous, a life which leads to heaven.

Please pray to profess Him. “Praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that He saves. Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone the amazing things He does.” (Psalm 96 v 2, 3)

Christmas, the season of peace and joy have ended. But we are a people of hope. Please pray to enlarge and embolden our hope as learned by belief in Christ Jesus.

“Honour and majesty surround Him; strength and beauty fill His sanctuary. O nations of the world, recognise the LORD, recognise the LORD is glorious and strong.” (v 6, 7)

Please pray and “Give to the LORD the glory He deserves! Bring an offering and come into His courts. Worship the LORD in all His holy splendour,” (v 8, 9) ever grateful to the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit

for making this possible. Amen.