St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“This was the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118 v 23, 24)

“God is the LORD, and He has given us light,” (Psalm 118 v 27) the light of life which is love direct from heaven above, found in the Lord Jesus, as Brother yet a Saviour. How truly wondrous, most marvellous indeed!

“You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, and I will exalt You,” (Psalm 118 v 28)

esteem, extol, and ever hope to thank You for the mercies of Your love towards us, primarily through Your Son and Your Spirit.

We rejoice to be gifted a new life in the Lord Jesus, a life entirely unlike the old ways of self centred sin. We have been born again through a living hope! We call this hope ‘Jesus’.

Jesus is life to us by the Holy Spirit of love. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end,” (Psalm 119 v 33) if daily I call on the Holy Spirit.

I thank You for all the blessings of the free gift of salvation and the anointing by the Spirit of faith, who shows us how vital it is to live in the love of the Lord Jesus, a life changing love.

“Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law,” (Psalm 119 V 18) as I learn to understand, appreciate and follow this grace of love as given to us by Jesus, perfectly modelled by Him and made possible for us through the Holy Eucharist.

Thank you that the Spirit, being the Spirit of joy, causes us to hunger for Jesus as the Bread of Life, our real spiritual nourishment, our happiness now, for this is linked to becoming holy, and our hope for an eternal

future in heaven. The Lord Jesus comes to us to develop life’s fullness virtuously.

In holiness we find our true happiness of a real sense of peace and a deep contentment. Thank You so much dearest Father of every mercy, our Creator and Re-Creator, our Sustainer and Sanctifier, all through Your Son and Your Spirit.

Our right standing, secured by placing ourselves within the realm of the Lord Jesus’ love for all peoples, as impacted upon and influenced by the Holy Spirit, has to result in a more godly society. May the living Word

of Jesus direct us.

We need defence against the snare of satan, his traps, deceits, trickery, misleading, for all of this will divert and distract us away from holiness if we are not vigilant in our purpose to follow Jesus.

We need a Spirit led, prayerful, high level friendship with Jesus, His living and abiding Word of life, His offer of love and mercy, our Divine Healer, Lord God, Redeemer and Restorer. May Jesus ever shepherd us so

we do not lack righteousness.

Thank You that our destiny awaits the anointing grace of Jesus’ holy friendship, ever encouraging us to worship by means of turning to the Spirit of faith in all holy power and strength to sustain us.

May the good fruit of the Spirit ever be evident in our days of working, speaking and even our hoping and planning what to do. It is by Your loving kindness towards us, dearest Father, ascribing the merit of right

standing to us through our friendship with Jesus, only in this way as we pray, do we see progress in holiness.

Let us never doubt this blessing and benefit to society, for we must not doubt the Healer in any way at all.

Love holds out a hand in holiness for us to hold on to, working together for the greater good of all, thank You Father Protector.

“You who love the LORD, hate evil.” (Psalm 97 v 10) May the Holy Spirit of sanctity help us with this to “...walk uprightly, work righteousness and speak the truth in our heart” (based on Psalm 15 v 2).

The rule St Benedict laid down for his Order, equally applies to us, insisting “(S)he does not backbite with the tongue, does no evil to a neighbour, nor take up a reproach against a friend, despising those who

are vile, but honour those who are reverent and lends generously.” (based on Psalm 15 v 3, 4, 5)

To live correctly before You, Father God, demands the highest standards from us. This is why we are in urgent need of Your Spirit’s impact and influence developing our love for You, through our loving friendship

with Jesus and each other.

It is this love developed through the Spirit that counts in our favour when holy love is pre-eminent in and amongst us, making us fully pleasing to You “...being fruitful in every good work and increasing in knowledge of You.” (based on Colossians 1 v 10) Thank You for the strengthening we receive directly from Your power of holy love, a life changer.

Let it be that in all sincerity many more become believers in the anointing grace of the love Jesus holds out to us, claiming thereby never to doubt the gospel message, Your “...power to salvation...” (Romans 1 v 16)

We believe the gospel and are saved by being placed or replaced in a right relationship with You, Lord God,

no matter what has gone wrong between us in the past, because You are merciful. We receive this right standing as gift and truly we thank and praise You.

What an honour and the highest privilege to be loved by You, called to become saints, those who have been set apart for Your purposes. May the Holy Spirit enable us to never fail, You in this.

“May You, Lord God, our Father and Your Son, our beloved Brother, impart grace and peace to us, everything we could ever need to be at one with Him and serve Him faithfully. (based on Romans 1 v 7 The Truth)

I ask this in the name of Jesus, the highest, holiest, most upright name this world has ever known and will ever know. For He is the Lord of our righteousness, the Bread of Life nourishing our faith, and we rejoice

and give all thanks and praise, delighted to be able to worship. Amen.