Welcome and Greeting
Today there is no recorded service as Paul and Robyn are having a 2 week break. However, we do we pray that you will experience God’s presence as you read through this service.
Opening prayer
God has made us, with all the saints from every generation, one in Christ.
He has set his seal upon us and, as a pledge of what is to come, has given the Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Thank You that You are here with us tonight and that You love the worship of Your people. Please help us to open our hearts to You now.
Peace to you from God our Father who hears our cry.
Peace from his Son Jesus Christ whose death brings healing.
Peace from the Holy Spirit who gives us life and strength.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you
Romans 5: 1-11
Peace and Hope
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And weboast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Devotion: Robyn
As you read through these verses from Romans,we remember with thanks and confidence that we are those who have been justified. What does being justified mean? A meaning that was given to me a long time ago and which I have always found useful is-
Just as if I had never sinned.
In verse 6 – 8 it says ‘
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Before we became Christains we were all powerless sinners, the ungodly. But because God loves us so much, He sent Jesus to die and rise again thus making us righteous, When we come to God and ask for forgiveness, our sins are taken away and we are JUSTIFIED, just as if we had never sinned. All those wrong things have been taken away and forgotten by God. So why do we still hold guilt over things we have done?
When we look back at verse 3 to 5, we see that, as justified people, we do not automatically become safe from every adverse thing, but we have a character building God who is always with us and who will strengthen us through His Holy Spirit, to develop perseverance, character and hope into our lives. These are character traits we don’t usually, normally have. But as we experience God helping us through difficult times we can see them grow in our lives and our experiences can help others, too. We can daily ask God to build our Characters and to make us people filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5).
In a time such as we are experiencing at the moment, and as there is so much insecurity about safety, we need God’s peace, help and strength each day. May you know God’s closeness and comfort during this time.
Prayer
Father I Thank You
Father I thank You for all that You’ve done
You gave Your Son freely for me
And I praise You for calling me
Drawing me near
Out of blindness You caused me to see
Spirit of life You are God’s holy fire
You’ve kindled my heart with Your blaze
And I know You’re refining me
Changing my life
And by faith You’re revealing Your ways.
Jesus I need You as Lord of my life
I give all I have unto You
Lord I want to come under Your heavenly hand
And to praise You in all that I do.
(C) 1980 Scripture in Song
CCL Lic No 83820
Confession:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that your word says that as we draw near to you,
you will draw near to us, by the working of your Spirit in us,
We are sorry for doing those things that have displeased You
and we ask for Your forgiveness.
Please cleanse our hearts and hands and minds
Help us to walk in love and newness of life
so that we can be more like Jesus
and make him known to all we meet. Amen
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We thank you Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before you today, thanking You that through Jesus death and resurrection we have forgiveness of sins are we are reconciled to you as justified children. .
Thank You that You love us all and that you forgive us and then choose not to remember our sins.
Please help each one of us to remember that You give the Holy Spririt to us to help us each day. Thank You that the Holy Spirit is our advocate, our comforter and our help through the difficult times and the times when we need your strength,wisdom and power.
We pray today for all our health workers who are working through many difficult times to provide us with the care we need. Please protect them from the Corona virus. We pray for researchers and ask that a COVID vaccine will be developed soon.
We pray for schoolteachers and children as they continue to settle back into their schools. Please give them all patience and understanding. We commit to You especially of our own children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
We pray for our local council, for our state and territory governments, our national parliament. Please be with all those who make laws and help them to do so with good judgement. Please continue to give wisdom to our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and to all members of our governments.
We pray for people who are struggling because of loss of jobs and lack of income. We do ask that their needs will be met and that no one in Goulburn goes hungry or cold. Please show us if there is any way we can help to provide comfort for another person.
We ask that you give each one of us strength to go forward this week. We ask for healing for those who are unwell, and for comfort for those who are lonely. Please help each one of us to look to You for our strength, our peace and our comfort and make the most of this time of continued changing isolation. Please show us ways that we can encourage others. We pray that you will protect each of us from the Corona Virus.
In Jesus name.
Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and forever. Amen
Blessing
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, evermore Amen.
Prayer Points
• Thank God that we can join together for our services, even though far apart.
• Ask God to show you ways you can contact others from F5, F10 and beyond to encourage them along. Pray for wisdom to know who to ring, who to send a message or note to
• Pray for nurses, doctors and hospital staff as they learn to work differently and wisely
• Pray for those who are going through difficult times with sickness, depression, loneliness, loss of work, separation from family and friends.
• Pray that we will each have God’s strength and wisdom to be able to make each day worthwhile.
• Pray for Scott Morrison and our governments as they make unprecedented decisions regarding all things connected to the Coronavirus. We especially ask for wisdom for them as they direct the opening up again of Austtalia.
• Pray for teachers and students as they settle back into school
Enquiries – Paul (0418 633 396) and Robyn (0414 254 154)
Website – www.f5refresh.org.au & Facebook
PLEASE SUPPORT THE MINISTRY OF F5
Direct Debit – for F5 – is now available through the Anglican Development and Investment Fund http://www.aidf.com.au/www/home/
The details of the account are as follows:-
Account Name: F5-Refresh Ministries; BSB: 702-389 Account Number: 05209657
