Sanctuary First

Matthew 5 [19th May]

raemx — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:03:22 +0000

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

A Pure Heart [19th May]

raemx — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:03:13 +0000

Almighty God, sometimes we forget the essence of true happiness, but we ask you to remind us today.

Sometimes we have the idea that to be rich and powerful would make us happy, but you remind us that your kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit and the earth belongs to the meek and humble.

We spend so much of our life satisfying our own desires and chasing our own personal pleasures, but you remind us that happiness comes in the shape of hungering and thirsting for righteousness.

So, we ask you to help us reset our aim and make our target a pure heart, which you alone can plant within us. Make us merciful people and who care about living at peace with others and who know, as a result, the peace of God deep within in our heart and soul.

So, help us to put you at the heart and soul of our life and so that we can truly enjoy the heart and soul living.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

by John Chalmers

Psalm 108 [18th May]

raemx — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:03:51 +0000

My heart, O God, is steadfast;
I will sing and make music with all my soul.
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
For great is your love, higher than the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Joy Sings in our Souls [18th May]

raemx — Thu, 17 May 2012 23:03:09 +0000

Almighty God, sometimes we forget how much joy comes from being one of your children.

We find too much to moan about. We have been given a voice that can sing your praise and too often it is raised in anger or used to express our complaints. And what is expressed with our lips deeply affects the heart and soul which sets the tone and controls the content.

Remind us, therefore, that deep within our heart and soul is the image of the one who made us and from these deep wells may there spring the music of praise to the God who loves us and who has redeemed us through the grace of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Help us to look around and to look within and mark the ways in which you have guided us, supported us and blessed us. And may the joy that sings in our souls be seen on our faces, heard on our lips and demonstrated by our lives for the sake of the same Lord Jesus Christ.

So, help us to put you at the heart and soul of our life and so that we can truly enjoy the heart and soul living.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

by John Chalmers

Your Word [17th May]

raemx — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:03:04 +0000

Almighty God, sometimes we find it very hard to hear what your Word has to say to say to us.

For your Word penetrates every disguise we have ever put on. Your Word exposes every point of weakness – we have tried piety and it has been shown to be self-righteousness, we have tried doing good, but it has been because we sought recognition and not because we wanted to serve you. And we have stood by things we have called “the truth”, but these have been at the expense of loving others as you would have us love them.

Your word penetrates to the very heart and soul of our being – it separates our deeds from our motives, it judges our thoughts and our attitudes and it leaves us looking bad.

But in your Word you never leave us as it finds us.

Your Word has the power to change our lives at the heart and soul – it teaches us to live by grace and not by effort; it teaches us that your love is not rationed as ours is and it teaches that no one is beyond the scope of your life-changing power.

So, help us to put you at the heart and soul of our life and so that we can truly enjoy the heart and soul living.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

by John Chalmers

Hebrews 11 [17th May]

raemx — Wed, 16 May 2012 23:03:03 +0000

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Heart and Soul [16th May]

raemx — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:03:40 +0000

Almighty God, sometimes we find it very difficult to get along with other people.

They get under our skin, they take advantage of us, they make unreasonable demands on us, we fall out with them and sometimes we can find no way to bring about reconciliation.

On a big scale it’s the same sort of thing that sets up enmity between people of different nations and different faiths and different ideologies. We end up at war and the damage that is done is passed from generation to generation. At the depth of our heart and soul there is such deep damage that it takes generations to heal.

Remind us good Lord that if we love you with our heart and soul then this should change the way we relate to those who are our neighbours and that you have asked us to love not only the people who are easy to get on with, but also to love those who would be our enemies.

Help us to understand that the Samaritan was the last person on earth expected to help a Jewish traveller and that his example is an example of how far we should go to express our love and care for others – loving them as you have loved us.

So, help us to put you at the heart and soul of our life and so that we can truly enjoy the heart and soul living.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

by John Chalmers

Luke 10 [16th May]

raemx — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:03:40 +0000

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Rest for our Souls [15th May]

raemx — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:03:46 +0000

Almighty God, sometimes it seems that we have burdens which are way too heavy to carry.

These burdens take over our thoughts and they overtake our ability to concentrate on the ordinary day to day things of life. Someone says us, “pull yourself together” or “dust yourself down” and that doesn’t work – it makes the burden even heavier.

When that weight brings us to despair and even to the point of isolation or desolation; we ask, in humble faith, that that you would draw alongside us in your grace and mercy and bring healing to our very heart and soul.

Remind us too that we were made to live our life in community and that it is a good thing to share our burdens with others who can share with us the love of their common humanity. Most especially teach us that there is no burden that we cannot share with Jesus who brings rest to weary souls.

So, help us to put you at the heart and soul of our life and so that we can truly enjoy the heart and soul living.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

by John Chalmers

Matthew 11 [15th May]

raemx — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:03:13 +0000

The Father Revealed in the Son

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

“All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”