Attempting to summarise scripture teaching in brief verse
Galatians 3:13-1
Free to follow rule of love
– we’ve received love far above
all that we dared think to pray
– now he helps us love his way.
We’ve been freed to break from sin,
so our service can begin.
As the Father loves the Son,
selfish malice we now shun.
Even though the way be hard,
loved by God we sin discard,
try to love those who annoy,
helped by grace, supplied with joy.
Tune: 77 77 eg Monkland, tune of ‘Let us with a gladsome mind’
Satan clouds their thinking – so becoming blind:
cannot see things clearly, sluggishness of mind.
Tricked them into thinking God himself is blind
and can’t see their malice, deaf to words unkind.
Smirking when they are not punished straight away,
hope God has no record to reveal one day.
He exists and sees us, everything’s observed,
but his Son he asked to bear what we deserved.
Tune: 65 65 eg Tunes of ‘At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow’
All long for a day free to fill
with nothing – or whims of their will,
– so often depressing,
the emptiness pressing –
God’s precepts can satisfy still:
A day set apart for a break
from tread-mill of pressures and work,
remember our Maker,
rejoice in our Saviour,
refreshed for another new week.
A day that has purpose and ease,
not aiming good pleasures to seize ,
but reading his scriptures
– not wearisome strictures –
brings liberating power to please.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” Exodus 20:8-10
on Psalm 103
Angels, praise your Maker’s worth,
praise him all who here on earth
serve him; all of nature shows
beauty that his skill bestows.
And my soul should ever praise
who He is, my Lord’s good ways,
King who rules, delights to give
redemptive love by which we live.
His compassion and his grace
understands, and we can trace
kindness and provision shown –
adoptions’s covenant we own.
Tune: 77 77
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world”
Matthew 5:14,16”You are the light of the world … let your light shine before men”
So many think enlightenment
will come with education.
They’re itching for excitement
but often find confusion
– in casting off the truth revealed
for novelty unproven
that to the curious has appealed –
delivering but depression.
Christ said he is the needed Light
for everyone’s direction,
and when he’s shone into our night
we give a pale reflection;
so to his followers he spoke
they must the world enlighten,
display his way to stumbling folk
with winsomeness invite them.
Tune: 87 87D iambic eg Bishopgarth (tune of ‘For My sake and the gospel’s go)
or 87 87 iambic eg Dominus Regit me (tune of ‘The King of love my Shepherd is)
(I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12) NIV
No lingering look at failures past,
no longing glance at follies cast
away, nor on successes dwell,
press on to know your Saviour well.
Don’t falter, give up, when you fail
– your cry for mercy will prevail,
reach out, hold tight he’ll help you rise,
press on as Jesus grace supplies.
Press on when service seems so dull,
watch out – the world and flesh may pull,
so read his Word, press on, well fed
towards the goal of heaven ahead.
Look back in thankfulness at all
he did for you, his sufferings full
to pardon gain, he soon will come,
so persevere, preserved: press on!
If Santa really watches all,
then every single name would fall
not in the ‘nice’, but ‘naughty’ list –
for everyone the target’s missed.
We won’t succeed even if we start
perfecting life – the whole, not part –
we’re bound to mess up, and can’t pay
to wash past guiltiness away.
So if there is a God who sees,
can anyone his verdict please?
and can we have real happiness,
can he be kind to us and bless?
As no-one can be nice enough,
then Jesus came to take us off
the ‘naughty’ list if we’ll receive
his goodness, niceness and believe. Tune: LM
I liked to drink and mess about,
with no-one to restrain,
I did it my way, soon found out
it led to sadness, pain.
I’m fickle with my friends, don’t want
commitment – free and loose.
– Why is it that decisions haunt
and feel like self-abuse?
I left my home, and took my share,
then squandered it away.
Bankrupt, with no-one left to care
– my ‘pals’ had had their play.
Dare I return, my way now own
was stupid? ask for food?
But look! he’s running, welcomes home
and gives again what’s good!
(cf The parable of the Prodigal Son, recorded in Luke 15)
Tune: CM
As you think of provision abundant,
Do you thank the Provider omnipotent,
do the things he has sent
grip your heart to prevent
your praising the Giver important?
For all your belongings and money
can’t give your heart rest when you’re lonely,
cannot take your soul on
when your time here is gone:
without God, satisfaction is phoney.
So at least give some thought to such matters
when weary of boastful go-getters,
for our life’s more than food,
seek the One who is good,
who can help when your hopes lie in tatters.
Whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. … Be on your guard against all types of greed … “This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God. … Life is more than food. Luke 12:8, 15, 20,21,23
‘ He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven …’ Acts 14:17
A gift of God sustaining life,
refreshment after thirst and drought
to fill the rivers, reservoirs,
and moisten earth so plants can sprout.
But rain falls inconveniently
and interrupts warm sunny days:
we cannot organise these things,
need God to order well our ways.
We should do well to take account
that once he sent a world-wide flood
because of wickedness so great,
and though he said he never would
again so flood the earth, there will
be surely judgement day to come,
and that is why the rainbow speaks
of mercy coming through God’s Son.
For like a refuge in the rain,
we shelter from what we are due
for all offence to judgment right,
we gain instead that comfort true.
And then we drink, refreshed, awake,
the Holy Spirit quenches thirst,
he quickens, nurtures and he fills
us, in his love we are immersed.
Tune: DLM eg ‘Ye banks and braes’
rhiannonshymns.co.uk 
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