Matthew 6:12-15 NLT '…forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if yo...
Psalm 51:1-2 NLT 'Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.' Who doesn’t love a hot bath? After a day working in the O...
Matthew 9:13 NLT Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Mercy lays the fo...
Galatians 6:10 NLT 'Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith.' Jayne and I have noticed that on social media groups set up across our community, the majority of the messag...
Acts 27:13-14 NLT 'When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather changed abruptly...and blew us out to sea.' Robert Burns the p...
Ephesians 5:15-17 NLT 'So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.' My dad was distinctl...
Hebrews 11:14-16a NLT 'Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly h...
Colossians 4:5 NLT 'Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.' Over the centuries, the Church has attempted to obey the great commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) in a variety of...
Psalm 44:17-18 NLT 'All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant. Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path.' Scripture makes it clear, the rain falls on both “the righteous and...
Psalm 44:9-10 NLT 'But now you have tossed us aside in dishonour. You no longer lead our armies to battle. You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.' Life is often a battle. When a loved one was taken ill a...
Psalm 44:8 NLT 'O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.' For years I had my quiet time in the morning, then headed into the day without considering where God was. It was as though my early morning prayer and scriptur...
Psalm 44:5-7a NLT 'Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies…' My parents were al...
Psalm 44:1 NLT 'O God, we have heard it with our own ears – our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago.' I was recently explaining to a young priest why my train fares were discounted due to my senior railcard. Joking a...
Luke 24:31-33a NLT Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” And with...
Luke 24:15-16 NLT 'As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. But God kept them from recognizing him.' The pursuit of God is a journey. We are invited to travel its winding pathway in conversat...
