prayer

A prayer at the start of a New Year

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In Praise!, the ICF-Delft hymnbook, I discovered a wonderful song and prayer to say (or sing) when a new year begins. I invite you to read it aloud with great attention for yourself, or to read it with others.

HERE ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW BEGINNING,
by grace forgiven, now we leave behind
our long-repented selfishness and sinning,
and all our blessings call again to mind:
Christ to redeem us, ransom and restore us,
the love that holds us in a Saviour’s care,
faith strong to welcome all that lies before us,
our unknown future, knowing God is there.

May we, your children, feel with Christ’s compassion
an earth disordered, hungry and in pain;
then, at your calling, find the will to fashion
new ways where freedom, truth and justice reign;
where wars are ended, ancient wrongs are righted,
and nations value human life and worth;
where in the darkness lamps of hope are lighted
and Christ is honoured over all the earth.So may your wisdom shine from Scripture’s pages
to mould and make us stones with which to build
God’s holy temple, through eternal ages,
one church united, strong and Spirit-filled;
heirs to the fulness of your new creation
in faith we follow, pledged to be your own;
yours is the future, ours the celebration,
for Christ is risen! God is on the throne!

From Praise!© no 238

Read your Bible, pray every day!

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Read your Bible, pray every day!

You might be familiar with this children’s song. Children always like to sing it and they make movements with their arms and hands while singing!
The truth in this children’s song is less easy to put in practice for adults. Most of us are very busy with study, work, family issues and much more.
Therefore, for the honour of God and for keeping ourselves healthy spiritually we should not forget to feed ourselves from the Word of God and to express our thankfulness and dependency in prayer. 

There is a wealth of websites and materials to help you with it. Especially when you are new to Christian faith and want to grow in Christian understanding and practice, here is a number of recommendations for you. (If a link may not work, copy it and paste it into your browser.)

We hope and pray that it will help you to discover more about the beauty and truth of Christian faith!
Pastor Niek

If you want to use a good guide to read the Bible, we recommend:

* Alan M Stibbs ‘A devotional guide to the Bible’
* Ro Willoughby ‘Quiet time Companion’
* Chronical Life Application Bible
You can order by www.amazon.com or (in Dutch) by: www.bol.com
Click on ‘Look inside’ and you can read quite a few days to get an idea how it works and try it out. Also recommended: www.bibleinoneyear.org

If you want some tools on how to study the Bible, you can go to:

http://www.desiringgod.org/topics/suffering/labs Watch 9 minute sessions on how to study the Bible inductively.
www.biblegateway.com/resources/scripture-engagement

You can also listen to the Bible being read,

if you find it hard to sit still and read:
www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Gen.1 or on the Olive Tree App (see below)

Websites that give you many more tools for studying the Bible,

like different translations, Greek and Hebrew original text, more elaborated Bible studies about different subjects and Bible commentaries:
www.biblehub.com
www.olivetree.com
www.bible.com/reading-plans-collection/423

For Chinese speakers:
www.csmn.nl  (Go to ‘resources’ – several resources in Mandarin/Chinese)
www.bridgeschinesenetwork.com/resources
www.biblegateway.com/app/ Bible Study App. You can also find the Bible in many different languages here, so if you ever want to show someone something in their language you can find the text in their language.

Devotional Bible reading guides

www.biblegateway.com/devotionals
http://www.g4er.tk/books/my-utmost-for-his-highest.pdf

Special: The Bible Project

The Bible Project is a plan for reading through the Bible. It is very helpful for people who don’t find it easy to get into reading. It is a unique series of short videos (6-8 minutes long) giving an overview of each book of the Bible, plus short films on other Bible themes.

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLH0Szn1yYNeeVFodkI9J_WEATHQCwRZ0u
-> Read through Scripture – Old Testament
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dv4-n6OYGI&list=PLH0Szn1yYNecanpQqdixWAm3zHdhY2kPR
-> Read through Scripture – New Testament
Get it printed here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B0RzviGbbYgVWmh4aEdaYnRlZW8

For signing up for weekly newsletters which give you the reading plan and videos to watch plus a blog with extra teaching about the reading for that week: thebibleproject.com/reading-plan

Week of Prayer for Unity – Saturday, Jan. 27

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Week of Prayer for Unity

When: Saturday 27 January 2018, 7:30 PM
Where: Mount Zion Int, Krakeelpolderweg, Delft

Program

19.30 – 19.35           Prayer of thanks and mercy of God            Mount Zion Int
19.35 – 19.45           Praise and worship
19.45 – 20.00           Exhortation                                                      Pastor Hyacinth Nwosu
20.00 – 20.05          Prayer for Churches                                      ICF

  • Prayer for unity among churches in Delft and the grace to remain focused on Jesus Christ.
  • Ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to fall on us and cause revival in Delft-salvation of souls.
  • Pray for our persecuted brethren in various places in the world

20.05 – 20.10         Praise and worship
20.10 – 20.15          Prayer for Delft                                                Evangelist Solomon

  • Ask God to destroy every stronghold in our city
  • Those in authority in Delft city and Netherlands for Godly wisdom
  • Pray for institutions in Delft and students (TU, IHE)

20.15 – 20.20          Worship
20.20 – 20.25         Prayer for families                                         Mount Zion Int.

  • Pray for the family-peace, against the spirit of divorce.
  • Pray for our children and youth, that they may know Christ.
  • Pray for protection of families against evil
  • Pray that God may raise up the Christian families and that they become light in the city of Delft

20.25 – 20.30           Closing remarks and closing prayer            ICF

Time to have fellowship with each other!