DIY Sunday Service Kit - 17/12/2023 - Deep Dive into Malachi 3:6-12 ... with possibly the most encouraging verse in the Old Testament

 

Croeso cynnes iawn - a very warm welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit on 17th. December 2023 ... the last full-on Sunday before Christmas!

(Well, there's Christmas Eve, but you know what I mean?)

Today we're looking at Malachi 3:6-12 which contains what I think is possibly the most encouraging verse in the Old Testament ... but let's see what you think later.

We'll be getting to some more traditional carols, but first here's a more contemporary one from sovereign Grace

Let's Pray

Father we come today to thank you for the great mercy and love you have shown us in sending your Son to be the Saviour of the world.

However many times we have celebrated your incarnation, please meet us as we celebrate in this way again today, speak to us afresh of the love that brought Him from Glory to the Bethlehem manger because no other place was found for the newborn Lord to be laid.

And may the thrill of faith in the incarnate, crucified, risen King raise our hearts to sing your praise with conviction and with passion ... whoever may or may not be listening today.

For Jesus' sake.

AMEN.

The seven day prayer calendar for this week looks like this:

11. We pray for the church in China. Some recent analyses suggest that the growth of the church, in terms of new converts, has tapered off. We thank God for the massive growth in the church over the past several decades - “so many souls, they are too numerous to be counted by us” (Genesis 15:5) - and yet we pray for the Spirit to anoint the church in China with a resurgence of boldness and wisdom in evangelism, that would lead to many new souls entering the Kingdom. We pray in the next decade, the church would grow as a share of the overall Chinese population. We pray that the church would have a transformative impact on China as a nation, and even that a majority of Chinese would come to worship the King of Kings.

2. We pray for the many spiritually hungry Iranian pilgrims who are undertaking the Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. This “lesser pilgrimage” is not required, and so perhaps those who take it are even more spiritually hungry and devout than those going on the required hajj. We pray that dreams and visions of Jesus would meet these pilgrims on their journey, and that their lives would intersect believers who can show them the True Way to Life. We pray the story of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40) would be their story—that they will encounter people who can help them discover the answers they seek.

3. We pray for the spiritual transformation of Maharashtra, in India. This province is #2 on the least-reached provinces list: over 100 million people, and a center of India’s economy and education system. It is home to Bombay, the wealthiest, most populous city in India, 8th most populous in the world, as well as much of India’s industry, ports, and Bollywood. Despite the concentration of finance and technology, more than half of the province’s districts are lightly populated, rural, agricultural-centered. The province is estimated to be somewhere between 1 and 5% Christian. Should a tenth or more of Maharashtra come to faith in Jesus, the ramifications for India, and the world, could be earth-shaking.

4. We pray for the refugees who are starving and abused. This week, articles tell us about refugees being kidnapped and tortured for ransom in Libya, and starving in insufficiently funded refugee camps in East Africa. Pray for efforts for believers that would reach out to those “in prison,” naked, hungry, and sick. Pray that many who hear “good news” will come into the Kingdom as a result. (Matthew 25:35-40).

5. An article about clothing produced by Uighurs who are forced to labor reminds us of this neglected and largely unreached people group. The Uighurs have been under severe oppression in China for decades. Pray for the true Kingdom to spread among this group, and for believers to continue to seek justice and their release from bondage.

6. While reading about a pastor who has helped smuggle 1,000 North Koreans out, we remember and pray for the many ministries that are laboring to be a blessing to North Koreans. In the “Hermit Kingdom,” millions sit in great darkness. We pray for the Gospel to spread through the cracks into North Koreans, and pray for the believers who are seeking to reach them.

7. We continue to pray for those suffering in the midst of the many hot wars in our world: the Sahel (50 million facing starvation as conflict spreads), Sudan (with its terrible war-time atrocities of murder and rape), Ukraine (now having reached its 650th day), as well as protracted civil uprisings and violence like DR Congo and Myanmar (where the war is perhaps tipping against the government). Pray especially for believers who are laboring to work in the midst of the fighting, at risk to themselves, to be a blessing and to spread the Kingdom of God.

Let's sing a carol for the coming of the God Who is with us

Click the Bible to be taken to today's reading

8:26

Today's 'Deep-Dive' sermon comes to you behind three separate buttons ... first in audio format, then as a transcript (in writing!) and then as a studiocam video VLOG. 

(Choices!)

Take your pick ...

Let's sing a traditional carol to close, with Chet Valley Churches leading us

Let's pray

Father we thank you that you challenge and feed our souls as we open your Word prayerfully together, joined in the fellowship of your Holy Spirit.

Accept our praises, we pray, for the Christ Who came at Christmas and our thanks for all that He has brought to us.

Inspire us and empower us by the Holy Spirit Whom He left with us to walk closely with our Covenant King both this Christmas and through every day of each year.

And draw our hearts out increasingly we pray in the faithful and consistent worship of our loving and gracious God.

We ask for Jesus sake.

Amen.

We all know that for many people in this world, Christmas can be a challenging time.

Let's pray for those who particularly find it so, and let's be alert to the needs this year of the people around us.

If we can help you or pray for you about anything specific, please contact us using the website www.WelshRev.com where you will find a microphone button to leave a voice message and also a contact page if you'd prefer to write one.

And if you'd like to join us this Christmas by worshipping through giving, please click on the offering bag below.

God bless you, and Merry Christmas to you all!