John’s Gospel

Daily Devotions for Friday 3rd November, 2023

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Jesus

Reading : JOHN chapter 16 verses 17-33
Meditation : take time to consider these important verses this morning
Grief
Joy
Belief

What words from Jesus stay with you?
What is God teaching/reminding you today?

Then take time to Pray in response to this God

O LORD our God, joy-giver,
We believe
Help our unbelief and understanding

In Jesus’ name.
Amen and Amen – we pray together.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on our Church Prayer List
Father God, hear our prayers, have mercy and give grace we ask

Evening
Reading : read these verses again from JOHN 16 verses 17-33
Reflect on the way God comes to us in our grief, and gives us joy
and pray in response to Him

LORD God, Eternal and loving God,
Hear our evening prayers
As we return our sacrifice of praise for who you are
And your help even this day
As we bring ourselves and our world to you at the end of this day.
Amen.

Daily Devotions for Thursday 2nd November, 2023

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Father God

Reading : JOHN chapter 16 verses 5-16
Meditation : take time and consider all that happens here – as your day starts.
I am going away.
The Holy Spirit.

Which words of Jesus stay with you?
What is God teaching/reminding you today?

And then pray in response as your day starts
Pray your own words to the LORD God
Father
Son
Holy Spirit

In Jesus’ name
Amen.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on the Church of Scotland
O LORD, hear our prayers and pour out grace and mercy we ask

Evening
Reading : read the set verses again from JOHN 16 verses 5-16
Reflect on these words again at the end of your day
and Pray in response to this God of ours with confidence

O LORD God, hear our evening prayers
As we thank You for Your help and provision in our lives.
O have mercy we ask
On others
On our Church
On our world
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Daily Devotions for Wednesday 1st November, 2023

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from God, the Three in One

Reading : JOHN chapter 16 verses 1-4
Meditation : consider again what is said here as your day starts.
Fall away.
God the Father.

What is your response to Jesus’ words today?

Then turn to pray to Him in response

O Lord Jesus,
Thank you for these words
And all they teach me about God’s Kingdom ways.
Receive my sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving
And help me keep my eyes upward this day
My Saviour
My Messiah
Amen

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on the Church in Scotland
O LORD, give grace and hear our prayers we ask this day.

Evening
Reading : read this passage again from JOHN chapter 16 verses 1-4
Reflect on the words you have read and then pray in response – to this God, our God

LORD God, our God,
God who deserves our thanks
Our hoped-for Messiah God,
Hear the evening prayers of your people
For we are indeed in need of your help in this world
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotions for Tuesday 31st October, 2023

Upper Room day – evening Gathering for Prayer on Zoom

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Jesus, Saviour and Lord

Reading : JOHN 15 verses 18-27
Hated by the world.

What words or images stay with you?

Pause and Pray in response to what you have read
Naming others known to you in our world in a hard place

I call to the LORD for help;
I plead with him.
I bring him all my complaints;
I tell him all my troubles.

I name others suffering for following Jesus

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Midday
Take time to listen for God to speak with you at this time of day
Ask, seek, knock….hear!
Father God…thank you.

Evening
Reading : read JOHN 15 verses 18-27 again – in another version?
Reflect on the words and images…. and then Pray….to the LORD our God

I call to the LORD for help;
I plead with him.
I bring him all my complaints;
I tell him all my troubles.

I name others suffering for following Jesus

In Jesus’ name.
Amen and Amen.

Daily Devotions for NOVEMBER 2023

The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us.

John 1 verse 14

During 2022 we were looking daily at the theme of GOOD NEWS as we journeyed with Paul through his letter to the ROMANS.

In 2023, we are looking at TELLING OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. and pausing at our times of Midday Devotion to pray for others in our church family, our city and our world.

In September, October and November we are journeying with JOHN in his Gospel.

We are all invited to listen for God’s voice and make our response as we journey together in our ‘rhythm of devotion’ in 2023.

These Devotions are but one way to feed on God’s Word in the morning, at midday, in the evening… to pray with Him continually through the day and even to share with others the treasures or hurdles you discover.
The Church website and Facebook page (even on a handy mobile) provide a fuller daily devotional page. However it all follows the pattern below which the information provided fits into, based on the Kirk’s origins of the Celtic and Northumbrian traditions which we started as a church family in 2015.

Morning
Reading and Meditation on the content and Prayer of response
Midday
Prayer – mostly for others
Evening
Verse(s) from the morning reading
Reflection and Prayer at the end of the day

Prayer for the Month of NOVEMBER

Prayer for November – (look at John 16 v 33 & 17 vs 9-11)

O Lord you have said that we would have troubles in this world,
but, You have overcome the world.
Keep us, therefore, in your grace as you have promised.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer-
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory.
Now and for ever
Amen

Tuesday Tuesday

As we journey onwards through these closing days of October 2023….

At Liberton Kirk we usually set aside a Tuesday each week and provide a place with space – the UPPER ROOM – a place for time-out in our busy days above the Kirkgate Cafe. This is a safe place for you to be.

The Upper Room will be open this Tuesday and you are encouraged to take time-out with God…..to find a quiet place with space…..7.30am-7.00pm……with opportunities to pray with John and others at 8am… Midday and 7pm.

* A space for you to be still in your busy needy world
** To pause and pray with God at this time – the God of all comfort, wisdom, mercy and hope.
* To listen to God – Father Son and Holy Spirit – in these times

You are invited to the monthly church Gathering for Prayer in the evening – on Zoom – 7.30-8.30 when we take time to give thanks, wait and listen and pray for our world at this time.

You are also invited to visit the Offering House – beside the gates – 8am-5pm each day – where you can find more information and helpful leaflets and booklets about our faith and our Kirk. There is also a Prayer Request Box situated here for you to leave your own personal requests – our Prayer Team will prayerfully support those you name. Have you walked the Word for Today yet?

You are also encouraged to use the bench at the top left of the Kirkyard (under the large tree – weather permitting!) to pause and pray – to be still with God – to ask, seek, knock, wait and receive.

The Daily Devotions have been taking us to a daily time of considering God’s Good News with God’s written Word – and you may want to pause to pray with others at the start of each day as we consider the truths behind the words of this part of the Bible. During October our focus continues on the words and events from THE GOSPEL OF JOHN as we continue on the theme of Telling Others the Good News . This is available on the Kirk website blog and our social media pages on Facebook and Twitter from 7am- and in the church magazine.

And – don’t forget the brief Sunday morning Reflection at 8am…….and the Thy Kingdom Come global prayer venture daily reflections on our YouTube channel….from members of our Church Family providing a reflection over the 11 days period. This year the venture ran 18-28 May. Will you still be praying for 5??

May we each and all experience time-out with the Living and True God – whenever – wherever – as we journey through October 2023.