Weekly news and services for the Benefice of Benenden & Sandhurst, Kent.Sunday Services: Sunday 23rd August8 am Holy Communion at St George's, Benenden10am Holy Communion at St Nicholas, Sandhurst
Daily Scripture‘But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”’ (Acts 5 29-32)Daily ReflectionThe disciples had been witnesses to the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, they had also been the recipients of the Holy Spirit and told to go out and preach and perform miracles in Jesus name. God had entrusted them to carry on His work and as they did so more and more people became followers - a growing community of people, caring and sharing everything with each other. This was something new, something the authorities at the time were scared of and they tried to damp it down and eliminate it - but this was God’s work, working through the Holy Spirit - not a man made construct. The disciples were not the last witnesses. The Holy Spirit continues to move through us when we accept and trust in God.Lyn Hayes
Daily Scripture:‘And I said: ‘O that I had wings like a dove, for then would I fly away and be at rest.In the evening and morning and at noonday I will pray and make my supplication, and he shall hear my voice’. (Psalm 55:7&19)Daily Reflection:David, King David, is thought to have written many of the Psalms. We know that King David was close to God, but even he had times when the problems and pressures of life meant he wanted to escape from them from time to time. “O that I had wings like a dove, then I would fly away and be at rest.” David’s solution though is not to forget about God when things feel tough for him; in fact, it is the exact opposite. David’s answer is to pray to God first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day, and at the end of the day. Bringing to God his problems and asking for God’s help; for he knows God will hear. We could learn from King David.Lyn Hayes, ALM
Daily Scripture:‘When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.’ (Acts 4:31)Daily Reflection: These words of scripture are from the Acts of the Apostles; the account, by Luke, of the great acts the Apostles did after Jesus had returned to his Father. Ordinary men who did extraordinary things. Ordinary men, but men of extraordinary faith because of what they had witnessed in living with Jesus for three years. Here they put what they have seen Jesus do and what they had learnt into practice: they pray. And as they pray they are filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit they then speak boldly from the word of God.All the incredible things they did started from prayer. We can all do that! When you pray today, may you be filled with the Holy Spirit….and do great acts for God today.Revd David
