Suggestion for Daily Use

Follow the ‘Daily Prayer’ at the side+++Suivez le ‘Prière Quotidienne’. Read the bible passages and then the meditation. Pray, tell God how you felt about the reading and share the concerns of your life with him. Maybe you will continue the habit after Lent. Lisez les passages bible et après la méditation. Priez, dites à Dieu que vous avez ressenti à propos de la lecture et de partager les préoccupations de votre vie avec lui. Peut-être que vous allez continuer l'habitude après le Carême. Daily Prayer Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4.1-2 Now is the healing time decreed For sins of heart, of word or deed, When we in humble fear record The wrong that we have done the Lord. (Latin, before 12th century) Read: Read the Bible passage. Read the meditation Pray: Talk to God about what you have just read. Tell him your concerns - for yourself, your family, our church family, our world. Praise him. Pray the collect for the week – see next pages. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Prière Quotidienne Jésus, rempli de l'Esprit Saint, revint du Jourdain et le Saint-Esprit le conduisit dans le désert où il fut tenté par le diable durant quarante jours. Luc 4.1-2 Maintenant le temps de la guérison est décrété Pour les péchés du cœur, de la parole et des actes, Lorsque nous nous souvenons avec humilité Le mal que nous avons fait au Seigneur. Lire : Lisez le passage de la Bible. Lisez la méditation. Prier : Parlez avec le Seigneur de ce que vous avez lu. Parlez-lui de vos préoccupations pour vous-même, votre famille, notre famille de l’église, notre monde. Louez-le. Priez la collecte pour la semaine. Voyez les pages suivantes Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur ! Que tout qui est en moi bénisse son saint nom. Mon âme, bénis le Seigneur, et n’oublie aucun de ses bienfaits !

09 March 2014

Sunday 9th March, First Sunday in Lent

Character or achievement?

Matthew 4.1-11


Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give to you”, he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
- Matthew, Chapter 4, verses 8-9

 One temptation we face is believing that what we achieve decides our identity. Whatever our role, the world says to us, our approval and our value depend on our results.
What is it that changes healthy motivation to excel into a toxic desperation to achieve? What is it that changes a human being who is fully alive into a person driven to succeed? It happens when we begin to believe the lie that our identity is based on our performance.
When we believe our self-worth is based on results, we cannot live in freedom because we believe that we cannot fail and still be accepted. The voice says, “you are the weakest link, goodbye.”
The truth is that our significance is found in who we are as God’s children. In scripture, excellence is more about character than achievement. When we allow ourselves to believe in a false identity based on performance, we lose the peace and freedom of our identity in Christ. Our God is the God of grace who loves those who fail as much as those who succeed. We can all seek excellence, both in competition and in collaboration, in the freedom of God’s grace and in the motive of glorifying him.
Richard Simpson

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