Welcome!

The resources below have been compiled to assist you and your family in spending time together worshiping God, hearing his word, and praying.

To begin, join together in praise:

Be exalted, Lord, above the heaven,
let your glory cover the earth

Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.

Let your way be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations

Send out your light and your truth
that we may tell of your saving works

Hear our prayers, O Lord,
for we put our trust in you.

Spend some time in prayer together:

Opening Prayer:
(This can be prayed together.)

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open;
all desires know,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our heart
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of confession:
(This can be prayed together.)

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all men,
we acknowledge with shame the sins we have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against your divine majesty,
provoking most justly your wrath and indignation against us.
We earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for all our misdoings.
Have mercy on us, most merciful Father.
For your Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake
forgive us all that is past,
and grant that from this time forward
we may serve and please you in newness of life,
to the honour and glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of petition:

• Pray for our denomination. In mid-August we should be getting further information from the Supreme court regarding the receivership. Pray that the Lord would preserve the assets of our denomination. Most importantly, pray that whatever happens we would continue the work of the gospel and that God would ultimately use what is happening for His glory and the extension of His kingdom.

• Pray for the Brasch’s as they continue to think through where the Lord might have them serve next year. Pray that they would trust in His timing and that God would guide them to the right church where they can work for His glory and the good of His people.

• Pray for those with chronic pain, illness or other ongoing health concerns including Ruth Evans, Barry and Del Nichol, Coralie Peterson, Heather Ross, Jeff and Judy Searle, John Williams.

• Please remember those who can’t be with us on Sundays: the Prentices, Elsia Symons, Margaret Thompson.

• Pray for the COVID situation in NSW. As I’m sure everyone is aware the situation has continued to worsen in Sydney despite lockdowns being in place and the lockdown has now been extended for a further 4 weeks. Pray for containment of the virus and the end of the lockdown. Pray also for the Lord to be merciful to people in these states particularly in regards to people’s spiritual and mental health during the midst of the increased isolation. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ to be supported well and to care for those around them in order to show the love of Christ. Pray also for the vaccine rollout to keep pushing forward so that Australia can be restored to some sense of normality.

• Pray for the COVID situation in QLD. Pray for wisdom and discernment as contact tracing is done. Pray that our communities might be patient and gracious with one another as this lockdown puts pressure on people, be it anxiety for their health, finances or plans that have had to change.

Finish with the Lords prayer:
(This can be prayed together.)

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing Floor

3 One day Ruth’s mother-in-law Naomi said to her, “My daughter, I must find a home^[a] for you, where you will be well provided for. ² Now Boaz, with whose women you have worked, is a relative of ours. Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. ³ Wash, put on perfume, and get dressed in your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don’t let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴ When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do.”

⁵ “I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered. ⁶ So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law told her to do.

⁷ When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. ⁸ In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned—and there was a woman lying at his feet!

⁹ “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer^[b] of our family.”

¹⁰ “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. ¹¹ And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. ¹² Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. ¹³ Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning.”

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before anyone could be recognized; and he said, “No one must know that a woman came to the threshing floor.”

¹⁵ He also said, “Bring me the shawl you are wearing and hold it out.” When she did so, he poured into it six measures of barley and placed the bundle on her. Then he^[c] went back to town.

¹⁶ When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”

Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her ¹⁷ and added, “He gave me these six measures of barley, saying, ‘Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.’”

¹⁸ Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”

This sermon is Russell's 3rd instalment in the Ruth series - read by Zac Brasch.

Below you will find the full text of Russell's talk, which you can scroll through as you follow along with the audio.