G’day! Welcome to Partakers and to Wednesday Wisdom, where we are listening to what the Bible has to say through the Wisdom literature of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Come on in!

1 Better is the poor that walks in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hastes with his feet sins. 3 The foolishness of man perverts his way: and his heart frets against the Lord. 4 Wealth makes many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape. 6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that gives gifts. 7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursues them with words, yet they are wanting to him. 8 He that gets wisdom loves his own soul: he that keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall perish. 10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man defers his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. 12 The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. 14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the Lord. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He that keeps the commandment keeps his own soul; but he that despises his ways shall die. 17 He that has pity upon the poor lends to the Lord; and that which he has given will he pay him again. 18 Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying. 19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if You deliver him, yet You must do it again. 20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that You may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. 22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of the Lord tends to life: and he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. 24 A slothful man hides his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that has understanding, and he will understand knowledge. 26 He that wastes his father, and chases away his mother, is a son that causes shame, and brings reproach. 27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causes to err from the words of knowledge. 28 An ungodly witness scorns judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity. 29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

G'day! Today we are praying a series of prayers concerning the Ukraine Russian conflict and war. Молитви за Україну / Molytvy za Ukrayinu

Come! Let's pray together and say your "Amen!" or "May it be so, Lord!"

(as read by Jenny)

137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

137:2 On the willows in its midst, we hung up our harps.

137:3 For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

137:4 How can we sing Yahweh's song in a foreign land?

137:5 If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.

137:6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don't remember you; if I don't prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.

137:7 Remember, Yahweh, against the children of Edom, the day of Jerusalem; who said, "Raze it! Raze it even to its foundation!"

137:8 Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, he will be happy who rewards you, as you have served us.

137:9 Happy shall he be, who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock.

We maybe about 2 months away from Christmas but as you know, at Christmas, we celebrate Jesus Christ coming to earth as a human. Christmas is a time where the Church and our community celebrate Jesus Christ's first coming as a baby. The community like to think of Jesus as a baby, because a baby can be controlled. Somewhat. Though that is coming from the perspective of somebody who has never had children!!! Society in general, is comfortable with leaving Jesus as a baby. However, Jesus is not a baby now, He is King and what a King. He is coming again, not as a baby this time, but as King and judge. Both ideas are affirmed by Jeremiah and John.

Be encouraged, heaven is for you if you are trusting and obeying Jesus and have Him as Lord of your life! Remember. Whatever your attitude and how you judge Jesus now, is how He will judge you when He returns! Are you following Him and treating Him with respect and reverence? If you aren't, then it isn't too late to change your mind and then the reward of eternal living in heaven will be yours! Are you suffering? Suffering will soon be gone. When you sin against God, keep a short account and ask for forgiveness as soon as you recognise that you have sinned and the Holy Spirit has convicted you of it. We yearn to be with our King for ever and ever. Yet, we are to keep one part of our mind on Heaven and the other on the responsible work we have been set to do, here on earth. We are not to be so heavenly minded, that we are of no earthly use.

Conversely, we are not to be so earth bound, that we are not tied to King Jesus in our eternal home. Go tell somebody. Won't you go tell somebody this week, this message. Heaven is a great big place, and there will be room for everybody in this town, this county, this nation and this world to enter through one of those twelve gates! Go and share this good news with somebody this very week, so that there may be somebody in that magnificent City, because you told them. Christ is our King of Righteousness. Trust Him and live a life worthy of Him. Look for His coming! Be expectant, the King is coming back for us soon! Critics of the church sneer "Where is your God?" and "The end of the Church is surely near". They are so impatient!!

Well... our God will appear soon. He is coming back as King of Righteousness, judging evil and rejecting those who reject Him whilst rewarding those who patiently trust and obey Him.

Often we hear the Psalms one by one, but today we offer you the chance to hear a group of Psalms read as a collection!

Psalm 81 For the director of music. According to gittith. Of Asaph. 1 Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! 2 Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre. 3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival; 4 this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob. 5 When God went out against Egypt, he established it as a statute for Joseph.

Psalm 82 A psalm of Asaph. 1 God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the “gods”: 2 “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? 3 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. 5 “The ‘gods’ know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 “I said, ‘You are “gods”; you are all sons of the Most High.’ 7 But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler.” 8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.

Psalm 83 A song. A psalm of Asaph. 1 O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. 2 See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. 3 With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. 4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” 5 With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you — 6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, 7 Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. 8 Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants. Right mouse click or tap here to save/download these Psalms as a MP3 file

Psalm 84 For the director of music. According to gittith. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! 2 My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young — a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

Psalm 85 1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. 3 You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger. 4 Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.