This week's meeting began with a time of praise and worship led by Debbie Fiddy who sang with Nathalie and Natasha, accompanied by Jon, Dave and Reg on guitars and Josh on drums.

Pastor Ed Evans then spoke with great passion and conviction on the covenant love of God. He first began by praying for the people of France and the recent acts in Paris bringing fear particularly to its Jewish community. We need to understand the nature of God's covenant love in order to be able to put our faith and trust in Him and thereby having confidence in Him. As believers, we are called to have trust in God and Psalm 91 describes how God is our sanctuary and protection against all ills. Pastor Evans then went on to explain why we need God's covenant love.

Romans 5 v 6-8 states that Christ died for the ungodly and goes on to say we are now more than merely justified before God but have actually been reconciled to Him. God's covenant love lies at the heart of this revelation and is mentioned more than 250 times in the Bible, sometimes being translated as His mercy, loving kindness or His steadfast love that can never be broken whatever happens. We need not be intimidated by the world but should have the confidence to rise up against its evils.

Psalm 103 v 1 admonishes us to bless the Lord and not forget His merciful provision. We should show gratitude in the small things which we sometimes take for granted. God has forgiven all our sins, He is our healer and redeemer. Isaiah 54 v 17 states that no weapon forged against us will prosper and in Psalm 103 v 4 we are told that He crowns us with kindness and tender mercy. Psalm 103 v 10 says He will not punish us in accordance with our transgressions. We must come to the certain knowledge that God is love, keeping no record of wrongs and that the sins of yesterday have been forgiven and forgotten, when we ask Him into the centre of our hearts and lives. Isaiah 54 v 4 tells us to forget the shame of the past and that the future does not have to be the same as the past. We should live in the present with an expectation for the future.

God's anger has been appeased by the cross of Jesus for all who believe, for whom He now pours out His unfailing love.

The service ended by sharing communion, remembering the sacrifice Jesus made that we might be reconciled to our loving Heavenly Father.

Manorbier Gospel Church meets every Sunday morning at 10.30 am, with Bible study on Mondays at 7.30 pm. For more information or a pastoral visit, please 'phone (01834) 871975. Recordings of our meetings are available on CD or by visiting our website http://www.emmanualgospelministries.org">www.emmanualgospelministries.org