Author: Bellshill Central

As the Church of Scotland in Bellshill we extend a warm welcome to any of our activities. People have been coming to this building to worship God for over a hundred years. While our town has journeyed through many changes over those years, the constancy of the witness of the “Church at 346 Main Street” has remained uninterrupted. The mission of any Church is to reflect through its presence, its music, its fellowship and its beauty the greatness of God, and we seek to do that here in all that we share. We hope that everyone who enters these doors will find an encouraging, friendly group of people. While we are far from perfect, we are regularly discovering truths that are changing us individually and enriching our lives as a church community. As we worship together, learn from the Bible, and pray for one another, we are strengthened in our commitment to Jesus Christ as well as to each other. If this is your first time here, we welcome you, and invite you to share the joy that we have found.

A Psalm a Day – Psalm 50

by Bellshill Central, posted in Weekly Church News

Psalm 50 The Message (MSG)

Psalm 50 (KJV) - YouTube

An Asaph Psalm

50 1-3 The God of gods—it’s God!—speaks out, shouts, “Earth!”
    welcomes the sun in the east,
    farewells the disappearing sun in the west.
From the dazzle of Zion,
    God blazes into view.
Our God makes his entrance,
    he’s not shy in his coming.
Starbursts of fireworks precede him.

4-5 He summons heaven and earth as a jury,
    he’s taking his people to court:
“Round up my saints who swore
    on the Bible their loyalty to me.”

6 The whole cosmos attests to the fairness of this court,
    that here God is judge.

7-15 “Are you listening, dear people? I’m getting ready to speak;
    Israel, I’m about ready to bring you to trial.
This is God, your God,
    speaking to you.
I don’t find fault with your acts of worship,
    the frequent burnt sacrifices you offer.
But why should I want your blue-ribbon bull,
    or more and more goats from your herds?
Every creature in the forest is mine,
    the wild animals on all the mountains.
I know every mountain bird by name;
    the scampering field mice are my friends.
If I get hungry, do you think I’d tell you?
    All creation and its bounty are mine.
Do you think I feast on venison?
    or drink draughts of goats’ blood?
Spread for me a banquet of praise,
    serve High God a feast of kept promises,
And call for help when you’re in trouble—
    I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.”

16-21 Next, God calls up the wicked:

“What are you up to, quoting my laws,
    talking like we are good friends?
You never answer the door when I call;
    you treat my words like garbage.
If you find a thief, you make him your buddy;
    adulterers are your friends of choice.
Your mouth drools filth;
    lying is a serious art form with you.
You stab your own brother in the back,
    rip off your little sister.
I kept a quiet patience while you did these things;
    you thought I went along with your game.
I’m calling you on the carpet, now,
    laying your wickedness out in plain sight.

22-23 “Time’s up for playing fast and
    loose with me.
I’m ready to pass sentence,
    and there’s no help in sight!
It’s the praising life that honors me.
    As soon as you set your foot on the Way,
I’ll show you my salvation.”

A Psalm a Day – Psalm 49

by Bellshill Central, posted in A Psalm a Day

Psalm 49 Good News Translation (GNT)

Psalm 49:title–20 (ESV) - Psalm 49:title–20 ESV - TO THE ...

49 Hear this, everyone!
Listen, all people everywhere,
2     great and small alike,
    rich and poor together.
3 My thoughts will be clear;
    I will speak words of wisdom.
4 I will turn my attention to proverbs
    and explain their meaning as I play the harp.

5 I am not afraid in times of danger
    when I am surrounded by enemies,
6 by evil people who trust in their riches
    and boast of their great wealth.
7 We can never redeem ourselves;
    we cannot pay God the price for our lives,
8     because the payment for a human life is too great.
What we could pay would never be enough
9     to keep us from the grave,
    to let us live forever.

10 Anyone can see that even the wise die,
    as well as the foolish and stupid.
    They all leave their riches to their descendants.
11 Their graves are their homes forever;
    there they stay for all time,
    though they once had lands of their own.
12 Our greatness cannot keep us from death;
    we will still die like the animals.

13 See what happens to those who trust in themselves,
    the fate of those who are satisfied with their wealth—
14 they are doomed to die like sheep,
    and Death will be their shepherd.
The righteous will triumph over them,
    as their bodies quickly decay
    in the world of the dead far from their homes.
15 But God will rescue me;
    he will save me from the power of death.

16 Don’t be upset when someone becomes rich,
    when his wealth grows even greater;
17 he cannot take it with him when he dies;
    his wealth will not go with him to the grave.
18 Even if someone is satisfied with this life
    and is praised because he is successful,
19 he will join all his ancestors in death,
    where the darkness lasts forever.
20 Our greatness cannot keep us from death;
    we will still die like the animals.

A PSALM A DAY – PSALM 48

by Bellshill Central, posted in A Psalm a Day

Psalm 48 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 48:14 (With images) | Scripture quotes bible, Scripture ...

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,
    in the city of our God, his holy mountain.

2 Beautiful in its loftiness,
    the joy of the whole earth,
like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion,
    the city of the Great King.
3 God is in her citadels;
    he has shown himself to be her fortress.

4 When the kings joined forces,
    when they advanced together,
5 they saw her and were astounded;
    they fled in terror.
6 Trembling seized them there,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.
7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish
    shattered by an east wind.

8 As we have heard,
    so we have seen
in the city of the Lord Almighty,
    in the city of our God:
God makes her secure
    forever.

9 Within your temple, O God,
    we meditate on your unfailing love.
10 Like your name, O God,
    your praise reaches to the ends of the earth;
    your right hand is filled with righteousness.
11 Mount Zion rejoices,
    the villages of Judah are glad
    because of your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, go around her,
    count her towers,
13 consider well her ramparts,
    view her citadels,
that you may tell of them
    to the next generation.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever;
    he will be our guide even to the end.

Church questions – What is Trinity Sunday?

by Bellshill Central, posted in Other News

Join us from 10.45am this Sunday morning for Morning Worship for TRINITY SUNDAY. Want to know more about what Trinity Sunday is, then read on?

Bible Object Lesson: "Understanding the Trinity" - Christianity Cove

Question: “What is Trinity Sunday?”

Answer: Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost to honour the Holy Trinity—the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Although the word “trinity” does not appear in Scripture, it is taught in Matthew 28:18-20 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 (and many other biblical passages). The concept of the trinity can never be completely understood or rationalised, but it is clearly taught in Scripture. Understanding of all scriptural doctrine is by faith which comes through the work of the Holy Spirit; therefore, it is appropriate that this mystery is celebrated the first Sunday after Pentecost, when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit first occurred.

On Trinity Sunday, the Christian Church ponders with joy and thanksgiving what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have done to accomplish the salvation of sinful humanity. It is brought to remembrance how Christians should respond to the love God has shown us, praising Him and giving Him glory. We remember the Father as our Creator, the Son as our Saviour and the Holy Spirit as our Comforter. Scriptural readings for the Trinity Sunday ceremony may include Psalm 8, beginning and ending with, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth.” Second Corinthians 13:11-13 appeals to believers to aim for perfection and live in peace, ending with the prayer that the grace of Christ Jesus, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all, including again the commission Jesus left for believers in Matthew 28:16-20.

Today, Trinity Sunday is to explain, to the best of man’s ability, the clues written in Scripture to guide us to a fuller understanding of our triune God. The Father is God from the beginning (John 1:1); Jesus revealed Himself as equal to the Father in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” Together, they sent the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).