I love that story about the young girl doing a straightforward RE exam, she was asked:-
*       What is the difference between the Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church?

She was so pleased that she knew the answer:-
*       The Church of Ireland has got stained glass windows

I also like the story about the little boy who was saying his bedtime prayers with his mother:-
*       Lord, bless Mommy and Daddy and GOD give me a new bicycle.

His Mum advised him:-
*       Don't shout, son, God is not deaf.
*       I know, Mum, but Granny is in the next room and she is hard of hearing.

In our Scripture passage this morning - Philippians 1, the great Apostle Paul was in the spirit of prayer.

1. His first thought in prayer was Thanksgiving

Listen to him:-
*       I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel............

The Apostle was thankful for the Philippians' partnership in the gospel.

Here as the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland I want to echo that thankfulness of the great apostle.

We might not have stained glass windows but we are thankful for our partnership in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel that comes from "Christ has died and Christ is risen."

The gospel that finds, washes, forgives, renews and gives people a place in God's family.

Increasingly we want to be thankful for one another in this gospel.

2. The Apostles second thought in prayer was Concern - Intercession.

Listen to him:-
*       And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.

Again I want to echo that prayer pf the Apostles for you - the Church of Ireland, for ourselves - Methodists, indeed for the Christian church in Ireland

A. What is the HEART of the PRAYER.
*       This is my prayer that your love may abound more and more......

Let us understand LOVE in the widest possible way.

a. There is OUR experience of God's Love.

*       The God who made us.
*       The God who provides for us
*       The God who saves/rescues and blesses us in Jesus Christ.
*       Finding
*       Welcoming
*       Forgiving
*       Pardoning
*       Accepting
*       Rescuing
*       Renewing
*       Keeping

It is good to feel and know the love of God for us but no matter how much we feel it and know it, my prayer this morning is that for each of us that experience of God's love would abound more and more.

It is our experience of His love that makes us more and more the people that God wants us and needs us to be.

b. Then there is our Love for God.

The Apostle John writes in his first letter:-
*       We love Him because He first loved us.

If we love God it is because He has first loved us in Creation, in providential care and in Jesus Christ.

Do we not want to love Jesus Christ more today than when we first responded to His call and claim upon our lives?

The Risen, Exalted Christ had to say to the Ephesians: -
*       You have forsaken your first love.

It is so easy to lose our Love for God, or to let it grow cold and formal.

My prayer today is that our love for God, for Jesus Christ would abound more and more.

c. Then there is our love for one another,
*       in the church,
*       in the family
*       in the community -
*       neighbour,
*       friend
*       enemy.

Very clearly Jesus Christ has told us to love one another, to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, and to love our enemies.

Some of this is easier than others but we cannot avoid the wideness of Christ's commands to love one another.

So here our areas where we need to pray that our love would abound more and more.

So the heart of the prayer is that our LOVE may abound more and more

b. What is the Reason for the Prayer.

God wants US to be a changed and changing people.

Listen to Paul
*        so that you may be Pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness.
*       Pure
*       Blameless
*       Filled with the fruit of righteousness
*       Filled with fruit that is right and wise as far as God is concerned..

Our experience of the love of God in Jesus Christ ought to be making us people like that, more and more.

Ireland needs more and more of these people.

C.There is the end result -
*       to the glory and praise of God.

We were made by God and for God. Our original purpose was to live to the glory and praise of God, but we rebel and assert our rights.

This is what the great grace of God in Jesus Christ is about

It is about rescuing us, renewing us, changing us, transforming us that we do not live for the glory and praise of our selfish selves but for the glory and praise of God.

Partners in this gospel I bring you ALL the greetings and good wishes of the Methodist Church in Ireland.

We are grateful to God for you and your partnership.

My (Our) prayer is that your love - our love would abound more and more.