2026 will again be through the Bible chronologically selecting verses which attract my attention or questions or encourage me on the day. I pray it blesses whoever reads . . . My theological background is Salvation Army College and now Church of England. I love all Christian denominations.
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Forgive me and help me turn from everything I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay the price and set me free from my sin. Please come into my life, fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.”
“‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 27 You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 8 You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord. 29 ‘Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness. 30 ‘You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. 31 ‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. 32 ‘You shall rise before the grey headed and honour the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord. 33 ‘And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. 35 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. 36 You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 ‘Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord.’ ”Leviticus 19:26-37 NKJV
Lord Gd and Father,
It must have seemed like You God were giving the children of Israel endless rules to remember and keep as well as leading them through a dessert without means to keep themselves. And yet we look and see You shaping Your people into family. A community, which could live together in peace and harmony and stand against any who sought to attack its values. And making them responsible for their place in it. When we read, in hindsight, we can see the value of not taking on the behaviour of other surrounding communities as well as keeping Your Godly values.. Being honest with each other and keeping the shared values of belonging to You, a holy and yet providing, guiding God.
English law has deep historical roots in Christianity and the Old Testament, influencing the development of common law, moral principles, and statutes. A key area being the Ten Commandments, which shaped laws against murder, theft, and perjury. How sad that many laws now do not honour You.
But as a church we too are more than a community we are family. The Israelites were literally all related to each other from Abraham’s family. We are adopted in Christ (Ephesians 1:5). We seek to live as Jesus taught us, applying His call to our generation and witnessing to society that we are a family. A community (those who have accepted Christ) with Your shared values, set apart for You, God and yet available to share Your love. Both as individual fellowships and the rich and diverse Christian church around the world who hold Christ at their centre.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
WorshipWednesday4th February 2026 Church should feel like family and care . . . its not easy . . . God never said it would be. I love this song.
Welcome to the family, We are glad that you have come To share your life with us, As we grow in love, And may we always be to you What God would have us be, A family always there, To be strong and to lean on.
May we learn to love each other More with each new day, May words of love be on our lips, In ev’ry thing we say. May the Spirit melt our hearts, And teach us how to pray, That we might be a true family.
“Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died; 2 and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.3 “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. 6 “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 8 Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.”Leviticus 16:1-10
Lord God,
A terrible day. Two sons of Aaron had gone against what was set down as God’s orders for offering incense and though seemingly still doing a good thing, making an offering, had offended You. Disobedience. They died. Everyone would be shocked and grieving. You are not to be mocked and called it was said to be profane, not sacred or holy. You knew their actions and their hearts. It is a sombre warning.
Paul in the new testament warns us to consider ourselves before coming to worship and take bread and wine in what we call communion to remember Christs sacrifice. Some who have not have got sick or died. (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). Jesus, Your Son warned us not to bring our gifts to the alter if we hold any altercations with our brothers in our hearts (Matthew 5:23-24).
None of us can be good enough to come to You and that is why we celebrate communion and remember Your gift of holiness to us. It is a sombre warning to not become over familiar, but come humbly having done our best to thank You for keeping us holy. You know our weaknesses our failures. The things we struggle with and the things that can’t always be put right. Life can be confusing Father. But help us to come to Your throne daily and in communion services with open, honest hearts, just as we are, humbly for forgiveness and to find Your rest.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea: A great High Priest whose name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on his hands, My name is written on his heart. I know that while in Heav’n he stands No tongue can bid me thence depart, No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within, Upward I look and see him there, Who made an end of all my sin. Because the sinless Saviour died, My sinful soul is counted free, For God the just is satisfied To look on him and pardon me, To look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there, the risen Lamb, My perfect, spotless righteousness, The great unchangeable I AM, The King of glory and of grace. One with himself I cannot die; My soul is purchased by his blood. My life is hid with Christ on high, With Christ, my Savior and my God, With Christ, my Savior and my God.
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 15 “If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the Lord, then he shall bring to the Lord as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. 16 And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in regard to the holy thing, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.” Leviticus 5:14-16 NKJV
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 15 “If a person commits a trespass, and sins unintentionally in regard to the holy things of the Lord, then he shall bring to the Lord as his trespass offering a ram without blemish from the flocks, with your valuation in shekels of silver according to the shekel of the sanctuary, as a trespass offering. 16 And he shall make restitution for the harm that he has done in regard to the holy thing, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. So the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.” Leviticus 6:14-16 NKJV
Father of restitution,
Here in Leviticus You God start to outline what justice is. Doing the right thing and putting as much right as you can if you do wrong. Making peace with those you wrong. The basics of community living and they were a large community living closely in tents!
You have generously, and beyond our comprehension, made restitution for and to us. Restoring our holiness and paying the complete price Yourself. So any restoration we may need to make is small in comparison.
We still need these laws to learn to love our neighbours. As Jesus taught us (Luke 10:25-37) our neighbour is not just those next door. And we do not always realise what we say as a light hearted aside makes a deep cut in someone else’s feelings. We do not always know and how we need Your Holy Spirit to bring things to mind to put right or apologise for. And keep us from carrying unforgiveness even in little amounts . . . You do not carry any against us . . .
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Monday 2nd February 2026
Worthy of every song we could ever sing Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe We live for You, oh, we live for You
Jesus, the Name above every other name Jesus, the only One who could ever save Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe We live for You, we live for You
Holy, there is no one like You There is none beside You Open up my eyes in wonder And show me who You are And fill me with Your heart And lead me in Your love to those around me
Jesus, the Name above every other name Jesus, the only One who could ever save Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe We live for You, oh, we live for You
Holy, there is no one like You There is none beside You Open up my eyes in wonder And show me who You are And fill me with Your heart And lead me in Your love to those around me
And I will build my life upon Your love It is a firm foundation And I will put my trust in You alone And I will not be shaken And I will build my life upon Your love It is a firm foundation And I will put my trust in You alone And I will not be shaken
Holy, there is no one like You There is none beside You Open up my eyes in wonder And show me who You are And fill me with Your heart And lead me in Your love to those around me
Songwriters: Matthew James Redman / Karl Martin / Kirby Kaple / Brett Steven Younker / Joseph Patrick Martin Barrett
