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.”
“Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.” Numbers 25:1-3 NKJV
“And it came to pass, after the plague, that the Lord spoke to Moses and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying: 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and above, by their fathers’ houses, all who are able to go to war in Israel.” 26:1-2 NKJV
“These are those who were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho. 64 But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they numbered the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.” Numbers 26:63-65 NKJV
Father God,
A whole generation of men and women never got to see the promised land because they broke covenant with You God. Not just once but many many times. Back in Numbers 14 when 10 of the 12 spies persuaded them they could not take the promised land Moses had pleaded with You God not to wipe them all out. You promised that the generation born in the wilderness would step into their inheritance. And here we see the last of the original generation dying out. Just Joshua whose leadership, wisdom and relationship with You would be essential and Caleb whse knowledge of battle and strategy would also be invaluable would survive.
We too need to allow the next generation to arise and prepare for the way forward. And they need to value the wisdom and knowledge of those experienced in the Your ways. Perfect holiness we cannot achieve, it is a gift from the Holy One, Your Son Jesus. But persistent willful sin? Keep us from it. Keep us doing our best moving forward, trusting You for the rest and encouraging those who will continue after us. As they had a promised land ahead – so do we. A new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). And we pray for our sons and daughters who do not want to know Jesus yet . . .
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 19th February 2026
Jesus is the answer for the world today Above him there’s no other Jesus is the way Repeat three times times
If you have some questions in the corners of your mind And traces of discouragement and peace you cannot find Reflections of the old past, they seem to face you everyday There’s one thing i know for sure that Jesus is away
Chorus
I know you’ve got some mountains that you think you cannot climb I know sometimes your skies have been dark, you think the sun won’t shine In case you don’t know, let me tell you the word of god is true And everything he’s promised, I know he will do for you
Chorus
The truth and the life, Jesus is the way The answer to all our problems Jesus is the way
“Then the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.” 6 So he returned to him, and there he was, standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his oracle and said: “Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram, From the mountains of the east. ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, And come, denounce Israel!’ 8 “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” Numbers 23:5-8 NKJV
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.” Numbers 23:19-20 NKJV
“Now when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times, to seek to use sorcery, but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him. 3 Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened, 4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: 5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!” Numbers 24:1-5
God who speaks,
Balaam is not a character we really take very seriously. He disobeys You and beats his donkey. Yet when he opens his mouth to speak, he only says You have revealed. He is a different man. Focused, resolute and unshirking. There is much in his 4 prophecies that comes true.
First, that God’s people will number more than the grains of dust (Numbers 23:10). As You God promised Abraham (Gen. 13:16). Second, they were destined to become a ruling nation (Numbers 23:21-22). They were nomads at that time. He mentions a lioness and a lion, similar to Jacob’s blessing to his son Judah (see Gen. 49:9-10). And perhaps to the future Lion of Judah! Third, the promise of blessing on those who bless God’s people and cursing on those who curse Israel (Numbers 24:9). The same promise You gave to Abram (Abraham) in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:3). Forth that a Star would come and a sceptre (Numbers 24:17), A star and a king. Was that the sign the wise men found in scripture? “We have seen his star in the east” (Matthew 2:2).
Balaam teaches us much about listening to You and being able to speak truth. He sees as You see Lord . Not a nomadic people in tents he sees the Kingdom of God and speaks blessings over it. May we speak blessings over God’s people, Israel and those adopted through Jesus, the church, wherever they may be or however they may worship. And Jesus said to bless our enemies . . . (Matthew 5:44).
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 119th February 2026 Wayne Watson uses James 3:10 fr inspiraion but for me it ties up with today too.
Sticks and stones can break my bones Lies can break my heart Before you fire your poison tongue Contemplate the scar Forest lie in ruin From a careless flame This is our undoing The tongue cannot be tamed Oh, the tongue cannot be tamed
Ships upon the seven seas Driven by the wind Mastered by the pilot’s hand Submission in the end He can turn the wheel one-handed And the course is easily changed It’s hard to understand it Why the tongue cannot be tamed Oh, the tongue cannot be tamed
Fresh water from an unclean well, no Fruit growing on a dying tree No, it’ll never be The same breath, one then the other Blessing and cursing We praise God then abuse one another I tell ya, this ought not be, no, no I tell ya, this ought not be, no, no
Break the wild one, draw the reign Bid him do your will Yoke the oxen to the chain Cultivate the hill Beast and every creature Move at your command But who will be the teacher Of the wayward tongue of man It’s a wayward tongue (You know it is)
Fresh water from an unclean well No, no, no Fruit growing on a dying tree No, it’ll never be The same breath, one then the other Blessing and cursing We praise God then abuse one another Oh, I tell ya, this ought not be,
Repeat chorus Ought not be, no, no Ought not be, no, no
“Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. 32 And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. 33 The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.” 34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, or I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.” 35 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 Now when Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the boundary of the territory. 37 Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, calling for you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” 38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you! Now, have I any power at all to say anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.” Numbers 22:31-38 NKJV
God who speaks,
God really did keep on speaking to Balaam in the most amazing ways, to stop him going where he should not and to get him to stay where he was. You even went on speaking till the very last minute and by every means possible.
You do still speak today and I believe there have been times when I have known I should stop or go back and have just ploughed on. It gets Baalam into sticky water because he cannot change what the Lord has told him and he knows he cannot do what is asked. I like Ballam because even though he is strong minded he still does not defy God. He still says Your Words God, though he knows it will give him trouble maybe cost his life?
We need to hear Your Word telling us not to go there as much as we need Your Word to say go. You gave Balaam the opportunity to stay out of it but he could not. A man of action and pride in his ability to hear You and prophesy. But You still protect him.
We learn a great deal about Your mercy here, Lord God, Your adherence to delivering the truth and Your determination to bless you people and not curse them And I would want no other God but You.
In Jesus name we pry, Amen.
Worship Tuesday 17th February 2026
I lift my hands to the coming King To the Great I Am to You I sing For You’re the One Who reigns within my heart
Chorus And I will serve no foreign god Or any other treasure You are my heart’s desire Spirit without measure Unto Your Name I will bring my sacrifice
