Author: admin

Wednesday 9th July 2025

“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
4 Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim?
Does a young lion growl in its den without first catching its prey?
5 Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait?
Does a trap spring shut when there’s nothing to catch?
6 When the ram’s horn blows a warning, shouldn’t the people be alarmed?
Does disaster come to a city unless the Lord has planned it?
7 Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:3-7 NLT

Awesome God, Creator,

I am that person who remembers the sermon illustrations, pictures or story, and then remembers the teaching. Your word speaks to me clearly when there are illustrations, parables and I can see what You mean. Amos paints the picture of what works and what doesn’t. They are not walking with You God because they can’t agree to keep Your Laws. And the prophets have warned them over and over again. Here is Amos speaking directly the same message once more to Israel.

His warning goes unheeded. The Bible tells us what happens next and we will witness it as we read through. It is disappointing (You give them so many opportunities), its humbling (You still keep Your promises), its frustrating. (Of course we would have listened – would we?).

Today our church is not perfect. There are things we do not agree on. There are decisions to made where we do not clearly know the way forward. Churches disagree on practices. But for me I embrace Your church where Your Son is at the centre and in fellowship with You and Your Holy Spirit. 1 Peter 4:17 tells us judgement begins with Your household God. After all we have You with us so we should know better. You told Israel they should know better. I hope the ‘church’ i.e. God’s people are listening to You for todays correction and way forward. And me of course. What are You saying today?

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Wednesday 9th July 2025

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy Word
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

Teach us, Lord, full obedience
Holy reverence, true humility
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity
Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority
Words of pow’r that can never fail
Let their truth prevail over unbelief

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity
And by grace, we’ll stand on Your promises
And by faith, we’ll walk as You walk with us
Speak, O Lord, ’til Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory

Lyrics: Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

Tuesday 8th July 2025

“The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa—the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel. He said: “The Lord roars from Zion and thunders from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.”” Amos 1:1

“This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 1:3
“For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 1:6
“For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 1:9
“For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 1:11
“For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 1:13
“For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 2:1
““For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 2:4
““For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent.” Amos 2:6

God who speaks into history,

Wow, we need to move quickly Lord God through Your Word so we can reach Revelation by New Year. I thought Jonah had a tough calling but look at Amos’s. He has to deliver judgement not just to Israel, where he lived, but all the other surrounding nations as well. And Amos speaking to the kingdom of Israel reminds them that their prosperity as shepherds comes from You God. And he reminds Your people at the outset of his ministry that Mount Carmel withers. That would sound shocking. A holy place. The place where Elijah called upon Your name and You showed Your power with fire and defeated the prophets of Baal en masse ( 1 Kings 18:16-39).

Amos then repeats the phrase for three sins, even four. Because they were not just doing the odd sin but continually piling one sin upon another. Just as one lie leads to another. And You, God will not, cannot relent from righteous Judgement.

It is easier to share Your love in our testimony, God. How Jesus came and stretched out his arms on the cross to embrace those who would accept Him as their Saviour. But we do not like to speak of hell and judgement as much these days. I know I find it difficult and yet You have not changed. There is still judgement even though You provided the way out. “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14). Help me not to overdo or underdo the whole message.

But you also judge the nations, so we pray for ours that You would raise up godly men and women to speak out about doing the right and turning from what is offensive to You. Help us play our part in some small way.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 8th July 2025

When He rolls up His sleeves, He ain’t just putting on the Ritz
(Our God is an awesome God)
There’s thunder in His footsteps, and lightning in His fists
(Our God is an awesome God)
And the Lord wasn’t joking when He kicked ’em out of Eden
It wasn’t for no reason that He shed His blood
His return is very close and so you better be believing that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God
Repeat . . .

And when the sky was starless in the void of the night
(Our God is an awesome God)
He spoke into the and created the light
(Our God is an awesome God)
Judgement and wrath He poured out on Sodom
Mercy and grace He gave us at the cross
I hope that we have not too quickly forgotten that
Our God is an awesome God

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
With wisdom, power, and love
Our God is an awesome God
Repeat . . . .

Lyrics: Rich Mullins








Monday 7th July 2025

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.” Jonah 1:1-3 NLT

“Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”” Jonah 1:9-12 NLT

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish.” Jonah 2:1 “Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.” Jonah 2:10 “Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” 3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.” Jonah 3:1-3

God of Creation,

Nineveh, located at the intersection of important north-south and east-west trade routes in Assyria. This was not one of the cities of Judah or Israel. But a huge idol worshipping sinful city. I think I would have felt the same as Jonah, no way! Then aboard the ship, running away he depressingly decides to forfeit his life to save the ship knowing he was the problem. But he doesn’t die he is rescued in the most terrifying, smelliest bizarre way. Only You could do that Lord God of the oceans.

Then in his anguish he prays (Jonah 2:1-9). Repents and finds himself on a beach. And You simply say, now will you go and do what I asked? OK he says and is overwhelmed by the size of the city! Three days to walk it.

Jonah goes through every emotion known to man and finds the best place to be is where You want him. And it is not forever, he gets to go home afterwards. And the people of the pagan city of Nineveh have a life changing experience for good. We do not always realise what effect we have sharing the message of Your Son Jesus where we have been placed. We may put other people in danger by not showing them Your love. We may end up in a mess because we do not listen to You. But thank You that You have ways less extreme to get our attention Holy Spirit. And we do have a message than can give the hearer a life changing experience for good.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 7th July 2025

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

Chorus

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
Repeat . . .

Chorus

Lyrics: Matthew James Redman, Karl Martin, Kirby Kaple, Brett Steven Younker, Joseph Patrick, Martin Barrett.