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Saturday 31st May 2025

“When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, ¹²the Lord appeared to him at night and said: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. ¹³“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, ¹⁴if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”” 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 NLT

Our Father in heaven and on earth,

One night You appeared to Solomon! Wow. I wonder if he fell down as if dead like Ezekiel did (Ezekiel 1:128) or was struck dumb like Zechariah – and he only met will an angel (Luke 1:20). The Temple was finished and the royal palace. I wonder how he felt? Excited, relieved, a bit of pride, grateful, exhausted . . .

We he must have been prayerful because You, Lord heard his prayers. And You speak to them. Making an arrangement with Solomon. If says God. Now when or how or who but if. If my people. Not dependant just on Solomon. If my people. There is to be no going to any other altars or seeking any help from anyone anything else. If there is repentance, turning away from sin to holiness. then I will hear and attend.

Prayer is a serious thing Lord and when I read of revivals I see it starts with a small group of totally committed, focused, repentant believers who are united in their passion for the kingdom of God. Likewise I read of the times the UK called the nation to prayer, as on 24th May 1940 when troops were marooned at Dunkirk. Churches, chapels and synagogues were full. Two events immediately followed. A storm arose over Dunkirk and grounded the Luftwaffe who were killing our soldiers on the beach. Then a great calm settled on the channel allowing all those little boats to rescue over 335,000 soldiers.

Help us to pray and then help us to know when we need to gather to humble ourselves and ask when it seems like the heavens are closed.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 31st May 2025
We join our hearts and prayers with our family in Christ, in other nations, who feel their heavens are shut up . . .

Can a nation be changed?
Can a nation be saved?
Can a nation be turned back to you?

Let this nation be changed,
Let this nation be saved.
Let this nation be turned back to you.

We’re on our knees,
We’re on our knees again.
We’re on our knees,
We’re on our knees again.
We’re on our knees,
We’re on our knees again.
We’re on our knees,
We’re on our knees again

Lyrics: Matt Redman

Friday 30th May 2025

“Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven; ²³and he said: “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. ²⁴You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. ²⁵Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ ²⁶And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.

⁷“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! ²⁸Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: ²⁹that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes toward this place. ³⁰And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.” 1 Kings 8:22=30 NKJV

Lord God of Israel,

I picture myself standing with the elders in the Temple listening to Solomon’s prayer before the Holy of Holies, that no man can enter, and in the glory of the overwhelmingly awesome, beautiful Temple. Embroidered curtains, wooden doors overlaid with gold, carvings and golden utensils . . . and note that he was not distracted. His body reached out to You along with his desire and his voice.

And along with the wisdom he was granted he raises his hands to heaven and asks that You would hear both his supplications and prayers and those of his people Israel for the future. And in the middle a question – will You God indeed dwell on the earth? Because he acknowledges Your are greater than heaven and the heaven of heavens and deign to be present but cannot contained in a Temple no matter how glorious.

Oh how wonderful it is to stand now, today, not in a Temple but at home and know that You did indeed dwell on the earth as a man. You know us very well and still love us. Enough to die for us. And still love us. So now we lift our hands to You, knowing Your presence is always with us and ask that You continue to love us in Jesus and hear or prayers for our today and future days. Where else would we go but to You, God?

In Jesus name we pray.

Worship Friday 30th May 2025

You make Your face to shine on me
And that my soul knows very well
You lift me up I’m cleansed and free
And that my soul knows very well

When mountains fall I’ll stand
By the power of Your hand
And in Your heart of hearts I’ll dwell
And that my soul knows very well
Twice

Joy and strength each day I’ll find
And that my soul knows very well
Forgiveness hope I know is mine
And that my soul knows very well

Chorus Repeat . . .

Lyrics: Darlene Zschech Russell Fragar

Thursday 29th May 2025

“And he cast two pillars of bronze, each one eighteen cubits high, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of each. ¹⁶Then he made two capitals of cast bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷He made a lattice network, with wreaths of chainwork, for the capitals which were on top of the pillars: seven chains for one capital and seven for the other capital. ¹⁸So he made the pillars, and two rows of pomegranates above the network all around to cover the capitals that were on top; and thus he did for the other capital.

¹⁹The capitals which were on top of the pillars in the hall were in the shape of lilies, four cubits. ²⁰The capitals on the two pillars also had pomegranates above, by the convex surface which was next to the network; and there were two hundred such pomegranates in rows on each of the capitals all around. ²¹Then he set up the pillars by the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the right and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the left and called its name Boaz. ²²The tops of the pillars were in the shape of lilies. So the work of the pillars was finished.” 1 Kings 7:15-22 NKJV

God of the detail,

I love the lavish decorations and the specific directions for making each part of the Temple. So on approaching the Temple everyone would see the tow pillars. Bronze lavishly decorated with pomegranates, lattices of chainwork and lilies. In exquisite detail. Massive, weighty and yet exquisite and with safe passage between.

Jachin and Boaz. The meaning of the names being He establishes and he strengthens. A constant reminder as they entered to worship that You, God establish and strengthen them not the Temple.

You will establish and will strengthen us now. Paul explains that we are now Your Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) You dwell in us. And we now have You, God on the throne of our heart, Jesus who establishes us as Your children and Your Holy Spirit who strengthens us and uphold us.

The Temple is now just a bit of precious wall. Keep us safe. strengthen and establish us so we cannot be brought down.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Thursday 29th May 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

Chorus
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
You’re 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

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.

Lyrics: Pat Barrett