Author: admin

Sunday 26th April 2026

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. 30 Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.32 He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. 33 Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. 34 And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.”
1 Kings 4:29-34 NKJV

“So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 24 Each man brought his present: articles of silver and gold, garments, armor, spices, horses, and mules, at a set rate year by year.” 2 Chronicles 9:22-24 NKJV

God only wise,

So Solomon became rich and famous anyway because of his wisdom. But every gift comes with temptation because the enemy is jealous of what of Solomon having Your blessing. Not that we want to give the devil any attention but to remember he is a liar and to be forewarned. We have all felt good about something we have done for You and done well. And that is a good feeling. But I know the times that in my heart I gone a step further and have preened myself and thought didn’t I do well.

Solomon must have known, under the weight of all his responsibility, that he could not do it without You, God. I love the verse from 1 Kings 4:29 that Solomon had largeness of heart like the sands on the seashore. Was the writer remembering God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would be as numberless as the sand on the seashore(Genesis 22:17). His heart was for the people he served. (Sadly later we see the ladies leading him led astray.)

It is hard to have largeness of heart and serve the people around us when they do not always want to know about You, Lord. But like Solomon we see all You have given us in creation, people and the wisdom of knowing You and being loved by You. We seek Your presence, our King, and today is a day of praise.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 26th April 2026


Joyful, joyful, we adore You,
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before You,
Opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the gloom of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround You,
Earth and heav’n reflect Your rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thu art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,
All who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.

The video omits this last verse:-

Mortals, join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
God’s own love is reigning o’er us,
Joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life.

Lyrics: Henry Van Dyke

Saturday 25th April 2026

“On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?” 8 And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, O Lord God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”” 2 Chronicles 1:7-10 NKJV

“And Solomon said: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”” 1 Kings 3:6-9 NKJV

God of the generations,

Would we ask for wisdom? We read later that Solomon has received Your God given wisdom when he has to judge between two women and a live baby. (1 Kings 3:16-28). But he put wisdom aside later in life when it came to wives! (1 Kings 11:3). It did not mean You indulged Solomon either. He knew what He needed to be a good king and wanted to do the right thing. He sinned.

So sitting here, today, what do I want to ask for? At various times I have asked for healing, a resolution of problems, employment, for a good night’s sleep . . . a parking space . . . Money just means sitting in different surroundings. What matters is having inner peace, constant help and knowing what and how to do the right thing. Knowing, – Your Wisdom. To be content and have Your joy not the world’s happiness which is fleeting.

Father help us realise how blessed we are. To have Your Holy Spirit and know the difference between doing a good job and doing a God job. And the difference between good and God is O. “O”, that light bulb moment when we see what You are doing and join in. Wisdom, Your wisdom.

In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 25th April 2026
After serving at Wimbledon and lecturing at St. Augustine’s College in Canterbury, Jack Copley Winslow worked as a missionary in India (1914-1934). He returned to England and served as parish priest and chaplain at a number of churches, including Lee Abbey in Lynton (1948-1962). A hymn and a testimony?

Lord of all power, I give you my will,
in joyful obedience your tasks to fulfil.
Your bondage is freedom, your service is song,
and, held in your keeping, my weakness is strong.

Lord of all wisdom, I give you my mind,
rich truth that surpasses our knowledge to find.
What eye has not seen and what ear has not heard
is taught by your Spirit and shines from your word.

Lord of all bounty, I give you my heart;
I praise and adore you for all you impart:
your love to inspire me, your counsel to guide,
your presence to cheer me, whatever betide.

Lord of all being, I give you my all.
If e’er I disown you, I stumble and fall,
but, sworn in glad service your word to obey,
I walk in your freedom to the end of the way.

Lyrics: Jack Copley Winslow

Friday 24th April 2026

“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things; 13 also for the division of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the articles of service in the house of the Lord. 14 He gave gold by weight for things of gold, for all articles used in every kind of service; also silver for all articles of silver by weight, for all articles used in every kind of service; . . . ” 1 Chronicles 28:12-14 NKJV

Almighty Lord,

So David gave Solomon an ordered peopled Kingdom, which needed overseeing and managing. A list of dangers and dangerous people to be dealt with. Which was a great responsibility in itself apart from Solomon becoming the one people looked to for judgements and to keep the peace . . .

And then David lays before him the building plans of the Temple. Not just a magnificent building but complete plans with lavish interiors, outer buildings, inner rooms, courtyards and gold and silver articles for the Altar and holy Table. I suspect Solomon was Please io have plans it was such an amazing design. It was enough to organise and oversee it being built.

If we were to ask our forefathers in the faith what plans they had to pass on to us, I wonder what they would say? Look after the church, build a better one? I give thanks for those who did build my church building and do not take it for granted. But if there were no believers to sit in it? Whether we meet in churches, schools, homes, halls, I hope they would put people first. The body of Christ (the church) and those family and, neighbours who need Christ. Solomon saw his building task finished. We, along with all the family of believers, face a task unfinished . . . till Jesus comes again.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 24th April 2026

Facing a task unfinished
That drives us to our knees
A need that undiminished
Rebukes our slothful ease
We, who rejoice to know Thee
Renew before Thy throne
The solemn pledge we owe Thee
To go and make Thee known

Where other Lords beside Thee
Hold their unhindered sway
Where forces that defied Thee
Defy Thee still today
With none to heed their crying
For life and love and light
Unnumbered souls are dying
And pass into the night

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

We bear the torch that flaming
Fell from the hands of those
Who gave their lives proclaiming
That Jesus died and rose
Ours is the same commission
The same glad message ours
Fired by the same ambition
To Thee we yield our powers

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord

O Father who sustained them
O Spirit who inspired
Saviour, whose love constrained them
To toil with zeal untired
From cowardice defend us
From lethargy awake!
Forth on Thine errands send us
To labour for Thy sake

We go to all the world
With kingdom hope unfurled
No other name has power to save
But Jesus Christ The Lord
Repeat . . .

Lyrics: Fionan Debarra, Keith Getty, Edmond Martin Cash, Kristyn Getty