Monday 24th November 2025

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” Galatians 5:16-24 NLT

Lord Saviour and Father,

The letter to the Galatians does not just give Jewish believers freedom from the Law and gentiles the freedom not to learn it. It shows them the fulfilled law which comes by Your Holy Spirit showing them how to live. Paul does not mince his words. Immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties are out. And we know that all these start with a small step from the narrow way that Jesus talked about (Matthew 7:13-14). A second look. Feeding anger. Not being contented . . . they could not and we cannot say we have not been warned.

But judgement comes with generosity and the help to live right. Paul makes sure they know what takes the place of sin if they keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law to limit these to where and when! And we should not become conceited that we have You and Your Spirit – rather we should desire that others have Your Spirit and the fruit too (Galatians 6:1-10). If I have nailed my passions and desires to the cross – why do I desire to take them back? Yet on occasions I know I do in a moment of selfishness . . . We each have different temptations and weaknesses to keep us humble and on our knees. Help us to help each other too.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 24th November 2025
No apologies this worship has been included more than any other this year.

Holy Spirit, living breath of God
Breathe new life into my willing soul
Bring the presence of the risen Lord
To renew my heart and make me whole
Cause Your Word to come alive in me
Give me faith for what I cannot see
Give me passion for Your purity
Holy Spirit, breathe new life in me

Holy Spirit, come abide within
May Your joy be seen in all I do
Love enough to cover every sin
In each thought and deed and attitude
Kindness to the greatest and the least
Gentleness that sows the path of peace
Turn my strivings into works of grace
Breath of God, show Christ in all I do

Holy Spirit, from creation’s birth
Giving life to all that God has made
Show Your power once again on earth
Cause Your church to hunger for your ways
Let the fragrance of our prayers arise
Lead us on the road of sacrifice
That in unity the face of Christ
Will be clear for all the world to see

Ephesians 3:20-21
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” New American standard Bible.

Lyrics: Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.

Sunday 23rd November 2025

“Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 Then they travelled back through Pisidia to Pamphylia. 25 They preached the word in Perga, then went down to Attalia. 26 Finally, they returned by ship to Antioch of Syria, where their journey had begun. The believers there had entrusted them to the grace of God to do the work they had now completed. 27 Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. 28 And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.” Acts 14:23-28NLT

“I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:6-10 NLT

Good Father,

Now we wander through acts and we also read the letters that Paul wrote to encourage the churches and fellowships he had visited. Galatians, the first letter written, and the verses above make it sound disappointed because he thought they were better than that.. But Paul was not angry just trying to overcome false teaching that had pervaded their faith. It was difficult where there were Jewish believers and gentiles mixed together. One side knowing their Torah and Law and Jesus and the other only knowing God through Jesus. Scripture is Your Word. But it is Jesus who gives freedom and salvation.

Paul explains more gently in a later verse that the law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now we are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no longer Jew or Gentile slave or free, male and female. For we are all one in Christ Jesus. That was a radical thing to say and cut through all their division.
We need to remember that who someone walks through the door of church or into the sphere of our influence. You do not want us to make them good but introduce them to the source of goodness. And make sure we do not become more tick box Christians but like our Father.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 23rd November 2025
This is a traditional hymn from 1908. I do not know the tune at all. This may not be the most melodic recording, but I was starkly reminded how we sometimes forget we are a small part of a the huge Kingdom of God. And Yet each one of us and each fellowship is most important and loved by You God.

 In Christ there is no east or west,
In him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love
Thru’out the whole wide Earth.

Join hands, then, children of the faith,
Whate’er your race may be!
Who serves my Father as a child
Is surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both east and west,
In him meet south and north;
All Christly souls are one in him,
Thru’out the whole wide Earth.

Lyrics: John Oxenham

Saturday 22nd November 2025

“In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel. And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.” 7 As soon as the angel was gone, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier, one of his personal attendants. 8 He told them what had happened and sent them off to Joppa.” Acts 10:1-8 NLT

“Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.” Acts 10:44-48 NLT

Father of all Mankind,

For me this is Pentecost part two. First You came to Your own as You promised and wrote Your law in their hearts by Your Spirit as promised (Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33). Then You came to the gentiles, the rest of the peoples of the world and showed that now everyone could be part of Your family on equal standing in Christ. As You also promised all nations would be blessed through Abraham offspring (Genesis 12:3).

I love that You used dreams and visions. Whether they were in vivid colour or in their imagination, they left no doubt. And all were reassured that it was right, it was good and God intended what was to happen next. Now we gentiles can start to discover what it means to know You, God of the Jews and be part of the body of Christ. We do not know it all, even after 2,000 years, except that it is Christ first and Christ middle and Christ last and the Bible tells us all about it.

You Father God, through Christ and by Your Holy Spirit made it all possible and we are still totally dependant on You. Send us dreams and visions to inspire us into the future..

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Worship Saturday 22nd November 2025

Who paints the skies into glorious day?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who breathes His life into fists of clay?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who shapes the valleys and brings the rain?
Only the splendour of Jesus.
Who makes the desert to live again?
Only the splendour of Jesus.

Teach every nation His marvellous ways;
Each generation shall sing His praise.

He is wonderful, He is glorious,
Clothed in righteousness,
Full of tenderness.
Come and worship Him,
He’s the Prince of life,
He will cleanse our hearts
In His river of fire.

Chorus

Who hears the cry of the barren one?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Who breaks the curse of the heart of stone?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Who storms the prison and sets men free?
Only the mercy of Jesus.
Purchasing souls for eternity?
Only the mercy of Jesus.

Chorus

Lyrics: Stuart Townend

“This song began to take shape when I was driving through the beautiful countryside of the south west of England, and I was struck how the hills seemed so radiant and beautifully shaped – it was as if God had lovingly handcrafted every contour of the hills and valleys. But He doesn’t just care for the beautiful world around us. His tenderness extends to us in every area of our lives, restoring, purifying and liberating us, so that we in turn can tell the world of His love. It’s a joyful song of celebration, particularly appropriate for the start of a time of sung worship. It also sometimes includes an optional introductory chorus sung in the South African language of Xhosa. I think there is something wonderful about singing together in a language other than our native tongue; it reminds me that we are part of a worldwide church, that we are all connected in Christ, and that one day people from ‘every tribe and tongue’ will be singing before the Lamb – what a glorious cacophony of languages that will be!”