Saturday 26th August 2023

“And so it shall be:
Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;
Instead of a sash, a rope;
Instead of well-set hair, baldness;
Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;
And branding instead of beauty.
Your men shall fall by the sword,
And your mighty in the war.
Her gates shall lament and mourn,
And she being desolate shall sit on the ground.” Isaiah 3:24-26 NKJV

Father and Lord,

This really is a pronouncement of more than just being told to sit on the naughty step! It touches every part of life. Belongings, health, personal and national safety. Not just because they sinned as a people and as a nation but because they continually, perpetually, through many generations of warnings, stubbornly went there own way.

We look at out world and see such godless, inhuman behaviour we wonder that we are not all bald, dressed in rags and desolate. It could be depressing, till we balance it with Your goodness. Then we remember that moment when Your way out of judgement arrived among us. Jesus. O Holy night. Your commitment to us and all who walk in Him. All those who are following, living for Him, with Him and in Him. All those who are praying for His return and yet praying many will be saved before He comes back.

Having You, God, on our side does not mean life will be a bowl of cherries. (I wonder where that saying comes from!). This world is a mess because of man’s sin and man’s greed. But now we have a choice through Your Son. We can be the sweet aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15). We can have beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair (Isaiah 61:3). We have hope and life with Your blessing and not judgement.

In Jesus name we pray.

Father,

Bless and meet the needs of all those we pray for today. Those close and those estranged and those we worry about sometimes. Take from our souls the strain and stress – of those things that loiter in the back of our minds so we can have a good day.

We pray for those in Ukraine who did not want war or oppression and who are in despair. Grant them sight of the end of conflict. Step in O Lord and turn Russia around to peace in whatever way possible.

We pray for those nations who are in desperation due to bad leadership, ungodly domination and selfish greed of the few. Release them, change the politics and raise up men and women who will stay good and true.

Thank You for all the blessings we have. We pray that our Parliament will return with Your desires in their hearts and not their own agendas. Speak to them in their dreams and waking hours.

In Jesus name, we pray, amen.

Worship Saturday 26th August 2023
Just let the words wash over and encourage you.

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live,

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

Written in 2002, “In Christ Alone” was a collaborative effort between Stuart Townend and fellow songwriter (and now good friend) Keith Getty. “The song came about in an unusual way,” Stuart explains. “Keith and I met in the autumn of 2000 at a worship event, and we resolved to try to work together on some songs. A few weeks later Keith sent some melody ideas, and the first one on the CD was a magnificent, haunting melody that I loved, and immediately started writing down some lyrical ideas on what I felt should be a timeless theme commensurate with the melody. So the theme of the life, death, resurrection of Christ, and the implications of that for us just began to tumble out, and when we got together later on to fine tune it, we felt we had encapsulated what we wanted to say.”




Friday 25th August 2023

“Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. 2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.” Isaiah 49:1-2 NLT

Father and Lord,

In the New King James version it opens with, “listen O coastlands” and the NIV says, “listen to me O Islands”! Suddenly You are addressing us, an island and the rest of the world of gentiles and not just Israel. How exciting.

And with hindsight which, Isaiah did not have, we see Jesus. Called from heaven, spoken into an earthly womb to be born as one of us. And we picture Mary being called to carry Him and give birth. You pronouncing His name to Mary in Luke 1:31. Your trusting us with Him and us having no plan B.

We remember how those that heard Him said he spoke with authority, commanding even unclean spirits (Mark 1:27). The writer to the Hebrews tells us, “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Nothing is as powerful.

And we know that Jesus was hidden in plain sight until Your time was right. Your arrow, Jesus, was used to kill death, deal with sin and judgement and provide a safe way back yo You.

We love to listen to You, O Lord. You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68) and we worship You.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Father and Lord,

Bless all those we love, know and care about, with life and life in all its fulness. Open their eyes to see the wonder in the world, Your love for them and the hope that springs eternal in Jesus. Bless their day with good things and good health.

Bless Ukraine today with a break from war and the hope of peace to come. Work out Your purposes in Russia and change their agenda to peace.

We pray for all those who will work long and hard today and pray the time will go quickly and they will see the benefit of their labours. We ask that where the workers are oppressed, enslaved and not paid a fair wage You would to change their circumstances for good. Direct them to paid, safe employment and uncover those who take children and grown ups into slavery so they can be freed and helped. For those who work to change these situations we pray You will empower, enable and protect them.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 25th August 2023
Thank You that Jesus came for the world, for us, for me.

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

Lyrics: Henry Smith



Thursday 24th August 2023

“This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. 7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come—yes, let them foretell what will come. 8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” Isaiah 44:6-8 NIV

Lord Almighty,

Amidst all the trouble of sin and rebellion in the Old Testament I love passages like this, Lord. Amidst all the trouble in the present, in my own time I love these passages, Lord. I find the truth in these verses a solid foundation. Today when we read or listen to the news we sometimes doubt. Are they telling the truth, is there a political slant are we being lied to? Where are You God?

But here in the midst of all Israel and Jacobs trouble is an unchangeable truth. You are God, and there is no other. Today we understand the rights of others to believe, to have their own faith. And You did give us freedom, free will. But there You are reminding us not to tremble or be afraid. Nothing changes the fact that You are God, You have always been God and You will always be God and You will have the last Word.

Thank You that amidst a changing world You are our foundation and security. To answer Your question – no there is no other God in my life, my heart and my affections because of Jesus. I worship You.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Lord God Almighty,

It is a wonder that You should choose to be involved in our lives, hear our prayers and answer them. Sometimes we may doubt when we see all the trouble in the world, much of it man made. But that does not change You. So we bring the needs of those we know to You and our own concerns and yearnings. Hold us, help us, provide for us.

We pray today for a new generation who though they have all the benefits of todays invention and modern living, that they would treasure old truths. The 10 commandments and loving their neighbour as themselves. Help us to do the same.

As we hear the news headlines we pray. Pray that You will be in the middle of all that is being reported, touching those who need comfort, bringing those who have done evil to the place of repentance and bringing good out of bad.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship
Its great to sing this in church at the top of your voice. But this version for me makes it a personal act of worship – me telling God how great I think He is.

Oh Lord, my God
When I, in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art, how great Thou art

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration
And then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art

Lyrics: Stuart H Kine

Stuart K. Hine was a British Methodist missionary on a mission trip in Ukraine in 1931 when he heard the Russian translation of a German song inspired by Carl Boberg’s poem “O Store Gud” (O Great God). Hine began to translate the song to English and added several verses. The third verse was inspired by the conversion of villagers in Russia who cried out to God loudly as the repented and realized God’s love and mercy – “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.” 

Stuart Hine and his family left Ukraine as famine and World War Two began, and settled in Somerset, Britain, where he continued to serve as a missionary to Polish refugees. The forth verse of “How Great Thou Art” was inspired by displaced Russians who experienced great loss and looked forward to seeing their loved ones again in heaven – “When Christ shall come with shoult of acclamation to take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.”

The final English version of “How Great Thou Art” was published in 1949 and quickly spread among Britain, Africa, India, and America.