Sunday 14th January 2024

“The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation.” Genesis 2:1-3 New Living Translation

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

“Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way . . . Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:23, 27

Lord God,

It is Sunday, I love Sunday. But I am able to not do any work on a Sunday. But I need to rise early to attend church (I go to the first service of the day), and fit in all the other things I do. Exercise, visit a friend, catch up on Bible reading plan, occasional prayer meeting in the evening etc.

I wonder about Sabbath. You stopped for a day from the beginning. I have learned the hard way that You know best. You know we get over tired sometimes. Jesus broke mans Sabbath rules by walking and letting His disciples snack on growing wheat on the Sabbath. He knew it is not about keeping the same rules and winning brownie points! It was about rest and well being.

Help me unwind as the disciples must have done walking with Jesus snacking on grain. Still my mind so it is in the moment and not thinking about what to worry about next, or have not done, or could be doing. And help me if I have more time on a Saturday or another day to rest, wait on You and relax from the yoke of chores and commitments. Remind me to make sure there is rest time every week. Lest I forget and I make the yoke heavy or overburden my mind with over thinking.

In Jesus name, Prince of Peace, we pray, Amen.

Suggestions for prayer . . .
Lord God,

For all our family, friends and neighbours. Help us hand over all our concerns and hopes for them to You..
For our church fellowships, ministers, officials, congregations. Give them times of rest.
For those whose rest is disrupted by shift work or nights nursing or caring for others.
For busy people with many responsibilities to be able to unwind in time off each week.
For King Charles, the Queen and the royal family as they seek to serve the nation.
For our government and their families. With all that is going on give the clear thinking from You and rest between.
For Ukraine we [lead for an end to war.
For all areas where there is war, military oppression and civil war. Myanmar, Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Nigeria . . .
For Israel to find a way to peace with all its neighbours.
For those who find themselves eaten up by worry to know Your Holy Spirit and peace.
For our local community neighbours, doctors, dentists, police and schools.
For emergency workers not to be overwhelmed by what they are faced with. Provision for all they need in equipment, water, food, medical supplies.
For ourselves, time to rest and time to consider all that is good in our lives and give thanks, especially for You.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 14th January 2024

Cleland Boyd McAfee (September 25, 1866 – February 4, 1944) was an American theologian, Presbyterian minister and hymn writer. He was inspired to write this song after the concurrent deaths of two of his young nieces, caused by diphtheria.

There is a place of quiet rest,
  Near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest,
  Near to the heart of God.

 O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
  Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us, who wait before Thee,
    Near to the heart of God.

There is a place of comfort sweet,
  Near to the heart of God,
A place where we our Savior meet,
  Near to the heart of God. 

There is a place of full release,
  Near to the heart of God
A place where all is joy and peace,
  Near to the heart of God. 

Lyrics: Cleland Boyd McAfee .

Saturday 13th January 2024

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11 NKJV

Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. Proverbs 25:11 NLT

Lord of all creation,

Your Word, wisdom, became flesh and dwelt among us. And You named Him Jesus: Jesus, name above all names, beautiful Saviour, Glorious Lord. Emmanuel, God is with us, blessed Redeemer, Living Word. The perfect Wise Word.

The verse about golden apples and silver baskets, has stayed in my mind since I first read it. I love verses that put pictures in my mind. Lord, I wonder how many apples we will have accrued by the time we get to heaven? I wonder how many apples were rejected because we spoke before our brain and heart spoke before we let You lead. With Your love as our filter.

Our words can be so good and valuable or so silly and harmful. Gold and silver are still precious to the whole of creation today. Good, kind words are still valuable. Your Word has changed history, changed lives, changed outcomes. Help my words be good..

Not flowery words, not bare necessity words. Words that are refined by You (golden) and then presented in a way (in baskets of silver) that is beautiful, respectful to the recipient, honest and kind . . . we can’t do this alone . . . help us. And timely. Knowing when to speak and when not to.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Suggestions for prayer . . .
Lord God,

For all our family, friends and neighbours. For their day ahead whatever they have planned.
For our church fellowships, ministers, officials, congregations. Keep us faithful.
For King Charles, the Queen and the royal family as they seek to serve the nation.
For our government. May their words and decisions be guided by Your Spirit.
For Ukraine, we continue to ask You to change the conflict to peace. An end to it all.
For all areas where there is war, military oppression and civil war. For peace and a new way forward. Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, the Middle East, Afghanistan, North Korea, Nigeria . . .
For a way to end trouble with Israel and Gaza and containment of taking sides.
For our city, local area and those who are responsible for running it.
To be blessed with the touch of Your comfort, forgiveness and joy through the day.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 13th January 2024

Lyrics: Naida Hearn

One day when she was about 30-years-old, Naida was contemplating the names given to Jesus written on a piece of paper, as she did the washing. “While I was doing the family washing, the Lord gave me the first line of a song. I began singing, ‘Jesus, name above all names.’ I continued and sang the whole song just as you hear it today. I just opened my mouth and all of the words came out, the melody and everything. I just sang it.” “I left the washhouse and went down into the sitting room and worked the song out on music paper. I then said, ‘Lord, is that OK? Is it all right like that? Yes, it was all right. I then went back to the washing. It was just that simple. It was a straight-out lead from the Holy Spirit, absolutely. I can’t say I thought about this or I thought about that; I just started on ‘Jesus, name above all names,’ and it carried on all by itself.”

The song was soon being sung by her local congregation at New Life Church in Palmerton North and in time it became a worldwide favorite. Naida said, “The Spirit impressed on me that it was to be sung as a love song. It’s all about Him. You should sing it softly, slowly and reverently. This is what He wanted.”





Friday 12th January 2024

“The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:5-8 NKJV

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:5-8 NLT

Lord our shade,

Our keeper who watches over us. I need to put the two halves of this Psalm together in my memory because this second half is about Your help when we lift our eyes to You! In the Psalmist day the right hand side was vulnerable in times of battle because the shield was held on the left. (Apologies to left handed people – who are picked out for special mention in Judges 20:16, 1 Chronicles 12:2 for their expertise!) You shade us from harm in our vulnerabilities. We all have more vulnerable areas in our lives. They are often because we have been hurt before where we are more sensitive.

The sun can burn as the Psalmist would know. Alas, we do not have that problem here at present but the climate is something we need help with. And the moon may not smite us, but fears are often worse in the night!

Remind us that You will keep our soul and watch over our life inwardly and outwardly. Yes, You will preserve our going out and coming in. Not to nit pick, critique and make us try harder, but as Spurgeon beautifully explained, “Our soul is kept from the dominion of sin, the infection of error, the crush of despondency, the puffing up of pride; kept from the world, the flesh and the devil; kept for holier and greater things; kept in the love of God; kept unto the eternal kingdom and glory.”

In the NKJV verses 7 and 8, we read three times that You will preserve us. So it sinks in. You will preserve our lives. You were at our birth and will be at our end. We are encouraged by the Psalmist and Adoniram Judson (A great missionary to Burma) who said, “He has not led me so tenderly thus far to forsake me at the very gate of heaven.”

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Lord our keeper,

For all our family, friends and neighbours. Hear and answer their prayers and hopes.
For our church fellowships, ministers, officials, congregations. Keep us loving all who come in through the doors.
For King Charles, the Queen and the royal family as they seek to serve the nation.
For our government and the decisions they make amidst a world of turmoil.
For Gaza and all areas around and their neighbours. The Read Sea and the trouble there.
For Ukraine a withdrawal of Russian troops. Lead them to peace and end to oppression.
For all areas where there is war, military oppression and civil war. Sudan, the Middle East, Myanmar, Afghanistan, North Korea, Nigeria . . .
For those who live in remote mountainous places who have suffered earthquakes, poor harvests or live on the edge of poverty. For their children and the charities who seek to educate and help them.
For our local community, neighbours, doctors, dentists, police and schools.
For those who work in hospices, who care for people at home and who provide respite.
For ourselves, to hear and see the answer to prayers we have for ourself and for family. To be encouraged.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 12th January 2024
Beautiful Celtic music. There is quite a long introduction but it is worth the wait. . .

I lift up my eyes to the hills, the hills
From where will my help come?
My help it comes from the Lord, My God
Who made the heavens and earth.

Chorus:
He will not let your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
He who watches over Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord God is your keeper and
The shade at your right hand.
The sun won’t strike you by the day,
Nor the moon by the night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
And He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out
And keep your coming in.