Thursday 28th August 2025

“Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. 4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.” Ezekiel 1:1-4

 “And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.” Ezekiel 1:26-28 NKJV

God of fire and brightness,

What an introduction to Ezekiel and what a revelation of Yourself God. The description of the wheels within wheels and the angels with four faces (v4-25). I could spent hours just considering the wonder of it all and trying to picture it all. And we see Your unimaginable magnificence through Ezekiel’s eyes.

And He falls on his face – and then You speak! It seems to me that sometimes I need to position myself so I remember who I am in Your sight. Insignificant and yet like Ezekiel discovering You are a God who speaks. And the greatest thing You ever said? Was it Jesus?

I have only ever seen a rainbow in the middle of a cloud once and it was amazing. Science tells me it is light refracting off water droplets. Jesus is both the Light of the World (John 8:12) and the Water of Life (John 7:37-38). So how could Your presence not have the appearance of rainbow? You created what we call science . . .

I cannot fully imagine what Ezekiel tried to explain he saw. And no-one has even been able to draw it . . . help us to look to You and see the wonder of Your glory. and the glory of our Saviour. Your Spirit moving where He will, raising us up and enabling us to hear You. And we can be lost in wonder love and praise.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Thursday 28th August 2025
Had to go to a beloved traditional hymn . . . hang on in the musical introduction and build up . . .

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of Heav’n to Earth come down,
Fix in us Your humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown;
Jesus, You art all compassion,
Boundless love that makes us whole
Visit us with Your salvation,
Enter ev’ry trembling heart.

 Come, Almighty to deliver;
Let us all Your grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
You we would be always blessing,
Serve You as Your host above,
Pray, and praise You without ceasing,
Glory in Your perfect love.

Finish, then, Your new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Your great salvation
Perfect in eternity;
Changed from glory into glory
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before You,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Lyrics: Charles Wesley

Wednesday 27th August 2025

“In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck, 3 and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters: 5 ‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him.” Jeremiah 27:1-6 NKJV

“Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’ ” And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. 12 Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron.” 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also.” Jeremiah 28:10-14 NKJV

God who will not be mocked,

Hananiah fell into the hands of the God he served but did not listen to. He served in his own strength and understanding. He said what the people wanted to hear maybe and what he hoped would happen. He even stood against the truth when he heard it from Jeremiah. I wonder that he perhaps thought You, God would not punish him for saying nice things. A kind of don’t worry it will be alright.

But it can’t be alright if we ignore Your warnings or mock you. It may not happen straight way but Hananiah, we are told, died in the seventh month of that year as Jeremiah said he would. As the writer to the Hebrews says,” Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of You God, the living God.”(Deuteronomy 32:35) (Hebrews 10:30,31) How eternally grateful are we that we are new creations in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). We can repent turn from our sin and be forgiven. Help us to choose Your way, hear Your direction and correction even when it is hard.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Wednesday 27th August 2025

Your will be done, my God and Father
As in Heaven, so on Earth
My heart is drawn to self-exalting
Help me seek Your kingdom first
As Jesus walked, so I shall walk
Held by Your same unchanging love
Be still my soul, O lift your voice and pray
“Father, not my will but Yours be done”

How in that Garden He persisted
I may never fully know
The fearful weight of true obedience
It was held by Him alone
What wondrous faith to bear that cross
To bear my sin, what wondrous love
My hope was sure, when there my Saviour prayed
“Father, not my will but Yours be done”

When I am lost, when I am broken
In the night of fear and doubt
Still, I will trust in my good Father
Yes, to one great King I bow
As Jesus rose, so I shall rise
In ransomed glory at the throne
My heart restored With all Your saints, I sing
“Father, not my will but Yours be done”

As we go forth, our God and Father
Lead us daily in the fight
That all the world might see Your glory
And Your Name be lifted high
And in this Name we overcome
For You shall see us safely home
Now as Your church, we lift our voice and pray
“Father, not my will but Yours be done”

And in this Name we overcome
For You shall see us safely home
Now as Your church, we lift our voice and pray
“Father, not my will but Yours be done”

Father, not my will but Yours be done
Father, not my will but Yours be done

Lyrics: Rich Thompson, Jonny Robinson

Tuesday 26th August 2025

“Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, 8 Ebed-Melech went out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying: 9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies.” 11 So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah. 12 Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so. 13 So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.” Jeremiah 38:7-13 NKJV

Lord of kindness,

Ebed-Melech was not just thoughtful in asking for Jeremiah to be lifted from the cistern dungeon he was also risking his own position. I love that this incident is recorded in the narration its so personal. It was a kindness worth recording. They could have just put ropes down and hoisted Jeremiah up – but he was weak and thin. He could have got rope burns, dislocated his shoulders . . .

But Eded-Melech had not just thought about doing the right thing he had thought about how to do it. Thoughtfulness. Kindness. He did it the best way possible for Jeremiah. Sometimes we rush in to do good and forget the feelings and situation of those we are trying to help. Sometimes we need to think first. Be thoughtful and ask ourselves if this is the kindest way?

Sometimes it means doing something incognito. The men who fetched the rags are unnamed but essential. We need to remember that we do it for You and You know the best way if we ask. Jumble, old clothes served You on this occasion. The men pull him gently and easily up and ensured no-tried to stop them. We know no more about Ebed-Melech except that he was worthy of remembrance to You, in Your Word, Father. One kind deed noted for all eternity.Help us leave a trail of kind deeds.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 26th August 2025
Another new song to me written in 2022.

We’ve built our stained-glass castles
Reaching to the sky
At our best to show Your glory
At our worst to show our pride
We’ve raised our hands in worship
And our fist to stake our claim
We’ve done so much good and so much harm
All in Your great name

But when I think about what has
The power to change the world
It could all be said with just one word
Kindness

And what if we lived with a heart of kindness?
What if we loved like we’ve been loved?
If that’s all that we’re remembered for
Well, lеt that be enough
So when thеy stand and tell the stories
Of who we are and what we’ve done
Of a thousand things that we could leave behind us
If they say just one word, well, let that word be kindness

Let our hearts be quick to listen
And our lips be slow to speak
Let us wrap ourselves in mercy
Compassion and humility
We’re reaching past the lines
That words like us and them have drawn (Us and them have drawn)
Knowing we’ll find common ground
Together at the cross

Chorus

Kindness
I can forgive because I’ve been forgiven
And I can show mercy
‘Cause it’s mercy I’ve received
It’s the kindness of my Father
That brought me back to life
And it’s His kindness that still brings me to my knees

I wanna live with a heart of kindness
I wanna love like I’ve been loved
If that’s all that I’m remembered for
Well, let that be enough
And I wanna stand and tell the story
Of who You are and what You’ve done
How Your amazing love would bring You here to find us
To rescue and redeem us in Your kindness
Let my life be a reflection of Your kindness

Change the world with kindness . . . .

Lyrics: Steve Curtis Chapman