Tag: Before the throne of God above

Thursday 14th May 2026

“Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; And a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment, 6 Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly. 7 For he does not know what will happen; So who can tell him when it will occur? 8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt. 10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 8:6-9 NKJV

God of everything under the sun,

As the writer says we cannot know what will happen in the future. We cannot know why we were born into our family and not the son of a king. We cannot know a great many things and as the writer to Ecclesiastes says when he has no answer, it is like trying to grasp for the wind (1:14. 2:11 and 4:6).

Even the king who has power over other men has no control of death or his own spirit and he worries abut what he will be remembered for. It is good to hear of a good life well spent in Your service and it does encourage us. But in the long term, in a few generations, it will be forgotten. I know I want to be thought well of – isn’t that just normal humanity?

But really the most important thing is pleasing You God, and You knowing me, faults and all. And You do and always will (Psalm 139). You are not forgetful and yes You may give us all a new name (Revelation 2:17) but will still know everything about us. About everyone – but that is too much for me to comprehend. The difference is You, God remember it without condemnation, without judgement. We are not guilty and You see us cleansed and in the holiness of Jesus. I desire to do my best for God. Out of gratitude? Out of obedience? Out of love.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Thursday 14th May 2026

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart.
I know that while in Heav’n he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me,
To look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there, the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One with himself I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by his blood.
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Lyrics: Charitie Lees Smith


Tuesday 3rd February 2026

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered profane fire before the Lord, and died; 2 and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.3 “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. 6 “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 8 Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:1-10

Lord God,

A terrible day. Two sons of Aaron had gone against what was set down as God’s orders for offering incense and though seemingly still doing a good thing, making an offering, had offended You. Disobedience. They died. Everyone would be shocked and grieving. You are not to be mocked and called it was said to be profane, not sacred or holy. You knew their actions and their hearts. It is a sombre warning.

Paul in the new testament warns us to consider ourselves before coming to worship and take bread and wine in what we call communion to remember Christs sacrifice. Some who have not have got sick or died. (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). Jesus, Your Son warned us not to bring our gifts to the alter if we hold any altercations with our brothers in our hearts (Matthew 5:23-24).

None of us can be good enough to come to You and that is why we celebrate communion and remember Your gift of holiness to us. It is a sombre warning to not become over familiar, but come humbly having done our best to thank You for keeping us holy. You know our weaknesses our failures. The things we struggle with and the things that can’t always be put right. Life can be confusing Father. But help us to come to Your throne daily and in communion services with open, honest hearts, just as we are, humbly for forgiveness and to find Your rest.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 3rd February 2026

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart.
I know that while in Heav’n he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me,
To look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there, the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One with himself I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by his blood.
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Lyrics: Charitie Lees Smith

Tuesday 16th December 2025

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.” Colossians 1:15-23 NIV

Eternal and almighty God,

What a revelation Paul had. Of the relationship between You God and Jesus. Not a big God and a little Son Jesus, but an equal. He was there at the beginning creating with You God when You created the universe and our galaxy and our odd little world and life.

And in Jesus we see what You are like. Your character, Your nature. Your willingness to be part of our lives, to love, to be righteous and to point out hypocrisy and sin. Not to condemn but to give opportunity to repent and be forgiven. Jesus showed us Your compassion and generosity to the point of giving all that He had even His life.

If. I always read carefully the ifs. They are the small print of the contract. Paul clearly outlines them to the Colossians. “If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” Its not about being the best rule keeper, the most generous giver, a nice person. It is about not moving from Christ, our hope. Only he can keep us forgiven. Only He knows what is best for our lives and has secured our future. Because in knowing Him we know You. Hope does not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5 KJV). Thank You.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 16th December 2025
A go to positive song of hope and faith. Based on scripture from Pauls writings in Hebrews, Romans, 1 Peter, Colossians . . . and of course Isaiah 49:16, ” I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.”

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea:
A great High Priest whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart.
I know that while in Heav’n he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free,
For God the just is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me,
To look on him and pardon me.

Behold him there, the risen Lamb,
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One with himself I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by his blood.
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.

Lyrics: Charitie Lees Smith