Change my heart O God – Start The Day

Friday 22nd November 2024

“The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel. Fill your horn with olive oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.” ²Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out to you.” ⁴Samuel did what the Lord told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem, the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They said, “Do you come in peace?” ” 1 Samuel 16:1-4 NET

Almighty God,

Samuel didn’t have a normal childhood. Not to our thinking anyway. His mother Hannah took him to the Tabernacle as a young child to serve the Priest Eli. The place God had heard and answered her prayer for a child (1 Samuel 1:11). Samuel heard the voice of God from his early years there. A wise leader. Sadly his sons were a bitter disappointment. God granted the peoples call for a King. Saul, tall good looking – was also a disobeying disappointment. Everything does not always go right for those who have faith!

Saul had looked and sounded the part! People, even family let us down, things just don’t go our way all the time. It is easy to get into a pity party when disappointed as Samuel did. Change is inevitable so one saying goes. And it can lead to good.

You, God invite yourself into Samuels lonesome pity party. Speaks of what is at the heart of his problem. Shows him that it is no good longing for something past and then give him something positive to do. Help us in those moments when we loose the plot and feel sorry for ourselves. Speak and lead us out into something new and comfort and encourage us.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Almighty God,

For our family, friends, neighbours, those we promised to pray for.
For our fellowship and congregation members, our ministers, servers, PCC, wardens.
For our king and family all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). Thanksgiving for good health.
For our Government, advisors, diplomats and ambassadors. Wisdom and Your leading.
For Ukraine and Russia. Miracles to lead to the end of war and oppression.
For Israel, Lebanon, the Middle East. Countries in conflict. Your purposes override those of man.
For those charities providing clean water, pumps, purifiers and new wells near villages.
For all those starting new jobs, moving home undergoing change – to know Your guidance.
For those disappointed in Christian ministry, a future and Your presence to cheer and to guide.
For us to have You, Lord holding our hand, healing our hearts and uplifting our heads to take on the challenges of the day.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 22nd November 2024

Eddie Espinosa was praying as he drove to work one day in Southern California. He wanted to get closer to God, but there were things in his life that weren’t pleasing to God. So he prayed this prayer out loud: “God, do something. I need You to change my heart.” In the middle of traffic this song came to him and he began to sing it. He didn’t know what he was singing until he sang it. At a stop at the next traffic light, he scribbled it on a piece of scrap yellow paper. He tried to keep the tune in mind until he got to work. That night he taught it to a Bible study group that met in his home.

Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.

Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.
You are the potter, I am the clay,
Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.
Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.

Lyrics: Eddie Espinosa

Thursday 22nd August 2024

“He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son ²⁰and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
Colossians 1:18-20 NET

God of reconciliation,

Lord I can’t move on from this passage yet . . . Reconcile – to restore relationships. There was a time when I wasn’t sure there was a God. Then I was not sure if I needed to do anything about it even if there was one. There came a time when I needed Your help God and I did not know if I could ask or how. Then there was a time when You, the invisible God became real. Like a light bulb going on. I knew You were real. I could know You personally through Jesus and know Your loving kindness (Romans 2:4). And in coming to the cross I was reconciled, able to know You and be loved.

There is a God. I believe. I know You through Jesus. I can approach Your holiness because Jesus makes me holy. I had to admit I had been wrong. We are not always too keen on doing that! Admitting we have been wrong. But we can only come to the cross humble to find forgiveness, be reconciled and have a relationship with You. Keep us humbly acknowledging You are God and You know best.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Suggestions for prayer . . .
God of reconciliation,

For our close family.
For our extended family, friends, neighbours.
For our church fellowship, ministers and congregations.
For our king and all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). World kings, dictators, leaders and rulers.
For Ukraine. Please end war, soon. Reconcile Putin by Your Spirit with thoughts of peace.
For Gaza, all the Middle East. Solutions for a reconciliation and lasting peace.
For those suffering from and working to stop the outbreak of Mpox across Africa. For vaccines.
For those who work to help reconcile broken marriages, families and hearts.
For new Christians here and in persecuted countries.
For us to take one day at a time and be thankful whatever today holds. Thankful You will help us through whatever comes.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Thursday 22nd August 2024
The story of the song is below, under the lyrics.

Change my heart oh God
Make it ever true
Change my heart oh God
May I be like You

You are the potter
I am the clay
Mold me and make me
This is what I pray

Lyrics: Eddie Espinola

The year was 1982. I had been a Christian since 1969, but I saw a lot of things in my life that needed to be discarded. I had slowly become very complacent. I acknowledged my complacency, and I prayed to the Lord, ‘The only way that I can follow you is for you to change my appetite, the things that draw me away. You must change my heart!'”

Shortly thereafter I was in my car on the way to my work, feeling a desire to draw near to God and with the wrestling still going on in my heart. Suddenly, a melody and some words began to flood through my mind. As I stopped at a stop sign I reached for something to write on. The first thing I found was a small piece of yellow paper, which, by the way, I still have, and began to write as rapidly as I could. It was like taking dictation. I wrote the words on the paper, and kept the melody in my mind.

Our church home was the Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Anaheim, California, and someone told the pastor that I had written a song that would be good for the congregation to sing. The pastor asked me to play it for him, and afterwards asked if I would share it with the congregation.

Monday 2nd October 2023

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? ²You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. ³And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:1-3 NLT

Generous God,

It sounds to me like James had heard that the church was not all sweetness and light! I sort of feel this should be read with a little annoyance in the voice. They didn’t have what they wanted because they didn’t ask You, and were asking for unsuitable things, things offensive to You even!

A great preacher I was reading recently said, ” I don’t understand electricity but I’m not going to sit around in the dark till I do.” We don’t have to understand prayer fully in order to pray. But maybe we need to know our motives. James clearly says we need to know our motives! Win the lottery? We would give nearly all of it away? If we can’t give from the little we have now how would we ever give a lot?? Sometimes we need to have a word with ourselves to find the motives.

You do want us to be joyful and to provide for our needs. You are our Good Shepherd delighting to lead us into green pastures and refresh us. But we do not need envy, jealousy, malice or pride. Help us not to be afraid to ask from a seeking heart or a worried mind. You love to answer.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Generous God,

We pray for friends, family, neighbourhood and our church fellowship. All those people with so many different needs, But we can ask for their best from Your generous heart.

Pour out the hope of the end of war across Russia and Ukraine. May it be a reality and not just a hope. Pour out Your compassion upon those struggling from disaster and loss. May it also be felt through human hands and aid to feed and provide shelter and all they need.

Rain down righteousness and goodness and truth upon our politicians and councillors. May there be a consensus to do what is right rather looking to getting voted back in. We pray for Birmingham and that a solution would be found that would not cause suffering to those living there.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 2nd October 2023

Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.

Lyrics: Eddie Espinosa

This song was written in a car in the middle of Southern California traffic not far from Disneyland. Eddie Espinosa was driving to work one day, and he prayed as he drove. He wanted to get closer to God, but there were things in his life that weren’t pleasing to God. So he prayed this prayer out loud: “God, do something. I need You to change my heart.” In the middle of traffic this song came to him and he began to sing it. He didn’t know what he was singing until he sang it.

He reached for a scrap of yellow paper, and when he stopped at the next traffic light, scribbled as quickly as possible. He tried to keep the tune in mind until he got to work. That night he taught it to a Bible study group that met in his home.