He who would valiant be – Start The Day

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho. ²Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, ³and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites. ⁴The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, ⁵sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said: “A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. ⁶Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” Numbers 22:1-6 NIV
“⁹God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” ¹⁰Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: ¹¹‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’” ¹²But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”” Numbers 22:9-12 NIV
“But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God. ¹⁹Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.”²⁰That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”” Numbers 22:18-20 NIV

Lord God of blessings,

In the end Balaam was flattered by the attention and the royal messengers He invites them again to stay another night in verse 19. Perhaps to see what else You would say that could be beneficial? Had he been definite in his refusal surely he would have sent them straight way home? And mentioning silver and gold I wonder if it was playing on his mind what he was giving up? Did he want them to persuade him because he wanted to go.

And You perhaps knowing his weakness allowed him to go knowing you would still have him say no. Nothing takes You by surprise and You would not allow anything to prevent Your people going forward.

Perhaps we should take heart. Even though there are battles going on around us, some we may know nothing about. But You, God are on our side and blessing us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Romans 12:14). You are our protection against the evil on (2 Thessalonians 3:3). And You, God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). Balaam had a donkey to speak some sense into him.

Help us enjoy, recognise and rejoice in the blessings we have and not be tempted to meddle in what are not our battles.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Worship Tuesday 11th March 2025
First two verses set out the promise of the master, Jesus. The last verse is the promise for the pilgrim to make . . .

He who would valiant be
‘Gainst all disaster
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound —
His strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
Though he with giants fight:
He will make good his right
To be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou does defend
Us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day
To be a pilgrim.

Lyrics: John Bunyan

“Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials. ²¹He then restored the chief cup-bearer to his former position, so he could again hand Pharaoh his cup. ²²But Pharaoh impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had predicted when he interpreted his dream. ²³Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought.” Genesis 40:20-23 NLT

“Finally, the king’s chief cup-bearer spoke up. “Today I have been reminded of my failure,” he told Pharaoh. ¹⁰“Some time ago, you were angry with the chief baker and me, and you imprisoned us in the palace of the captain of the guard. ¹¹One night the chief baker and I each had a dream, and each dream had its own meaning. ¹²There was a young Hebrew man with us in the prison who was a slave of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he told us what each of our dreams meant. ¹³And everything happened just as he had predicted. I was restored to my position as cup-bearer, and the chief baker was executed and impaled on a pole.” Genesis 41:9-13

God of eternity,

Two years later (Genesis 41:1) is the ‘some time ago’ the cup bearer talks about! Joseph went on doing his best in the prison for 2 years, that is 730 days! It must have seemed like an eternity and have been a daily disappointment waiting and hoping. And the cup bearer was not relieved enough to remember Joseph or was he so relieved he didn’t want to risk mentioning another prisoner . . .

Joseph when he is remembered, not only gets all Pharaohs wise men and magicians off the hook, he is placed where he can fulfill his own calling. Lord we pray You would speak to us as clearly through dreams, through Your Word and by Your Spirit. So we can be where we can do good and serve You. Be patient in mundane times. Assure us as You did Joseph that You are with us even as we go through difficult times. Keep us patient when we seem to be going nowhere. And if all is quiet then like Joseph perhaps we are where we are meant to be for a couple of years! Thank You for being our guide and our redeemer.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Thursday 16th January 2025
John Bunyan experienced a profound conversion in his early adult years, which gave him a deep desire to preach the Gospel. Because he preached without a license from the Church of England, he spent 12 years in prison. Where he wrote Pilgrims Progress and this hymn. (12 years not 2!)

He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound—his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labour night and day to be a pilgrim.

Lyrics: John Bunyan (Original)
alternate lyrics, modified by Percy Dearmer in 1906