Tag: Jesus keep me near the cross

Monday 9th February 2026

 “But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, 16 I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seedin vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. 18 ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. 21 ‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. 22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate. ” Leviticus 26:14-22 NKJV

Lord our God and Father,

And here are the promises we do not always want to think about. Promises of retribution. But these are for those Israelites who choose to turn away from You God. Those who despise Your commandments and choose not to obey You. You use the word contrary. Those inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is expected or desired.

Father I have had conversations in Bible studies on whether Christians can be unsaved and come to no conclusions. I have known a person who decided not to believe in You anyone and I have know people who have just slid away and not been interested. Those who have been disillusioned by the church and taken themselves out of fellowship. You are he only one who truly knows what is in a heart.And You do not give up on anyone. But I do not want to use this passage to judge others. You are the only one who can judge. It is a stark reminder to myself that I need to keep myself in a good relationship with You God.

I may mess up, I may slip, trip or be complacent but I know that You will draw me back, love me and lead me on. Jesus dealt with any retribution for my sin at the cross. I will do my best. I know trying harder does not bring Your holiness God. Jesus does so I will live the best I can.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 9th February 2026
No struggle to choose there is room for both or either . . .

Lyrics: Ian White

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me.

In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me.

Chorus

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Chorus

Lyrics: Fanny Crosby


Sunday 5th October 2025

“Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6 and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. 8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’” Ezra 9:5-12

Father God,

We may think that our culture has changed and we do not have to know and marry within certain groups of people with the same interrelated descendants. And was this not just rules for the Jews? Ezra came to oversee the community, Nehemiah would return and oversee the building of the walls. So why was Ezra so upset? Because they had married people of pagan worship practices and had been led astray to put their trust elsewhere. They di not even recognise the danger of putting someone or something else on a level with You our God of Gods and Lord of Lords. The one who could spare them from plagues, lead them to freedom protect them from their enemies and provide for them even in exile.

But Paul speaks about being unequally yoked with unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). We still need to keep ourselves from idol worship and being watered down in our faith. Some think Paul is speaking about marriage. It is sad when a believer drifts away due to an unbelieving partner or friend. But we are not here to judge others. It is ourselves we must look first. Am I standing on solid ground with my unbelieving friends? Is there anyone who might surreptitiously dissuade me from worship or prayer? Are You first and the foundation and continuation of my faith? Then perhaps we can speak to those drifting away in love and with kindness.

IN Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 5th October 2025
If we are in the cross we can draw others to it . . . some of the old hymns just say it like it is.

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me.

Chorus

Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me.

Chorus

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Chorus

Lyrics: Fanny Crosby

Sunday 11th May 2025

“Again the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that I may know the number of the people.” 3 And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” 4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel. 5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. ” 2 Samuel 24:10-14 NKJV

“Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”3 And Joab answered, “May the Lord make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?” 4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. ” 1 Chronicles 21:1=4

God of Righteousness,

Same history different view. Samuel added all the details of places. He knew the sins of his people and he explains that You pushed David to count. The Chronicler omits the places and attributes the sin of counting to Satan.

It made me think how sometimes we blame Satan for things that were not him. Sometimes we feel You, God are against us. Sometimes life itself causes us trouble, or our circumstances. David, regardless of why he numbered Israel, felt condemnation as soon as it was done. (2 Samuel 24:10, 1 Chronicles 21:8). He prays. Perhaps he should have apologised to Joab and the Captains of the Army (leaders of the people) too, for over nine months they spent counting people!

Sometimes I have known that inner condemnation, as I have missed doing something You asked or when I have done something I wished I could undo. Words or actions done or not done. Then I understand the difference Jesus makes. I can be forgiven and try to put it right. David had to suffer the consequences. Sometimes we have to to – but with Your help. David still threw himself into Your mercy God, rather than mans. Keep us sensitive to Your promptings and repentant at the cross.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 11th May 2025
Timeless hymn

 Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain;
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the Bright and Morning Star
Shed His beams around me.

Near the cross! O lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o’er me.

Near the cross! I’ll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever;
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Lyrics: Fanny Crosby