Tag: Start the Day

Monday 20th July 2026

“Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”” Daniel 2:1-4

“The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.” Daniel 1:26-28

Lord of all,

Daniel was intelligent, able to learn languages in captivity, and able to watch, adapt and be creative. His friends were the cream of the young men taken from Judah too. Daniel seems to be the spokesman at this time. He took his responsibilities seriously especially when he heard Nebuchadnezzar was threatening death for an inability to do what he asked.

Daniel does not carry the responsibility all himself, he relies on You Lord. No man can know what Nebuchadnezzar dreamed. We know Daniel gets a revelation from You, God because he busts forth with his own peony of praise (Daniel 2:20-23). Then he makes it clear to the King, all who surrounded him and all the soothsayers and astrologers that God has revealed the dream and its meaning to him. He takes none of the glory for himself.

I remember early on when I started giving testimony and speaking in public a lady coming to me, for a quiet word. She advised me, that when I had finished speaking and people said ‘well done’ and ‘that was just what we needed to hear’, to slip aside and shake as it I was wet! Why I asked? To remember not to take any of God’s glory for yourself, to shake it off and thank God.

All the glory is Yours Lord. It is all about You, what You have done, what You can do, what You will do and the wonder is You invite us to help.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Worship 20th July 2026

Jesus, lover of my soul
All consuming fire is in Your gaze
Jesus, I want You to know
that I will follow You all of my days
No one else in history is like You
And history itself belongs to You
Oh Alpha and Omega you have loved me
And I will spend Eternity with You

It’s all about You Jesus and all this is for You
For your Glory and Your fame
It’s not about me as if You should do things my way
You alone are God and I surrender
You alone are God
You alone are God and I surrender
You alone You alone
You alone are God and I surrender
to Your ways

Lyrics: Paul Oakley

Sunday 19th July 2026

“Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. 6 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego.” Daniel 1:1-7 NKJV

“So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.” Daniel 1:11-15 NKJV

God of wisdom,

Perhaps it was not that they only ate vegetables . . . but they did not drink an abundance of wine, eat sweetmeats, over snack or indulge in fatty food? Daniel was a wise young man and wanted, with the other 4 young men to survive and thrive. We read later he did and certainly displayed his trust in You, the God of his fathers. And for the first year all went well (Daniel 1:21).

A good year. It is so encouraging when we have a good year. A good year for family or a good year for church or for our friends. It is easy to be complacent. But Daniel and his friends did not waste their time. They learned how to live and speak with the Chaldeans without becoming like them in their beliefs. They learned to be different and comfortable with it. They learned how to serve with dignity and yet conscientiously following You God.

So it is for us. We live amongst those who Jesus sent us to serve, to love, to invite into His Kingdom. And we are meant to look and behave differently. To be our best self with the help of Your Holy Spirit. Never under the control of anything else or anybody else. And content to serve where You would place us.

In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Worship Sunday 19th July 2026
Dug this one up from a couple of years ago. Love its challenge.

Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding God’s command,
Honour them, the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel’s band!

Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.

Many mighty men are lost,
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel’s band.

Chorus

Many giants, great and tall,
Stalking through the land,
Headlong to the earth would fall,
If met by Daniel’s band.

Chorus

Hold the Gospel banner high!
On to vict’ry grand!
Satan and his hosts defy,
And shout for Daniel’s band.

Chorus

Lyrics: Philip Paul Bliss



Saturday 18th July 2026

“The Lord showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad.” 4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7 Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.”Jeremiah 24:1-7 NKJV

God of hope,

Figs. A neighbour has a fig tree in his garden and the last few years it has had an abundant harvest. But if they are not eaten when picked and ripe they turn to the most disgusting goo and attract those horrible little tiny flies. It was a very extreme picture to show Jeremiah. Very good and very bad. No between. Like Judah who are either following the Lord and keeping the Law or rebelling and worshipping false idols.

But there is hope. God says that those taken away will turn back to him in their captivity. Those left behind will not. Perhaps they think they did not get judged and have escaped punishment.

It is foolish to think we can manage by ourselves without You. Just to pray when we have a need or a want. And You warn us about being half hearted through the churches message at Laodicea who were neither hot nor cold (Revelation 3:16). Help us to be good figs. Not falling somewhere between the baskets. Constant in our worship, dependant on Your daily bread, and always sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. And remind us that our salvation is not worked for by us . . . it is You who forgives us as we humbly go . . .

In Jesus name we pray.

Worship Saturday 18th July 2026
Just worship . . .

A thousand generations falling down in worship
To sing the song of ages to the Lamb
And all who’ve gone before us, and all who will believe
Will sing the song of ages to the Lamb

Your name is the highest, Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

And the angels cry, “Holy”
All Creation cries, “Holy”
You are lifted high, holy
Holy forever

If you’ve been forgiven, if you’ve been redeemed
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
If you walk in freedom, if you bear His name
Sing the song forever to the Lamb
We’ll sing the song forever and amen

Your name is the highest, Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions
Your name stands above them all

Hear Your people sing, “Holy”
To the King of kings, Holy
You will always be holy
Holy forever

Your name is the highest, Your name is the greatest
Your name stands above them all
All thrones and dominions, all powers and positions
Your name stands above them all
Jesus
Repeat . . .

Hear Your people sing, “Holy”
To the King of kings, Holy
You will always be holy
Holy forever
Repeat . . .

Lyrics: Chris Tomlin, Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson, Jason Ingram, and Phil Wickham.