Tag: Start the Day

Sunday 14th September 2025

“After this, the man brought me back around to the east gateway. 2Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory. 3This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground. 4And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway. 5Then the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard, and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 6And I heard someone speaking to me from within the Temple, while the man who had been measuring stood beside me. 7The Lord said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died. 8They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger. 9Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever.

10“Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, 11and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them. 12And this is the basic law of the Temple: absolute holiness! The entire top of the mountain where the Temple is built is holy. Yes, this is the basic law of the Temple.”. Ezekiel 43:1-12

Holy Lord God,

This vision surely was an ultimatum to Israel. They could only return to the Temple and dwell with You God, Your presence, if they were holy. No more punishment and forgiveness. No more saving them for the sake of Your Holy name. They were to accept, choose, desire to live in Your presence in absolute holiness. Holiness is not an option it is important to You. I say that and yet I wonder if I have really thought about it? Not the Holier than thou type of holiness. But the sinless life of holiness as Jesus lived. It is what You desire for us.

Problem is, Father God, that life happens and sometimes I don’t even know what is the right thing to do is. Jesus warned us that temptation to sin would surely come (Luke 17:1) The writer to the Hebrews 12:1 warns us about the sin that so easily entaglessays us. So we can only thank You God for Jesus who picks us up restores us to holiness and shows us the error of our ways. Would that He could stop us sinning. But that is not You God. You love Your children who freely choose to do their best and saying sorry and putting things right where they can. You love us, You do not control us. One day there will be no need of greed, hurt, vindictiveness, rejection, disgust, distree, dis. . . anything. Till that day help us to live holy lives in this fallen world with the help of Your Holy Spirit.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 14th September 2025

Holiness holiness
Is what I long for
Holiness is what I need
Holiness holiness
Is what You want from me

Faithfulness faithfulness
Is what I long for
Faithfulness is what I need
Faithfulness faithfulness
Is what You want from me

So take my heart and form it
Take my mind transform it
Take my will conform it
To Yours to Yours oh Lord

Righteousness righteousness
Is what I long for
Righteousness is what I need
Righteousness righteousness
Is what You want from me

Chorus twice . . .

Lyrics: Scott Underwood

Saturday 13th September 2025

“In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth of the month, in the fourteenth year after the fall of the city—on that very day the hand of the Lord was on me and he took me there. 2In visions of God he took me to the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city. 3He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. 4The man said to me, “Son of man, look carefully and listen closely and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the people of Israel everything you see.”” Ezekiel 40:1-4 NIV

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. 2And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. 5The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” Ezekiel 43:1-5

God of wonders,

The hand of the Lord! Your hand was upon him. And he was transported in a vision to a real place. Well it seemed real to Ezekiel. But it was different. And there he met a man. A divine man? We are not told who the man is but he was of bronze signifying he was not a man but divine?. The builder of the city? He had the symbols of building in his hands. A measuring rod for straight lines and linen cord for measuring round pillars and anything curved. And Ezekiel was to remember and tell about what he saw to Israel. The Jews would want to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. But this was not the same Temple . . . It was much – much larger. And so precise in the measurements given. As though this were not something to be man made . And the measurements go on for some time till he was brought to the East gate. And he saw again the glory of the Lord and it had the same effect – he fell on his face.

This was a prophetic vision and it has not yet come to pass. But it gave Israel the promise that there would be another Temple but nothing like as small as the first one. God would be in its midst and with his people. It would be beyond their imagination in wonder.

They would not fully understand Ezekiel just as we do not and cannot fully understand the book of Revelation. But we know it contains truth. The day will come when we dwell with You, God not in a man made building but a new heaven and earth. And Your glory will fill it Lord God. We trust, in faith, that we will dwell with You forever. And now today we too like Ezekiel we can know Your hand upon us through Your Holy Spirit. Amazing.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 13th September 2025

Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of all creation
Lord of heaven and earth

Lord of all creation
of water, earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth

So early in the morning
I will celebrate the light
When I stumble in the darkness
I will call your name by night

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth

Hallelujah! To the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah! To the Lord of heaven and earth
Hallelujah! To the Lord of heaven and earth

Holy Holy Holy Holy

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
Precious Lord reveal your heart to me
Father hold me, hold me
the universe declares your majesty
you are holy, holy, holy, holy
Lord of heaven and earth
Lord of heaven and earth . . .

Lyrics: Steve J. Hindalong, Marc Byrd

Friday 12th September 2025

“Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’ “Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! 

24 “‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. 25 You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. 26 But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.”” Daniel 4:19-26 NLT

Lord God Almighty,

At the beginning of this chapter we read of Nebuchadnezzar praising You, God, saying,”His Kingdom will last forever, His rule through all generations.” (Daniel 4:3). Then He has a dream about a tall magnificent tree, bountiful,a place for all to find shelter and of benefit to the whole world. And Daniel has to tell him that though he is that tree now, if he does not match his behaviour to his praise of You he will eat grass till he comes to his senses.No wonder Daniel was scared of giving his interpretation. Just 12 months later Nebuchadnezzar forget this dream. Standing on his roof, seeing the beautiful city, he took all the glory for himself, puffed with pride, he declared his city was to display his own majestic splendor! So then he ate grass.

I sometimes stand back and look at something I have made well or done. I am pleased with myself for making the effort and doing a good job. But am reminded that I am only human and doing my best. I do not see myself as majestic or higher then others. Sometimes pride can sneak round behind and whisper – yes look at all you created . . . Then I need to get the taste of grass in my mouth. I can only do all thing through Christ because it is He who strengthens me. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians 4:13. Bring me down a peg gently if I get too full of myself Lord, no grass?

In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 12th September 2025

Oh, kneel me down again here at Your feet
Show me how much You love humility
Oh, Spirit be the star that leads me to
The humble heart of love I see in You

You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need

I want to be like You Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are the humble King

Oh, kneel me down again here at Your feet
Show me how much you love humility
Oh, Spirit be the star that leads me to
The humble heart of love I see in You

You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need

And I want to be like You Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are a humble King

Music interlude . . .

You are the God of the broken
The friend of the weak
You wash the feet of the weary
Embrace the ones in need

I want to be like You Jesus
To have this heart in me
You are the God of the humble
You are a humble King

You are the God of the humble
You are a humble King

Lyrics: Brenton Brown