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Sunday 3rd August 2025

“Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.”

Eternal Father,

It is difficult to choose a few verses from this chapter. Because it is such a wonderful preview of Your Son and His life and death. And what it means to us. How incredible that Isaiah, or whoever wrote the end of this his book should have such a clear view.

It was Your good will to send him, to crush him and cause Him grief. It is difficult to believe You could love us that much. So insignificant we seem in the light of history. So today perhaps I just need to read, marvel and wonder at Your great grace, Your awesome gift and my undeservingness. (If that is a word?) Praise, worship and thanks are not enough but it is all I have to give. Everything else I have, You have given me.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 3rd August 2025
No apologies for having this again, it was the first worship that came to mind.

My Jesus, my Savior
Lord there is none like you
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of your hands
Forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have
In YOU

Lyrics:  Daniel Jacobi, P. Eltermann, Darlene Joyce Zschech

Saturday 2nd August 2025

“In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ ” Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a [a]loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.” ’ And this is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing which He has spoken: Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.” So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.” Isaiah 38:1-8 NKJV

Lord God,

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed. He did not want to die. I knew a man of God who prayed daily facing a wall. He found it concentrated his thoughts, stopped distractions and was symbolic of God being the only way forward. Hezekiah knew no-one but You, God is the Lord of life.

The Lord does not warn all of us to put our house and the time of our death. He certainly as far as I know does not grant us knowledge of how much longer we have. And the sun going backward? We may never understand how that worked. It was a miracle and by their nature they cannot be explained.

Hezekiah could not rejoice that he was going home as he was part of the Old Testament covenant. But still how wonderful, how merciful to have extra years. He was assured that even time was in Your hand, Almighty God. You placed this historical record, maybe not for us to understand but to marvel and wonder that You were Hezekiah’s God and You are ours.

Perhaps we would prefer not to know when we will die? We would all probably like to ask for a few more years . . . Lord you are still the same as You were – but we can know You more intimately through Jesus. And one day we will see You face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Help us to look for miracles and know that You grant life now and life everlasting.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 2nd August 2025

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.


On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of his resurrection share;
When his chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun;
Let us talk of all his wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. [Refrain]

Lyrics: James M Black.

Friday 1st August 2025

“Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to God in heaven. 21 And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army with all its commanders and officers. So Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons killed him there with a sword. NLT22 That is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib of Assyria and from all the others who threatened them. So there was peace throughout the land. 23 From then on King Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem, with valuable presents for King Hezekiah, too.”
2 Chronicles 32:20-23 NLT

Victorious Lord,

So many times we read that Your people called on You when under attack, surrounded or in danger. And You miraculously delivered them or gave them instructions of what to do. Like here. We do not know what killed their enemies but that You protected Your people.

2 Kings 6:8-23. The Arameans surround Dothan to stop Elijah telling the king of Israel all the enemies tactics before they happened! Elijah prayed for Elisha’s spiritual eyes be opened and he saw Your vast army with chariots of fire Lord on the hillsides. And was no longer afraid. But Your army did not become involved. You told Elijah to pray the Arameans would be blind so they were easily captured. And fed and sent home humiliated!

In 2 Samuel 5 it was the sound of marching they were to listen for in the Balsam, or Poplar trees. Then they should attack because You went before them so they won the victory. Then David, newly crowned after Saul was dead, was able to take Jerusalem. This time he had to fight but followed Your plan God

So many times we could recount victories from following You, trusting You, obeying You. Even when the instructions did not make sense. Help us not follow blindly but be listening for Your way through.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Worship Friday 1st August 2025
Elyssa (lyrics writer), states that the purpose of the song came when “the Lord started highlighting the power of thanksgiving and the power of His finished work” through historical records of Jehoshaphat having the Levites sing and Elisha’s prayer against the Syrians.

A song for times we feel in the heat of battle and need encouragement? Not a communal worship song. Very repetitive and I found that a little annoying but it also struck a chord. I am surrounded by God. Even if I don’t feel it.


… The word says
“For the spirit of heaviness
Put on the garment of praise”
That’s how we fight our battles (yeah)

… This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles (yeah, yes)
This is how I fight my battles (what we’re doing tonight)
This is how I fight my battles
Just when you think you’re lost

… It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You, hey!
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You

… This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles
This is how I fight my battles (ohh)

… It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You, hey!
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You
It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You

Lyrics: Elyssa Smith