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Sunday 13th July 2025

“It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”” Isaiah 6:2-8 NLT

Lord God Almighty,

I could not move on from this passage without looking again at Isaiah’s experience and calling. And yet he has been having visions (Isaiah 2:1) and speaking out judgements and warnings (Isaiah 3) to Judah for You God for some time. He has even spoken about restoration (Isaiah 4). But this surmounts them all.

The year that Uzziah died seems to be one of those pivotal points in history. It was an important moment for Isaiah. He moved from earthly authority to knowing he had heavenly authority. And I still wonder whether it was a real coal and if he felt its heat as it touched him! And You God, the Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth ask for him to volunteer. You do not command him, or tell him what will happen if he doesn’t take up the offer . . . What a gracious God You are.

Some tasks we just do because it is right and good and helpful for the family in Christ and those who need help. Some tasks You ask us if we will take them on. And we watch out for those moments when You ask us if we will volunteer to do something particular. Perhaps if it comes with a burning desire to say yes?

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 13th July 2025

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin
my hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them.
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my words to them.
Whom shall I send?

Chorus

I, the Lord of wind and flame,
I will send the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them.
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give my life to them.
Whom shall I send?

Chorus

Lyrics: Daniel L Schutte

Saturday 12th July 2025

“These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.” Isaiah 1:1

“It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory! 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.” Isaiah 6:1-4 NLT

Awesome God,

The vision must have taken up all of his line of sight from floor to heavens heights. Just the train of Your robe God filled the enormous Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was built 30 cubits high which equates to 45 feet, which I believe equates to a 4 to 5 story building! I wonder how big the angels were then! And 6 wings! They cover their faces with two for humility not to take attention from You, God? They are not to be worshipped. Two more wings enable them to go and do Your bidding? And two wings on their feet to speed them on their way or to keep them from earthly dust and sin? The Temple, a massive structure shook as if an earthquake. Or was there a real earthquake too? I would probably have had a heart attack, or at least panicked and maybe fainted.

Some people experience Your presence and some even claim to have seen angels. For those of us who have not, we have these glimpses through Your Word. We may have been moved to tears or felt our heart beating faster. One thing is for sure it makes us stop and know that something important is beginning. You have our full attention. Isaiah saw it, wrote about it but did not live see it. But he got his own glimpse of Your future.

Father, we are feeble and we need assurance, encouragement and to know You are with us. Thank You for Your Spirit within us. And the reminder that You are greater than our imagination, greater than creation and yet You deign to want to be a part of our lives.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 12th July 2025

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty
God in three persons blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim, falling down before Thee,
which wert and art and evermore shalt be.

Verse not included . . .
(Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy there is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity)

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty
God in three persons blessed Trinity.

Lyrics: Reginald Heber

Medley at end
What can wash away away my sin – nothing but the blood of Jesus.
I surrender all, I surrender . . .

Friday 11th July 2025

“ Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother was Jecoliah from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. 5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.” 2 Chronicles 26:3-5 NLT

“But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. 17 Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. 18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!” 19 Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. 21 So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.” 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 NLT

Lord God,

Another king who started out well but ended badly. The Chroniclers give us a detailed of the incident that changed his life and led to his death. Whereas 2 Kings 15:5 just tell us he died of leprosy.. I love that You prompted the chronicler to give us the details.

Pride. Solomon was led astray by idol worshipping women and many kings died in their lust for more power or were assassinated by others hungry for it. With Uzziah we are clearly told it was pride. Lord sometimes it is a fine line between being pleased about something that has gone well and being proud. And pride in thinking we have done something all by ourselves . . ..

For me Lord it is the moment I hear Your Spirit whispering, ‘did You do all that all by yourself?’ that makes me stop and rethink. No look at what I can do with Your help. Uzziah did not respect the order You had placed in the service of the Temple. He would not heed the warning of others, the priests, or even stop and consider what they were warning.

Lord help us shake of personal pride in ourselves. We praise You we can repent and continually have a new start (Acts 3:19). We praise You that You are our God (Psalm 117). We come for help because You told us to ask (Matthew 7:7). Keep us from pride in any shape or form and help us to give You the glory..

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Friday 11th July 2025
I think I am a good person and I do good. Till a still small voice asks me, really? And I am humbled once more.

What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Our sins they are many, His mercy is mоre

Lyrics: Matt Boswell / Matt Papa