2026 will again be through the Bible chronologically selecting verses which attract my attention or questions or encourage me on the day. I pray it blesses whoever reads . . . My theological background is Salvation Army College and now Church of England. I love all Christian denominations.
Lord Jesus, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Forgive me and help me turn from everything I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross to pay the price and set me free from my sin. Please come into my life, fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.”
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East. 4 And his sons would go and feast in their houses, each on his appointed day, and would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.” Job 1:1-5 NKJV
Father God,
An aside from the history of Israel to be introduced to Job and his family. Job lived an upright and blameless life. He feared You (in the best sense of the word), he tried to please You, Lord and stayed away from evil. He is wealthy and counts his family as his greatest treasure before his many possessions and livestock. He cared deeply for his children and their spiritual well-being. So much so he rose early and made his first duty to make sacrifice for them in case they had sinned. He valued his relationship with You above all.
So the scene is set. I do not want to go further with Job as this is a day we too rise early to gather together as church, to give a sacrifice of praise, take communion and remember all You have done for us. None of us knows what is coming tomorrow. One thing is certain, Lord God, You did not send the trouble that came to Job. Suffering is not always punishment. We, like Job, need You for whatever unfolds. So today we will trust, worship, praise, give thanks and intercede.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Worship Sunday 30th August 2026
Ev’rything that, everything that, everything that has breath praise the Lord Ev’rything that, everything that, everything that has breath praise the Lord
Praise You in the morning, praise You in the evening Praise You when I’m young and when I’m old Praise You when I’m laughing, praise You with I’m grieving Praise You every season of the soul If we could see how much You’re worth Your power, Your might, Your endless love Then surely we would never cease to praise
Chorus
Praise You in the heavens, joining with the angels Praising You forever and a day Praise You on the earth now, joining with creation Calling all the nations to Your praise If we could see how much You’re worth Your power, Your might, Your endless love Then surely we would never cease to praise
“The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal: 2 Surely I am more stupid than any man, and do not have the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom nor have knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 6 Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. 7 Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): 8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me; 9 lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:1-9 NKJV
Lord God,
The NKJV chronological study Bible places the last few chapters of Proverbs here next to Job. I have sort of skirted over them previously. Agur the son of Jakeh, Ithiel and Ucal are not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible and indeed the scholars say their names are not typically seen in any of the tribes of Israel. But they are included as part of Your Word. He begins with questions many ask. Can man get into heaven? Who can hold the wind or wrap up the sea or establish the world? Only God. Then he considers what to ask this pure God.
Two Things. To not be able to lie or misrepresent the truth and to have enough to live, no more no less. Why? So he will not profane (disrespect?) Your name O God. Would that be my requests? What two things would I ask for to not disrespect You Lord? That are not selfish, benefit just me or stop me trusting You?
Agur the wise. And then Jesus comes and confirms how to live godly wise lives: “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.“ Matthew 5:37 “Life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:13 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much,” Luke 16:10-11 “You cannot serve God and mammon” (riches). Matthew 6:24 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33 I think I will ask of You the same as Agur today.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 29th August 2026 Being better will not make God love me more -he already loves me absolutely. Enough to give Jesus for me. But looking at all he has given me I just want to please Him.
This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world: The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker’s praise. This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.
Musical Interlude . . .
This is my Father’s world: O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done Jesus who died will be satisfied And earth and heaven be one.
This is my Father world, Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad!
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,” Isaiah 55:6-11 NKJV
Father and God of today,
– along with yesterday and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Our very present God (Psalm 46). There are many occasions in the Bible when You did not give Your servants a long range forecast but a challenge for their ‘now’. As Isaiah does here, to seek and call on the Lord in their present circumstances. So You God, can change their future.
You have challenged them to respond in the now on other occasions: “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19) “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”(Joshua 24:15)
Much later, Paul reminds his readers in his second letter to the church in Corinth, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2). They do not need to wait for a better time or season or day, they need to put things right with You and get on with life. Jesus told the criminal next to him,”Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). What a promise in that mans present circumstances!
Procrastination sometimes gives us chance to see if something is too good to be true. But is can stop us from doing something today which we should not leave till tomorrow. Help me know what needs to be done now and what can come later.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 28th August 2026 I am not sure this is a typical ‘worship’ song but it touched me the first time I heard it. It is based on Ephesians 5:16. The chorus often comes to mind when I need to get something done. Seize the day. I have placed her memory of asking Jesus into her heart when she was just 4 below the lyrics.
I know a girl who was schooled in Manhattan She reads dusty books and learns phrases in Latin She is an author, or maybe a poet A genius, but it’s just this world doesn’t know it She works on her novel most everyday If you laugh she will say
Chorus: Seize the day ‘ seize whatever you can ‘Cause life slips away just like hourglass sand Seize the day ‘ pray for grace from God’s hand Then nothing will stand in your way Seize the day
Well I know a doctor, a fine young physician Left his six figure job for a mission position He’s healing the sick in an African clinic He works in the dirt and writes home to the cynics He says, ‘We work through the night so most everyday As we watch the sun rise we can say’
Chorus
I know a man who’s been doing some thinking He’s as bitter and cold as the whiskey he’s drinking He’s talking ’bout fear, about chances not taken If you listen to him you can hear his heart breaking He says, ‘One day you’re a boy and the next day you’re dead I wish way back when someone had said’
Chorus
Well one thing I’ve noticed wherever I wander Everyone’s got a dream he can follow or squander You can do what you will with the days you are given I’m trying to spend mine on the business of living So I’m singing my songs off of any old stage You can laugh if you want ‘ I’ll still say’
Lyrics: Carolyn Arends
“When I was four years old, I heard a Sunday School teacher recite Scripture in a way that captured my heart. My family and I were in Victoria visiting my grandparents. After church we went back to my grandparents’ place for lunch. At some point, I tugged on my mother’s sleeve and asked her to tell me more about John 3:16. She smiled and repeated the verse for me. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” She told me that, if I wanted to, I could be a “whosoever” too. Keen to “not perish,” I nodded my assent.
My mom took me into the living room, a richly upholstered space my grandmother had covered with thick, protective plastic. My mom and I knelt on the plastic carpet runner and put our elbows on the plastic-protected couch, and I asked Jesus into my heart. When we finished, my mom told me the angels in heaven were throwing a party over their newest little convert, and soon my family was too.”
