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.”
“Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh from Lachish, with a great army against Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they went and stood by the aqueduct from the upper pool, which was on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. 18 And when they had called to the king, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them. 19 Then the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?” 2 Kings 18:17-19 NKJV
“Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to your master and to you to speak these words, and not to the men who sit on the wall, who will eat and drink their own waste with you?” 28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out with a loud voice in Hebrew, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; 30 nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”” 2 Kings 18: 26-30 NKJV
“But the people held their peace and answered him not a word; for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”” 2 Kings 18:36
Father God,
We know that there is power in the spoken word. When You speak, creation begins (Genesis 1:3,5,7,9), we know Jesus as the Word made flesh (John 1:14). You commune with Your creation and Your disciples (John 16:13). Your Word is miraculous.
Here Hezekiah is faced with Sennacherib’s mouthpiece Rabshakeh who stands at the aqueduct and speak to all the people of Judah watching from the walls of Jerusalem. He greets them using their own language. He uses words as weapons. Their own language used mockingly. Intentionally crude and offensive imagery about the defenders eating their own excrement and drinking their own urine (2 Kings 18:27). Trying to destroy morale and end a long siege. But Jerusalem stays silent and for once do as they are told. Because they trusted God they were defended. The angel of the Lord visited Sennacherib’s camp and 185,000 died overnight and they fled to back Nineveh (2 Kings 19:35-36).
There was no power in the enemies words. There was power in silence and trusting You God. Helps us to not argue with the enemy, the one who mocks, that old liar (John 8:44) but stay silent, speak to You and trust in Your Word.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 20th June 2026 I don’t like to give satan any attention but this is a great little song and God is all we need.
Satan is a liar And he’s whispering like mad Sin is always better God is always bad But Satan is a liar And he’d crush you if you could Sin is never better God is always good
You will face temptation But the truth will set you free Pray that God would give you Eyes of faith to see Satan is a liar And he’s heading for defeat Sin is never better God is all you need
Anger lust and bitterness Greed and pride and hate Sin and self or Jesus That’s the choice we make Be on your guard and ready Because Satan will attack Saying sin is always better And God has turned his back Let the word of God go deep No matter what the test Sin is never better God is always best
“And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. 14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.” 2 Kings 18:13-16 NKJV
God our Saviour,
Hezekiah buys his way out of the threat by his enemies, with gold and even stripping the Temple doors and pillars of their gold! So King Sennacherib knows Hezekiah has nothing of value left and bides his time. The gold will do for now and Jerusalem is subdued.
Sometimes we go through seasons when something weakens us and we seem to have no fight left. Even a hallelujah or counting our blessings is forced. It may be physical, emotional or mental it may be from a slipping away from feeding our spirit. It may be worry. Life can be a challenge. And it is no use looking at those who seem to sail through life.
Hezekiah has been ill. It could be weakness that made him act as he did. He could be emotionally drained from leadership or he could be facing a spiritual war within himself (Ephesians 6:12).
Sometimes we need to retreat into You God the one who fights for us. Moses discovered the truth t between the sea and Pharaoh’s army. You told Moses, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14). Sometimes that is the hardest thing. Letting go and letting God. It may have been cheaper for Hezekiah if he had done that first.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 20th June 2026
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not faint You won’t grow weary
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord
Our God, You reign forever Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not faint You won’t grow weary
You’re the defender of the weak You comfort those in need You lift us up on the wings Like eagles
Our God, You reign forever Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
‘Cause You are, You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not faint You won’t grow weary
You’re the defender of the weak You comfort those in need You lift us up on the wings Like eagles
From everlasting to everlasting God, You are everlasting
“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.’ ” 2 Then he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, saying, 3 “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 And it happened, before Isaiah had gone out into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 5 “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. 6 And 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 for My own sake, and for the sake of My servant David.” ’ ” 7 Then Isaiah said, “Take a lump of figs.” So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 8 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day?” 9 Then Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?” 10 And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down tendegrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.” 11 So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.” 2 Kings 20:1-11NKJV
Father God,
Some people might read this and say that we have a God who changes his mind and decides to give Hezekiah 15 years more. After all Hezekiah has not been a bad king as we read earlier. He did what was right in Your sight when he began to reign (2 Kings 18:13-3).
But then reading this passage, we see the change to Hezekiah’s heart. True humility. He weeps bitterly and is humbled as he considers meeting You, His maker, soon. It is Your faithful response to the call of one of Your children. It will not remove the judgement upon Judah, but brings mercy to Hezekiah. And it gives Judah extra time to repent and humble themselves too. And a miraculous sign of time going backwards! A greater miracle was You holding back death for another 15 years.
You are a God who does not change. You are judge but also give grace and mercy. Wrong will always be wrong and sin will always be sin. But You keep Your word and provide us, not with a few extra years, but with the miracle of life through Jesus. And sometimes we see the signs of You in our lives, we know Your healing and Your deep, deep love for us. And sometimes we feel Your touch and it’s amazing.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Friday 19th June 2026 Those times when moved to tears in worship or brought to our knees or just knowing in the moment Your Spirit is touching us . . .
When I feel the touch of Your hand upon my life, It causes me to sing a song that I love You Lord, So from deep within my spirit singeth unto Thee, You are my King, You are my God and I love You Lord.
