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.”
“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.”
“Awake, awake! Rise up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes people stagger. 18 Among all the children she bore there was none to guide her; among all the children she reared there was none to take her by the hand. 19 These double calamities have come upon you—who can comfort you?—ruin and destruction, famine and sword—who can console you?” Isaiah 51:17-19 NKJV
“Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. 2 Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. 3 For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”” Isaiah 52:1-3 NKJV
Good Morning O Lord,
Sometimes my body is awake but my mind is still snoozing. Here You are calling YOur people who are awake in dreadful circumstances to awake to the true situation. One they are ignoring, or perhaps are in this generation of Israelites ignorant of? Sometimes we just do not see things as they are.
Isaiah paints a clear picture of their actual situation and then their choice for the future if they wake up to it. I thank You God for the times You have pulled me back, prodded me, sent someone to speak to me or picked me up and opened my eyes. Paul calls us to be careful how we live and to wake up and rise from the dead (Ephesians 5:14-15).
Without money we were redeemed but at great cost to You, Lord. So grant us good sleep to repair and minds and bodies and keep us alert and awake to Your will to rest in Your ways when our eyes are open!
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 27th August 2026 Written in 2016 and based on Psalm 103 a wonderful read to go to sleep on . . .
Wake up my soul and bless your God Turn every sense to praise And sweetly speak His holy name And sweetly speak His holy name And sweetly speak His holy name Who blesses all your ways
The lord forgives your every debt Let sickness hold no fear His hand redeems you from the pit His hand redeems you from the pit His hand redeems you from the pit And brings his goodness near
Let thoughts of worry and distress Slip from your troubled brow A crown of love and tenderness A crown of love and tenderness A crown of love and tenderness From God adorns it now
To Moses and to Israel He showed his righteousness His justice shall be shown as well His justice shall be shown as well His justice shall be shown as well To all who are oppressed
His love transcends the clouds, the air The stars and spheres above Let fragile frames forget their care Let fragile frames forget their care Let fragile frames forget their care And marvel at his love
The hosts of heaven praise his name Great servants of his word On earth, let thankful souls proclaim On earth, let thankful souls proclaim On earth, let thankful souls proclaim The glories of the Lord
