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 I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.” Nehemiah 13:17-19 NKJV
Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day. “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, 3 On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound. 4 For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:1-4 NKJV
Lord of the Sabbath,
One of Nehemiah’s reforms was to reinstate the Sabbath. This practice set them apart from every other nation. Nehemiah is very abrupt and seems quite severe. Some would do as they were told I am sure because they were told they must, a legalistic keeping of the Sabbath. But others would be glad to be able to take a days rest and be glad to praise God who had brought them back from captivity.
Today we live in a political system that values money and trade and convenience. There are still a few shops that close on a Sunday but there are as many occupations that demand shift work on a weekend for safety and necessity. But for us worshippers, church goers – it demands a question. (And some have to work on a Sunday). When people ask us if we go to church, when we can, do we sound like the Psalmist? Do we reflect how good it is, and do we go joyfully at least most of the time? Do our Sundays look different to the world? Joyful does not have to mean happy clappy but to want to be there and enjoy fellowship?
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Sunday 27th September 2026
We worship the God who was We worship the God who is We worship the God who evermore will be He opened the prison doors He parted the raging sea My God, He holds the victory
There’s joy in the house of the Lord There’s joy in the house of the Lord today And we won’t be quiet We shout out Your praise There’s joy in the house of the Lord Our God is surely in this place And we won’t be quiet We shout out Your praise (Oh-oh, oh) we shout out Your praise (Oh-oh, oh)
We sing to the God who heals We sing to the God who saves We sing to the God who always makes a way ‘Cause He hung up on that cross Then He rose up from that grave My God’s still rolling stones away
Chorus
We were the beggars Now we’re royalty We were the prisoners Now we’re running free We are forgiven, accepted Redeemed by His grace Let the house of the Lord sing praise
‘Cause we were the beggars, Now we’re royalty We were the prisoners, Now we’re running free We are forgiven, accepted., Redeemed by His grace Let the house of the Lord sing praise. Repeat
“In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. 25 So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. ” Nehemiah 13:23-25 “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples of those lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.” 3 So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished. ” Ezra 9:1-3 NKJV
Lord God,
I sometimes read the history of Israel and, well I do, question things. And then sometimes almost answer my own questions as I read on. Why did they have to seperate from wives and children – because they did wrong, yes, but did the children have to suffer the consequences? Their covenant with You had not gone away but they had stepped away, married into paganism and ignored Your Law.
Reading the Bible in historical order shows there are many things I have not noticed before. Nehemiah reacts to the intermarriages by pulling their hair our and making them make promises not to marry their children to non Jews. Ezra on the other hand was so appalled he tore at his own beard and was astonished.
Ezra had instigated re reading the Law and putting into practice in their lives.He was shocked they had broken such an all encompassing law perhaps as a priest felt partly responsible. Nehemiah on the other hand seems very angry with them. Surely amidst so many enemy nations they realised the political danger of allow outsiders in to take over. Religion and politics. When You God were calling Your people to worship and respect Law. To have only Your religion and politics Lord.
But between the two of them, Ezra and Nehemiah called Your people to make reforms and deal with the consequences. For once they were moved by the reading of Your Word and seeing worship restored. May we not need to have our hair pulled. Holy Spirit keep us attuned to hear Your teaching, leading, warning and early correction.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Saturday 26th September 2026
He leadeth me: O blessed thought! O words with heavenly comfort fraught! Whate’er I do, where’er I be, Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom, Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom By waters still over troubled sea Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.
He leadeth me, He leadeth me; By His own hand He leadeth me; His faithful follower I would be, For by His hand He leadeth me.
Lord, I would clasp Thy hand in mine, Nor ever murmur nor repine; Content, whatever lot I see, Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.
Chorus
O and when my task on earth is done, When by Thy grace the victory’s won, E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee, Since God through Jordan leadeth me.
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. 3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: 4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever; 5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever; 6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever; 7 To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever— 8 The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:1-9 NKJV
God, Our God,
I love this Psalm because it recites history and needs to be read all the way through. It has no authorship or date associated with it. Many scholars, far more knowledgeable than me, believe these Psalms at the end of the book, the praise Psalms, were probably written last and more around this time.
It is perfect template for responsive worship when there we no hymn books.. You can almost hear the priests reciting alternate lines and the children of Israel responding with “For His mercy endures forever”. By rote. Often our traditional hymns and modern worship chorus’s are repetitive so we easily learn and remember them. The chorus often included the most important lines the authors want us to remember. Like . . . Oh come to the Father through Jesus the Son . . . All I have needed Thy hand hath provided . . . Because I know He holds the future . . . We remember the chorus we remember the truth.
So You Lord inspired the author to write this Psalm so we wound remember that Your mercy endures forever. Some translations give ‘His love endure forever’ (NIV). Your mercy comes out of Your love and Your love encompasses forgiveness and mercy. Sometimes I say these words without pausing to remember. Reading the whole Psalm reminds us of how merciful and loving You were to Your rebellious people, Israel. And we remember how Your mercy and love unending, was delivered to us in Jesus. O give thanks
In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Worship Friday 25th September 2026
Give thanks to the Lord, Our God and King His love endures forever For He is good, He is above all things His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise Repeat chorus
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm His love endures forever For the life that’s been reborn His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise Sing praise, sing praise
Chorus Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever and ever, forever
From the rising to the setting sun His love endures forever By the grace of God we will carry on His love endures forever Sing praise, sing praise Sing praise, sing praise
Forever God is faithful Forever God is strong Forever God is with us Forever and ever, forever
