Goodness of God – Start The Day

Wednesday 16th April 2025

“As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” ¹⁵“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” ¹⁷Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” ¹⁸She said, “May your servant find favour in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.” 1 Samuel 1:12-18 NIV

God of life,

The priest thought she was drunk. How embarrassing. But she did receive the answer to her prayer, though she did not have the experience of family life with him. Help us understand that answers to prayer are not always what we expect. Anna (Luke 2:36) was a widow in the Temple. I wonder how many times, when he was alive she prayed for a child? Yet she used her life to good and was rewarded with seeing Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus in the Temple.

Help us to hand over all our desires to You even with tears and then leave them there. Not wear them on our face and in our manner. And leave You to answer in the way that is best. thank you for the many answered prayers. Thank you that one day we will be able to ask You why some deep desires were not granted . . . or perhaps we will know and not need to . . .

Father Your compassion is unending and You do know what it is like to stand in our shoes. Help us with the deep things, the unanswerable things, the questions that have no answers. And help us to look to You and not be downcast but trust.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Wednesday 16th April 2025
I don’t always understand but I can always sing of the goodness of God.

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Cos all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God (yeah)

Chorus

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me (oh)
Repeat

Chorus x 2

Lyrics: Jason David Ingram, Brian Johnson, Edmond Martin Cash, Benjamin David Fielding and Jenn Johnson

Wednesday 8th January 2025

“Now the Angel of the Lord found her (Hagar) by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” ⁹The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” Genesis 16:7-9 “Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” Genesis 16:13NKJV

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away . . . And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs . . . for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” . . . ¹⁷And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. ¹⁸Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” Genesis 21:selected verses from 14-19 NKJV

Lord God,

We cannot rush through Genesis without pausing on Hagar. She was not able to make her own decisions and was at the hands of a woman desperate to conceive and who became jealous. Perhaps Hagar was goading her when she found herself pregnant. Two broken women each with their own hurts. I cannot condemn either as I have my own brokenness.

But looking to You I see that you asked her to return. Safer for her have and raise her baby with the assurance You would protect and care for her. Then when he was 14, (Abraham was 68 when he was born and 100 when Isaac was born), she found herself cast out again. Depressed and blind to any possibilities. And Yu came to assure her she would survive and prosper.

Sometimes we only see situations and forget to listen out for You. It could be people or external situations – our fault or others or both! Speak to us even over our weeping. Assure us, like Hagar, You are the God who sees me and comes to help. Both times You gave her what she needed. Water in the dessert wastelands. Her son sat a bows length away from her suggesting he could hunt and find food. You provide, guide us, who ever we are whatever life tells us we are worth or not worth. Remain or move on – You are the God who sees and provides.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Wednesday 8th January 2025

I love You, Lord
Oh, Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
And in darkest night You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God, yeah

Chorus

Chorus . . . repeat twice

Lyrics: Ben Fielding / Brian Johnson / Edward Martin Cash / Jason Ingram / Jenn Johnson

Sunday 18th August 2024

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. ⁷He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. ⁸He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” Ephesians 1:3-7 NLT

God,
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was difficult to know where to stop the passage above. This letter to the Ephesians launches, after greetings, into the reason for writing with such gusto. It would be like interrupting someone on a roll and a great positive encouraging roll. He wants the reader to know all the blessings in You through Christ.

Moses when he wanted Your people to remember Your blessings, had half the people stand on one hill and half on another nearby. One side gave the curses of disobeying You, God and the other the blessings of obedience. Paul does not dwell on the negatives of disobedience because these people have committed themselves to doing the right thing in Jesus and are hungry to grow.

So Paul energizes and encourages them. It is a beautiful passage which we can reread putting me in the place of us . . . we. So it reads, who has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because I am united with Christ. Even before You, God made the world You loved me . . . powerful blessings. What a blessing. We worship You.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen,

God,
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For our close family. Health and hearts..
For our extended family, friends, neighbours.
For our church fellowship, ministers and our denomination churches.
For our king and all those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2). World kings, dictators, leaders and rulers.
For our nation to desire good and well being for each other.
For Ukraine. We persist in seeking You for an end to war.
For Gaza, all the Middle East. Solutions and long term peace.
For our emergency services, those who faithfully work their shifts.
For life guards, coastguards, the the lifeboat volunteers.
For market gardeners and the harvest of local beautiful summer provision in this nation.
For children. Parents still working. Guardians and grandparents and those helping mind them.
For those providing food for families here and in villages overseas in famine.
For us a blessed day, a day to be blessed and a day to share our blessings.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Sunday 18th August 2024
I love this worship song.

I love You, Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful, oh
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God, yeah

‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me,
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after, it keeps running after me

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna sing

‘Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God

Lyrics: Jenn Johnson and Bethel Music

Jenn Johnson shared with Fox News that the song had been inspired by the process of adopting her fourth child, as she had been singing impromptu into her phone while driving on a long country road about the faithfulness and kindness of God. Sge then developed the song from her impromptu recording.