DAILY MOTIVATIONS MARCH TO AUGUST 2020

Sunday 9th August 2020

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.."

Psalm 91 v 1, 4

What do words like “shadow”, or “shadowy” suggest to you? Maybe something dark, even sinister or threatening? We talk about “shadowy figures”, about “hiding in the shadows”, and our words imply they're up to no good!

However, for people like me, who find getting sunstroke all too easy, shadow and shade are positive images, promising pleasant and welcome relief.

When life is hard, and cares are pressing in on us, the shadow of His wings beckons us as a place of shelter, the safest of havens.

“Living under the shadow of his wings we find security.

Standing in his presence we will bring our worship, worship, worship, to the King.”

Jean Makepeace

Saturday 8th August 2020

About “Ordinary” Things

Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.

O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come.

When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.

Psalm 65 v 1 - 3

Reading this psalm of thanksgiving, we're aware that the writer has some big ‘Thank you’ s to bring. “You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Saviour”, he says, adding that God is the one who “formed the mountains by your power”.

(And that was in the days when “awesome” meant “awesome”, not just "pretty good"!!)

So he knows of God's power in creation, and the miraculous ways in which God has acted to rescue his people from slavery and defeat again and again. Big ‘thank you’ s indeed!

But miracles of deliverance don't happen every day or every week... even in Israel's chequered history. So the psalmist remembers the other things God does: dare I say the “ordinary things”, that are always there to be thankful for. In fact the writer begins with them, two of them... God hears our prayers... God forgives our sins. And that's always, and every day. Every day we experience the overlooked graciousness of our God, so here the psalmist reminds to “Stop, look and listen” to the background noise of God's love, and not just tune it out!

Prayer

Father, please help us to notice the constant evidence of your goodness to us in the ordinary things... and to be grateful.

Amen

David Makepeace

 Friday 7th August 2020

When we moved into our new house, I discovered a beautiful Grecian looking urn in the garden. It made me think of the kind of vessels that may have been used in biblical days, a water vessel maybe, such as the one Jesus used in his first miracle, when he turned water into wine. I became very fond of this vessel.

And then my dear husband, working in his usual frantic way and not taking care of the things around him, brought a tree crashing down upon it breaking it into several pieces! I was, to say the least, very upset with him! Gone was the beautiful biblical picture I had.

I couldn’t bear to throw it away so it was pushed to one side. A few weeks ago, I rediscovered it hidden away under a bush, and it reminded me of these wonderful verses.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 4 v 6 - 11

We have been given a precious treasure in Jesus who lives within us and shines out of us, but our mortal bodies are frail and breakable, like jars of clay.

In these verses Paul does not lose heart despite his sufferings. For the same power that raised Jesus from the dead enabled him to endure adversity and recognise the resurrecting power that will unite him eternally with God.

My beautiful urn is still broken, but now houses a beautiful display of flowers, a constant reminder now that even though our bodies are weak and breakable, the treasure that lies within us as Christians is priceless and beautiful and is often revealed more vibrantly in our lives when our bodies are broken.

Prayer

Father, at this time we are constantly reminded of the weakness and frailty of our bodies. But we thank you daily for the knowledge that we are yours, for all eternity.

Amen

 Helen Jones

Thursday 6th August 2020

Thoughts on Ephesians 2 v 8 - 10

When I was teaching I used to ask children to show the difference between the words ‘because’ and ‘therefore’:

“I went to the shop therefore I bought some milk” (INCORRECT)

Or

“I went to the shop because I needed milk” (CORRECT)

We use these words correctly without a second thought, but there is an area where the concept of these two words becomes muddled. It reminded me that we hear from time to time, phrases like:

“I don’t call myself religious but if there is heaven, as I’ve never done anyone any harm therefore I shall be there.”

Particularly in evangelical churches we learn very quickly that:

“..It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2 v 8 - 9 NIV)

In other words, we are saved only by the death and resurrection of Christ. That, if you like, is our ticket to heaven. That is absolutely true, but it’s not the whole story.

Ephesian continues:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. (Ephesians 2 v 10 NIV)

In other words, the evidence of our salvation will be seen in our lives. Saved, therefore (not because of) producing the fruit of godly living. That is the challenge.

Some years ago I decided to highlight verses which emphasized saved by grace in one colour and those suggesting saved by lifestyle in another. In many passages they are so intertwined they couldn’t be separated. My Bible became more colourful, but the conclusion I came to was simple: Ephesians 2 v 8-10.

When I think of the lives of great Christians - William Wilberforce, George Muller, Billy Bray, Nate Saint, and those more personally known to us - we might feel we haven’t begun, but take courage, God knows our hearts, and though our lives may be less public, we can honour God by living, with His help, honest, caring and sacrificial lives.

Prayer

Dear Father God, we thank you that through the atoning death of Your Son we can experience eternal life right now. Please help us so to live in this world that others will want to know more about our faith and come to know You for themselves.

Amen

Sheila Calder

Wednesday 5th August 2020

If you've been looking ahead to see what awaits us as we work through James' letter in our home groups, you'll perhaps have noticed a paragraph lurking in wait for us in the last chapter. It's headed, in the NIV, "Patience in suffering". It repeats its theme pretty firmly. "Be patient...", it says: "Be patient and stand firm..." "We consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance..." And with the mention of Job the penny drops: patience, in the sense of perseverance, of "hanging on in there" is not easy, not fun, gets really tedious... you can quite see how Job "lost it" at times!

These calls to hold on are necessary, not just in scary times, but in every Christian's life experience. The examples James calls us to follow all speak to it. The farmer is at the mercy of uncertainties of climate and markets. The prophet has to speak unwelcome words: he may, or may not, live to be vindicated. And Job... well, Job had it all, and "comforters" as well! The call to follow these examples is strong medicine, demanding stuff.

But there's a little note at the end of verse 11 that makes a world of difference. "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." That's the lifeline James throws us. When you wonder if you can keep going, grab hold of this... "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy"... and cling to it ... real tight!

(When, in later composure, you look back, you'll also see it was really the Lord doing the holding!)

"When I fear my faith may fail, He can hold me fast."

David Makepeace

Tuesday 4th August 2020

At all stages in our life we have friends. Some live close by, some a distance away and some are no longer around. I have made many friends over the years (which makes for a long Christmas card list!)

I am grateful  for my many friends and neighbours who I can call on at any time for help or a chat. One friend who I worked with has been a good friend for 48 years. I mention her because over the years she has helped me through some troubled times, and this is because we feel we are open and honest with each other and can talk about our cares and woes.

This brings me on to lovely words which are so comforting. This is about a faithful friend who we all share.

WHAT A FRIEND

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

And what a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer

Have we trials and temptations? 

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Can we find a friend so faithful? 

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Are we weak and heavy laden? 

Cumbered with a load of care

Precious  Saviour still our refuge

Take it to the Lord in prayer

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer

In his arms he’ll take and shield thee

Thou wilt find a solace there               

 Gwen Herbert

Monday 3rd August 2020

When you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind

James 1 v 4

We are currently studying the book of James in our house groups. The verse above really challenged me. When I pray, do I really believe God will answer?

Then I remembered the story of Peter’s miraculous escape from prison, recounted in Acts chapter 12.

Peter was arrested, chained to soldiers and put behind bars with numerous other guards making sure he could not escape. The church met together and prayed earnestly for him. If you know the story, you’ll know that their prayers were answered spectacularly – an angel appeared in Peter’s prison cell, released the chains and led Peter safely out of the prison, passing by all the guards. Even the iron gate opened for him “by itself” to pass through.

However, when Peter headed straight to the church prayer meeting to let them know their prayers had been answered, he didn’t quite get the response he was expecting. Rhoda, the servant girl, recognised it was Peter but left him standing outside, and the others – presumably still praying for his release – told her she must be out of her mind when she told them Peter was there!

Did the church really believe and not doubt?

I think they did believe, otherwise why waste time praying? But I also see this as yet another aspect of God’s amazing grace to us – that even when we lack faith, even when we doubt, God still answers our prayers. Jesus said we need faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains (Matt 17 v 20). I am so thankful that God does not wait for our faith to be great before He answers our prayers. We just need to have a little faith in a great God.

As a boy’s father cried in Mark 9 v 24, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief”

Prayer

Dear Lord. As I bring my prayers to You today, help me to believe that You have heard and will answer. I pray that You will take the little bit of faith I have and perform miracles. Help me not to be too surprised when You do answer my prayers!

Amen

Martyn Orton

   Sunday 2nd August 2020

Barnabas and Saul...went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus... John (Mark) was with them as their helper.

Acts 13 v 1 - 5

From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.

Acts 13 v 13

Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word...and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, but Paul did not think it wise because he had deserted them in Pamphylia... They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company...

Acts 15 v 36 - 39

Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.

Paul in 2 Timothy 4 v 11

Human beings rather like to have heroes, and tend to take it ill if you suggest their heroes have “feet of clay”! Other people's heroes, of course, are fair targets. Christians ought to be resistant to this tendency to hero-worship, since the Bible is very open about the faults of its central characters. But we still expect the folk who lived in New Testament times to somehow show less human weakness than we excuse in ourselves.

So look at the little story in the passages above. Saints Paul and Barnabas have a “sharp disagreement”! In today's English that translates as “a blazing row”... Oops! And the outcome is that they split up and find new colleagues. Admittedly that means there are now two evangelistic teams where there had been one... but that's not the way it ought to happen! And it's a problem about personalities! Well, well, how like today! In Mark, his cousin, Barnabas sees real potential: Paul simply remembers problems!

But there is a “happy ending”. The personal greetings at the end of Paul's letter to Colossian Christians shows that he and Mark are reconciled, and the reference in Paul's letter to Timothy commends Mark: as we'd put it today, “He's a real help to me!” Yes, our heroes have feet of clay: there are disagreements... but there is the readiness to think again and to start again. And when there's that, God can use even faulty material to do marvellous things.

David Makepeace

Saturday 1st August 2020

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 42 v 1 - 2

The psalmist here expresses his sadness at his disconnection from his people and his inability to be able to worship in the sanctuary at the temple, as he was either a captive in exile or a refugee. Sounds a little familiar doesn’t it, at a time when we are being prevented from meeting together and being able to worship in the sanctuary.

We have a distinct advantage over the psalmist here, in that we have some sort of access to one another via the internet, telephone or post. We need to thank God for being able to be kept somewhat connected.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Here in verse 11, the palmist questions himself and then reminds himself that he will return to the sanctuary at some point in the future and his salvation is in God alone.

It is God’s purpose for his people to worship together in one place, it always has been.

We will meet together again in the sanctuary and it will be a joyous day. Let us remind ourselves in the meantime of God’s unfailing love and the hope we have is in Him alone. His church is still very much alive and God will bless His people and bring them together again.

But for now we must wait patiently upon Him who holds us fast.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the hope we have in You that You are still with us and You we bring us back together and Your church will be reunited .

Amen

Friday 31st July 2020

Hands up, who here has passed their time in lockdown with a few movie marathons? I certainly have! What’s your go-to choice? One of mine and my sister’s favourite is definitely Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter - I’ve watched the films endless times and could read the books over and over again. It was whilst watching the third film recently, that a particular quote really resonated with me:

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

I think it’s safe to say that we are facing dark times at the moment. Not just in regard to the devastating effects the coronavirus has caused around the world. Recently we have seen the crisis of the people in Yemen, the racial inequalities highlighted through the Black Lives Matter campaign and the increasing cases of murder, violence and crime in our local areas. It’s hard to feel any happiness when our media is consumed with such images. Instead, I am saddened and downcast by the state of our world today.

Yet, there is still hope. A light that constantly shines in the dark. Jesus.

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 8 v 12

Light permeates into every crack and crevice of our lives and beings. It is required for growth, for guidance and for goodness.

God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1 v 4

Jesus is the Light of the World, and all who are separate or far from Him live in darkness. It is only when we choose to follow Christ, do we experience the absolute fulness of life. The Word of God acts as a lamp, guiding us through life. We are all craving a relationship with the Father – but for some of us, we haven’t realised that yet. Once we open ourselves up to Jesus, His light can fill us, brightening up our hearts and highlighting our sinful nature. And this is where hope arises. It is the Light of the World who paid for our freedom on the cross. Even on our darkest days, as Christians, we have the assurance of love and forgiveness. There is always a glimmer of hope in the shadows.

Jesus brings light to the far corners of our world and communities. As I mentioned earlier, the current state of our world is very much in darkness. We are called to live our lives reflecting the Light of Jesus, as this allows others to see His love.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Matthew 5 v 14-15

In our daily lives, we need to share the gospel and our faith, in order to spread His light. You were saved to shine! Be encouraged to share your testimony or pray for others, because when you do you radiate your love for God. We need to go beyond our church walls, as a collective light, into those places of darkness. Think about those in your community that you could support; how could you help them? Even during these times of lockdown, there are ways we can still demonstrate God’s love.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5 v 16

We just need to live for God and show others that we, as Christians, are different. We are filled with the Light of Christ, who brings love and hope to those who seek Him. I believe that when the knowledge of Jesus is ignited into the hearts of many, the sparks of happiness will begin to grow like wildfire. Darkness will be replaced with a joyous glow! The glow of truth, hope and peace. Gradually, all fear and darkness shall be cast out and Jesus, the Light of the World, shall remain.

If you are struggling in darkness today, be comforted with the hope of Jesus and His light; You will be guided through this difficult time. Hold on firmly to Christ and seek more of Him through the Bible. Furthermore, we must also shine our lights brightly, that light of Christ within us, to those in our communities and world, who are so desperately craving God. As Christians together, we shine the brightest. Each house with its light on, illuminates the city. There are better days coming for us, and happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when Jesus and His light is present.

God bless

Megan Cleeton

From Megan’s Blog Steadfast

Used with permission

Thursday 30th July 2020

I am sure many of you will know these lyrics, but I like them very much so I thought I would share them with you. The song and the music were heard in our family home for many years and were a great comfort to us, especially during the war time.

The song is still sung today by solo artists and choirs.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

Bless this house O Lord we pray

Make it safe by night and day,

Bless the roof and chimneys tall,

Let Thy peace lie overall

Bless this door that it may prove

Ever open to joy and love

Bless the windows shining bright

Letting in God’s Heavenly light

Bless the hearth ablazing there

With smoke ascending like a prayer

Bless the people here within

Keep them pure and free from sin

Bless us all that we may be

Fit O Lord to dwell with thee

Bless us all that we one day

May dwell O Lord with Thee

PRAYER

Dear Lord God

Thank you for beautiful words and music.

Amen

Gwen Herbert

Wednesday 29th July 2020

I took this photograph the other day, a beautiful butterfly on an earthy path. It set my mind back to a few years ago (twenty or so!). It was a dark and difficult time for us. I did not lose my faith in God and still felt He was close, but I wished that I had never been born. This was not that I wanted to end my life, but that it would have been easier never to have existed. I now know that part of the reason God put me through this time was to show me that I was only looking at my life from my own perspective. He used His Word to change me.

In the Bible I read that God loves me. “God so loved the world (including me) that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3 v 16

Also I read that God is constantly thinking of me. “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of My hand.” Isaiah 49 v 16

And I read that God has planned for me to help Him in His work. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2 v 10

This has changed my life and I can now sing a hymn we sang in my childhood at primary school and mean the first line.

“Glad that I live am I;

That the sky is blue;

Glad for the country lanes

And the fall of dew.

After the sun the rain,

After the rain the sun;

This is the way of life,

Till the day be done.

All that we need to do,

Be we low or high,

Is to see that we grow

Nearer the sky.”

By Lisette Reese 1909

To God, I am that beautiful butterfly living on His earth. My purpose is to live for Him and not for myself. That could sound really sad, but it is the opposite; it brings great joy and a closeness to my heavenly Father. This is a work in progress with the help of the Lord.

Why have I bared my soul to you? Well, maybe you have never really thought about your life from God’s perspective and this could be the time to do so, or you may know someone who is struggling and could share this with them.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You love me so much that You were willing to sacrifice Your Son to save me from my sin and give me eternal life. You made me to carry out Your work whilst I live in this fallen world. Help me to see this as an immense privilege and the main focus of my life.

Amen

Jane Caine

Tuesday 28th July 2020

“The past is another country: they do things differently there.”

L.P. Hartley, ‘The Go-Between’

I don't know if you've read the story of the earliest days of the church and been puzzled by the fact that some things we take for granted were real issues for them. One thing in particular was the acceptance of Non-Jews into the Christian community alongside Jewish believers, and on the same basis of faith in the Lord Jesus. The story of how this came to be accepted as the will of God is told in Acts chapters 10 and 11. Like the tale of Saul's conversion that Martyn shared with us recently, it involved one very famous person, Peter the Apostle... and several whose names we don't know. Peter was persuaded by a vision from God to go and tell a Gentile centurion, who was sympathetic to the Jewish nation and its faith, the story of Jesus. To some of his Jewish fellow-Christians this was pretty radical, but Peter showed how God had directed him to this, and in the end, all rejoiced together.

What really was radical was that anonymous Christians, fleeing persecution in Jerusalem, came to Antioch and preached about Jesus to anyone who would listen, because they were convinced it was simply the right thing to do. And, says the writer, “The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” The mother church in Jerusalem was taken aback: they simply had not thought things could happen in just that way. Happily, instead of setting up a committee, or holding a judicial inquiry, they sent our friend Barnabas, because “he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” And he came “and saw the evidence of the grace of God...” The reason why Barnabas pops up at these crucial moments in the church's story is precisely because he was "full of the Holy Spirit and faith". So what he looks for at Antioch to show that it's God at work is not whether what's happening "ticks all the traditional boxes", or makes him feel at ease. He looks for “evidence of the grace of God”...repentance and faith, changed lives and new loyalties. And he's ready to see these evidences outside his comfort zone.

David Makepeace

Monday 27th July 2020

I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink

Matthew 25 v 35

The older I get the more I love The Lord’s Prayer, particularly its inclusiveness. It does not say ‘give me’, ‘forgive me’, but ‘give us’, ‘forgive us’. It begins with the community word, ‘Our’.

I read in an Open Doors article about Naomi, a mother of nine, living in Burkina Faso. Her husband went to visit a friend and was shot dead. (Burkina Faso has seen the greatest escalation of Christian persecution in the world) Naomi said:

“Today, God’s promises have been fulfilled. He promised to never leave or forsake us. I received my package of maize, beans and rice and was told it was just for my family!”

This brought tears to my eyes and shame for my concern for getting provisions during lock down…not that we might starve, but that I might not have all my usual items.

‘Give us’…’us’ extended to ‘all’, which of course by implication means that we can be part of the answer to our own prayers.

So let us pray as Jesus taught us:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name.

Your Kingdom come,

Your will be done,

On earth as in heaven

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours. Now and for ever.

Amen.

Let us live as Jesus taught us

Sheila Calder

Sunday 26th July 2020

For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.”

1 Kings 17 v 14

It appears that flour is back on the supermarket shelves! Who would have been able to predict the type of shortages we would have seen at the start of this pandemic? From toilet paper to home baking products and, would you believe it, there is now a shortage of concrete (much to my husband’s disgust).

It is worth picking up your bible today and reading again this incredible story of God’s ability to provide for his people in the most adverse of days. Elijah showed great faith by obeying God and approaching a pagan woman of no faith, to ask her to provide him with food from her larder that had just enough food left in it for one last meal for her and her son.

The woman showed faith in a God she did not yet know by being obedient to the prophet’s request for a meal.

And God did not disappoint! The flour kept coming and the oil jar did not run dry!

Our God has many names in the bible, one being ‘Jehovah Jireh’, meaning God the provider. Something we should be quick to remind ourselves when we feel we are lacking in some way.

Don’t be shy asking God to provide your needs today whatever they maybe.

There is no doubt that this verse was God answering a specific need at a specific time for specific individuals, but it is an echo to us today, of God’s incredible ability to provide for his people.

What are your needs today?... Have you the faith that our God, ‘Jehovah Jireh’, is able to provide for you immeasurably? Especially as it His great pleasure to do so.

The oil of His blessing will never run dry !!

Prayer

Lord thank you for providing us with the knowledge of Your unfailing goodness, and ask You today to provide for my very specific needs.

Amen

Helen Jones

Saturday 25th July 2020

We prayed this over Cassidy at her dedication and this is also our prayer over you...

May God grant you peace in the midst of a storm

May God give you strength even when you feel torn

May you answer the door when Jesus comes knocking

May wisdom guide you when your mouth is talking

May discretion protect you and keep you pure

May you never stumble or fall for a lure

May your heart remain humble to the very end

May uprightness and truth be what you defend

May the world not ensnare or change who you are

May the light that's within you shine like the stars

May angels surround your body, spirit, mind

May favour and peace be yours to find

May rejection and pain never reach you

May your spirit be bold for what you are called to

... As you rest in God's care, we will rest knowing that Jesus is watching over you. Amen

May God bless this day to you and may you know His love and peace surrounding you always.

Jess Tromans

Friday 24th July 2020

They hadn’t understood about the loaves

Mark 6 v 52

Bread is one of the most common types of food which is found all over the world. It takes many shapes and forms but, essentially, bread is bread. It is part of the staple diet of most people around the globe.

When I’m in France, I love nothing more than popping down to the local boulangerie to pick up a baguette. I especially love it when the baguette is still warm, freshly baked.

Throughout recorded history bread has been a prominent food in large parts of the world; it is one of the oldest man-made foods, having been of significant importance since the dawn of agriculture; and plays an essential role in religious rituals and secular culture. (Wikipedia)

During lockdown, it became almost impossible to get hold of flour as so many people had turned to making their own bread and enjoyed home-baking.

The verse quoted above occurs when the disciples were in difficulty in their boat on the lake. The wind was strong, the waves were high, and they were struggling to control the boat. Jesus saw them from the shore and simply walked out to them across the water. They were terrified, thinking He was a ghost.

This incident follows immediately after Jesus had performed one of the biggest and most visible miracles of his time on earth – feeding 5,000+ people until they were full, with plenty of food left over, using just two fish and five loaves of bread.

Within hours of this amazing miracle, as the disciples got into difficulty on the water they revealed their lack of understanding of who Jesus is. Their fear and their misguided thought that they were seeing a ghost shows that they had not understood about the bread. They had not understood that the miracle of the loaves demonstrated God’s supreme power and authority, and His immeasurable love for the world.

As Jesus fed the crowd, He was giving a picture of who He is: the bread of life (John 6 v 35). As He broke bread with His disciples, He provided a picture of His body, broken and given for us.

Today, as we have our sandwich or slice of toast, let us understand about the loaves.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank you that You are the Bread of Life. Thank you that whoever comes to You will never go hungry and that whoever believes in You will never be thirsty. Help me, Lord, next time I am in difficulty, to understand how powerful You are and how much You love me.

Amen

Martyn Orton

 Thursday 23rd July 2020

From my early days of learning and reciting nursery rhymes, I have always liked poetry and this has stayed with me throughout the years.

I love to rhyme words and to see poetry in everything around such as scenes, flowers, trees etc.

In my 20s and 30s I was an active member of two operatic societies in Canterbury and Herne Bay, Kent, performing operas and musicals. At that time I really enjoyed the poetic lyrics of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

I get inspired by wonderful hymn verses and passages from the Bible.

HAPPINESS

Happy is he who trusts in the Lord

Proverbs 16 v 20

Think of days that happiness bring

And see good in everything,

Think of joys, comforts and pleasures

Past delights and memory treasures.

Think of pleasant hours and friendships too

And happy days will stay with you.

LOOK FORWARD

I will make all my mountains a way

Isaiah 49 v 11

Look forward in hope that every tomorrow

For all the changes that life may bring

Are controlled by your Heavenly Father

To whom you have told everything

And leave all things in His care

For He is with you everywhere

Prayer

Dear Lord God. Thank you for the beauty all around us and for helping us to express our thanks through poetry.

Amen

Gwen Herbert

Wednesday, 22nd July 2020

As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and m

y deliverer; do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 40 v 17

How are you today?

I guess most of you would answer with “I’m fine” or “I’m ok.”

This is probably the most common greeting we say to each other, but how often do we answer honestly? It’s so easy to just say, “I’m fine” or “ok”, when we know we’re not. (I know I do this). But why don’t we tell the truth? There may be many reasons.

• We don’t think the person asking really cares enough to listen

• We don’t feel our issues are worth mentioning

• We don’t want to bore the person asking the question

• There’s always someone worse off

• We don’t want to come across as complaining or moaning.

• We want to give the impression that we have ‘everything together’

• We don’t want the person asking to suddenly respond by giving us advice that we don’t want to hear.

And I’m sure there are many other reasons.

But God wants us to be honest with Him.

In the Psalms, David often pours out his heart to God; he doesn’t beat about the bush, but tells God exactly how he feels and often what he’d like God to do or to help him with.

God wants us to be like David and pour out our hearts to him.

1 Peter 5 v 7 says to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.

But do you notice so many times that, even though David is in distress, he still remembers to praise and give thanks to God too?

Let’s be honest with God about how we feel, then praise Him, and wait on Him.

Prayer

Thank you that You are a loving Father who wants us to share all our concerns, anxieties and deep distresses with You. Help us to then be still and listen to Your voice, the voice that will help and guide us through.

Amen

Sharon Tromans

Tuesday 21st July 2020

As I write this, I'm very aware from the news media that the progress being made toward "normal life" has met with a setback. The situation in Leicester will stimulate a fresh round of questions ... Are we on the wrong track? Will this go on for ever? Etc..

This same morning my Bible Study notes start on the book of Daniel, and begin by outlining the plight of Daniel and his friends. Their capital city has suffered the first of several onslaughts by the Babylonian armies. The sacred vessels of the temple have been looted, and installed in the shrine of the gods of Babylon, as a sign that these gods are stronger than the God of Israel. And Daniel and his colleagues are enrolled in the ranks of the Babylonian civil service, and given new names that indicate they are to be loyal to a new master, the king of Babylon.

It couldn't look worse! But in the account that opens the book of Daniel come the words -

Nebuchadnezzar...came and laid siege to Jerusalem. The Lord handed King Jehoiakim over to him..."

Behind the mystifying events that cause questions about who's in charge, and what's going to happen, the writer knows the answer... God is in charge, whatever may happen. And the further chapters of the book will show the reader two things...

God being in charge means that He will stand with His servants in any traumatic episode they confront, and can deliver them, even in the most extreme situations. The first half of the book, pretty familiar to us since Sunday School days, tells us that.

God being in charge means He has a purpose for His world, and no-one can prevent Him from reaching His goal. The rather less easy-to-read second half of the book tells us this very clearly, even if the details are sometimes less clear.

So Daniel is told, "The Most high is sovereign over the kingdoms of men", and, knowing that, he can "Keep calm and carry on". And so, with God's help, can we.

Prayer

Help us, Lord, not to be unsettled by setbacks. Make us content not to know all the way ahead, but be kept stable by the reflection that you know.

Amen

David Makepeace

Monday 20th July 2020

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians 2 v 9 - 10

I could quite easily become a certain type of hoarder. Being practical, I keep all sorts of things in the garage with a mindset that says “I’ll find a use for that one day!” And, of course, that day never arrives and the myriad of junk I keep just gets bigger and bigger. Moving house a few years back was a sobering experience. I threw things away I now wish I’d kept because I now have a use for them (so I think). Although, ask those who kindly helped us move and they will say we didn’t throw enough away.

For some, minimalism is easy, but on the whole we live in a culture that is constantly promoting the message of ‘Not enough!’. Whoever you are and whatever you do and whatever you have is ‘not enough!’

This can creep into our Christian walk. My service for the Lord is not enough! My prayer life is not enough! My love for my others is not enough! My holiness is not enough! Does this resonate with you at all in any way? Somehow in our mind we feel pulled down because some aspect of our Christian performance is not enough!

Paul had to write to the 1st century church in Colossae because they had been infiltrated by people saying that to simply know Christ was a good start but ‘not enough!’ In addition to Christ, they said, it was necessary to observe all the regulations we read of in the Old Testament. Paul, in writing to the church, said no, Christ is enough and in verse 10 uses the word ‘fulness’ to show how God determines all those ‘in Christ.’

We know service, prayer, love for others and holiness are good things to strive more and more to be and do. But a quote I read about the church at Colossae serves us well, it says,

“They do not need more than Christ, they need more of Christ.” Knowing more of Christ enables us to do and be with a freedom from the mindset of ‘not enough!’ because Christ is all we need. And if we need more, it is Christ we need more of.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, in You I have come to fullness. I thank You that Your salvation is complete but help me to know more of You today.

Amen

Pastor Matthew Jones

Sunday 19th July 2020

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you.

Deuteronomy 31 v 8

I am thrilled because I have just received an email that proves this promise!

Three years ago, when I was on a teacher training project in Asia, our host was busy running a couple of inner city schools. She was under even more pressure because she had decided to fit in doing a masters’ degree. One of the modules was about how to provide education for those who are in rural areas, which was not particularly relevant to her situation. Three years down the line, with her schools in lockdown for the foreseeable future, God has made sure my friend has been ready to use this knowledge in her urban situation. This has meant that each of the school children has now been provided with a small tablet and two micro SD memory cards. The teachers record their video lessons and upload them on to one of the two memory cards. The parents come to school each week, returning one card and completed worksheets and collecting the other along with new worksheets. Soon a weekly Bible study and sermon will be downloaded for the parents to access if they want. The Lord certainly went before and is with her.

In the Bible we have the example of God going before Noah and giving him the task of building a huge ark on dry land, which he completed. God did tell him the purpose, but I am sure Noah didn’t fully understand what was to happen until he was actually in the ark and it started to rain.

Missionary Elisabeth Elliot wrote, “God is God. Because he is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.”

On the internet I found a quote from Kelly Balarie. I do not know exactly where she stands spiritually, but this seems sound to me. “No matter what path we walk down, God is one step ahead. The Lord is always going before us. No matter what mountain we come against, He is already climbing it…He’s laying out our path and preparing our steps...He’s uncovering our gold and laying it out for us.”

What all this confirms to me is that we need to be obedient to what God is telling us to do, even if it can be hard going and at the time we may not know the reason why.

Prayer

Almighty God, we know that You always know best. Help us to follow the path You set before us, even when we don’t know what You are up to.

Amen

Jane Caine

Saturday, 18th July 2020

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10 v 24 - 25

My company recently decided that I should become a first aider and sent me on a course. This was a very bad idea because if you approach me with an injury I’ll more than likely run away crying. We all have our strengths, mine is not administering first aid.

A question that sometimes comes up in the course of my duties is where do I go if I need help or advice regarding first aid? In other words who gives aid to the first aider?

This led me to a different thought, who motivates the motivators?

It has been a blessing reading the daily motivations and a privilege to be involved in them so I ask myself the question. Who motivates me?

There are many answers to the question, of course, but the answer I would give for now is...

You!

Being a Christian is not something that should be attempted in isolation. We rely on each other and we need each other. As iron sharpens iron so being with each other encourages us on, praying for each other, worshipping together, weeping with each other, sharing each other’s burdens, laughing together.

The verse in Hebrews directly encourages us to be that way. Of course it is precisely that that we have missed so badly over recent months, it’s been forced upon us which is different to choosing not to be together though.

As we miss each other, let’s offer our collective prayers for each other and persevere in that while the situation remains.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for my church family. Give them peace of mind and joy in their hearts as we eagerly await a reunion.

Amen

Martin Tromans

Friday 17th July 2020

When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.

Acts 9 v 26 - 27

We all know the phrase, "too good to be true"! And we probably know it rather too well, so that when something really good happens, we have a problem in believing it! We must not feel too superior to the Christians in Jerusalem when they mistrusted Saul of Tarsus. We've read the story in Acts 9; we know what happens later... they didn't.

Today we have a number of writers/speakers/bloggers who take a thoroughgoing anti-Christian position. Suppose one of them turned up at your church, and asked to join. Or started to rubbish their former colleagues on-line. Would you shout "Hallelujah!" straightaway, or say, "Hang on a minute, are you sure?" That's when we need someone to step in and give us the full story, and be the "witness to character" for the newcomer. In a way, like John the Baptizer was for Jesus in the Gospel story... and as Barnabas was for Saul/Paul.

And Barnabas was ready to do it for Saul. He knew the story: maybe Ananias was his informant, but certainly he knew the facts from people worthy of trust. He wasn't blindly credulous. He didn't believe every tale from long ago and far away. But he believed in a God big enough to do impossible things, and gracious enough to answer his people's prayers in totally unexpected ways! Lots of Christians must have been asking God to do something about Saul of Tarsus without ever imagining He'd do it that way!

Prayer

Lord, please help us to be ready to believe it when You do the unexpected, and to be equally happy when You do it for someone else.

Amen

David Makepeace

Thursday 16th July 2020

The Olympic games would have been taking place this year but unfortunately have been postponed. One of the most popular races in the Olympics is the Relay Race. There have been some incredibly fast and close relay races and disasters when teams have dropped the baton!

I have been reminded of these words in the Bible :

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old -

things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their descendants we will tell the next generation

the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children,

so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born,

and they in turn would tell their children.

Psalm 78 v 1 - 6

It is a privilege for us as a church to have people of all generations in our church family and we are all engaged in “passing on the baton” by telling each generation about our wonderful God. I pray that we will all continue to express our praise to the Lord and that our words and actions will bless and encourage all age groups in their faith.

Eric Liddell, who famously won the gold medal for the 400 metres at the Paris Olympics in 1924 and was a missionary in China, said these words:

“Victory over all the circumstances of life comes not by might, nor by power, but by a practical confidence in God and by allowing His Spirit to dwell in our hearts and control our actions and emotions.”

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for all Your wonderful gifts and blessings. We pray that with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can testify to Your goodness and mercy in our lives and that this will encourage the next generation to love and follow You too.

Amen

Ali Orton

Wednesday 15th July 2020

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4 v 38 - 41

These verses are always a huge encouragement to me for two reasons:

Firstly, it’s a display of God’s power over the things of this world. We sometimes can’t see past the problems right in front of us; we think that there is no way out and our circumstances are spiralling out of control. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nothing, not even the winds and the waves are out of God’s loving hands and neither is anything within our lives. He can command what will happen in this world and, when He does, the world will obey.

The other thing that gives me such peace when I read this is the calmness of Christ in the midst of all this. He is sleeping in a storm! That is because He knows that this is all in the Father’s hands and He knows the power He has.

Whatever the storms in our own lives, have peace that the God who commands the wind and the waves is a place of peace for us all.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to trust You more and more, to rest in Your peace when I try to take matters into my own hands. Thank you that You reach into our lives and walk through life with us.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Tuesday 14th July 2020

Search me O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm 139 v 23 - 24

As Christians we should be seeking to grow and become more like Jesus every day. We should never be standing still, always looking to move forward, no matter how small those steps might seem.

I love Psalm 139 because it speaks of our God who knows everything about us; our thoughts, what we do, where we go. Our God who “made all the delicate, inner parts of our body and knitted us together in our mother’s womb”, who made us so “wonderfully complex” .

Our God who thinks about us (I mean, come on, how incredible is that!), who protects us and how all our days were recorded in His book even before they came to be.

This is a God who truly loves and knows us. Our God truly knows and loves us.

So, who better to ask to help us grow and draw nearer to Him? It’s not always fun when our faults are made known to us, when we slip up or we have our ‘hidden sins’ brought into the light. But it is necessary for us to change, to grow and become nearer to Christ. These are not made known to us to judge us, but with love, surely one of the greatest gifts we can receive is to be shown and encouraged to know God better, to know true joy, peace and salvation. To have a life living in the light and knowing where we will be going when our time on this earth comes to an end.

Jess Tromans

Monday 13th July 2020

Forgiveness

Forgiveness can be a very difficult act to do. Whether forgiving someone for something small or for something they did which was seriously damaging, however they wronged you, it can feel like an impossible task. Sometimes, to truly forgive someone takes time. Nevertheless, the Bible is crystal clear on the importance of forgiving others. There are no exceptions; no ‘unless’, ‘if’ or ‘but, ‘ to who we forgive and why. Ultimately, we are told to forgive because we have been forgiven.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Colossians 3 v 13

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6 v 14 - 15

To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.

“Forgiving others does not excuse or accept the hurt and wrong-doings they did to you. You may believe they do not deserve your forgiveness, but you do deserve peace for yourself. Holding grudges makes you bitter, whereas showing forgiveness does not make you weak, it sets you free! We must treat others how God treats us – including being able to forgive abundantly.” C. S. LEWIS

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Matthew 18 v 21 - 22

Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4 v 31 - 32

Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a commitment. It is a choice to show mercy, not to hold the offence up against the offender. Forgiveness is an expression of love.

“Plain and simply, we are told to forgive. Therefore, we should do so. I know there have been times where forgiving someone is the last thing I want to do, but as a Christian, forgiveness is an example of God’s love, which we are told to share with everyone, whether we feel they deserve it or not.” GARY CHAPMAN

If you are finding forgiveness hard, then pray and ask God to support and strengthen you with this. It’s time to let go of your grudges and find your inner peace today.

God bless!

Megan Cleeton

From Megan’s blog “Steadfast”

Used with permission

Sunday 12th July 2020

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3: 12 - 13

Just before lockdown started in late March, I visited one of our local garden centres just before closing time and, thinking it wouldn’t be busy, asked the lady who served me, “I imagine it’s been quiet?” “No”, she said “It’s been mad! People are panic buying to self-sustain!” She told me about one man they tried to talk out of spending a huge amount of money on seeds and compost as he had no garden and had never grown anything before. They failed, he spent the money, but I wonder now how he got on.

We have been very blessed by our garden this year and I’d fortunately bought all my seeds well before lockdown. In particular this year we have enjoyed the floral displays in the top part of the garden, which we have been working on for 3 years. Our peonies flowered for the first time this year and looked beautiful alongside geraniums and astrolomerias. Helen bought me a globe artichoke for my 50th birthday which this year is 4-5 feet tall and a beautiful centrepiece. The astrantias and lobelias have been delightful mixed in with the lupins, which we have successfully taken cuttings from this year.

I’m sure you may be thinking, “What RHS garden was this photograph taken at?” or, “Was that taken at last year’s Chelsea flower show?”

But no, that is our centre flower bed! The blue flower is sea holly, the red flower is achillea and the daisy-like flower in the background is leucantheum, and all these we picked up for a £1 each in a bargain section at a garden centre. Aren’t they beautiful!

But there was a problem. The petals on our flowers kept disappearing. Then one day we saw one of our chickens, called Steve (Joe named it), leap into the air and pluck them off and then eat them from the floor. That was it, the next trip to the garden centre was for some high fencing wire to pen them in.

As the beauty of our flowers was ruined, so every sin detracts from the beauty of the Christian life. Being ‘in Christ’, we are to ‘reveal Christ’ and every sin is a turn away from God and, by its very nature, deceitful. We see the beauty of Christ is in His sinless perfection and yet also in His willing self-sacrifice, paying the full penalty to defeat sin once and for all so that we may live without its condemnation or judgment. Let us be determined to reveal the full beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus by putting sin to death, even, and especially, the ones we consider to be small.

Prayer

Lord, help us to see the little sins that hinder people from seeing Jesus in us. Then help us to not just pen them in but remove them completely.

Amen

Matt Jones

Saturday 11th July 2020

Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

As I seem to sit more these days, I am constantly going down memory lane!

I was thinking back to when my two sisters and I were very young and we had favourite hymns. We were always delighted when one was to be sung during the service. The hymn book was Hymns Ancient and Modern; you had to find the number and hold the book to read the words (no projection of words onto a screen in those days!)

It became a competition between us girls to see who could find the number before the singing began. At that time we had our favourite hymns: my eldest sister's was No. 573, ‘All Things Bright And Beautiful’, my middle sister's was No. 477, ‘The Day Thou Gavest’ and mine was No. 298 ‘Praise My Soul the King of Heaven’.

By the time my middle sister was made organist at the age of 14, at 3 Village Churches, just outside Canterbury, I could, at the age of 12, relate any hymn to its number.

I often wonder if we really think about the words we are singing or whether we just know them ‘off by heart’! I love reading the words and find them very prayerful and powerful.

Of course, there are many beautiful phrases, but I'll just quote a few lines, some from our childhood favourites.

All things bright and beautiful … the Lord God made them all

How great is God Almighty who has made all things well

Thy Kingdom stands and grows forever

The voice of prayer is never silent

Praise Him, praise Him, praise the everlasting King

Glorious in His faithfulness

All I have needed Thy hand has provided

TO THY GREAT FAITHFULNESS, MERCY AND LOVE

Gwen Herbert

 Friday 10th July 2020

Crossing the river

‘Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.’

Philippians 1 v 6

I write today to encourage you as we are, I’m sure, all experiencing moments of fear, myself included, to remember that we have a wonderful and amazing hope.

I heard a quote this week from a woman who knew her time in this world was at hand. Knowing that she could not avoid the inevitable passing she said, “Even though I know I have to pass through the rivers of death, I know my father owns the land on both sides of the river.” This brought a tear of joy to my eye, and a sense of great hope.

She was referring to a passage in ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, a book I encourage everyone to read. Two of the characters, Christian and Hopeful finally come to the end of their journey on this earth. They can see the gate to the celestial city, which represents heaven, but know they have to pass through the river of death to get to it.

The river for everyone will be different. Some Christians will find it difficult as they look back on all their sins and wonder how God could ever forgive them and others will pass through it more easily as they look at the saving grace and forgiveness offered by loving God who sacrificed his own Son to pay for those sins. Wonderfully, both will arrive safely on the other side.

We should never feel too at home in this world and should not cling too closely to it. When we realise that Christ and his promises are real and more valuable than anything this world can offer, then we can greet death not as an enemy, but as an entrance to an eternal glory.

What the world most prizes are health, wealth, status, security, vigour and youth. What the world most fears are poverty, old age, frailty, hardship and illness. But these are the things that teach us the value of Christ and help us yearn for the life to come.

Let us not cling too tightly to this world but rather look forward to the beautiful celestial city, where life really begins! This is where we will find our peace.

Prayer

Father, we pray for all those at this time who are passing through the river help them to keep their eyes firmly fixed on you and see clearly the beautiful city that is on the other side.

Amen

Helen Jones

 Thursday 9th July 2020

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability... And they did not do (only) as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.

2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 5

More than once Christians in New Testament times are noted for a surge of generous giving aimed at meeting the practical needs of fellow Christians, on this occasion far away in Judaea. Paul is anxious to stimulate the Corinth church, who have made great promises, but so far not fully come up with the goods, to “put their money where their mouth is”. Later he'll mention the generosity of “our Lord Jesus Christ... though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor...”, but first he puts before them another example, the churches of Macedonia.

Their example is remarkable: they were dirt-poor; they had real problems of their own with resentful fellow-citizens. But they gave beyond their means... well over the top! And, most significant of all, their giving of money was an expression of the way they made themselves available to God, and to Paul, for whatever service God wanted them to render.

Years earlier, those same churches in Judaea had responded to the needs of destitute fellow-believers (see the story in Acts 4): the Macedonians were simply following suit! And that time people had “first of all given themselves to God...”. They shared what they had, sold possessions, and made the proceeds available to the needy. And Acts notes that one such was Barnabas: several more mentions of his name in Acts show just how thoroughly he made himself available to God, and God's servants. Our sober translations of Acts call him “Son of Encouragement”: today it might be "Mr Motivator"!

Prayer

Lord, please help us to give to others, not so as to be thought generous, but as a simple expression of our availability to You for Your purposes.

Amen

David Makepeace

Wednesday 8th July 2020

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10 v 5

One of the things that we have been doing over lockdown is renovating our garden. It was full of weeds and junk and it has taken us a while to get it looking good. This morning, as I was going around the garden weeding, this verse came to me. Our thoughts are very much like weeds. They start off small, but if left unchecked they can soon take over. Like a lot of people I have had thoughts and feelings of anxiousness during lockdown and, if left, these thoughts can overwhelm everything else. But by taking these thoughts captive and bringing them to the truth in Christ and His promises as soon as they arise, we can avoid being overwhelmed.

You can’t just weed a garden once, you have to weed it continually and similarly we have to take stock of our mind and continually take every thought contrary to God, to Christ.

As a new gardener it has taken time to work out the weeds from the plants and, only by looking them up in books and the internet, and by the experience of others, have we been able to identify them. Again, we can only know which thoughts are contrary to God by reading His Word, listening to sermons and by the experience of others to know which to bring to Christ.

Prayer

Dear Lord

Help me to keep watch in my mind for any thoughts which are contrary to You and for me to bring them to You.

Amen

Jane Cleeton

Tuesday 7th July 2020

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in

You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until

these calamities have passed by.

Psalm 57 v 1

This verse from Psalm 57 is at the top of a recent email I received from my dad’s dear friend Bethela, who runs an orphanage in Mumbai. As you know, India is currently affected very badly by Covid-19, with thousands of new cases being reported each day.

I am so humbled by Bethela’s email. Not only does the orphanage care for a number of children, it is also reaching out to its neighbourhood with food and medicine to some of the poorest people of the world.

She says, “The children are fine and doing well and are in good health. We are very thankful to God for protecting them and keeping them in a safe place. Many people are affected by the corona virus in our Mumbai city, especially in the slum areas. Due to the lockdown people are suffering due to loss of jobs. We are in contact with many of the families of our children; some are single mothers and widows, and we are helping them with food and money. The schools and all educational institutions are still shut. The children spend their time doing their daily routine. Here it is summer, and the temperatures are quite high, sometimes crossing 40 degrees.”

Another of dad’s friends, Bijoy, wrote to us last week from Kolkata, which is also severely affected by Covid-19 and recent flooding. It is a vast city with great poverty.

Bijoy writes, “For three months now we cannot conduct any church services or any prayer activities because of Covid-19. But our believers are very faithful to worship God and sit before Him to pray every Sunday with their family members. Twice a week I go into the slum community to visit believers and listen to their problems and see how they are doing, spending time encouraging them with scriptures and prayer. They feel good after prayer and also they expect this from pastors. So, I keep myself in God's hands and take the risk of visiting the slum community because they feel there is nobody to listen. From yesterday onward in Kolkata it has been raining cats and dogs and, because of the heavy rain, Kolkata is flooded; all roads are under water, even many houses. People are having very tough situations to live with their kids, where snakes and poisonous insects are moving around. Yesterday I went to visit a slum community ministry field to pray for the believers by visiting every house. I fell on the broken road which was full of water. I got injured and had pain in my leg.”

These are just two examples of many thousands of Christians who are living and working in unimaginable situations, reaching out to help the poor. Yet, in all their emails and newsletters, they are full of joy and thanks to God. In fact, they constantly assure us of their prayers for us here every day!

How often I moan about the relatively minor inconveniences I am facing in the current pandemic! Next time I moan about having to queue outside a shop or having to wear a mask, I need to remember what my brothers and sisters are facing in India and in many other parts of the world.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for my brothers and sisters who are serving You so faithfully in India and in other parts of the world where there is great need. Thank you for their joy and selflessness as they put their lives at risk to reach out to their neighbourhoods. Please keep them safe and may they be truly blessed as they serve You in this way. Help me to be mindful of such people, especially when I am tempted to moan about the relatively minor problems I face each day.

Amen

Martyn Orton 

Monday 6th July 2020

Are you a Christian?

If you are that’s excellent, but what if I now ask why?

I’m sure you can give a whole multitude of answers. Why is a very interesting question because often we do things without much rationale behind it.

It’s time for a confession, and before I begin, I must apologise to my family.

The following took place roughly between 1979 and 1983. It was during this time that I became entangled in something so hideous that I’d actually chosen to forget it. This was the time in my life that I became a train spotter. Oh the shame, the ridicule! Yes, it’s true, I was a card carrying, kagool wearing, note pad carrying train spotter. With my camera and copy of Ian Allen’s Locoshed I toured the Midlands.

As hobbies go it’s not the worst really. I enjoyed myself. A little freedom to enjoy the magnificent engines of the day. All was well until one day a gentleman with a small child stopped me at Birmingham New Street.

“What are you doing”, he asked.

“Train spotting” was my enthusiastic retort.

“Why?” returned the gentleman with a quizzical look.

Boom. That was it, no answer that I could logically give that would satisfy him. I stopped.

Of course now I look back at those days with a measure of happiness. I wasn’t harming people, it was innocent and actually where some people get inspiration from creation I’m happy to admit that massive engineering fills me with awe that God could make a man that was capable of such great things.

Back to my original question. Why are you a Christian? Or perhaps why are you not? Let me encourage you to think about your testimony of Jesus.

1 Peter 3 v 15 says

‘In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.’

Prayer

Lord I love You and praise You for saving me. Help me to be ready to explain what it is to be a Christian to others.

Amen

Martin Tromans

Sunday 5th July 2020

“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.“

Mark 1 v 44 - 45

Does this seem like a strange passage for a motivation? Well maybe it is. It’s a passage that has often puzzled me slightly, but reading it yesterday showed me something of the sovereignty of God.

It shows that Jesus knows the consequences of our actions. It tells me that I need to listen to what He tells me through His word, through the preaching of those I listen to, through answers to prayer and many other ways.

At the time we don’t always understand why God asks us to do, or not to do, certain things but there is always a reason. Whether we understand or agree, we must remember He is looking at things outside of our human understanding and we must trust Him.

However God is guiding You in your life today, trust Him to know what is best for you. He is working for His glory and our good.

Prayer

Father give us clarity and understanding of Your plan for our lives. We pray Holy Spirit that You would guide us in the way we should go and help us not to doubt but to trust in a God who loves us.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Saturday 4th July 2020

For when I am weak, then I am strong

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12 v 9 - 10

I recently had a virus which caused a sharp pain and sore and sensitive skin in my side which was a constant source of discomfort for over a week. Illness or disability of any sort can easily bring us down but this pain and discomfort reminded me of the apostle Paul and the reference to his thorn in the flesh (which, for some reason, I have always thought his thorn was a pain in his side). But it reminded me that, whatever we do, it is with God’s help and in God’s strength, not our own... and that even when we may feel least able to serve God because of weaknesses, we can still do so... but with God’s help... this is so that whatever happens we can only give God the glory... not receive it for ourselves.

During the situation we find ourselves in, with the Church building being closed and many activities suspended, we can begin to believe that the Church and its effect on the community is weakened, but God can use the limited resources we continue to use to reach out. We may feel weak, but our God is faithful and strong. He can work, He is still at work and He will be glorified.

None of us are too weak to be used by God, we just need to rest and trust in Him and continue to serve Him faithfully

Prayer

Lord help us to not give up when we feel weak as individuals or as a Church, but to keep going knowing that You can and will still use us.

Amen

Sharon Tromans

Friday 3rd July 2020

One Friday recently, after a couple of hours asleep in bed, at just after midnight, I got up and switched on the computer. I knew the National Trust website would be open to book tickets to be allowed to walk in their grounds during the next week. A previous Friday I had tried at 9 a.m. and all the tickets had gone. In the middle of this night other people had had the same idea and I was put in “the waiting room” for an unspecified time. In the end I was rewarded by being able to book the tickets for the time and the day I wanted. (Not to keep you in suspense!)

However, as I was waiting, I prayed that God would show me what He wanted me to think about for my next Motivation. When I opened my eyes, I registered that on the worktop was “Choice Gleanings – Daily Thoughts on Bible Verses for 2017”. I had brought it home from my mother’s house after she died and occasionally I read the verse for the day.

I picked it up and flipped through the pages, looking quickly at the verses. Then God said, ”Stop! This is the one.” For weeks I had been asking myself what verse I should use, but nothing ever came to me. The Bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you.” (Matthew 7:7) I realized I had not stopped rushing around to actually ask Him. The Bible also says, “You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:2) No verse or theme had come to me because God was waiting to be asked..

The verse God did give me was Psalm 40 verse 5,

“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no-one can recount to You: were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

It is good to stop and think of all the wonderful things God has done………………… It is true that there are so many we cannot even remember them all. Every one of them has been specially planned by God for each of us to experience!

David started Psalm 40 by saying that he had been in great trouble and had been waiting for God to answer his cry. Then God rescued him, lifted him out of a slimy pit, set him on a rock and put a new song in his mouth, a hymn of praise to God.

David couldn’t contain himself. He just burst with praise to God and couldn’t keep quiet to those around him. He shared with everyone about God’s faithfulness and salvation. He did not conceal God’s love and His truth.

David then looked again at the realities of life – overwhelming troubles around him and overtaking sins within him and his heart failed.

These experiences of David are very like our experiences, heightened maybe in this time of Covid-19. As was said by someone recently in one of our Sunday services, at the moment life is like a roller coaster. But I am glad to say that David ended his psalm on a high note, and with a prayer to God for us now:-

Prayer

“May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, ‘The LORD is exalted!’ ”

Amen

Jane Caine

Thursday 2nd July 2020

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2 v 6 and 7

These verses have been used in a previous motivation to encourage us to keep going and “hang in there!” They came to mind on a walk this week in the Wyre Forest when we came across this tree with its roots system visible above ground; normally they would be underground, and we would not be able to see how strong and interwoven they are.

Tree roots serve several purposes; they anchor the tree and draw in nutrients and water from the soil and tree roots also help stabilise the soil and prevent erosion.

These verses from Colossians emphasise how important it is for us to have spiritual roots which anchor us to Christ so we can stay upright in all the situations we encounter. We need to build up our faith by spending time in prayer and reading God’s Word and just learning more about Jesus every day and understanding who He is and what He has done, and continues to do for us now.

The verse says this should mean we overflow with thankfulness. I must admit there are times when I have found it hard to be thankful when I am in a situation that I don’t really want to be in or facing a problem which is tough to solve. I think this thankfulness comes from recognising every day that we are God’s children and because of what Jesus did on the cross our “roots” can be embedded in a personal relationship with the Living God. That is certainly good reason to be thankful every day!

Prayer

Lord, we want to come to You today with a thankful heart for Your wonderful love and grace which You have poured out on us . Please help us to “root” our lives firmly in Jesus so that we can build up our faith and remain strong whatever we face.

Amen

Ali Orton

Wednesday 1st July 2020

Let's go over to the other side

Mark 4 verse 35

At the beginning of lockdown, we were very restricted about how far we could travel. We could only exercise once a day locally. We could not travel to visit relatives, we could not stay over anywhere and certainly could not go on holiday. We have had one holiday cancelled and are still uncertain about whether a forthcoming holiday will take place. There were to be no unnecessary travel or journeys. Essential travel only was allowed. For example, to buy food or for medical reasons. We were to 'stay at home...' unless we were key workers.

Jesus would often travel on foot or by boat with His disciples in and around Galilee.

The well-known story of Jesus calming a storm starts with the following:

Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's go over to the other side”

Jesus had every intention that He and His disciples were going to arrive at their destination, the other side of the lake. He had no doubt that they would complete their journey. No storm was going to stop them.

We can now travel further, visit family and can book holidays if we wish to do so.

We are all on a journey. It's the journey of life, but we are also on a spiritual journey. We are pilgrims.

I have been reminded of this old hymn:

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou art mighty,

Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.

Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more;

Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain,

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;

Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of death and hell’s Destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side.

Songs of praises, songs of praises,

I will ever give to Thee;

I will ever give to Thee.

(William Williams and John Hughes)

This great hymn reminds us that God is with us on our journey. He is guiding us, He is going before us and leading us. He is our strength and shield.

We may be anxious and weak, but He is mighty. We will land safely on the other side. There is no doubt about that!

Songs of praises, I will ever give to Thee.

Prayer

Thank you Almighty God that You are with us on our daily journey and that we will arrive at our eternal destination.

Amen

Tim Knight

Tuesday 30th June 2020

We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.

2 Corinthians 4 v 18

Over the last few months, whilst we haven’t been able to see Covid-19, the Corona virus, sadly we have been able to see its effects. People’s lives have been put on hold, worlds turned upside down and many lives lost with so many families affected. There has been suffering on a massive scale, increased loneliness, poverty, endless restrictions and rules to follow.

Paul and his fellow workers experienced great suffering at the hands of persecutors. Yet they had their eyes fixed on eternity. Paul boldly acknowledged that “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Paul and his co-workers were “hard pressed on every side” even though they were doing God’s work. Yet they built their hope on the “eternal glory” that far outweighs the momentary troubles.

Covid-19 may not feel temporary; in fact the virus may be here for a long time and, certainly, its effects will be recorded in history for future generations. Our world will probably never return to the “normal” we once had. We need to fix our eyes on our heavenly Father, the eternal rock that will never be destroyed.

Prayer

Father God help us to lift our eyes to You today and give us a glimpse of the security we have in You.

Amen.

Kay Cram

 Monday 29th June 2020

Jesus said to him “Have you believed because you Have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many their signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you may have life in him name

John 20 v 29 - 31

Did you know that the Bible was written for you? Read John 20 again and see that the words recorded in the Bible are written about you, about us. Not only that but we are blessed for believing even though we did not see Jesus perform the miracles in the flesh.

Ours is a life of faith, we are believing in what we haven’t seen and for that Jesus tells us we will be blessed. It’s not something that comes naturally to the world around us, we’re always looking for tangible evidence and proof. How many times have we encountered someone who says “I will believe God is real if he does… etc etc” or “I’ll believe God is real if he shows me… etc etc.”

That’s not always how God works (although He still sometimes chooses to) but when we look at characters like pharaoh in Egypt we see nationwide plagues and signs and even with those he still doesn’t worship the Lord God.

Spend time in his Word and believe in what you read. Spend time in prayer and quietness before Him, listening for that still small voice, the Spirit of God to guide you and then see how much God cares for you. See that the Bible is written for you as an individual and can speak directly into your life.

And then be blessed by a Heavenly Father who loves you.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the miracle of salvation. Thank You for those who faithfully recorded it so that we can read of Your great works and thank You that You bless us for our faith when we deserve nothing. Continue to bless us with your grace Lord God.

Amen

Matt Tromans

 Sunday 28th June 2020

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1 v 17

We have said it ourselves and I heard people in the street saying it the other day (from 2 metres away of course). It goes something like this, “Thank goodness that the lockdown didn’t happen in winter, that would have been miserable!”

Today is overcast and rainy and the shadows aren’t as strong as yesterday when the sun shone brightly.

Shadows are sharper and more obvious when the source of the light is greater. In our house, there’s usually a rush to get to the garden table for lunch, for the best spots under the parasol. The weathervane in our garden uses shadows to indicate the time as the sun moves slowly from east to west over the day. Shadows are longer early in the morning and late at night when sun sits lower in the sky.

Shifting shadows belong to a light source that moves, whereas God is the ‘Father of heavenly lights’ and does not change or does not move. God is constant and his character does not change and therefore His giving of good and perfect gifts never changes either. We do live in a broken world and I hope that’s obvious to us all. I’ve heard many people say “I wish the news wasn’t all about the pandemic!” Sadly, now the news also has the tragedy of humanitarian crises around the world and the vile ongoing scourge of racial injustice.

God has been good to us and He continues to pour out His perfect gifts on his church, as we live and witness in this broken world, day by day. Why should we think otherwise?! Our world has changed, but God has not and neither has his perfect gifts. He gives us the best gifts; faith, hope and love, which the shifting shadows of this world cannot change, as their source is ‘above’ where God dwells.

Prayer

God, You are good and Your goodness never changes. Help me when I look to You, to see that all You give is not only good but perfect for all my every day.

Amen

Pastor Matt Jones

Thank you so much to all those who have contributed to our daily motivations since they began on 19th March. Many people have been blessed and motivated by them to keep going through the difficult days of lockdown, isolation and social distancing.

Saturday 27th June 2020

It is by grace you have been saved...

Ephesians 2 v 8

I've been re-reading Philip Yancey's book What's so amazing about grace?. It's a book you need to come back to from time to time because the idea of “grace” suffers from its over-familiarity to Christians, and we need an occasional jolt to remind us how incredible it is.

What the Bible tells us is that God's gift of forgiveness and eternal life is entirely out of his generosity: it is in no way deserved, and we have no reason to expect it... except for the fact that he is “gracious”. We contribute nothing to it. Yes, it's “through faith”, but faith isn't something we “contribute”: faith is only the empty hand we stretch out to receive the gift from God's hand. But we get used to the idea.

It takes a parable of Jesus, like the one in Matthew 20 about the vineyard workers, to make us realise how strange it all is. After all, most things in life work on the basis of what you deserve, what you've earned. When they don't work out that way, we feel it's unfair. The fact of grace as God's way of acting is something we have to keep relearning. And that's where this book helps me, readably presenting the theme of grace, both in the Biblical witness and in the experiences of individuals. It also traces the way “ungrace” can poison relationships over generations, and points out ways in which believers can be anything but gracious.

Perhaps the quote that sums up its message, and that could be a lifeline to a hesitant believer is what Yancey puts on the cover...

“There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.

There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”

That's part of what grace means.

David Makepeace

Friday 26th June 2020

My company loves TLA’s. (Three Letter Acronyms). In fact it loves acronyms of all sorts and has an engineering language entirely its own built around them.

Whether you are BAU or NR you would be taught to work on DP’s, PCP’s or DSLAMS to agreed FQP standards whilst passing all AMS checks in order to achieve good results on your APR regardless of whether the work is in SD or FND. All that while working under the banner of BT plc.

Makes sense eh?

I don’t expect we are particularly immune to this phenomenon at WHEFC.

Perhaps you drive a car made by BMW, VAG, GM, MG or even BL. When you relax at home and turn on your JVC TV do you prefer watch BBC or ITV?

One is reminded of the confused languages from the story of the Tower of Babel. If you wish to read it you can find it in the OT in the book of Genesis 11. Any version will do, NIV, NKJV, AV, ESV, NASB or even NLT.

Sorry…

The good news is that while we certainly confuse each other, absolutely nothing confuses God. There may be times of either great distress or unspeakable joy that we just find it hard to express properly in prayer. Times when all we can do is just utter His name.

In Romans 8 v 26 we read:

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through our wordless groans”.

Our God understands EVERYTHING.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that there is nothing I can say or even think that is lost on You. Thank You that You take our groans, utterings and badly formed sentences and turn them into words of praise and worship to Your great name.

Amen

Martin Tromans

Thursday 25th June 2020

If you have time today, why not read Acts chapter 9? It is one of the most dramatic chapters in the New Testament and would make a great action movie!

As I read through this passage recently, I noted down all the people mentioned. Some are the main characters - the ‘stars’.

Firstly, we read of Saul’s dramatic conversion. Later known as Paul, he is one of the major characters of the Bible.

Then there are the men with Saul who seem to disappear soon after Saul is struck blind.

Next there is Ananias (v.10) – a disciple from Damascus. After some initial reluctance, Ananias goes to lay hands on Saul to restore his sight. We don’t know much else about Ananias, but we can tell that he is someone God trusts. God appears to him in a vision, speaking to him directly. Ananias replies – apparently able to converse with God! And then he baptises Saul, feeds and looks after him; a vital ministry that almost goes almost unnoticed.

Then there is Barnabas (v.27), the encourager. A whole series of motivations could be written about him!

Peter is next (v.32), the one of whom Jesus said he would build his church. Another ‘giant’ of the New Testament.

But what I found so exciting in this chapter are the ‘minor’ characters, the behind the scenes people, the ‘extras’; those whose names are barely mentioned, simply referred to here as “the Lord’s people.”

Aeneas has been paralysed for 8 years. Peter visits him and, in Jesus’ name, heals him. This leads to the salvation of many in Lydda and Sharon – “all those who lived there turned to the Lord.” (v.35). Aeneas is an ordinary man about whom we know very little, but whose life leads to many more coming to Christ.

Then, we find Tabitha (in Greek, Dorcas) (v.36). What do we know about her?

She is always doing good and helping the poor. She makes clothes for widows. As far as we know, she is not an evangelist or a Bible teacher. But she is well known, respected and loved. She has a special ministry. The widows grieve her death most, and they are the ones to whom Peter brings her first when she is raised from the dead.

There is one more person mentioned in this chapter. In the last verse: Simon, the tanner. Another very ordinary person with an ordinary trade. Yet, he has a key role in providing accommodation for the apostle Peter.

These, and many others mentioned in Acts and in the New Testament letters, are ordinary people, doing ordinary jobs, often with little or no recognition or notoriety, but who are vital to the work and ministry of the apostles, to church life and the spread of the gospel; people who provide accommodation, hospitality, medical care, transport, clothing, prayer support, a listening ear, wise counsel.

Let us never think that we are any less important than some of the ‘big names’ in the church today – the great preachers, worship leaders, missionaries and authors. We are all extremely important in the work of God, wherever and whoever we are. God can do amazing things through ordinary people like us.

Prayer

Thank You Lord that You have an important role for me to play in sharing Your love with others. Help me to always remember that, by Your Spirit, I can do great things for You, even in the ordinary things of life.

Amen

Martyn Orton

Wednesday 24th June 2020

It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him.

Genesis 2 v 18

When I got up and looked out on Sunday morning, there was an extra lot of cars parked in our tiny cul-de-sac! Since the announcement of the “support bubble” starting, lots of people took advantage of this new arrangement, some legitimately, some more not so! However, it was lovely to see a gentleman who lives opposite us have his daughter and son-in-law to stay as he has recently been bereaved.

God didn’t create us to be on our own. He intended for us to have companions, friends, to be in relationships. We all need someone else, especially in difficult times, to be there for us and support us. As communities we have seen people going to all lengths to help neighbours and strangers alike. God has given us the privilege of sharing each other’s burdens (Galatians 6v2).

Although we are still away from each other physically, let’s continue to support each other, to carry each other’s burdens and thank God daily for each other.

Prayer

Thank You, Father God, for our church family and those around us from whom we can gain strength, support, friendship and comfort. Thank You that You understand us and our need of others every day. Help us to continue to carry each other’s burdens and in doing so, give You praise and glory. Amen.

Kay Cram

Tuesday 23rd June 2020

I would like to share with you a few picture cards which are at least 120 years old. My father was given a card for attendance at Sunday School at St. Paul’s Church, Canterbury, Kent. When I had the sad task of clearing the family home, I kept them as he had saved them for many years and they remind me of the many happy times spent reading passages from the Bible.

I hope you are able to store up and relive happy memories during your life.

Monday 22nd June 2020

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21 v 1 - 4

I'm afraid I've still got that phrase, “the new normal”, stuck in my mind. And this time what it brought back to memory is the “Finale” of the Bible's “big story”. It's nothing less than a new creation... which is this creation “liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (so Paul at Romans 8 v 21.) The world as God meant it to be, rescued from every defilement that has spoiled it under our stewardship.

And with the New World comes the New People of God, for this City / Bride is God's new society, the community of His design. God's people have always been God's people... but now, for the first time, they really look the part! “When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” That's Paul's less colourful way of putting it, in Colossians 3 v 4.

So there's going to be something familiar... heaven and earth. And God with His people, as throughout the Bible story... BUT ON A NEW SCALE!! Some of that is spelled out in the closing words of our quoted passage... “no more death... mourning... crying... pain, for the old order has passed away”. Read on, and as if to still the voices that say, “too good to be true”, we read, “He said to me: “IT IS DONE!”. It is “God's New Normal”.

Prayer

Lord, please help me take it in! And may your Spirit make it meaningful and real to my mind.

Amen.

David Makepeace

Sunday, 21st June 2020

The other day something happened that, having time in lockdown to think about it afterwards, seems to me to be like a modern parable.

In our front garden we have lots of plants. All through the year one or more of them is flowering. Last year, about this time, we had three that each had a long thin stem with a bunch of tiny white flowers on, followed by deep red berries. We had never seen them before and did not remember planting them. They were ok, but not very pretty and not so bad that we would pull them up.

This year they have multiplied and there are 7 of them. I decided to find out what they were, so I took a photograph of one of them and put it into a plant identification app on my phone. What I discovered was that it is wild garlic and that it is invasive, so one should remove it as soon as possible. To help get the bulb out, I was told to water the soil first and to wear gloves to protect myself. This I did.

Then I saw they left a space, so I needed to put in some spare bedding plants. Finally I need to keep a check on whether any more of the garlic comes up and, if so, remove it immediately.

The wild garlic plants are like bad habits. We hardly notice that we do them and they don’t cause us a problem. James 3:2 says, “We all stumble in many ways.”

As they get worse or are committed more often, we need to identify them by looking in the Bible and asking God to speak to us. We will find that it is sin that is getting a grip on us and if we do not do anything about it, it will invade other parts of our lives. We then need to find out how to deal with it to remove it. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

We then need to replace it. Philippians 4:8 and 9 says, “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Finally we need to check it does not return. Romans 6:11 and 12 says, “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the great love You have for Your children. I am sorry that I am still prone to sin, following my own way. Show me my bad habits and help me to humble myself before You and lay my sins before You. Forgive me and then “forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, enable me to press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

Amen

Jane Caine

Saturday 20th June 2020

This morning I am unsettled.

I’ve just come from a slightly heated web chat with a representative from my mobile phone provider. It’s very simple really. My handset is faulty but the ballad that played out for 40 minutes of not being able to convince the person at the other end that the phone needs repair was exhausting.

I have a resolution I think but the manner of the conversation has left me very uncertain that things will go well. It led me to analyse what it is I’m bothered about. I list below some thoughts.

• Losing my data? No, it’s all backed up and will come back to me later.

• Being without a phone? No phone calls! Bonus, methinks.

• Technology letting me down and ruining my life? No, definitely not that.

• Getting the dreaded ‘No Fault Found’ and being presented with an unwarranted bill? That’s the one.

No fault found.

Perhaps it’s a consequence of 32 years in the communications industry, but nothing winds a customer up more than not being able to find the fault that is very self-evident to them.

No fault found.

Hang on a moment though. As a Christian that phrase should fill me with joy and praise. Look at these verses:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Romans 8 v 1

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103 v 12

So that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

Philippians 2 v 15

No fault found.

Prayer

Thank You Lord that when you look at me You see Jesus. Thank you for covering my guilt and accepting me as Your child.

Amen

Martin Tromans

 Friday 19th June 2020

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

2 Corinthians 1 v 20-22 (NIV)

This passage from 2 Corinthians is packed with wonderful truths in just a couple of verses! A few years ago, Charlotte made a lovely “promise box” for Abi which contained promises from God’s Word to bless and encourage throughout the year.

Verse 20: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.

Can we trust God? Does He know what He is doing? Can we believe what it says in the Bible? Jesus confirmed to us that we can trust that God will keep His promises and Paul reiterates this here. This is good news for us all; we can take hold of the promises that are made in all the Bible and because of the nature of God, He cannot, and does not go back on His promises.

So here are just seven of many promises that we can hold on to in all the situations we face in life: one for each day for a week!

1. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

2. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8

3. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10 v 23

4. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3.

5. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

6. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7 v 25

7. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91 v 1-2
   

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, You never change and we thank You that Your promises are true and we can trust You. Holy Spirit, please keep prompting us to remember God’s promises as we follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Amen

Ali Orton

Thursday 18th June 2020

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Proverbs 3:1-3

What a wonderful opportunity many have had recently to devote more time to God, to spend time in prayer and his Word.

Even if we are working from home, that time spent on the busy rush hour commute has disappeared and we can now spend that time more positively.

I have spoken to many people who are already retired, who have also taken this approach and have committed more time to personally get closer to God.

It’s a great time to remember God’s teachings and to seek His peace through them.

A great opportunity to get to grips with new and good spiritual habits. To take God’s word and bind it round our neck and imbed them in our heart. To take a deeper look at scripture and forget not God’s commandments and faithfulness.

As this scripture says, it will add life and peace to your days. I pray the new habits we make today will continue all the days of our life.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the opportunity to spend more time with You. Help me to form good and positive habits through his time.

Amen

Helen Jones

Wednesday 17th June 2020

You were taught ... to put off your old self ... to be made new in the attitude of your minds ...

Ephesians 4: 22 - 23

The present situation with Covid-19 has brought us a rich supply of new phrases. We are frequently assured that we're “following the science”, even if to others, it's “making a U-turn”. We've got used to “social distancing”, even if we can't quite work out how long a metre is. But perhaps one new catchphrase that may stay with us for quite a while is “the new normal”. One day we will hopefully return to “normal”... only it won't really be all that normal ... possibly “normal with a face mask”!

Now it will be worth our while to think seriously about how things will be different, because some of those differences will be in the way we “do church”. (By the way, what an inelegant phrase that is!) At the moment, though, what grabbed my attention was that folk coming to faith in Jesus (in New Testament times, and now) would also be confronted with the reality of “a new normal” .. and a profoundly different one.

And the difference wouldn't just be superficial...”made new in the attitude of your minds” is how Paul puts it. It involves our attitude to people ... “speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all parts of one body”- and as we can't really lie to ourselves, it's equally unhealthy to pass on “fake news”, or pretend a “fake spirituality”, to others. Paul even feels it's relevant to tell the ex-burglar not to steal, not just to avoid a very nasty punishment, but so as to work in ways helpful to society, “so as to have something to share with those in need” (verses 25-28.) When you think that through, it really is a startling change of approach to life!

But that's the “new normal” the New Testament calls us to... and it's very different to the set of assumptions on which most of today's society operates! To take up another current phrase, it's something “we need to keep under active review”.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to be adjusting my ideas of “normal” to the reality of Your ideas on the matter! Help me to put on “the new self, created to be like You”.

Amen

David Makepeace

Tuesday 16th June 2020

…live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience

Colossians 1 v 10-11

Would you say that you are a patient person? I have always thought I was fairly patient (my family may beg to differ!) but have recently discovered a very impatient side of me!

Over the last few years, we (actually mostly Martin!) have done a lot of ‘demolition’ work in our garden, removing huge trees and shrubs and opening the space up more. The problem is that we now have some quite large, very bare spaces and empty borders. There have been design ideas floating around, discussed (and argued over) and some progress made, but I am so impatient!!! I want it all to look like Monty Don’s garden NOW! I want my seedlings to grow into full flowering plants and my tiny vegetable plants to bear luscious healthy crops NOW. But deep down I know I have to be patient, as it will all take time.

Having been confined to our homes and local area for the past couple of months, for our own and others’ safety, we have had our patience tested in lots of ways too. We can get very impatient for things to get ‘back to normal’ and wonder what the next government announcement will allow us to do. I’m sure many of us want it all to be ok NOW. But, we need to be patient; it will take time.

In difficult times, we need endurance and patience, as we read in the verses in Colossians. To achieve this, we need to grow in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened by His power. How can this happen? By living ‘a life worthy of the Lord’ and pleasing Him in every way. One way is to ‘bear fruit’ as we also read in John 15 v 5 where Jesus says

‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’

This fruit is the outward actions that result from what is deep within our hearts as we follow and obey the teachings of Jesus and grow in our relationship with Him. This takes time and we need to be patient. God is working in our lives, to produce ‘fruit that will last’.

Spend time today asking God to give you patience, to endure your situation at the moment, and in a deeper sense, to allow Him to work deep within you to make you His fruitful servant.

Ro Yates

Monday 15th June 2020

“Be still and know that I am God”

Psalm 46 verse 10

How I love the following verse which seems so fitting at this present time:-

Yesterday is history,

Tomorrow is a mystery,

Today is a gift,

That’s why it's called the present!

Yesterday does seem history, tomorrow makes us anxious, so we must make the most of the gift of today.

Are you a person who finds it difficult to relax (or chill out, as they say)? Or to be still?

I can sit still, but my brain doesn't rest (must be all the crosswords that I do!). Maybe during these unusual days we either sit more or we have become more active.

We ought to practise the art of relaxation and find the time to be still.

The world around us seems to be more still these days - there's not so much rushing around.

I notice, when sitting in the garden, the birds stop flying and even land at my feet. The atmosphere seems quieter- so what is this telling us? Be still and reflect!

“Be still and know that I am God”

Psalm 46 verse 10

Dear Lord God,

Thank You for the gift of each new day. Please encourage and help us to relax and be still and know that You are God.

Amen

Gwen Herbert

Sunday 14th June 2020

This time I will praise the Lord.

Genesis 29 v 35b

It’s easy to be idealistic and expect the Lord to bless us with an ideal life of fulfilment, but our reality matches the reality of scripture, in that we live out our Christian life within the less than perfect circumstances around us. And whilst 2020 has changed those circumstances dramatically, the underlying messiness still exists.

Leah is one of the understated characters in the Bible whose life is hugely affected by always being second best, compounded by the unwise decisions and desires of others. She is the older but less attractive sister, her marriage is a deception of her Father and she was unloved by her husband. Always second best.

Leah’s heart’s desire was to find fulfilment in the love of her husband. God blessed her with being able to have children and, in her own way, after each child, she believed that “Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons.” That was her ideal world. But Jacob always loved Rachel more.

Leah’s desire is replicated in detail in every human heart in all sorts of different ways. Our hearts are always searching for fulfilment, and a good indicator of what we look to find this is when we say things like “If only…then my life will be better / happy / fulfilled.” What is that... to you?

The increased messiness of this year, where we have been affected by unseen forces, changed circumstances and the decisions of others, may have made us frustrated or even worse, that whatever we look to for fulfilment has been stopped altogether, and we feel in despair.

As bad as things were for Leah and as frustrated as she was at never receiving the love she yearned for, hers is a story of hope, that heart fulfilment is not only possible but reachable. After the birth of Levi she looked to the Lord and in him she found a love, above and beyond any love to be found on earth. She redirected her heart’s desire to the Lord and found in Him a completeness in the one who didn’t look at her as second best, but looked at her with a love that sent the Lord Jesus into this world to be a Saviour to those unloved and a friend to those who feel second best.

Prayer

Take away my yearning for the things I place my hope in, that I know will fail and disappoint me.

Oh Lord, let my heart be directed towards You, that I may find fulfilment in Your love for me.

Pastor Matthew Jones 

Saturday 13th June 2020

Throughout this pandemic there are two things I’m learning / re-learning:

1) That God is in complete control so to keep trusting Him

2) That He is listening and He cares.

Nahum 1 verse 4:

He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither; the mountains quake before him

verse 7

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Things still aren’t easy and the future still feels very uncertain, but what is certain is that we need to keep our relationship with God alive and growing, keep talking to Him and be honest, because He is more powerful than this virus that seems to have brought the world to a standstill.

This entire world is under His control but He is watching over us individually as His children at the same time.

This morning I read this quote from C.S Lewis;

“ God has all eternity in which to listen to the split second of prayer put up by a pilot as his plane crashes in flames”.

When I read this it summed up the sovereignty of God and the care of attentiveness of Him as a Father who cares and is with us when all seems hopeless and lost. All is not hopeless and lost because we are the children of the King of kings and we are safe. Turn to Him to be our refuge, Nahum says. He knows those who take refuge in Him, so cast your fears on Him, let Him be your stronghold and be protected by the arms of a loving Father!

When our lives might feel like a plane crashing into flames, He is still with us, lovingly listening and there beside us when all else may feel lost.

Prayer

Thank You that You are our perfect and loving Father, our ever present help in times of trouble. Forgive us when we don’t submit to Your authority and help us to trust Your plan for our lives.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Friday 12th June 2020

Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! ...

He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Psalm 147 v 1 - 5

A prayer in a magazine caught my eye: the reference told me it was based on this psalm. At the heart of the prayer is something absolutely characteristic of God... and that runs right against most of our experience of people.

By and large, we find that the further “up” someone is in terms of rank and authority, the more we feel them to be remote from our small concerns. For them to come right “down” and really get alongside us to help is something unexpected... and all the more refreshing when it does happen.

But here's God (and you can't be more “up there” than He is!!) coming alongside to bind up his people's wounds, to heal the broken-hearted. Dealing with wounds, with cuts or abrasions, isn't nice: we may have to steel ourselves to do it. Dealing with those suffering more “internally” can be even more demanding, and the demands may come when we feel least able to cope with them. But God does it... you might even say it was His speciality!

He “calls the stars by name”... He operates on that scale!! But He gets right down to our level and gives us “first aid”!

“How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”

David Makepeace

Thursday 11th June 2020

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:

Isaiah 42 v 5

Sometimes I wince inwardly when I see children running in busy or potentially dangerous places, without the hand of their parent keeping them safe. I’m sure you have felt the same on occasions.

In this passage in Isaiah, God is reminding us that He knows the world we live in intimately because He was the one who formed it. Therefore He knows all of its beauties and perils.

He also reminds us that we live only because He breathes life into us and not just life but a spirit to know him and walk with him.

I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you

Isaiah 42 v 6a

He asks us to live a right life for Him, but He is not expecting us to do this on our own as He promises to take us by the hand and keep us.

There is something very special when someone takes you by the hand. I remember so vividly the feeling as a child having my hand in my father’s. It felt strong and secure.

What a lovely picture this is of God holding our hand and keeping us close to Him in this intimate way.

I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations

Isaiah 42 v 6b

We are reminded here that He has made a promise and He has not forgotten it. His promise was to bless the nations of the world with His light.

We are seeing God’s light shine brightly at the moment as He uses his people to project it through all the modern ways of communication. We are seeing an accessibility to God that speaks to a modern world. Let’s pray that God opens eyes, saves souls and that people will accept the hand of the Lord that He holds out to them.

Prayer

Thank You Father for holding my hand and for the life and spirit I have in You.

Lord may Your light shine brightly at this time and may many souls find You and call upon Your name.

Amen

Helen Jones

Wednesday 10th June 2020

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:16

If you know me well, you know that I love singing! Although I get stressed about singing at the front of church, I love singing Christian songs, and listening to them at home or in the car. I find I can use the words of songs as meditations and encouragements; some make me happy and joyful, others make me cry with the emotion of the words, or with memories of and connections to events in my life.

In Colossians 3:16 we read that when we sing, the ‘message of Christ’ should dwell among us richly. God has given us the gift of singing, playing instruments and listening to beautiful words about the message of love, joy and hope a life of following Jesus brings. As we sing, with gratitude in our hearts for all that He has done for us, our lives will be enriched and we will draw closer in our relationship with Him. God loves to hear us sing, however well or badly, because the praise we bring comes from our hearts.

When I am upset, worried or stressed I find it very hard to sing out loud. No words come out, just tears! At those times, it’s great to listen to others singing. (Youtube and Spotify are such great resources!)

You could use singing or listening to songs as part of your time with God today, and your soul will be enriched.

Some words from a favourite song of mine at the moment are these….

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

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.

Ro Yates

 Tuesday 9th June 2020

For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,”

Says the Lord who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54 v 10

I love being able to walk up the hill that looks over Wall Heath. There’s a real sense of freedom, walking through the grass (which has grown longer and longer over the weeks) and then at the top, if you stop and look around, you can see for miles and miles. It may not be some great mountain top, but the beauty around us is still there for all to see, from the vastness of the wide open space to the minutest of details in the flowers and leaves and insects around. And as you stop and look around, remember our God, our Lord and Saviour, is the Creator of all this, yet He loves and cares for each one of us individually.

Be still in His presence, praise Him for His greatness and give thanks for His never ending love and care for us. He’s got the whole in his hands and that includes you and me

Amen

Sharon Tromans

Monday 8th June 2020

ABOUND IN LOVE

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else.

1 Thessalonians 3 v 12

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in Love

Psalm 103 v 8

Love is a short word but it has big emotions, such as desire, courtesy and affection.

We need so much love in the world today with all its problems.

I have received so much love from our church family and, when I'm sitting outside in the sun, people I've never seen before stop and ask me how I am. Yes, love is all around! I also sit and marvel at bird songs and the beautiful flowers.

Another word which is important to me is thanks.

As a very young girl, many nights were spent in a dug-out shelter in our garden during the war. As a family we prayed for safety and for the air raid to be over quickly. Hands up though, my sisters and I prayed for the raid to last longer so that we could go to school later the next day!

As I sit these days, thinking back, I know I am never alone and so I often say, “Thank you for love.”

Prayer

Dear Lord God, thank you for Your love and grace and for making Your face to shine upon us. As You are the God of Love, help us to love one another more dearly day by day.

Amen

Gwen Herbert

Sunday 7th June 2020

Then Jesus said to him “Be gone Satan! For it is written “you shall worship the Lord you God and him only shall you serve.”

Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. “

Matthew 4 vs 10 - 11

And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly.

Luke 22 v 43 - 44

Here we see two wonderful verses about our Saviour Jesus, where we can see His humanity as well as His perfection in that He is also fully God.

In Matthew’s gospel, He has just finished fasting in the desert and has been tempted by Satan himself. In Luke, He is preparing himself to be the sacrifice that will save mankind.

Both are times when He is desperate for encouragement; there have been tough times and more are still to come. Let these verses be encouraging to us because they show that we are not alone.

Does God leave His son to struggle through alone? Is he told to “man up” and get on with it? No! Our God is compassionate, kind and a source of strength. When Jesus needs support he is ministered to by the angels.

When you have struggles or are about to face them, wait upon the Lord to be your strength and encouragement (Isaiah 40 v 31). Even Jesus needed strength from God, and if He does, how much more do we?

Today, let God be our strength that we will see His power in our lives. Let Him be our guide that we will see His plan for us and the great things He has in store, and let us listen with humility to those sent to minster to us, so that we may learn more of Him and become wise in the will of God.

Matt Tromans

Saturday 6th June 2020

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth, will grow strangely dim

In the light of His Glory and Grace"

What a blessing that, with all that is going on in our life today, with all the crazy things going on in this fallen world, we can turn to our Father in heaven and find peace.

That when we fix our eyes on Him and Him alone, everything else around us doesn't seem to be so big. The problems we are facing that are just too big for us ... aren't anymore because God is there.

That He brings light, He brings hope, He brings comfort, He brings love, He is all we need. And we are not facing this world alone.

By fixing our eyes, our hearts upon Jesus, by focusing on where we need to go, we can breathe easier knowing He is there. He is all-knowing, full of grace, forgiveness and all glory belongs to Him who sits on the throne. Our King, our Father, our Friend.

The song quoted at the start of this devotion is based on Hebrews 12 verse 2, but here is also the verse before ...

"Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus the Pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"

Hebrew 12 v 1 - 2

Prayer

Let us fix our eyes on Him and run this race with perseverance, knowing we are not alone. And there is much joy ahead of us. Amen

Jess Tromans

Friday 5th June 2020

Over the past few weeks, it became part of life to go outside at 8 p.m. on a Thursday to applaud those who are on "the front line" in the battle against the coronavirus. And, rightly, we have remembered, as well as those directly involved in hospitals and other aspects of medical care, all whose work enables at least part of life to go on normally.

But for Christians, there's another meaning to the phrase "the front line". The faith of God's people is opposed in every society and every age, but there are always areas where that pressure is more overt, and the cost of Christian discipleship is greater. So we, whose load is lighter, have a special responsibility to pray for those "on the front line" ... and maybe to applaud them as well!

A missionary doctor was asked about folk in the area of East Africa he served in: what was it that kept them going in the face of terrorist attacks, uncertain harvests, and now, on top of everything else, Covid-19 and a locust plague?!

His answer? "There is a remarkable, steadfast faith in God's goodness, even in the midst of the shaking. People who've learned to trust God in the uncertainty of tropical disease, civil war and hunger, develop an unshakeable awareness of the Lord's trustworthiness".

Praise God for such an example to us, and pray that our brothers and sisters in Africa (and other parts of the "front line") will continue to stand firm, letting nothing move them, giving themselves fully to the work of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58.)

Prayer

Lord, please help us to acknowledge the courage and faith of those who face things we currently are spared. Remind us to pray for them. Help us also to show that same steadiness of faith in our own circumstances.

David Makepeace

Thursday 4th June 2020

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”

2 Corinthians 1 verse 3

Recently, I was listening to Radio 4’s ‘Sunday Worship’ and a recording of Paul Robeson singing an African-American song was played.

“There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain

And then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus who died to save us all.

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.”

This started me thinking, “What is this balm of Gilead?”

The day before, I had been reading Jeremiah chapter 8, and in verse 22 it says, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” I then looked for other references and found one in Genesis 37 v 25. It says, Joseph’s brothers “looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. The camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh and they were on their way to take these down to Egypt.” Joseph was sold to them and taken to Egypt, with all the other valuable things, to be sold. He then became the saviour of many, including his family.

I then looked on the internet, where I learned that the Latin name for the shrub is commiphora gileadensis. There are no longer any in Gilead, but there are many on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, especially in Greece and Turkey. In the summer, diagonal grooves are cut into the bark. The resin rises to fill these wounds and forms what look like giant teardrops. As these harden, they fall to the ground. They are collected and then ground into powder and used in lots of ways. It is now called ‘mastic’. In Bible times it was chewed as a mouth wash and is now often used in tooth paste. It is also used to heal wounds, reduce inflammation and treat irritable bowels and ulcers. There are clinical trials going on now to see if it can help repair the nerves in stroke patients and Alzheimers sufferers, lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. Maybe it will be used to help the long term effects of Covid-19!

In the book of Jeremiah and in the song Paul sang, the healing benefits are spiritualised. Jesus is the “balm of Gilead”. He is the one who heals us and is our Saviour and the remedy for our sinful souls. The Holy Spirit is the “balm of Gilead”. He is the one who encourages us and keeps us going. We can be the “balm of Gilead”. We can gossip the gospel to others, especially in this time of uncertainty and change.

Prayer

Thank You Lord for creating the commiphora gileadensis, with so many helpful properties. Thank You that You are so much greater than this shrub. You can heal our souls, You can give us new lives, You can encourage us, You can make us into the people you want us to be.

Amen

Jane Caine 

Wednesday 3rd June 2020

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

Psalm 23 v 1 - 3

For a lot of people, the last couple of months have been a very busy time, especially those working as doctors, nurses, care workers and other NHS workers, refuse collectors, shop assistants, teachers and parents, to name just a few.

Others have found that they have extra time on their hands, perhaps because they have been furloughed from work, maybe working from home is more flexible, or they may not have paid work but are spending more time at home.

To me, time has sometimes seemed to fly by, and at other times, everything seems to have slowed right down, and these long sunny days have seemed gentle and restful.

God calls us to ‘lie down in green pastures’ – to stop, to take time and rest. He wants us to be ‘beside still waters’. I imagine a very still mirrored lake, where you can sit and drink in the quietness and relax. We are asked in Psalm 46 v 10 to ‘Be still, and know that I am God’

Try to take time to slow down today, to rest in God’s presence, meditate, pray, read, even if for a short time. We lack nothing we need because He cares for us. Allow God our Good Shepherd to tend to you, guide you and lead you and He will ‘refresh’ your soul.

Ro Yates 

Tuesday 2nd June 2020

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent

and set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 27 v 4 – 5

I wonder what you have been praying for most since the outbreak of Covid-19? I guess, like me, you have been praying for God to keep us safe, to protect our families, our church family and to bring the pandemic to a speedy end. This is all perfectly right and understandable. I am sure God hears our prayers and knows our hearts.

In Psalm 27, David is also going through a really tough time. He is under siege, surrounded by a hostile enemy seeking to ‘devour’ him. It is a time of great danger and threat for him.

But David’s prayer is interesting. He only asks one thing – that he may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life. In other words, he longs to be in God’s presence, where he knows he is completely safe. Here, he knows he is sheltered, and he has a solid and secure rock beneath. David is full of confidence – not in his own abilities or qualities, but in God’s faithfulness and goodness.

But David is not just longing for heaven, to be in God’s presence in that sense. His confidence is that he will ‘see the goodness of God in the land of the living’.

David’s confidence in God shines through this psalm. He talks to himself twice in verse one, “Why should I be afraid? The Lord is my light and salvation, He is the stronghold of my life.”

He concludes the psalm with these wonderful words which would be good to dwell upon today – read and re-read them, say them out loud to ourselves, meditate on them, memorise them if possible - so that we are filled with the same confidence that David had.

I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please fill me with confidence that, amidst all the turmoil and trouble around me right now, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Help me to be strong, to take heart and to wait for You. May my only desire be to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen

Martyn Orton

Monday 1st June 2020

‘Timothy, I thank God for you. He is the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.’

2 Tim 1 v 3 -4

Our situation may not be quite the same as Paul and Timothy’s, but I think we are all experiencing some similar emotions as we have to spend time apart .... but like Paul and Timothy we can continue to give thanks to God for each other, to pray for one another, plus we do have so many means of staying in touch (Paul and Timothy only had letters or messengers, so would have gone days, weeks maybe even months without hearing anything).

We have a lot to be thankful for and, of course, we look forward to the great joy (and most likely tears) we will experience when we can all be together again.

Prayer

Father God, we thank you for your great love and mercy for each of us and that this is what unites us as a fellowship. Help us to continue to give thanks and to bear one another in prayer before you as we look forward to the time when we can worship you together again.

Amen

Sharon Tromans

Sunday 31st May 2020

God is love

‘I have loved you with an everlasting love'

Jeremiah 31 verse 3

There are many hymns that remind us of God's love for us:

'And can it be' (amazing love...)

'How deep the Father's love for us ...'

'Love divine, all loves excelling...'

'Love before the dawn of time...'

'Such love, pure as the whitest snow ...'- to name just a few.

There is one hymn that I would like us to concentrate upon today:

Loved with everlasting love,

Led by grace that love to know;

Spirit, breathing from above,

Thou hast taught me it is so.

Oh, this full and perfect peace!

Oh, this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease,

I am His, and He is mine.

Heaven above is softer blue,

Earth around is sweeter green;

Something lives in every hue

Christless eyes have never seen:

Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,

Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know,

I am His, and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms

Cannot now disturb my rest;

Closed in everlasting arms,

Pillowed on the loving breast.

Oh, to lie forever here,

Doubt and care and self resign,

While He whispers in my ear,

I am His, and He is mine.

His forever, only His:

Who the Lord and me shall part?

Ah, with what a rest of bliss

Christ can fill the loving heart.

Heaven and earth may fade and flee,

Firstborn light in gloom decline;

But, while God and I shall be,

I am His, and He is mine.

Wade Robinson, 1890

God loves us and His love is everlasting. His love will never, ever die. It started in the beginning and it will never end. It is everlasting. 1 John 4 verse 10 says: 'This is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us'. What is more is that nothing can separate us from His love.

Romans 8 verse 38, summarised 'I am convinced that neither death nor life, angels or demons, height or depth, present or future, nor anything in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God'.

Let us take great comfort today in how great God's love is for each of us.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for such love, for such everlasting love You have for each of us. Keep us in Your love today'

Amen

Tim Knight

Saturday 30th May 2020

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5 v 11

I don't know about you, but I feel like I've hit a wall this week. Everything is just getting that bit harder. Harder to stay motivated, harder to see an end, harder to stay positive.

Do you have days where you feel just not good enough, not a good enough friend, spouse, parent, child... And definitely not a good enough follower of Christ? Even before Covid-19 happened there were days like this.

The devil loves days where we feel like this; it means he can plant doubt in our mind and turn our eyes away from God.

When we find it hard to understand, God loves us regardless of how 'good' we are or feel. Sometimes when we read His word and pray to Him it just doesn't seem to sink in.

That is when our family of faith come in, that's when you come in for someone else.

To encourage one another and build each other up. To build each other up spiritually, mentally... To remind each other of the promises God has spoken over us, how God is with us and loves us always. Even when we feel alone, we are not.

Knowing people are praying for me, for my family is such a blessing and encouragement. Letting someone know you are thinking and praying for them is so important. We are a family, God knows we need reminding of our worth, of His love for us and one of the many ways He reminds us is through each other.

Who can you encourage, build up and bless this week?

If you're not sure, ask God to show you. He tends to know these things

P.S. You are enough, you are loved and I am praying for you.

Prayer

Loving heavenly father, please be my comfort when I need comforting, be my strength when I feel weak, lift me up when I am down. Thank You that You are always there for me and love me even when I feel unlovable.

Please show me this week who I can encourage and bless. Thank you for my family of faith.

Amen

Jess Tromans

Friday 29th May 2020

‘Lord, give me strength!’

How are you feeling? What state of mind and heart are you in?

Sometimes, I think it’s best not to ask these questions. I tend to adopt a ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ mentality. Keep busy. Get on with a project. I guess for a lot of people it’s recently been a case of gardening, baking, cleaning the car, decorating, going for a walk, cleaning the car, watching telly, contacting people, cleaning the car, and so on.

Are you getting a bit weary of the lockdown? Maybe you’re still working, or going back to work, and are finding the extra pressure and uncertainty quite stressful and mentally draining. Online meetings and calls can be much more tiring than face-to-face ones. Perhaps you’re missing loved ones. If you’re alone, or feeling alone, that in itself can be draining.

But God hasn’t abandoned or forgotten you. Spending time with God is a source of spiritual, emotional and mental strength. Read this passage, from Isaiah 40, and put your hope in the Lord, the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.

Then pray it back to Him and claim that renewal of strength from the Creator Himself.

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord…

Isaiah 40 v 27 - 31

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? [or Christian?]

Why do you say, Israel, [or Church?]

“My way is hidden from the Lord;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Martin Yates

Thursday 28th May 2020

Psalm 13

I’m sure during the last 60 plus days we have all struggled at some point to come to terms with and cope with the situation we find ourselves in, living our lives in a completely different way to we expected at the beginning of the year.

What I find especially hard is not being able to meet together as a fellowship. Zoom and FaceTime are great to keep in touch, but there’s no substitute for the personal touch and that warm embracing hug from a loved one or brother or sister in Christ.

This can leave us feeling isolated and alone. In Psalm 13 David was fleeing for his life and he felt like God had deserted him and cried out to God to hear him and answer him … Whatever our situation let us remember that our Lord is with us. He does not mind us pouring out our hearts to Him, telling of our struggles and anxieties.

But let us also remember to do what David did at the end of Psalm 13 ... he trusted in God and praised him ... “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”

We just look forward to the day we can praise our Lord together as a fellowship, but In the meantime we can remember and rest in God’s many promises.

‭‭“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”’ (2 Corinthians 12 v 9)

Sharon Tromans

Wednesday 27th May 2020

Jesus Prays for All Believers

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one - I in them and you in me - so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”

John 17 v 20 – 23

I love John chapter 17 because I am mentioned in the Bible – no, not because my middle name is Ruth, but because Jesus prays for all believers!

Even though Jesus was about to embark on the most painful time, leading to his sacrificial death on the cross for us, He is praying for His disciples and then all believers. His care and compassion and desire to do His Father’s will is so evident in this chapter.

“My prayer is not for them alone (His disciples). I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message”, verse 20

How wonderful to know that Jesus prayed for us and it again shows that the Bible is relevant and inspiring today:

“For the word of God is alive and active” Hebrews 4 v 12a

What does Jesus pray for us? He prays that we will have unity so that the world will know who Jesus is and recognise the unity between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (the Trinity) and God’s love for all His children. This is also Jesus’ heart when He says:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Although these are uncertain times and we have had to learn to adapt to new ways of keeping in touch, I am very grateful for the support and prayers and updates and encouragements from our church family in Wall Heath and other churches in the UK and also from abroad. I pray that our unity and faith in Christ will draw people to Him in these times and that they will put their trust and faith in Him too.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, we praise and thank You for Your love and sacrifice which enabled us to believe and trust in You, by the Holy Spirit. We pray that You will keep Your Church strong and united in these times and that this will bring glory and honour to You.

Amen

Ali Orton

Tuesday 26th May 2020

The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favour in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.

Genesis 39 verses 2 - 4

So, hands up who’s getting a bit fed up?

I know I am. And it’s ok to feel like that sometimes. But let’s never forget that the Lord is with us, walking through this and anything else we may go through in the future.

What I find so encouraging - and challenging at the same time - in this passage from Genesis 39 verse 3, is that Potiphar could see that God was with Joseph.

As we continue to navigate our way around this “new normal”, let’s try to make sure that we show that God is with us in the way to act, talk and look to serve those around us, so that they may see that our joy and our hope is in the Lord the God of the world and the Saviour of our souls. Not that we want people to look up to us, but so that others can see God’s goodness radiating through our lives.

Prayer

Thank You that we are going through life with you at our side. Please Lord, shine through us so that others may see what a great, wonderful and powerful God You are.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Monday 25th May 2020

The unfolding of your words gives light;

it gives understanding to the simple.

Psalm 119:130

Before the days of sending messages online or even via email, we used those strange red circular boxes by the sides of the road with a horizontal hole in the top. When we led a Christian Camps in Wales week, all the applications, references, information letters, directions and checks were done via snail mail.

What started as a “wouldn’t it be funny if…” moment, went on for the many years that we used snail mail. I’m not sure whether it was my good friend who started it or me, but on receiving a letter or card, opening and then unfolding it, a variety of small objects would be scattered all over the place. They were mostly the small round disks from a hole punch, but occasionally were those little birthday table sprinkles and I seem to remember once or twice using rice. How often would we forget and just unfold those letters and utter a deep groan.

I appeal to your maturity and good sense to not think “Let’s restart this!”

‘Unfolding’ is a purposeful act of seeing what is inside. Within scripture, the very words themselves can be unfolded to reveal the light that enables us to see our God, the truth and salvation in a deeper and deeper clarity the more we unfold those words and mine their rich depths.

We may think that calling us ‘simple’ is derogatory but in reality, it is saying that even a small child who unfolds and reads, and then keeps unfolding and reading will gain understanding. They will know God and the law which reveals Him.

Read the verse before, where the word ‘wonderful’ describes the supernatural depth of the scriptures that reveal God. Then, read the verse after and ask yourself, do those words ‘I long’ describe you?

Prayer

Lord God, encourage me to unfold Your words, and unfold Your words, and unfold your words … that as Your light shines more and more brightly in my heart, I may see Your beauty, holiness and majesty more and more.

Amen

Pastor Matt Jones

Sunday, 24th May 2020

Look at the birds; they don’t sow seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Heavenly Father takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds?
Matthew 6 v 26

If, like me, you are finding that sleep is very hard to come by at the moment, then perhaps you’re lying awake listening to the dawn chorus at about 4am each morning. For such small creatures, God has provided them with loud and tuneful melodies to sing out. Then, for the rest of the day, they go about their normal business, feeding, drinking, bathing, feeding their young and helping them to fledge. Their little world is just the same. They know nothing of the chaos that our world has been thrown into.

Our world is far from the normal we once knew. Yet it must continue. We still need to find some sort of “new normal”, new routines, new hobbies, new ways of communicating and keeping in touch. With each week that passes, this “new normal” changes slightly. Perhaps more freedom will be ours in the coming days and weeks.

This verse reminds me that we are far more precious to God than the birds, yet He knows when every sparrow falls. So how much more does He love us and care for us. Creation is a real blessing every day, but even more so at the moment, if your garden is the only place you can go. Appreciate it but appreciate the Creator even more so. He loves us, He cares for us. We are precious in His sight.

Prayer

Father God thank You for Your amazing and awesome creation. Thank You that You know and care about every creature on this planet. Thank You that You care so much more for each one of us.

Amen

Kay Cram

Saturday, 23rd May 2020

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1 v 19 - 20

We are all familiar with the unique drilling sound of the woodpecker and will gaze amongst the treetops to spot this beautiful little bird. We’d been hearing a bird call of 5 shrill notes recently and now know it to be that of the green woodpeckers living in the trees by our house.

But, I have long loved the woodpecker for its most incredible design features and pure creative genius.

Here are a few of its features:-

• A bill made out of an un-shatter-able, elastic and incredibly strong material.

• A tongue that is a third of its body length and so long it has to be coiled and stored in its nostril. It has a special sticky tip for gathering bugs from deep beneath the bark of a tree.

• A shock absorbing system that baffles scientists, protecting its brain from the hammering forces that would give any human brain damage with just one blow, let alone continuous blows at incredible speeds.

• Claws with phenomenal grip and special tail feathers for ultimate support to prevent it from pushing itself away from the tree whilst drilling.

We don’t have to look far in nature to see our Creator God. Not one of the woodpecker’s features could have been present before another. There would have been no need for amazing shock absorbers around the brain without an un-shatter-able bill, no need for powerful claws if it wasn’t drilling with such power and speed and no need for that incredibly long sticky tongue if it didn’t need to reach into those deep inaccessible places.

What is nature teaching us here? That God the Creator placed all of these amazing aspects of the world in which we dwell with all their complexities to show us his power and presence. That seeing Him through the things around us is both purposeful and unavoidable. Let’s try and find time to stop, … pause … and look around us at the incredible detail of the world in which we have been placed and see a loving God who gave us all these things to enable us to see Him in all His glory and goodness.

Prayer

Creator and loving God, help me to see You in the world around me. Give me time to stop and absorb Your love for me by opening my eyes to the beauty of Your creation.

Amen

Helen Jones

Friday 22nd May 2020

“I do believe: help me overcome my unbelief”

Mark 9 verse 24

“There is a man called Jesus, who is a healer of the sick. He is on a tour of the country and tomorrow he will be in our area! Why don’t you take your son and ask Jesus to make him better?”

The father looked at his son sitting beside him. Suddenly the boy threw himself on the ground in a convulsion, rolling around, foaming at the mouth and gnashing his teeth. As he writhed, he moved nearer and nearer to the cooking pot on the fire! His father used all his strength to pull him away from danger. After a few minutes the boy stopped and lay rigid on the ground. Eventually he opened his eyes and looked round. His father gently picked him up and carried him to his bed to recover.

The man thought, “Yes, if there is any hope of my son being well after all these years, I will take him to this man Jesus.”

Next day the man, with his son, set off to the place where they heard that Jesus and his disciples were staying. When he arrived he found that Jesus and three of his disciples had gone walking up the mountain, but nine of them were still there. The man told them about his son and the problem he had and asked them to heal him. They tried to copy what Jesus did and heal him, but nothing happened. The crowd that had gathered were not impressed and some started arguing with the disciples.

Then Jesus returned from the mountain top (and his transfiguration) and asked his disciples what the argument was about. The father spoke up and told Jesus about his son and how the disciples had failed to heal him. Jesus replied, “Bring the boy to me.” As the boy got to Jesus, he had a convulsion, falling to the ground, rolling around and foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” The man replied, “Since he was a little child. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe: help me overcome my unbelief!” Jesus then spoke and the boy was healed.

Don’t we all identify with this man who said he believed that Jesus could do something, but needed more faith to believe He would? So often I have prayed these words and I think it is ok to do so because in Hebrews 12: 2 it says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Any belief and faith we have in the true God, is given to us by Jesus (the author) and it is something that Jesus (the perfecter) can make grow.

I will end with a prayer for increased faith written by Richard, Bishop of Chichester, in the 13th century, the last part of which you may already know.

Prayer

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits Thou hast given me and for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may I know Thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow Thee more nearly, day by day.

Amen

Jane Caine

Thursday 21st May 2020

"He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe."

Ephesians 4: 10.

Ascension Day is one Christian festival that passes without most of us noticing it! That's no doubt largely because it's not on a Sunday, so the subject doesn't get its own sermon!

But maybe also it's because we don't know quite what to make of it.

One thing it certainly does is to mark a transition, a point after which the disciples' interaction with Jesus will be different to all that's gone before. In the appearances after His resurrection, Jesus' presence was a physical, tangible one. That meant an enormous amount in terms of reassurance ... Jesus really was alive. Equally it must have been a disconcerting time: He was liable to turn up at any time, brick walls no barrier ... and then vanish again! But now that in-between period is over. There would be occasions in the future when Jesus would become visible and/or audible to someone, just as to Paul on the Damascus road. ( And also to quite a few people today who are cut off from normal ways of learning about Jesus.) But from the Ascension on, the usual way of encountering Him is by His Spirit and His Word.

Does that make His presence less real: are we left on our own? No! What Paul's words in Ephesians 4 tell us is that ...

" ... this is not a Christ-deserted, but a Christ-filled world!"

(I think that's a quote from William Barclay, by the way.)

Even in Galilee, just as after the resurrection, Jesus could only be in one place at one time! To be with one group meant not being with another. But now, "He fills the universe with His presence". We are never "out of touch", whatever it feels like! Nothing, Paul tells us at the end of Romans 8, can prevent us being the objects of His loving care!

David Makepeace

Wednesday, 20th May 2020

And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3 v 14

Simplicity

I find the English language often overuses the word love. After all, I can tell my husband or my children that I love them, and in the same breath say that I love chocolate. Yet I am confident that they are two completely different types of love! I also often hear my girls singing along to their favourite songs, most about loving something or someone. What pop song doesn’t have the word love in it?!

God’s command to love provides us with a life of simplicity. Christianity is a simple religion. We haven’t got an endless list of do’s and don’ts, or rituals to complete. Jesus said that all of God’s commandments can be summed up with one word: Love. As it is said in Galatians 5 v 14 “The entire law is summed up in a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself.” So why does our spiritual health often feel so complex and difficult? Why do we often struggle to experience the simplicity our faith provides us? Why do we sometimes struggle to feel or see God’s love for us?

Complexity in Christianity is often due to us trying to live for both the world and God. Jesus makes it clear in Mathew 6 v 24, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money”. Loving God and people is simple, there is only one right choice before us in all we do. Complexity starts when we try to juggle living for the world and living for God. It is impossible to put one foot in God’s kingdom while keeping a foot in the world. God longs for us to start each day serving and loving Him. He longs to guide us into the incredible and abundant life that comes from seeking Him.

It is time for us to let God love us and in response live for Him alone. We need to choose the simplicity of love, serve God alone, and discover a life far greater than anything we can possibly experience outside of living for God above all else.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank you for loving us so much that You sent Your one and only Son to die for us, to bridge the gap between us and You. Thank you that You keep loving us no matter what. Help me to remember Your love in life’s difficult moments. Help me to keep things simple by loving You and letting You guide me along the way.

Amen

Rachel Boden

Tuesday, 19th May 2020

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “It's alright”, he said “I am here! Don't be afraid”.

Matt 14 v 27

The verse above comes when Jesus appeared to the disciples walking on the water. The disciples were in trouble in a boat far from land, fighting strong winds and heavy waves. In the middle of their struggle, Jesus comes to them walking on the water. They were terrified, they thought He was a ghost. So He speaks to them, “I am here! Don't be afraid”.

Just like the disciples we can feel like we are battling heavy waves. Our lives have changed so dramatically over these weeks. We rely so much on our circumstances for our confidence and now, just like the waves, this is undulating beneath our feet. But Jesus says to us “It's alright, I am here!”

Our circumstances may be uncertain and we may have more uncertainty to come. But Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13 v 18) tells us “I am here! Don't be afraid”.

So, through this uncertainty, just like Peter take the hand of Jesus, fix your eyes on Him and not on the large waves around us. It's alright, He is here, it's alright! Don't be afraid.

Wendy Schipper

Monday 18th May 2020

At our Tuesday house group we are following a study guide called “How To Pray” by Pete Grieg.

One of the chapters has been about “worship”, but Pete does not call it that, instead he calls it “rejoicing”. He used the verse in Philippians (4 v 4) that says “REJOICE IN THE LORD!” The word “in” struck me. We are not just to be joyful in the presence of God, which is easy when everything is going well, but to be joyful in all that God is, even when times are hard and we are feeling miserable.

I have found this really helpful and it has set me thinking what there is about God that makes me want to rejoice in Him. Before He formed me He knew me (Jeremiah 1 v 5). He created me (Genesis 2 v 7 and Psalm 139 v 13). He has even counted the number of hairs on my head (Luke 12 v 7). He is good and forgiving (Psalm 86 v 5). I am sure you can think of many more attributes …

I have been reading through the book of Isaiah and the very next morning God hit me between the eyes (metaphorically speaking)! I read chapter 62 the second half of verse 5 “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride SO WILL YOUR GOD REJOICE OVER YOU.” Wow! Not only do I rejoice in the Lord, but at the same time God is rejoicing over me. He is not like an earthly ruler who accepts his or her subjects’ obeisance, but has no knowledge of or interest in who they really are. God loves us and gets pleasure from us coming to Him and being with Him.

One of the prophets says, God “will rejoice over you with gladness. (Zephaniah 3 v 7). David asks God to “keep me as the apple of your eye” (Psalm17 v 8). Paul says, “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3 v 17 - 19). Paul also says that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8 v 35 - 39).

We know that we fail God so many times, but when we come into His presence, it is with a love which He has given us. “We love because He (God) has first loved us, (I John 4 v 17). Also we have a special relationship with God. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!” (1 John 3 v 1). We are family! We belong together!

“Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice”, as God rejoices over us!

Prayer

O Lord God, I come aside from the busyness and cares of the day and rejoice in who You are. You are my rock and my fortress, my Saviour and my Lord. I love You and I am so grateful for Your great love for me. Thank you that through the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Heavenly Father and I am your child and the apple of your eye.

Amen

Jane Caine

 Sunday, 17th May 2020

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide,

The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day,

Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away,

Change and decay in all around I see,

O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes,

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee,

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Songwriters: HENRY FRANCIS LYTE, WILL HENRY MONK

'Abide with me'

I have been reminded of this lovely old hymn recently. Every time I hear it or see the words, I am reminded of my dear old dad - it was one of his favourite hymns. I understand this hymn was also a favourite of King George V. Since the 1927 FA Cup Final, the first and last verses are sung at the final before kick-off.

The Biblical link is Luke 24 verse 29. It was when the disciples asked Jesus to abide with them as it was approaching the evening. They perhaps had spent the day with Jesus and did not want it to end. They wanted to experience His presence for as long as they could.

During these difficult times, some of us might be doing well and coping with the new challenges that we face. Others, however, might be struggling somewhat. Whatever we are currently feeling, the sentiment of the hymn can be a prayer, 'Lord, abide with me.' We can ask our Lord to be close to us, to draw very near.

I once heard a preacher speak of 'practising the presence of Jesus.' I believe he meant that we should regularly, daily, remind ourselves of Jesus' presence with us. In one sense, we don't need to ask Him, He is already there with us, today and every day.

Psalm 91 verse 1: 'He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.'

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, help us to experience something of Your great presence today as we dwell in You.

Thank You for the security and certainty of Your presence.

Amen

Tim Knight

Saturday 16th May 2020

But Noah found favour in the sight of the Lord.

Genesis 6 v 8

Those of you who know me well will be surprised to hear that I decided to go out on a walk the other evening and listen to worship music. This is the part that kept my attention.

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I’m a child of God

Yes I am

In my Father’s house

There’s a place for me

I’m a child of God

Yes I am

I am chosen

Not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me

Not against me

I am who You say I am

The words “I am who you say I am” gave me such joy and peace. Like Noah, we have done nothing to earn the love of Christ (contrary to some children’s books). The Bible doesn’t say Noah was an especially Godly or righteous man, or even just a “good person”, yet he was given grace by God to be saved. Likewise, while we were still sinners Christ died for us. That means He loves us as we are and as we were. There is nothing we can do to pay Him back for what He has done, but we should love Him because He first loved us.

We are who He says we are. We are sons of the Father. We have our hearts and minds guarded by His sprit. We are saved through the sacrifice of the Son.

Ephesians says we are His masterpiece. How often do we look at others in our family, our friendship groups or in our church and think, ‘I wish I could pray like them, preach like them or have their faith’? There is no need. God loves us for who we are and let’s take our value in how much He loves us, not who we think we should be.

What a Saviour, what a friend we have in the Lord who is our Lord.

Prayer

Thank You Lord that you love us no matter who or what we have done, that You accept us as we are and that through Your work on the cross we can be united with you in glory.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Friday, 15th May 2020

Cast all your anxieties on Him for he cares for you.

1 Peter 5v7

We have been blessed by kind neighbours who have supplied us with many books and jigsaws over these past few weeks. I read this poem in the front of one of the books last week. The book is called ‘My one true North’ and the poem entitled ‘Life gone south’. The first verse is as follows…

I quote my practiced answer

My face a perfect mask,

I am doing good, I’m fine

How kind of you to ask.

Perhaps you feel a bit like this now. Trying to give the right answer when underneath you’re not fine, you’re not feeling great, actually you feel lonely, anxious, worried, scared or a multitude of other emotions. That’s ok. It’s ok to not feel ok sometimes. Our Lord Jesus, when on earth, was fully God and fully human. He knew what was like to experience these emotions, so he understands how we are feeling. However, we know from the Bible that He offers us a way through, He will carry all our cares and anxieties if we let Him, if we hand over our burdens and let Him have control. Easier said than done, but if we practise letting go then we will experience His peace on even the darkest days.

Prayer

Father God, thank You that You do understand what we are going through. Help us to hand over all our cares and anxieties to You, however small and let Your peace fill us afresh.

Amen

Kay Cram

Thursday, 14th May 2020

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8 v 12

I love light. Whether it be candles, sunny days, or even a light display. I will often want the lounge light on all day when the weather is grey outside. I find people are naturally drawn to light. Some like to seek the sun on a warm day on the beach, or others like to star gaze on a dark clear night. Others find comfort by gazing at a flickering candle in a dim room, or find peace staring into a crackling campfire. We are attracted to light. It offers warmth, comfort and illumination. Without light, this world would be a cold, dark place, and we would quickly cease to exist, plants would die.

Jesus’ light is not that different. It is a source of warmth, comfort and illumination. Without his light, our hearts grow cold, our spirits grow uneasy and we lose sight of where we are heading, so we end up stumbling around. Despite all that, we sometimes chose to shield ourselves from Jesus’ light. Sometimes we may choose to wear “spiritual sunglasses” which dim the brightness of God’s word, so we don’t see that certain area in our lives that needs attention. Or we dim the light so a “dirty” room looks more attractive. We begin to excuse our behaviour, blame our surroundings, or the current situation, to convince ourselves we are doing the right thing. By doing so, we end up pushing Jesus’ light away. When we live continuously without good light, our physical health is affected: bone deterioration, some germs and bacteria can thrive, our mental health can also be affected in the form of seasonal affective disorder. Our spiritual health is no different. To be healthy, and happy, we need to soak up Jesus’ light. We need Him to light up our path, and bring us back from the dark paths we stray on.

Prayer

Dear God, please shine Your light on me. I know I need it to find my way and to be healthy and happy. Teach me to welcome Your light always. Remind me of Your comforting light in my times of trouble. Give me the confidence to shine Your light for others.

Amen

Rachel Boden

Wednesday, 13th May 2020

What are your favourite verses in the Bible?

One of mine is …

2 Corinthians 5 v 21

‘God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’

This is what is called ‘the great exchange.’ It describes one of the incredible things God has done to enable us to be Christians.

I’m sorry for those of you younger than 45, as you won’t remember a children’s Saturday morning TV show called ‘Swap Shop’. Or, if you are over 45, you may have watched the ITV, chaotic alternative called ‘Tiswas.’ In ‘Swap shop’, kids would do a direct swap of an item they owned with something somebody else owned. An exchange of types.

Usually a swap is for something of equal value. In the great exchange, what is ours is sin. It is not something we can get rid of, it is offensive to God and because of it we deserve its partner, death. Jesus, through His sacrifice as a sinless man became ‘sin for us’, He took the punishment for sin. In a very real way, He took the full weight of God’s justice for our sin. He died the death that we deserved to die.

As well as taking our sin, what He gives us is truly astonishing. As a man, Jesus alone possesses ‘the righteousness of God’. That is, before God the judge, in the heavenly law court, Jesus alone is not guilty of sin. Yet this is exactly what He shares with those who place their faith in Him. A right standing before God. God looks at a Christian and sees the sinless perfection of the Saviour, Jesus, given to us.

We could say that being a Christian is the greatest ‘win, win’ of all. Sin and death are taken from us and Jesus’s perfection and life are given to us. All because of the wonderful Saviour we have in Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus. We rejoice in His saving work giving us life.

Amen

Pastor Matthew Jones

Tuesday 12th May 2020

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4 v 8 - 9

We were not made to be filled with fear, to dwell in injustice, to have a heart of hate, to worry or to feel overwhelmed with bad thoughts and feelings. We were not made to be apart from God.

We broke that connection when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden. But God made a way to fix the brokenness by sending His son for us.

We were created to have a heart full of love, peace and knowledge of the truth. We were made to worship our Creator, to be close to God, to be free. And, because of the work that took place on the cross, our debt was paid.

We are called to be children of God, so let's not let our minds and hearts be filled with things that are not of Him, but focus on all the good, the blessings, the miracles and the praise worthy things we are given and dwell in the security and the peace from God. He is calling you today.

Prayer

Father, may we set our eyes on things of You and not allow temptations and sin to steal our joy. We praise You and thank You for all You are. You are good all the time.

Amen

Jess Tromans

Monday 11th May 2020

Be Blessed

Many of us have been blessed recently by a song simply called, The Blessing. If you’ve missed it, there’s a link at the end of this motivation; please use it and be blessed.

The words of the song are simple and straight from Aaron’s blessing in the Bible, which you can find in the Book of Numbers, chapter 6, verses 24 to 26, where it says:

24 The Lord bless you

and keep you;

25 the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

26 the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.

I’ve been thinking about why I, and others, have been so moved by this song. This is what I came up with, I hope it helps you.

First, it starts with, “The Lord…”. It says it three times. There’s no better place to start. It doesn’t start with our worries, fears or troubles. Whatever our situation or state of mind, the Lord is who we need to go to. The words of this blessing have power in them, because they are God’s inspired words and they have the power of the Lord in them to change us and our circumstances.

Second, it’s addressed to ‘you’ – yes, God is speaking to you personally. God’s word is for us. God wants to speaks to us and share his blessings with us. God is ‘for you’ so who can be against you.

Third, God’s face shines from this blessing. The beautiful sunshine we’ve been blessed with lately gives us just a glimpse of what these words are about. We feel blessed by the light and warmth of the sun on our skin. The radiance of God’s face – His favour, His peace and His grace – reaches deep into our souls.

As I end this thought, I’m praying this blessing over you. God knows you, and wants to bless you even as you read these words now, and He loves you and is for you.

Be blessed today, and every day, by the reality that the light of God’s face shines on you. Enjoy it’s warmth, and perhaps, you could pray this blessing over loved ones that you cannot be with at the moment.

Let’s pray for ourselves and each other:

Lord, please bless us and keep us. Lord, make Your face shine on us and be gracious to us. Lord, we pray, turn Your face towards us and give us Your peace.

Amen.

Martin Yates

Link to the song “The Blessing” being sung by Christians all over the UK

Sunday, 10th May 2020

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus Christ

Romans 8 v 1

Over the last few days I’ve had a couple of words rattling around my mind. these words are:

Liberty

Condemnation

They are, as you will no doubt see, opposed to each other.

Firstly, where does your mind take you when you think about liberty?

I’m sure words such as freedom and peace come to mind. I was taught a very clear lesson many years ago by God regarding forgiveness. The short version of the story is simply that God challenged me to utterly forgive someone who had wronged me. There was to be no agenda on my part, I was not to wait for an apology or try and argue my case, I was simply tasked with forgiving them. I can tell you now that taking God at his word and doing as instructed led me to experience liberty and freedom such that I had never previously experienced. It was an incredibly joyful place to be, ultimately it led to a healing in the relationship that had been threatened. God always knows best.

What about condemnation?

We know from the verse above that once we are forgiven in Christ we face no condemnation, His forgiveness is utter and absolute.

So why is that I so often feel I’ve let God down? Why do I sometimes feel that I must carry at least part of my sinfulness around with me, or mull over it or feel bad?

The verse starts “Therefore”, so we must ask ourselves what it’s there for…

Paul is discussing in chapter 7 his sinful nature, the fact that every time he tries to do good, it is tainted by bad. He describes himself as wretched. If that was the end of the discussion where would that leave us? Condemned.

Praise God, turn the page and there is the good news. There is NO condemnation for those in Jesus. In the words of Frozen we can…here it comes…let it go!

In Revelation, the devil is described as the “accuser”, it is he that wags his finger before God and says look how bad they are, why bother with them?

In the same passage in Revelation (Chapter 12) the accuser is hurled into the abyss. The devil is defeated and, of course, was defeated at the cross.

There is no condemnation for us.

Listen to God and live at liberty.

Prayer

Father, forgive me when I fail to accept my standing before You as a child of God. Give me the absolute peace of knowing that I am utterly accepted by You, not because of anything I have done but because of your saving grace.

Martin Tromans

Saturday 9th May 2020

Shout for joy to God all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise.

Psalm 66 v 1

I think it’s good to be honest today and say that yesterday I spent the day in a “mood”. I sulked around the house, watched a lot of tv and drank a lot of coffee (thankfully the kids were great yesterday). But I just couldn’t be bothered. And I’m sure we all have days like this, but even in those days we should still give God the glory.

We’re never told that every day will be wonderful and carefree as one of his followers, yet we are to still praise him because even when we “aren’t feeling it” He is still the same, He is still worthy and He is still our Saviour.

Psalm 66 speaks of this truth from verse 8

Praise our God, all peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance

We might feel like we’re going through a time of trial and testing right now. We are having to live out our faith in a different way than we have before whilst we can’t meet, but we should never let our praise to God waver. As the Psalm goes on to say, after the trials God will bring us to a place of abundance. Difficulties, trials and bad days are what help us to grow and, through all of this, let’s pray for each other that we will continue to grow collectively in our faith, that when we meet again we will all have continued to experience God in new and wonderful ways. Then we can shout for joy to Him together as one church and one family.

The Psalm finishes in verse 20 with these words:

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected our prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.

Today, may this be true of all of us; that we will know our prayers are heard by the God of heaven who loves us deeper than we can know and will lead us to a place of abundance, whether in this life or the next.

Prayer (from Psalm 66 v 3)

How awesome are your deeds, so great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name. Come and see what God has done he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Friday 8th May 2020

‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.’

Hebrews 10:24-25

Hmmmm, ‘meeting together’ I hear you say with a deep sense of irony!

Helen’s father started a new hobby a while back and now makes walking sticks, and he’s become pretty good at it, I must say. The last time he was in our garden he was attracted to the two hazel trees we have, which produce long straight upwards stems, perfect for walking sticks.

Once the hazel stems we provided have seasoned, we look forward to seeing the walking sticks he makes with them and will probably need one sooner than we anticipate. Walking sticks are an illustration of the biblical sense of encouragement, as leaning on one who supports us in our faith. Jesus is one on whom we can lean constantly but the gift of encouragement and the practice of encouragement are given to the church as a beautiful gift.

There is no reason at all why we cannot be encouraging one another. The means and methods are available to us, all that is needed is the heart to be a support for your brothers and sisters who need you. Encouragement is far more than kind words; it is the recognition of need and the willingness to be the provider of what is needed for another to persevere.

One of my lecturers at Bible college had the gift of encouragement. He was a pastor, a giant in the faith, and a man I respected deeply, yet every time I was burdened and hurting (and there were times), he would always, and I mean always, be there and his words would be sweet medicine to my soul. He saw the struggle and walked towards it and I learned so much from him.

Let us be those people to each other.

Prayer

Lord, You have given us each other and we thank you for the rich blessing of being in a local church. Help us to be aware and to notice each other’s struggles and to be the support we need to spur one another on in love and good deeds.

Matt Jones

Thursday 7th May 2020

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15 v 57 – 58

Recently, I watched the complete re- showing of England winning the cricket World Cup in 2019. As a cricket fan, it was still a very tense occasion even though I knew the outcome! Tomorrow, 8th May is a bank holiday this year to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of V.E. Day (Victory in Europe). It is an incredibly significant day, but, due to the restrictions at present, most events will be virtual. A few of you may remember V.E Day 1945 and the celebrations and the dawning of hope after suffering, horror and pain. We are grateful to all those who sacrificed their lives and health so that we could enjoy peace and freedom.

I like this definition of the word “victory”: success in a fight against an enemy, opponent, or something difficult (definition from kids.wordsmyth.net).

The passage from 1 Cor. 15 reminds us all that Jesus has won the victory over sin and death. Nothing can separate us from His love, and we read about that in Romans chapter 8. As a result of Christ’s victory, which He alone could achieve, how does that impact us in the situations we are faced with today? The passage says we should be thankful (v. 57), we should stand firm (v. 58) and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord (v. 58).

Paul’s affection for fellow Christians, in his words “my dear brothers and sisters,” also reminds us that we are all in this together and we should continue to encourage and pray for each other.

Prayer

Lord God, we praise you for the victory Jesus won for us on the cross. We pray that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we would be thankful in all circumstances, that we would stand firm and that we would work for Your Glory. Amen

Ali Orton

Wednesday, 6th May 2020

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.

Genesis 9 v 16

Last Thursday (30th), at 8 o’clock, when we were clapping in support of the NHS and other front line workers all over the country, rainbows appeared in the skies.

I love rainbows and always get a bubble of thanksgiving to our Lord. And always it reminds me of that chorus we sang with the Sunday School children: ‘when you see a rainbow remember God is love’.

In days of old when men went to war with bows and arrows, their bow was always facing the enemy. But when God put his bow in the sky He put the bow facing Him, showing us not anger, as those men of war, but He shows us compassion, love and mercy.

It is good for us to remember that the darker the clouds that engulf us, the more brightly shines God’s rainbow of blessings upon us.

And through the storms yet we will praise You

Despite it all yet we will sing,

Through good or bad yet we will worship

For You remain the same King of kings.

Eileen Thompson

Tuesday, 5th May 2020

"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the Throne..."

Revelation 5 v 6

The other day we came to the "love-it-or hate-it" book of the Bible, Revelation, and met the central figure, Jesus. He shows John, the human author, four "visions" of this world. They're like four sequences of film, taken from four different viewpoints. The first shows John the churches of his area as they look to God. The next is the longest piece of film, all the way to the end of chapter 16. God's Spirit takes John up into the Control Room of the Cosmos ... the "Throne" in Bible language. There's an on-going conversation about a scroll, a sealed writing that will show how God's purpose will work out in human history. John is upset that no-one there has the right to open it up and show us what is to be ... until John sees the figure described in our title ... the Lamb of God. He has the right, and no-one else, and the reason why is spelled out in the hymns of praise the passage records.

Two things are striking. First, in God's way of operating, the way to Up is Down. Jesus is King, standing amid the Throne of God, because He came down to become a human creature, to suffer, and even to die. In the words of Graham Kendrick's hymn, he was "Conquering through sacrifice". That isn't how we expect the world to work. It isn't how "Great Men" operate! So the working of God's purpose will often be obscure to us at the time. Will the life to come often be a time of saying, "So that's what He was up to"?

But it brings a powerful reassurance to us, whatever we pass through in life. The one who allows us to experience the things we do is the One who loves us enough to have given His life for us on the Cross. Revelation paints in vivid colours the message of the whole New Testament, "Love has the victory for ever."

David Makepeace

Monday, 4th May 2020

During lockdown our house group has been talking a lot about prayer and using Pete Greig’s online course ‘How to Pray’ to study and give us guidance on what to talk about.

Last week’s was very helpful. To give us some structure to our prayers he advised we could pray in this way:

P - pause

R - rejoice

A - ask

Y - yield

The pause idea caused some thought and discussion (in a positive way). As we start our prayers, or even start a new day, pause before we dive straight in. Pause to think on the glory of God.

‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.’

Genesis 1 v 1, 11 - 12

We all find ourselves in a “new normal”, but all specific to ourselves. Some can’t work or aren’t working, some are working from home, some of us still have to go out to work, others of us are just stuck at home. Whatever our circumstance, look outside, pause for a moment and consider the God who has created all this. When we look out and see the beauty of creation it reflects the majesty of the God we know and worship today; the God who also listens to our prayers as a loving father.

Pause to sit in His presence today and rejoice in His goodness.

Prayer

We thank you Lord for your creation, we marvel at its beauty and the power You displayed in making it all. Help us to remember the bigger picture that You are always in control of it all. Nothing is out of Your hands.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Sunday, 3rd May 2020

Today’s motivation is a little different to normal. Here is an amazing testimony of what God has been doing very recently in Nicaragua during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. Kendra Doutt and her family are missionaries there and here she tells a quite remarkable story of God’s providence and a wonderful answer to prayer. May this encourage us to pray more and to exercise more faith as we pray.

Saturday 2nd May 2020

You have to have kept chickens to understand what I’m on about, but at times hens go into a type of crouch position. We have a little grey Silkie, that crouches in front of us when we get close to her. It’s a position of submission in the pecking order towards another hen higher up. It’s safe to assume she sees us humans as higher up too, but I think she also understands she gets picked up because she’s adorable and gets a treat (corn).

Looking into some of the passages in the Bible that talk about being still, there is the same idea of position and submission.

When Jesus was asleep in the boat during a storm and the disciples woke him for fear of being overwhelmed by the waves, it says in Mark 4 verse 39

‘He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.’

Nature itself was submissive to the command of the creator. It knew its position.

Then there are more personal verses in the Psalms that tell us to be still when surrounded by the complications and trouble of life.

Psalm 37 v 7

‘Be still before the Lord

and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.’

Psalm 46 v 10

‘He says “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.” ’

The commentator Derek Kidner, says “Be still…is not in the first-place comfort for the harassed but a rebuke to a restless and turbulent world: ‘Quiet!’ – in fact, ‘Leave off!’”

‘Being still’ is the solid ground for our submission to God Most High; to His greatness and glory. ‘Being still’ is not that we stop and cease activity but that all our opposition to God and His design for our life be stilled and we lay ourselves completely into his loving, caring almighty hands.

Prayer

Lord, our world is always restless and turbulent; it opposes You.

Help me to be still and, in trusting You, to know your glory and power and wonder all the more.

Amen

Pastor Matthew Jones

Friday, 1st May 2020

He placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."
Rev 1 v 17 - 18

A long time ago a close friend gave me some good advice. Whatever other Bible reading he was doing, he made it his habit to read a section of the Bible each day ... at “newspaper speed”. He wouldn't always stop to ponder what he read: his aim was just to keep himself familiar with the Bible as a whole, rather than just his “favourite bits”. It helps, of course, to have a plan, a system, or you'll end up with the “favourites” again. My system, printed at the foot of the daily reading notes I use, has brought me back to Revelation. Ah! Now that book is a bit like Marmite ... some find it kind of scary, in various ways. Some love it, for reasons good or not so good! But it could have useful things to say to us just now.

Remember, the first man to receive what Jesus was revealing was John, “self-isolating”(!) on the island of Patmos. (Well, actually, he was in preventive detention, just like an awful lot of Christians in our world today!). His world had fallen apart, he felt out of touch, and he had no idea when all this would end. Sounds a bit familiar?

So it can happen that we begin to wonder if there really is someone in charge, someone who knows what they're doing ... and that's where the words from the start of Revelation printed above speak to our need. What matters about a “revelation” is the identity of the revealer. Can we trust them? Do they know what they're talking about? Well, check this out. Jesus introduces himself as the one ...

• Who was there before creation began, and will be there beyond the end-point.

• Who is the One who is alive, and can give life to others - our life is only lent to us by God.

• Who has passed through death into life eternal: He knows the way and keeps the keys, so when we're called to pass that way He'll go with us and guide us through.

Is there someone in charge, who knows the plan and the goal? Yes! And He calls John ... and us ...to trust him that He knows what He's doing even when we can't see it.

Prayer

Lord, please coach us in the art of walking by faith and not by sight.

Amen.

David Makepeace

Thursday, 30th April 2020

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty Saviour. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs

Zephaniah 3 : 17

How I love this verse; short but insanely powerful and overwhelmingly encouraging.

God is with us right now and He is strong, powerful ... and He is fighting for us.

He is with us now and forever, while we rest in His presence He will calm our fears.

Take some time today to just rest in His presence, listen for Him to speak, wait for Him, allow Him space to work in you.

He rejoices over you with singing. Our Lord God sings over us ... how insane is that?! How incredible and how humbling.

He takes delight in us, in you. Take so much joy from that truth.

What a beautiful reminder that He loves you

Prayer

Oh Jesus, how we love You. We are so incredibly blessed to know a Saviour that loves us with such a passion, that sings over us, that takes gladness in us. What a Father we have, thank you for Your love Jesus. May we live all our days to show Your love to the world.

The love that took our place on the cross and paid the ultimate price for our salvation. That we are free because You loved us. Thank you Jesus

Amen

Jess Tromans

Wednesday 29th April 2020

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.

Eph 2 v 4 - 6, 19 - 20

Today, as you read this devotion, how do you feel? Are the world’s current circumstances getting to you a little? Do you feel alone (physically / spiritually or maybe you just feel like your struggles are not understood or the same as anyone else’s?). Maybe you’re in a good place today and I pray that you are. No matter what, God’s Word in Ephesians is true for us all.

If you have time, read this short book of the New Testament and see again what Jesus has done for you. It is an expression of His love; it is a guide for the Church and it is a call to prayer and unity. It can even provide helpful advice for families being stuck at home together in chapter 6 (I’ll let you look that up yourself!).

Jesus sacrificed Himself for you because He loves you so much. This chapter refers to us later as “God’s masterpiece” or “handiwork”, depending on the translation. Either way, it means we are designed by God to be exactly the way we are and He loves us the way we are. He sees us as perfect because through the Jesus, the cross and the empty tomb, our sins are no longer ours but are dealt with. We are loved! You are loved!

But we can still feel unloved and alone. Ephesians goes on to say we are not strangers and aliens but citizens of Christ together. We are united through Jesus so, while we are told to stay away from each other physically, nothing can take away the bond of Christ that unites us as a family. As chapter 4 says, we are one body, each part different but each part essential.

When one part of the body hurts it all hurts; when one part rejoices, we all rejoice. So let us continue to pray for each other and be assured that your church family who love you are praying for you too at this time.

God’s love for us is unchanging, no matter what we do or who we are. Trust Him today, surround yourself in His love and pray for each other.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for Jesus who, in the most perfect way, demonstrated Your love for us. Thank you that no matter how we see ourselves You see us as a masterpiece. Forgive our doubts and our sins and keep us close to You and to each other.

Amen.

Matt Tromans

Tuesday 28th April 2020

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 16:24

There is nothing more delightful to look upon than an amazing, intricate block of honeycomb swimming in a beautiful sweet sea of honey in your local deli store.

This proverb is true in so many ways; honey is both wonderful to the taste and healthy for the body (used in the right way and quantity of course).

Honey has natural broad spectrum antibacterial properties and is commonly used in modern medicine to dress infected wounds. Local honey is also said to help those who suffer from local pollen allergies.

The writer here compares good words to the soul with the qualities of honey to the body. When someone speaks good words to another it can lift someone’s spirit and strengthen the body.

What a blessing God has given us in the things He has provided for us to eat and the gracious words He has put in our mouths to strengthen others.

Words are powerful things. Find someone this week to bless with gracious, beautiful words.

Prayer

Father help me today to encourage someone. Give me the words to say and put on my heart the person to speak them to.

Amen.

Helen Jones

 Monday 27th April 2020

The present circumstances have found me spending a bit of time looking at church websites, seeing what they're doing at the present time to keep their members in touch. Apart from anything else, it has made me grateful for the work our communications team have put in for us at WHEFC! Somewhere along the line, I found someone had quoted a chunk from Colossians chapter 3, and one phrase stood out in verse 15 ...

"And be thankful."

The phrase lurched back into my mind as I read an update from a missionary service organisation this morning. It was inevitably talking about the Coronavirus pandemic and drawing attention to ways in which the difficulties we experience are enormously increased in other parts of the world. Some are obvious, like the availability of medical care and the affordability of medicines. Others are things I would not have thought of, but which make me realise how thankful I should be to live here in Western Europe.

In many cultures people live outside, and use inside only for sleep ... often quite large numbers together. "Social distancing", and advice to "stay at home" don't really fit the situation.

To survive each day depends on what can be found or earned that day: to stay at home without income is inconceivable.

Worldwide there are over 40 million internally displaced people and over 25 million refugees. Many live in camps, in cramped conditions, compromised in health, and with few supplies and facilities. For many, Covid-19 will be the last straw.

So I need to tell myself what Paul told the Colossians ... "Be thankful". We pray for one another and can bring the individual circumstances of our friends to God with empathy since "that's where we are too". Can we also remember those whose plight we can't so easily imagine, but which is known intimately to God.

David Makepeace

Sunday 26th April 2020

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2 v 4-10

It is probably fair to say that, over the last few weeks, many people are learning new skills or reviving skills that haven’t necessarily been used for a while! Such as gardening, art, answering quiz questions, using technology, decorating, teaching children at home, cooking, baking, knitting, decorating , keeping fit and doing jigsaws and these are just a few examples! It has been lovely to see the fun and creative things that the children have produced and we are very impressed with the standard of their “handiwork”.

The word “handiwork” is used in this passage from Ephesians 2 (verse 10) to describe us in relation to God. But first we must acknowledge that everything stems from God’s love (v 4), God’s mercy (v 4) God’s grace (v 5 and v 8) God’s kindness (v 7) and God’s gift of salvation (v 8).

Then we are described as God’s “handiwork” or in KJV, “workmanship”. Now that is a privilege and a relief to know that He is the master craftsman and not us!

We see in these verses the incredible love and mercy shown to us by God through Jesus and we should be so thankful that He knows all about us and our situations and He wants us to reflect His glory so that other people see that we belong to Him.

A few lines from a worship song we often sing at church express this well:

“Beautiful Lord, wonderful Saviour

I know for sure; all of my days are held in Your hands

Crafted into Your perfect plan,”

( Hillsong )

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that all good things come from You and You hold us in Your hands as Your handiwork. In these times, please show us ways that we can give glory to Your name in our homes, our conversations, our actions and as we pray through difficult situations and try to help those are struggling. We pray these things in Jesus’ name .

Amen

Ali Orton

Saturday 25th April 2020

Come, let us praise the Lord!

Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us!

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise.

For the Lord is a mighty God, A mighty king over all the gods.

He rules over the whole earth, from the deepest caves to the highest hills.

He rules over the sea, which he made; the land also, which he himself formed.

Come let us bow down and worship him; Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker!

He is our God; we are the people he cares for, the flock for which he provides.

Listen today to what he says

Psalm 95:1-7

There are so many things that can make us feel disheartened right now. We may feel overwhelmed with sadness, stress... feel lost.

But here we are encouraged to come to the Lord, to come and sing to the Lord our God with a joyful song and a heart full of thanksgiving.

Amongst all the madness going on around us right now let’s look for the blessings, to search for the miracles and allow ourselves to see God in the world around us, in the situation going on around us. If we look hard enough, we will find Him.

He is protecting, providing, caring for us ... for you, right now. He is the giver of hope and peace. The One that can calm our hearts in the midst of a storm, to bring joy and hope when we cannot see or find it on our own. But by our Lord’s mercy and grace we can come to Him. In all our brokenness, with all our failures, all our insecurities and in our joy, we can come to the Creator of this beautiful world, the One who gave us the gift of freedom and salvation freely. We can come to Him and find all we need and praise Him for all He is. He is all we will ever need.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus that we have You and we will always have You, Father; that You know the very depths of our hearts; that we can come to You and praise You for all You are. Thank you for Your greatness, Your strength, Your love, Your power, Your grace, Your mercy and so much more. Jesus, we can be full of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Amen

Jess Tromans

Friday 24th April 2020

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

James 5 v 5 – 8

“Patience is a virtue”. This is a phrase we use often in trivial matters such as waiting for the computer to load or for an order to arrive.

As our world has become faster and faster over the past century with the advent of cars, aeroplanes and the internet, we have got used to expecting everything to happen almost instantly. Now, suddenly, we have been plunged into a different world where the majority of the population is having to stop and wait; wait for a vaccine, wait for the pandemic to pass, wait for some degree of normality to resume, wait to visit our loved ones, wait to hug our friends, parents, children and grandchildren who live away from us.

The passage above from the book of James uses the example of Job as one who persevered in the face of indescribable suffering. Everything he had and loved had been stripped away from him; he knew all about suffering. Despite all this, Job’s patience brought him through and God blessed him greatly. One reason why God allows us to go through tough times is to develop patience in us.

In all of this, however, we must also remember how patient God is with us! Paul was able to testify, “I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1 v 16) And, in 2 Peter 3 v 15 we read, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him.”

These are difficult days, but they are also days of opportunity. God’s patience means salvation. Let us pray and work towards this, that many will turn to Him and find salvation.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for your patience with me. Help me to be more patient and to stand firm during this difficult time.

Amen

Martyn Orton

Thursday 23rd April 2020

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

John 20 v 19 - 20

The disciples could have unlocked the doors and gone outside, but they stayed in to protect themselves from the danger outside. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came inside to them and He told them to be at peace and they were filled with joy.

Today, many of us have closed our doors to protect ourselves from the danger outside. We could go outside, and some do to exercise and to shop and some, at great sacrifice, to provide for us and to care for the ill; but all being careful not to pick up the virus that is around.

We do not open our doors to let anyone in, but Jesus does not need an open door. He can be in our homes with us. He can bring us peace, He can remind us that He sacrificed Himself for us by dying on the cross and now He is alive for ever and can be with us, when others can’t.

Many of us can say ‘Amen’ to that, but a few of you may not yet have committed yourselves to Jesus. He is still present wherever you are, so we can all talk with Him and learn from Him and grow closer to Him. We can be overjoyed that Jesus is with us.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus, thank you that locked doors are no barrier to You. Thank you that You understand what we are going through. We ask You to decrease our fear and increase our faith. Please give us joy and peace and the desire to continue to be of help to others.

Amen

Jane Caine

Wednesday 22nd April 2020

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

1 Timothy 4:7-8

Hands up! Who is doing more exercise now, especially because we have been officially allowed it once a day than in your previous life, when you were free to exercise anytime you wanted? Come on, hands up!

Strange isn’t it, physical exercise takes determination, and I’m sure we are appreciating the value of now doing it once a day, but godliness also needs determination and is of much greater value because it is transferrable into the life to come.

We all know that physical exercise is good for us. My daughter - and I’ll leave it to you to decide which one - went out for a jog a couple of weeks back (and yes that is the sum total of her once a day exercise for the last 3 weeks), and she came back without any evidence of sweat. On questioning she tried to convince us that she doesn’t sweat, so we assume, unlike every other human being on planet earth whose bodies respond to heating up via their God given internal cooling system, she is unique.

Think about what it means to train yourself in godliness. It takes determination, awareness, resolve, perseverance and a greater reason for why you are doing what you are doing. There is no greater personal attribute than godliness, but it doesn’t come easily and it doesn’t come naturally. We need help from the Holy Spirit, but to have a vibrant godliness involves our whole being and affects every part of our life.

It means our daily lives are shaped by the complete spiritual work out of being ‘nourished by the Word, vital in prayer, generous in giving and active in mercy.’ This is spiritual sweat and it is infinitely healthy for us.

Hands up! Can we say that our spiritual sweat is obvious because of our determination to be godly?

Prayer

Holy Spirit, help us and give us the determination we need to be godly. Amen

Pastor Matt Jones

Tuesday 21st April 2020

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6 v 27 + 33 - 34

How wonderful the Word of God is, that it is living and breathing, that it is true and that it is relevant and not just “nice sayings” or cliché thoughts and ideas.

I have to be honest, verse 27 of Matthew 6 is one that I always had doubts about. Not the truth of it, but whether it is possible for me to ever live that way. Could I ever live and think in a way that just focuses on the now? Isn’t it careless of me to ignore tomorrow and not plan ahead? (which isn’t what this verse is saying).

God has been so good over the last few weeks to us as a family. When lockdown began, I had all the usual worries of how am I going to pay the bills or even just put food on the table without being able to work. But God is providing! We are living proof that God provides.

Each day we have to trust more than ever in his plan for us and look for Him to guide us in what steps to take next.

Because He is sovereign, we don’t need to worry; today we sit here safe and secure. And tomorrow we will be no different because God never changes and His Word is always true.

I have to repent for any doubt I ever had in these words because they are so true. He cares for us in ways we can never imagine. That’s because we are His children, it’s because He loves us.

He loves us so much that He sacrificed everything for us through the death of His Son on the cross.

Not only that, but when we turn to Him He continues to lavish us with His goodness and grace. We are rich, we are blessed, we are children of the King of kings and, if we ever feel like everything is spiralling out of control, it is not! He holds the world in His hands and will sustain us if we rest in Him and in his Word.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that You keep us and guide us when we need You. Thank you for Your patience and grace when we doubt or don’t understand or even don’t listen. Help us to be obedient to Your word and trust the plan You have for us.

Amen.

Matt Tromans

 Monday 20th April 2020

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.

Psalm 139 v 1 - 4

We are so important to God that we can’t even stand up or sit down without him knowing! The psalmist here is trying to help us to understand the sheer gravity of God’s knowledge of us. Think about it for a moment, how many times a day do we rise or sit? (well this might depend on our age and ability of course)

But, take a young child, have you ever found yourself saying “does he/she ever sit still!” I’m sure you have.

What the psalmist is trying to say is that God never takes his eye off us! He even knows our thoughts and how we are likely to share them with others. To know our thoughts would be to know how we are feeling at any given point of time. He is a God who cares about every detail of our lives, not just the big things.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139 verses 5 - 10

Verse 5 tells us that God hems us in. This is to be surrounded on all sides and to offer us ultimate security and protection. He has his hand on us as a gentle gesture of his care, that He holds us in His right hand is to say that He puts us in a place of highest importance.

He is clear on this; there is nowhere in the universe that we are beyond his reach. Nowhere that is too dark for God to see us, nowhere that we can be where He can’t lead us and nowhere that we can go that is beyond His care.

We have to agree here with psalmist that these facts are too much for us to comprehend.

These words are written to offer us the ultimate encouragement and comfort. We need to take these verses and store them deep inside, where they will be a constant source of peace.

Prayer

Father, thank you for giving us the knowledge of Your deep care and love for us. Thank you that You have promised to always be close by our side and that we can never be hidden from You.

Amen

Helen Jones

 Sunday 19th April 2020

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

Psalm 46: 1-3.

I must confess that one reason why this psalm sticks in my mind is that the version I've often sung is set to the tune of the "Dambusters' March"! ... but there are better reasons! One is that the opening stanza is perhaps the most confident assertion of faith in the whole of the Bible. So confident is it that we feel we ought to tap the writer on the shoulder and gently suggest the language is surely a bit over the top! Of course the second line isn't meant to imply the writer feels no alarm at all: it simply affirms that they aren't overcome by fear ... something is there alongside their fear that balances it, enables them to live with it and go forward. And that something is the knowledge that God is our refuge and strength.

The crisis is described in pretty bloodcurdling terms as well, a vision of "Chaos come again". Everything is turned upside down. Nothing seems normal. All the usual things we rely on have altered. Mind you, all of us feel a bit that way just now: a word I've heard a lot of people use to describe our present situation is "weird". In one way all looks normal: in another, nothing is! But for a lot of folk, including folk within our own fellowship, Covid-19 is only part of the problem: it's come on top of chronic illness, bereavement, or anxiety about loved ones. It's brought concerns about livelihood, children's education, future plans.

And it's brought the disconcerting awareness that we aren't in control.

But God is. This psalm has a refrain at verse 7 and verse 11 - "The Lord Almighty is with us ..." and He can cope where we can't. What follows is equally reassuring - "the God of Jacob is our fortress." Which tells me God's help isn't only for the deserving!! Jacob had a track record of seeking God's help when his own schemes had broken down, or as a "back-up" to his own ingenuity. But our God is still ready to be known as Jacob's helper, assuring us that you and I will qualify for assistance!!

David Makepeace

 Saturday 18th April 2020

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6 v 8 (ESV)

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God

Colossians 1 v 9 - 10 (ESV)

There are many suggestions as to how we can keep ourselves active at this time, including exercise workouts for adults and children, walking round our gardens (if we have access to one) and we are allowed to take one walk a day outside. We have also been inspired by 99-year-old Captain Tom Moore who has been walking 100 laps around his garden to raise money for the NHS.

Spiritually we need to keep walking too and these two passages, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, suggest how we should walk.

Micah 6 v 8 says we should walk humbly before God. How do we do that? Well, we look to the example of Jesus. “Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. He did not value His own self-importance or honour, but freely gave it up in every situation so that God’s will could be carried out and God could be glorified through His life” (quote from active Christianity.org )

The passage from Colossians 1 v 9 - 10 explains that our walk should please the Lord, bear fruit and we should know God more as we take each step - so no ordinary walk then! Many people have found the poem “Footprints in the Sand” very helpful, especially in times of difficulty when we sometimes think God is far away. Asked why there was only 1 set of footprints in the sand at the most difficult times the poem ends like this:

‘The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child. I love you, and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering.

When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

I hope this motivates and encourages us to keep on walking with our God and be a blessing to everyone we meet, as we walk day by day with Him.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for the example of Jesus Christ who humbled himself and came down to earth to die. He took all our sin and rebellion on himself on the cross so that we could be right with God and His Resurrection means He is alive and is with us every step of our walk of faith. Help us to be thankful in all circumstances and to be a blessing to others we pray.

Amen

Ali Orton

 Friday 17th April 2020

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

1 John 1 v 5 - 7

Often in these last few weeks we hear the phrase “alone together.” We’re all trying to stay connected even though we are being to told stay apart for our own safety. But as a church, whether globally or our church in Wall Heath, there is a deep spiritual truth in this.

Our human nature causes us to worry about things we have no control over, and we fret and panic when we should trust in God. Initially I must admit that I worried about us as a church family; would we be able to connect with each other? How could we support each other physically and spiritually?

But as ever (and I have to continually learn this and, thankfully, God is very patient with me) God has it all in control and we are connecting and supporting each other and we are still worshiping God together.

We should not be proud of this, or anything we achieve during this lockdown, but we should give praise to God. As 1 John 1 says, if we are walking in the light we have fellowship with one another. We are connected because we walk in His light, we can continue with a confidence and assurance that some don’t understand and for this we cannot praise Him enough. So don’t worry, like I am prone to doing, but trust that in this we can keep walking and growing in our faith. And, even in a particularly dark world, we can experience joy in the light of Christ.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that you give us light in darkness, that when we walk close with you we don’t have to feel lost or alone. Thank you for continually forgiving us when we go wrong. Guide us and keep us true to your word.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Thursday 16th April 2020

“I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands”

Isaiah 49 v 15b-16a

As I work from home at my makeshift desk, I’m thankful that the sun pours through the window and I can look out on my little garden and see the abundance of forget-me-nots growing there.

At this Easter time when we may feel isolated from our family and friends, confined to our homes or we may be extremely busy out working to help save lives and keep the country going, these small flowers are a beautiful reminder that God has not forgotten us.

So, whatever our situation, let us not forget what God has done for us … He gave His one and only Son to die so that we can live. He knows and cares for us each by name and, even when He may seem distant and we feel weak and struggle to pray or read His word, we can be assured that He still cares for us and does not forget us.

‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ 2 Corinthians 12 v 9

Prayer

Dear Lord. We thank you that in your creation you reveal so many reminders of your love for us. Thank You that You have not forgotten us and provide all we need to get through each day. Help us not to forget to give thanks and praise to You especially for the gift of our salvation through Jesus.

Amen

Sharon Tromans

Wednesday 15th April 2020

As we recently had the opportunity to celebrate Easter weekend, I have been reminded of not only what God did for us then, but what He is still doing for us now.

Before we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we are broken. We are not whole, there is always something missing. We can try to fill that void with so many things – money, possessions, intimacy and many other idols – but it will never be enough.

Even when we accept Jesus into our lives, we are still broken people. It is only by grace that we have been saved, not by anything that we have done. We are not made into better people because we are Christians. In fact, in asking for His forgiveness, we are admitting that we need help and that we need Jesus to help us and guide us every day of our lives.

I recently learnt about a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery - “kintsukuroi”. This is the art of repairing pottery with either gold or silver. It is the understanding that the piece is now more beautiful for having been broken. That is exactly what Jesus does. He is working to repair our brokenness every day – whether that be grief, addiction, depression, emptiness, loneliness.

He makes us more beautiful for having been broken.

God picks up the pieces and restores us, transforming us into something new and beautiful. The memory of our sins may remain, but now they have been filled with the precious love of Jesus Christ.

Every Christian is a work of art adorned with grace, and when people see our lives, they should think only of God. One day, we know that Christ will repair our world the same way he has repaired our souls. The day is coming where He will make all things new.

‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest in me.'

2 Corinthians 12 v 9

Rosie Evans 

 Tuesday 14th April 2020

“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”

1 Corinthians 15 v 13 - 14, 20

Chapter 15 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians takes a deep and detailed look at the subject of resurrection. There is so much in the chapter that deserves careful study and contemplation. If you have time available this week, I would recommend reading it through, slowly and thoughtfully.

If there is no such thing as resurrection, Paul argues, then our preaching is useless (some may think this anyway!) and so is our faith. If we only have hope for this life and nothing beyond it, “we are of all people most to be pitied”.

But, Paul asserts, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!

There is so much sadness at this terrible time in our country and around the world. Paul does not deny the reality of the pain of suffering and death.

But, Paul proclaims, “death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But, thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.54 – 57).

At this Easter period, let us celebrate that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead and that He gives us victory over sin and death. If we know Him, we have a wonderful future to look forward to, as described in Revelation 21 v 4, when …

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away”

Prayer

Dear Lord. I thank you for Jesus, that He died on the cross for me to pay the price for my sin. I thank You that He rose again from the dead, defeating sin and death, and guaranteeing a wonderful future to me. Amen

Martyn Orton

 Monday 13th April 2020

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit ...”

Luke 23: 46

As we have been moving through Easter, many of us will have been reading the Gospels' coverage of the crucial events. The reading scheme I follow has traced the sequence of “Words from the cross”, and yesterday and today focused on the final words, “It is finished”, and the words above.

We've reflected on the varied crowd of witnesses at the cross, and the mixture of feelings and thoughts with which they went away. Some went with disappointed hopes. For others it was simply that “the show was over". The shared conviction was that this was the end.

But I'm told those words were the nightly prayer of godly Israelites, committing themselves to God, in the expectation of greeting Him again next dawn. If that was in Jesus' mind too, then, in the words of today's meditation, “It wasn't game over, but job done.”! Certainly the words have a Biblical source ... Psalm 31: 5

In you, Lord, I have found refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

By your saving power deliver me,

bend down and hear me,

come quickly to my rescue.

Be to me a rock of refuge,

a stronghold to keep me safe.

... Into your hand I commit my spirit ...

And in the Psalm, the ensuing words are ... “You have delivered me, Lord, you God of truth.” So, yes, it is “Job done”, not “Game over” , and Easter morning is when the victory is publicly displayed.

And for us it means we can echo the words of that Psalm with confidence, “...you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit.”

David Makepeace 

Easter Sunday, 12th April 2020

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him…”
Acts 2:22-24

At the heart of Easter is an event that was inevitable, and we thank the Lord it was.

For something to be inevitable means there is a certainty of something happening or being unavoidable.

There are many things we may say are inevitable, but when we think about them, they are only always 99% inevitable at best.

Jesus did actually & physically die on a cross outside Jerusalem, as the Bible declares, and other historical documents confirm. He experienced the one thing that is 100% inevitable for us all, that our life on earth will end. Peter doesn’t shy away from this in his sermon which we read in Acts 2, because it was inevitable, not just because Jesus was a human man, but because it was part of God’s ‘deliberate plan’. God Himself would step into human history and in Jesus provide a Saviour who would die and pay the price for our sin.

Sin and death are one identity. We die because we sin, and we sin because we are under the curse of death.

This is us, but there is something uniquely different about Jesus.

It is that, as inevitable as it was for him to die, so too it was inevitable that He would rise from the dead

In the victory blast of a single word, which translates as ‘but’ in English, Peter declares that because Jesus did not sin, death had no ‘hold on Him.’ Death had no right over Him, no claim to Him, no way of stopping the inevitable power of God, in raising One who committed no sin.

Jesus is alive, His sacrifice for sin has satisfied God’s justice, and His resurrection from the dead has brought victory over death itself. Praise God because this is what He shares with us, His children.

Say 1 Corinthians 15 verses 55 - 57 as a prayer and rejoice in the saving and victorious Saviour you have:

“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pastor Matthew Jones 

Saturday, 11th April 2020

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

Psalm 133 v 1 - 3

What a beautiful picture this is of togetherness in Christ and two wonderful similes:

The anointing oil making the priests holy and consecrated, ready to carry out their calling in the world.

The heavy dew falling on the mountains, so crucial to life in a dry season.

I have been learning to spin wool straight from the fleece, and I now know and appreciate the intense labour that goes into producing a strong thread. A single thread on its own is weak and easily breaks, but the more threads you ply or bind together, the stronger and harder it is to break when put under pressure.

We have now been isolated from one another for three weeks, with more pending. I know that many us have experienced contact with one another, and others who live far from us, in ways that we wouldn’t ordinarily have had. This will keep us strong, and produce a good bond.

The words from a chorus that we used to sing spring to mind:

‘Bind us together Lord

Bind us together

With chords that cannot be broken.

Bind us together Lord

Bind us together Lord

Bind us together with Love’

Let’s continue to forge strong and unbreakable bonds with one another, encourage, challenge and pray with one another.

‘For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for ever more’ (verse 3).

Keep going and keep in contact. We will be stronger when bound together with each other through Christ our Lord.

Prayer

Father, even though we find ourselves physically separated at this time, we ask that we may feel more bonded to each other and to You than ever we have before. Bless us we pray during these uncertain days.

Amen

Helen Jones

Good Friday, 10th April 2020

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1 v 3 - 6

During these times, we are trying to keep our minds active by doing quizzes (not too successfully!) and a recent question was, ‘According to the Oxford English Corpus, what is the most “fleeting” common noun in the English language?’

The answer is TIME ( I got that one right!).

It seems very strange that, all of a sudden, our calendar in the kitchen is not filled in with events, appointments or meet-ups with people and we are living one day at a time. It is hard to plan anything too far ahead at the moment and the way we use our time is different.

Verse 6 says “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Even though things seem on hold for us, it is so encouraging to know that God is still active and completing His work in us. It is happening right now. He wants us to be His ambassadors to the world and to be salt and light in these dark times. We can use our time to grow closer to Jesus by reading His Word, praying, supporting one another and helping those in need around us. I pray that God will work in us and through us to bring Glory to His name.

These words from “The splendour of the King” express it well:

Age to age He stands

And time is in His hands

Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One

Father Spirit Son

The Lion and the Lamb

The Lion and the Lamb

How great is our God, sing with me

How great is our God, and all will see

How great, how great is our God.

Prayer

Our Heavenly Father, we pray that you will build us up in our faith and give us strength and courage to show your love and compassion to all.

Amen

Ali Orton

Thursday 9th April 2020

“You will go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” Isaiah 55 v 12

Each Thursday evening at 8.00pm, people around the UK step outside or open their windows to applaud the workers of the NHS. This is well-deserved praise and thanks for the difficult and sometimes sacrificial work they are doing to keep people alive and well.

Clapping in celebration, praise and thankfulness is common to most cultures around the world and has been done for many centuries. It is a wonderful and universal way of expressing joy. I imagine we will all be clapping loudly when this current pandemic comes to an end!

Isaiah 55 is a fantastic chapter of the Bible. If you have a few minutes to spare today, I encourage you to read it. It gives us so many promises which bring reassurance and confidence that the Lord is near, that He cares for us, both individually and as entire nations, that He is all-powerful, all-knowing and sovereign. God is in full control.

And, in verse 12, we have the tremendous promise that there will come a time when we will go out in joy and be led forth in peace, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

The pain and misery of the thorn-bush and the briars will be replaced by juniper and myrtle. The Bible promises time and time again that suffering and pain will come to an end. We do not understand everything that is happening in the meantime (see verses 8 and 9), but what God has promised is sure and certain.

Our best response right now is to seek the Lord while He may be found, to call on Him while He is near.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank You that we can come to You and that You are near. It is so wonderful to hear You giving us the invitation to come to You today. We thank You for Your faithfulness and Your love to each one of us and we thank You that all Your promises are true. Please fill me with joy and peace, confident in the knowledge that You are fully in control.

Amen

Martyn Orton

 Wednesday 8th April 2020

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests.”

Ephesians 6 v 18

This verse was part of my daily reading last week. The previous verses talk about “putting on the whole armour of God so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes, and battle against rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”

It certainly feels like a battle at the moment; many people have to put on “practical armour”, so to speak, to keep both themselves and others safe. We are having to learn to live a different sort of life. We can’t pop to the shops, see friends and family or even go to places that we’d like to.

However, Ephesians 6 verse 18 really struck me. I don’t know about you, but I have been finding it really tough to pray. In my mind, Coronavirus felt almost too big for God. I didn’t know how to pray, what to pray. I was finding it hard to remember who to pray for especially.

Then I remembered Romans 8 v 26 “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We don’t know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

So I would encourage you with this. Don’t worry how your words come out, just keep praying!

Prayer

Thank you Father God that you hear our prayers, you listen and you answer. Help us in our weakness to know that you understand our feeble, stumbling words and the Spirit helps us in ways that we can’t imagine. Help us to keep praying.

Amen

Kay Cram

 Tuesday 7th April 2020

I was privileged to be asked, and had started planning, to speak at a men’s weekend at the Christian Mountain Centre after Easter, for good friends of ours from a church in South Wales. I was planning to go to the Drag Racing and maybe even Tiger Day (see Google if you have no idea what they are). All these plans are plans no longer.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote these well-known verses to the surviving elders and priests who had been taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. At a time when they could not make plans because their future was not in their own hands, Jeremiah said in chapter 29 verses 10 - 11:

‘This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

Thankfully, we’re not facing the gloom of 70 years in the captivity of our own homes, as God told the exiles to Babylon that they would be there for 70 years, but nevertheless as it was impossible for them to make plans for the future. So too for us at the moment.

John Mackay’s excellent commentary on Jeremiah says this of verse 11:

‘A shaft of light pierces the gloom of their present situation when the LORD says He has plans for their future. But the realisation of these plans was contingent upon their attitude. They were called to exercise faith without the accompaniments of Temple, sacrifice and sacred city, which the people has so identified with true religion that they had lost sight of the need to trust simply in God. He would deliver them, but on His timescale, which would encourage among them a right disposition towards the LORD, one of obediently waiting on His will ...’

Whatever your plans were for this year, and however up in the air they may all feel, please be assured that God’s plans for you as His children are to prosper you and not to harm you. All our futures are divinely determined and God calls us to the exercise of faith and faithfulness in His sovereign choices, knowing they are always good. Some of the major things that we identify with the practice of our faith, the church building, fellowship and serving are removed, but God’s plans are set for us in a good future.

Prayer

Forgive me LORD if I have ever doubted that you have our well-being close to Your heart. Comfort me if the changes to plans I made for the year ahead are hard to comprehend. Help me to trust in Your timing and in Your great power to bring all Your good plans into reality, that I may see Your goodness and Your mercy.

Amen

Pastor Matt Jones

Monday 6th April 2020

“Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for the light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar - the Lord of hosts is his name”

Jeremiah 31: 35

How powerless do you feel right now? How powerless does everyone feel right now?

We can control small parts of our lives, but not much.

So many of us are counting on everyone else right now to make the right decisions, to do the right thing (staying home) and, in all honesty, we cannot say with certainty in our hearts that we trust them to do it right, to put 100% of our faith in them.

But the wonderful, glorious news is that we have someone we can put that trust in, someone who not only knows the right thing to do but also has the power to actively make a difference, to save us, who is in control of this incredible world, who can calm the sea and rage it up, who created the light; someone who looks at the worlds problems, our own personal problems and has the answer that will change it all ... His name is Jesus.

Jesus brings certainty, He brings truth, He brings hope, He brings a future, He brings peace, joy, love ... The list goes on and on and on.

If there is one thing for us to be clinging on to right now and for the rest of our days it is Jesus. He will not let us be overcome. He is the over-comer and He is calling you.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus

We praise You that You bring all that is good into our lives, that You command the sea and bring light into this dark world. Jesus we thank You that You hear our cries and You answer us with your Spirit of kindness, love and truth. You are all powerful and all knowing and we thank You that You love us.

God may we cling to You and never let you go, no matter what we face.

Amen

Jess Tromans

 Sunday 5th April 2020

‘A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.’

Proverbs 17:22

Front page news this week in the Daily Telegraph – ‘Laughter is the best medicine’

There is a lot of medical research that suggests smiling and laughter can have great health benefits. Happiness releases endorphins, our feel-good chemicals, and they have a very real effect on us physically. They relieve stress and tension and improve our general health and sense of well-being.

But of course this is no surprise to God because this was His design for us. He wants us to be healthy and happy in our bodies, and especially in our spirit.

I have always loved the book of Proverbs. They speak straight to the heart, pulling no punches and they are so applicable to life.

This particular proverb is a favourite and what a challenge it is, especially through difficult times. We all know what good medicine is; it revives a broken body and makes it feel renewed, refreshed and ready for action. God clearly says here that joy is good medicine. It is easy to let life crush us and dry us up. As believers in a God who holds all things in His hands we can be sure that, whatever hardship life throws at us, we have a peace that gives us joy in the knowledge that our eternal destiny is going to be ‘beautiful beyond description and too marvellous for words’.

What a joy it is to know the Saviour and to know that it is in His loving hands that we can find joy like no other, and a real sense of well-being, both physically in our demeanour and spiritually in our soul.

Prayer

Loving Father, help us to be continually be aware of Your overriding love for us . We thank you that it is in Your hands that we find joy and peace. Fill us now with Your joy, we pray.

Amen

Helen Jones 

Saturday 4th April 2020

“For Christ has entered not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

Hebrews 9 24-28

What a wonderful Saviour we have! What a sacrifice He has made for us and what a gift He has given us!

From our Saviour, our Friend, our Guide and our God comes a gift so great that it covers all our faults and the faults of all those through the ages! The security of our eternity is one that we can always rest in, in comfort and peace. And, no matter what goes on around us, this truth never falters or changes.

Today, let us remind ourselves once more of this gift (because we can never be reminded of it too much) and give praise to Jesus for “appearing before God’s presence on our behalf”.

Jesus is on our side and He has lavished us with the gift of grace. This means that, if we love and trust Him, we don’t have to live with guilt or heavy burdens, but knowing that through repentance to Him our debt is paid and entrance to heaven to worship Him eternally is secure. We can’t achieve it through works because His work has done it already.

So, in any way we can, let’s show others what a gift we have. What may seem a small gesture of kindness - a phone call, a card, a gift, doing some shopping - we can display some of the love Jesus has for us. God is working at this time and let’s believe that our actions (motivated by the love of God) will help others to see the gift God has available to them and that they too can become those who are “eagerly waiting for His return”.

Prayer

Father we thank you for the sacrifice of Your son. In all we do, keep our eyes fixed on You, so that our work, whether at home or elsewhere, would be for You. May we be gracious and generous to all so that, at this time, you would use our actions, small or large, to bring people to a saving knowledge of You. Amen

Matt Tromans

 Friday 3rd April 2020

But now thus says the LORD,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine”

Isaiah 43 v 1

We live in a world of targets , data and statistics . This has been seen in business and education and many other areas of work and is designed to improve productivity and standards. Even at this present time we are being bombarded by statistics which stagger us and cause us to fear.

I love this verse as it says, “Fear not” . We have a Saviour who has redeemed us. He has bought us back , through His death and He has paid the price for our sin.

It also declares, “I have called you by name, you are mine”. At present we feel isolated from one another and possibly very alone, but the wonderful fact is that Jesus knows our name and we are His. The passage from our Sunday service (John 10 v 14) is where Jesus says, “I am the good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” We are amazed and overwhelmed that the Saviour of the world knows our name and everything about us and the situations we face. We are not just statistics we are loved by God and He will never leave us.

A verse from one of my favourite songs :

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea

A great High Priest whose name is love, Who ever lives and pleads for me

My name is graven on His hands, My name is written on His heart

I know that while in heav'n He stands,

No tongue can bid me thence depart

No tongue can bid me thence depart

Prayer

Lord, we praise and thank you that You know our names and You are always with us. Thank you, Jesus, that You have redeemed us by Your death on the cross and given us life and hope through Your resurrection. Give us strength and hope we pray. Amen

Ali Orton

 Thursday, 2nd April 2020

‘I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten’

Joel 2:25

Take a look at the opening chapter of the prophecy of Joel. I’m sure you will see some echoes in some of the statements he uses. I want to take a slightly different tack though.

How long have you been a Christian? A few days? A few years? Many many years?

I’m so thankful to God that he spoke to me in my early teens. I dread to think how my life would have turned out if He hadn’t. I wasn’t a bad guy, but I know the wilfulness of my own heart would have ruled my life. How wonderful to know that He chose me! He called me, forgave me and set my feet on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

My joy is in Him but also in the new family of believers I’m privileged to be part of. Through all of you, yes every single one of you, I find strength, encouragement and the deep sense of love and fellowship that is belonging to a real family.

The Bible encourages us to accept Jesus while we are young, while we have our best years ahead of us to serve Him.

If you count yourself as young, follow Jesus NOW. You won’t regret it.

Do you feel old? Perhaps you came to faith later in life and think that there is not much you can add. Maybe you are reading this and are not yet a follower of Jesus and you think it’s all too late.

‘I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten’ Joel 2 v 25

God will not only give you purpose, but will forgive the time lost and allow you to be used in ways you can’t even imagine.

Prayer

Forgive me Lord for those times I’ve wasted or let slip. Use me now to bring glory to Your Name.

Amen

Martin Tromans

 Wednesday 1st April 2020

And then David said “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from this philistine” and Saul said to David “Go, and the Lord be with you”

1 Samuel 17:37

The story of David and Goliath is Oscar’s favourite bible story at the moment, so it’s one we have read a lot recently.

Something that I find really encouraging is that in this story we do not see a boy who goes into battle unprepared.

Before he arrived at this challenge he was being trained and equipped with smaller battles that prepared him and strengthened his faith in God. So when the time came for him to face a greater battle, he was ready. Now that doesn’t mean he wasn’t scared - I imagine he was - but he had faith in an all-powerful God and had experience to lean upon.

If we look back at our lives I’m sure we have all been through challenges and trials in which our faith has been tested. We have doubted ourselves, we have been scared ... but we got through and learned from our experience.

And, as we face these uncertain days together, we do not face them alone or unequipped. God does not send us without our armour.

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:14-17

We have the truth of the gospel. We know who our Defender is! - One who cannot be shaken.

He knew what was coming and He is standing with us and has equipped us. With Him we shall not fall.

Prayer

Lord we know that on our own we are weak, but we thank You Jesus that You give us strength, that You have given us the strongest of armour. Lord we pray that You will teach how to use this armour; that our faith in You will grow and the devil will know he has no place here; that we are Yours and You stand with us through all the battles and challenges we may face. Thank you Jesus. Amen

Jess Tromans

Daily Motivations for March

Tuesday 31st March

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed though the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive and find grace to help in time of need”

Hebrews 4: 14-16

Each day our lives seem to change in ways we never expected; even a couple of weeks ago, would any of us have predicted this is how we would be spending our days?

Personally, and on a human level, I’ve never felt as unstable in my day to day and working life as in these last few days. But, we take our strength from a higher power than just our own will power. We have the “great high priest who has passed through the heavens” who we can turn to.

We are told to “hold fast”. And how wonderful that the Saviour we can hold fast to is unchanging. He loves us and is in heaven petitioning the Father on our behalf, says the book of Romans. So many people have nothing to hold fast to. No matter what our personal situation is at the moment, hold fast to the saving grace of Jesus. He is not only in control of it all but displays such humility that He lowered himself to our level so that He can sympathise with us in our weakness (and don’t we all feel a little weak an vulnerable at the moment!).

So let’s follow the advice of Hebrews and use this time to draw closer to the throne of grace. And what a privilege we have as God’s children to be allowed to draw close because of what Jesus has done. What an awe inspiring and beautiful place to be allowed to draw close to!

Even if we feel alone or lost, we have a place to turn to in our time of need.

Prayer

We thank and praise you Jesus for coming down to this earth to live a life that we couldn’t live and die the death that we should have died, so we don’t have to. Thank You that You understand our individual weaknesses and care deeply for us. We lay our problems to You and trust Your guidance in all things. When we feel weak teach us to hold fast to You and Your goodness.

Amen

Matt Tromans

Monday 30th March

‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.’

Romans 8:35-37

I’m writing this on what is the first full day of what has become known as ‘lock down’. Oddly for many families, it has brought them together much earlier in the year than anticipated. Like us, some are finding their homes have suddenly become a school, a workplace or cluttered with the returning stuff from university accommodation.

As much as it is comforting to know loved ones are safely home, being together can be a test of our love!

I know for many of you, things are much different than this and the separation from loved ones, friends and the church family is very real. Love is something shown and given from one person to another, and that is much more difficult when we feel so separated from each other.

Paul’s rhetorical question, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ , has the resounding and wonderful answer of ‘absolutely nothing’. Not even Covid-19!

The Lord loves you, yet this supernatural cosmic love, given by the Lord Jesus in His coming into humanity, His great sacrifice and His gift to us of forgiven sin, is not just consigned to history, but is real every day.

Whilst we may be separate from each other, as nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, let us persevere in showing this love of Christ in us to each other and those around us. A text, an email, a call, a tweet, a post and even snail-mail. Also Facetime, Zoom or Skype allow us to see each other face to face. Let’s encourage each other, pray for one another, serve one another in a safe way in the current crisis. That is the love of Christ in action.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that your love to me is new every morning. May this love you have placed in my heart, look at others and see them as you see them. Allow me to be a vessel for your love, poured out into the lives of others to bring joy, peace and hope in a time when we cannot be together in person.

Pastor Matt Jones

Sunday 29th March

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;

my hope comes from him.

Truly he is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken.

My salvation and my honour depend on God;

he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

Psalm 62 v 5 – 8

In Psalm 62, David pours out his heart to God. In this situation, he is under siege from enemies, from people who are out to bring him down. He describes himself as a leaning wall, a tottering fence.

We may feel very similar to this right now. We may feel that we would fall over if one more gust of wind blows at us. In our case right now, the enemy is not people out to do us harm, but a virus which many have described as an invisible enemy. We may feel unsettled, shaken and we are all desperately seeking refuge – avoiding contact with others and hoping that we, or our loved ones, will not be harmed.

But, whatever the enemy, whatever the pressures that are upon us, this Psalm provides the answer.

1. Find rest in God. He is our Rock and salvation – nothing and no one else can provide the rest and refuge we need. Ultimately, all we have is in Him. ‘And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4 v 7). Sometimes we struggle with this; even David had to repeat these words to himself from v. 1 – 2 and to encourage himself in v 5 - 6.

2. Trust Him at all times. Even in times like this. Especially in times like this! Trust that God knows, trust that God is all powerful (v.11) and that God loves us with unfailing love (v.12)

3. Pour your hearts out to Him. There is nothing wrong with expressing our fears, our worries and even our complaints to God. Be honest with Him – after all, He knows what’s on our minds anyway.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You that You are my Rock and salvation. Thank You that You are our refuge and fortress. Help me to find rest in You.

Please replace my fears and anxieties with Your peace. Help me to trust in You fully and to pour out my heart to You. Amen.

Martyn Orton

Saturday 28th March

A certain national daily has started to use some of its pages to offer counsel to its readers about some of the practical issues arising from "The Virus". It's given this section of the paper the overall title "You are not alone" ... in very large typeface, of course! Not a bad slogan, is it? And doesn't it speak to us as Christians?

For a start, suffering ... or disappointment ... or inconvenience does its best to make us feel, "I'm on my own in this", or "No-one really knows what it's like for me". And now, when the management of our situation requires us to distance ourselves from others it makes it more difficult to realise that we actually have company ... and lots of it. As Peter reminded Christians who were really going through great hardship, "Resist (the devil), standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same..." (1 Peter 5.9)

But there's a positive side to being "All in it together", and it lies in the Christian concept of "The Body of Christ".

"God has combined the parts of the body... so...that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it..." So the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12.24-26. And it does work like that ... though Paul would probably add, even to us at WHEFC, "Do so more and more".

And what is particularly relevant when, as now, just being together is ruled out, is this fact: when no-one else can be with us, Jesus is! Paul was in prison, facing the final curtain, and everyone from whom he expected support had found reasons to be somewhere else ..."But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength..." (2 Timothy 4.17) And the Lord always will: you are not alone.

Prayer

Lord, we thank You that You never leave us or forsake us, that we are never alone. We pray that each of us will know the daily reality of Your presence with us, even in apparent isolation, and help us to be always aware that we are all part of the body of Christ. Amen.

David Makepeace

 Friday 27th March

Though the fig-tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the sheepfold

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Saviour.

Habakkuk 3:17 - 18

Wow, what a very odd few weeks!

This year has been challenging on many levels for all of us. Personally now the biggest challenge I’m facing is, am I really prepared to take God at His Word and rest in His goodness? Like many people my age I’ve been getting my finances in order and considering lifestyle changes in the next year or two. I’ve enjoyed the thought of a more relaxing life … enter the parable of the farmer who built bigger barns.

On March 7th these verses from Habakkuk dropped into my inbox. The paraphrase “even if I lose everything I will be joyful in God my Saviour” went through my mind. Was God telling me something? Was everything I’ve worked for going to be taken away?

The next day’s sermon - “Sometimes we have to go back to the start to get on the right track” - added to the feeling of unease and the subsequent fall of the pensions, government lock downs and worry of friends and family potentially losing jobs … deep breath.

On that particular Sunday morning I was forced to say to God, “Your will is perfect, not mine. My treasure is in You, not in the things of this life”.

Do I still worry? Yes

Am I still concerned? Of course

But, every day is another opportunity to learn more of God’s dealings with us as His children. We will learn lessons, we will have struggles, we will fret, but our loving Father only wants the best for us and our certainty is in Him.

The Christian life IS a bed of roses. Loads of thorns and prickles as you walk through; the rewards are great though.

Prayer

Lord, help me to trust in your unfailing love. When I’m tempted to go my own way or rely on myself help me to turn my eyes to you. Amen

Martin Tromans

Thursday 26th March 

The Secret of Blessedness: PSALM 1

1 Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff

that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

We can define the biblical concept of “blessedness” as being in a state of happiness and wholeness that is not dependent on circumstances, but upon the grace and goodness of God.

So, how can we know and experience such blessedness? According to Psalm 1 the secret of blessedness is found in an openness to God and his Word. The walk of the wicked is characterised by sin and cynicism – both of these close the heart to God. But the way of the righteous is characterised by “delight” and “meditation” – these open the heart and mind and spirit to the will, the Word and the worship of God.

So, I encourage you to spend time letting God’s word delight you – plant yourself in the soundness and certainty of Scripture. This will allow you to be rooted in the truth of who God is. To be rooted in well-watered land is the secret of growth, strength and fruitfulness. Our roots anchor us in the truth and reality of God – “Views contrary to God’s Word are no anchor in time of need. (Rootedness in) God’s Word gives us the resilience of a tree with a source of living water that will never dry up” (Tim Keller).

Take to heart the encouragement at the end of this psalm: “The Lord watches over the way of the righteous.” Not those who are self-righteous, or righteous in their own eyes – but those of us who are forgiven of their sins and are, therefore, clothed and covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It is we who are truly blessed whatever we may face.

Prayer

Lord of all blessing. Help me to meditate on your word to the point of delight.

Give me stability and contentment regardless of the circumstances. How I need that!

Amen.

Martin Yates

Wednesday 25th March

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Joshua was taking over from the great Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; a very hard act to follow! Joshua had been one of the twelve ‘spies’ who went to find out what the land of Canaan was really like. They all reported back “This is a land flowing with milk and honey!” (Numbers 13 v 27) and all were aware of the obstacles they faced, but only Joshua and Caleb said “…the LORD is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14 v 9)

Our family love the stories of Winnie the Pooh by A.A Milne, as I am sure many of you do. We think we have traits based on the characters and I will let you guess which character goes with each of our family members! Piglet is often described as the following: “Although he is a very small animal of a generally timid disposition, he tries to be brave and on occasion conquers his fears”.

I must admit that, at the moment, I feel like the character of Piglet during these unusual and frightening times. But the passage from Joshua 1 v 9 is apt for all of us. Even though things are difficult, the Bible says that the Lord our God will be with us wherever we go and whatever we face.

God was with Joshua through all the things he faced; good times and scary times, and I love the end of the book where Joshua declares: “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Joshua 21:45)

Let us all take heart from this as we know our God’s promises will never fail us and we can rely on Him totally.

May God bless us all and keep us close to Him and, in the words of Stuart Townend’s song which we sang in our lounges on Sunday:

There is a hope that lifts my weary head,

A consolation strong against despair,

That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,

I find the Saviour there!

Through present sufferings, future’s fear,

He whispers ‘courage’ in my ear.

For I am safe in everlasting arms,

And they will lead me home.

Prayer

Father, thank You that You will always be with us, wherever we go and whatever we face. Thank You that your promises will never fail and that we can rely on You. Help us today to hear Your voice whispering ‘courage’ in our ear and to know that we are safe in Your everlasting arms. Amen

Ali Orton

Tuesday 24th March

“And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last will take His stand on the earth”

Job 19:25

The last few days have challenged us to really see what our lives revolve around. The things we surround our day with have, for the large part, been stripped away and in our society we can see the devastation this has caused.

But this, even as unprecedented as it feels, is not something that the Bible is unfamiliar with. We see Job, when all around him is taken away, remain faithful to God throughout all his trials. He trusts God’s bigger plan. Yes he questions, yes he finds it a trial and he weeps and mourns. God’s Word does not tell us to be emotionless robots. But Job relies on God, he stands firm as a servant of God.

Amongst all fear and uncertainty, stand firm and trust in God. We may not see the outcome yet but trust in God. We worship the same God Job did and he was restored. No matter what, our Redeemer still lives and He holds the whole world in his hands.

Prayer

Father we thank You that, even in crisis, the world is in Your hands. Forgive us when we trust in ourselves instead of turning to you for guidance and thank You that through good times and the bad You guide us. Help us to see more of your goodness in this difficult time and to be a light to others who don’t know You. Amen

Matt Tromans

Monday 23rd March

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3 v 1 - 2

Get your life back

Finding more of God, growing strong in soul and spirit, requires creating space in your day for God - to intentionally put yourself in a place that allows you to draw upon and experience the healing power of the life of God filling you. Over the ages, serious followers of Jesus have used stillness and quiet, worship, fasting, prayer, beautiful places, and a number of other “exercises” to drink deeply of the presence of God. And untangle their souls from the world.

The ongoing deluge of intriguing facts and commentary, scandal and crisis, genuinely important guidance combined with the latest insider news from across the globe and our friends’ personal lives, gives the soul a medicated feeling of awareness, connection, and meaning. Really, it’s the new Tower of Babel - the immediate access to every form of “knowledge” and “ground-breaking” information right there on our phones, every waking moment. It confuses the soul into a state of artificial meaning and purpose, all the while preventing genuine soul care and life with God. Who has time to read a book? Plant a garden?

What has become the normal daily consumption of input is numbing the soul with artificial meaning and purpose while, in fact, the soul grows thinner and thinner through neglect, forced by the very madness that passes for a progressive life. We are literally being forced into the “shallows” of our life.

I’m not scolding; I’m tossing a lifeline.

Sincere followers of Jesus in every age have faced very difficult decisions—usually at that point of tension where their life with and for God ran straight against the prevailing cultural norm. The new Tower of Babel is ours. We have always been “strangers and aliens” in the world, insofar as our values seemed so strange and bizarre to those around us. We are now faced with a series of decisions that are going to make us look like freaks—choices like fasting from social media, never bringing our smartphones to any meal, conversation, or Bible study, cutting off our media intake so we can practice stillness every day.

The good news is that we actually have a choice. Unlike persecution, the things currently assaulting us are things we can choose not to participate in.

Jesus cares deeply about your life. He says there is a way to get it back, a way out of the madness. You can live freely and lightly.

To learn more go to www.eden.co.uk/get-your-life-back/

Taken from introduction to ‘Get Your Life Back’ by John Eldredge

Courtesy of Julian Pullen

Sunday 22nd March

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15 v 13

Like me, I guess, you often send good wishes to your friends on special occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, new baby and so on.

If our friends and relatives actually realised all the good things we wish for them, their lives would be bathed in sunshine, they would be healthy, wealthy and wise – and exempt from the ups and downs, the stresses and strains that go together with real life experience.

I think what we intend, when sending these good wishes, is that our friends will be blessed with a fair share of good things and that, if and when difficulties and trials crop up, they will receive all the help and strength they need to come through.

When it comes to God’s promises, they are very realistic and are suited to every occasion, however hard they may be. We are not promised an easy road through life, especially as followers of Jesus.

When we wish and intend good things for our friends, we have very little power over what happens, whereas God has the power to do what He has promised. The writer of Psalm 45 declares “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving to all those He has made”.

God’s thoughts towards you and me are for our good. Paul, writing to Corinth, said ‘No matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.’

Prayer

Thank you Lord that Your promises are true. I pray that You will fill me completely with joy and peace and that I will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Dorothy Orton (Adapted from BCM telephone messages. Used with permission)

Saturday 21st March

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13 v 5

I don’t mind change. I find it refreshing and uplifting.

I imagine that some of you reading this will not agree. Change is hard.

At this time of year, change is all around us. The crocuses and snowdrops have revealed their beauty, yet have now been replaced by daffodils. We look forward to peonies, tulips, Rhododendron and Azalea. The smell and beauty of tree blossom has already started to bud from branches. This is the type of change I like.

There is a type of change I don’t like. Being a great admirer of engineering, I know that, without maintenance, machines will seize up or rust away. I love the TV programme Abandoned Engineering because of the ingenuity and incredible scale of man’s ambition. But as the title suggests, these things are now unused and decaying. For the sporty, cinema goers and theatre lovers amongst us, the change from a few weeks ago to the situation now leaves a big hole.

In a time when our lives have changed so dramatically and as we face huge uncertainty socially and economically, the words written to Jewish Christians, who were persecuted in the first century and tempted to reject Jesus and revert to a dead religion because of the social and economic impact on their lives, are foundational for us today:

‘God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’ Hebrews 13: 5b - 8

God’s promises are absolute. He is with us. He will never leave us. Never means never, and whatever you are going through and wherever you are, the Almighty Creator God is with you and will never leave you. We may face hardships and trials, but our great treasure is the Lord Himself.

Our God is eternally trustworthy. Jesus was active in the past at creation, He is active today, offering salvation, and will be forever active reigning on high. In the uncertainty of a changing world which we are all finding hard, rest in the certainty and absolute unchangeable greatness and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who loves us and represents us in heaven today.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for Your promise that You will never leave me or forsake me. Fill me with this confidence, that You are my helper, and help me not to be afraid. Amen.

Pastor Matt Jones

Friday 20th March

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."   Colossians 2: 6 - 7

You've probably seen those posters with a beautiful scene, accompanied by a Bible verse or a slogan.

I remember seeing one in a dental surgery, right in the patient's sightline. It showed a mountain meadow and the opening verses of Psalm 23. Some ‘visitors’ at least found it reassuring!

But the poster that's always stuck in my mind shows a kitten clinging to a washing line … by just one paw! Beneath was the legend, "Faith is hanging on in there!" And indeed it is! One whole letter in the New Testament (the letter to Hebrew Christians) is all about just that … "Hang on in there, don't let go."

This seems to me rather appropriate just now, when normal life has suddenly screeched to a halt. We even hardly talk about Brexit! And it's not just that things have changed pretty radically, but that we have no clear idea when ‘normal’ will come back, and no-one else seems to either. And it's all due to something invisibly tiny, well outside the area we're familiar with. It's the not knowing that gets us!

And so it's the fact that our God does know that can reassure us, and enable us to ‘hang on in there’, not just as a policy for these particular times, but as the basic principle of the whole of Christian life.

To take Paul's words,

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2: 6-7

You started by grasping the hand of Christ. Continue the same way. Hang on in there.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, please help us to trust in You fully, to ‘hang on in there’. We pray that you will strengthen our faith as individuals and as a church through this time, that we will continue to be rooted and built up in Him, and overflow with thankfulness. Amen.

David Makepeace

Thursday 19th March 2020

 1 Peter 1 v 3 – 5: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

The whole world is currently working out how to protect ourselves from the coronavirus. There is much fear and concern about how to protect the vulnerable and those who are at the front line of caring for those who are ill. We need to be shielded.

What an amazing truth and comfort it is for us who know Christ, that we have a living hope because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And, if this were not enough, we have an inheritance kept in heaven for us that can never perish, spoil and fade. Nothing can contaminate it. Nothing can harm it or remove it. Our inheritance is guaranteed and shielded by God’s power.

It is natural to be concerned about what is going on. As 1 Peter 1 verses 6 to 9 show, we do have to face all kinds of trials before we receive our inheritance. As Christians, we are not exempt from suffering in the world. The Bible does not promise to shield us from grief and trials. On the contrary, these prove the genuineness of our faith.

But, because we believe in Jesus and love Him, we can be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, even in the midst of suffering, and we have the sure and certain hope of salvation.

Prayer

Dear Lord. Thank you for the inheritance which is kept in heaven for me. I love You and know that You love me too, so very much. Help me to trust in You and please fill me with inexpressible and glorious joy through this difficult time. Amen.

Martyn Orton