19 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!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew, That I may love what Thou dost love, And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, Until my heart is pure, Until with Thee I will one will, To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, Till I am wholly Thine, Until this earthly part of me Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, Breath of God, So shall I never die, But live with Thee the perfect life Of Thine eternity.
Psalm 28 Crisis brings out the best and worst in us! Have you seen the news lately (silly question)? What about the reports of people who purposely contaminate food and supplies? Then there are the hoarders and price gougers. Behaviors are surfacing that are destructive and deviant. While many people are working diligently to solve […]
20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them,because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
5 The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it.6 Has anyone planted a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it.7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.”8 Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.
Sound the battle cry! See, the foe is nigh;
Raise the standard high for the Lord;
Gird your armour on, stand firm every one;
Rest your cause upon His holy Word.
Refrain:
Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward, shout aloud, “Hosanna!”
Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.
Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go,
While our cause we know must prevail;
Shield and banner bright, gleaming in the light,
Battling for the right we ne’er can fail.
O Thou God of all, hear us when we call,
Help us one and all by Thy grace;
When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won,
May we wear the crown before Thy face.
It’s been about ten days since we in the UK went into lockdown.
By Monday I was getting pretty bored and found myself playing candy crush on Facebook.
On the plus side I have been able to do some video calls on Facebook, so much so I was on video chat for two and a half hours
You may or may not believe it but it also gave me the chance to file and tidy up my paper work.
I have to say I was still able to get my daily blogs out and go about my usual duties during the week.
I live in a street in a housing scheme where there is usually children running around, it seems strange not seeing them around, hardly anyone in the street,
It feels really weird! One good thing is that it Covid-19 has got people talking to people they wouldn’t normally talk to.
2 1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favour: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
9-11 Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honoured him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honour of God the Father.
I have many songs in The Salvation Army songbook that I like, some a little bit more than others. The one in the video has to be one of my favourites because it’s a song of testimony.
The verses in the video are out order from the songbook below plus I think there are additional verses. Hope you enjoy never the less.
Verse 1 There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; It sounds like music in mine ear, The sweetest name on earth. Chorus O how I love the Saviour’s name! The sweetest name on earth. Verse 2 It tells me of a Saviour’s love, Who gave his life for me, That I, and all who come to him, From sin may be set free. Verse 3 Jesus, the name I love so well, The name I love to hear; No saint on earth its worth can tell, No heart conceive how dear. Verse 4 In Heaven with all the blood-bought throng, From sin and sorrow free, I’ll sing the new eternal song Of Jesus’ love to me.
There is no vaccine against this virus, but there is an antidote to fear and despair – READ.GOD’S.WORD! Psalm 27 is a good place to begin. Psalm 27:13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart […]
Towards the end of yesterday’s blog you may recall I asked you to pray for the people of Greece as they deal with what’s happened at the southern end of their country.
If you don’t already know some of you outside the UK reading this will know we have had the biggest heatwave since 1976 with temperatures reaching up to 36 degrees in the south of the country. Resevoires are low as are rivers, farmers crops are suffering as well. Yesterday I heard on the news that hospital departments that would normally be quiet at this time of year are experiencing the same volume of people now as they would in winter.
It is ironic however that we British people are never satisfied because we seem to complain when theirs no rain or not enough sun.
The well is deep, and I require
A draft of the Water of Life
And none can quench my souls desire
For a draft of the Water of Life
Till one draws near
Who the cry will hear
Helper of man
In their time of need
And I believing, find indeed
That Christ is the Water of Life
“I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as your have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 He is with us. Wherever we are, whatever is happening – in […]
2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,[a] he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[b]; he took the humble position of a slave[c] and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,[d] 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”
Jesus Jesus Jesus, there’s just something about that name. Master, Saviour, Jesus, like the fragrance after the rain Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, let all heaven and earth proclaim Kings and kingdoms will pass away But there’s something about that Name!
“You’ll get through this. It won’t be painless. It won’t be quick. But God will use this mess for good. Don’t be foolish or naive. But don’t despair either. With God’s help, you will get through this.” Max Lucado Isaiah 43:But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, […]
