Expect the Messiah

Matthew 13:53-58 New International Version – UK (NIVUK)

A prophet without honour

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his home town, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. 55 ‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’ 57 And they took offence at him.

But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.’

58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

The Good Shepherd

John 10 V11 -18

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”See the source image

In the story of the Good Shepherd we are reminded how Jesus looks after and cares for his flock. As human beings we would do well to remember that even in our darkest moments Jesus is still there looking over us and guiding us

Our friend Jesus

Image result for Our friend Jesus

John 15:15

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

1.
Jesus, tender lover of my soul,
Pardoner of my sins, and friend indeed,
Keeper of the garden of my heart,
Jesus, thou art everything to me.
Chorus
Jesus, thou art everything to me,
Jesus, thou art everything to me,
All my lasting joys are found in thee;
Jesus, thou art everything to me.

2.
What to me are all the joys of earth?
What to me is every sight I see,
Save the sight of thee, O Friend of mine?
Jesus, thou art everything to me.

3.
Here I lay me at thy bleeding feet,
Deepest homage now I give to thee;
Hear thy whispered love within my soul;
Jesus, thou art everything to me.

I don’t know about you  but I just love to listen to a male voice choir, especially the Welsh choirs

Growing up in The Salvation Army I used to hear our band sing occasionally or sometimes if we had a visiting band there may have been a vocal item for the and to sing and it was usually songs like the one in the video.

A song that indeed tells us that Jesus is our friend.

Blest Are the Pure in Heart

“Blest Are the Pure in Heart” is a hymn based on the Beatitude from Matthew 5:8, which states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” This hymn emphasizes the importance of purity of heart in the Christian faith, suggesting that those who maintain a pure heart will be able to see and experience God more fully.

The hymn was written by John Keble, an English churchman and one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement, which sought to revive the Catholic aspects of the Anglican Church in the 19th century. Keble’s hymn reflects his deep theological insights and his desire to inspire a sincere and devout Christian life.

The message of the hymn aligns with the broader teachings of the Beatitudes, which are part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. These teachings highlight the values and attitudes that are blessed by God, such as humility, mercy, and purity of heart12.

The Lord speaks

John 14 V6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3:16

16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The Lord He speaks, and from His mouth,
His Words, they carry weight!
They echo through, the ages loud,
To hearts of His estate!

The open ears, they hear, receive!
Two thousands years gone by;
Still ringing loud, if you believe,
His Light will meet your eyes!

For light has rippled out through time,
Through Holy tongue of old;
To meet you now, where you reside,
To grip you in truth’s hold.

So jumping off the pages bold,
The words, they come alive!
And fill my heart in love’s enfold,
As God with me, abides!

By Lisa Lawlor

Remembrance Day

Photo by Eric Smart on Pexels.com

Today is Remembrance Day when the whole country paused in silence and thought for two minutes to give thanks to those who gave their lives not just in World war 1 and in World war 2 as well. Also the wars that went on after that and still is in some parts of the world. We will remember them!

Peace in our time, O Lord,
To all the peoples – peace!
Peace surely based upon Thy will
And built in righteousness.
Thy power alone can break
The fetters that enchain
The sorely stricken soul of life
And make it live again.

Too long mistrust and fear
Have held our souls in thrall;
Sweep through the earth, keen Breath of Heav’n
And sound a nobler call!
Come, as Thou didst of old,
In love so great that men
Shall cast aside all other gods
And turn to Thee again.

Peace in our time, O Lord,
To all the peoples – peace!
Peace that shall build a glad new world,
And make for life’s increase.
O living Christ, Who still
Dost all our burdens share,
Come now and dwell within the hearts
Of all men everywhere.