Worship

Please worship the Lord through the words of this song, in the way that you feel to be the most helpful & appropriate.

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea-billows roll;
Whatever my lot You have taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well with my soul; it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, if trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my lowly estate,
And has shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well ……..

My sin – O the bliss of this glorious thought –
My sin – not in part – but the whole
Is nailed to the cross; and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.
It is well ….

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live!
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
You will whisper Your peace to my soul.
It is well ……

But Lord, it’s for You – for Your coming we wait,
the sky, not the grave, is our goal:
O trump of the angel! O voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope! Blessed rest of my soul.
It is well ……..

Sermon on the Mat: Know Jesus, know peace.

‘Even in the dark times, even when death draws near, the mercy of God is always available to comfort us & grant us peace.’ Luke 1:78-79.

Peace, perfect peace! How desperately the world is in need of it? How deep the longing in all of our hearts for it. A peace that, try as it may, the world cannot give, since true & lasting peace can only be found in one place & one place only. In the One Isaiah 9:6 identifies as ‘the Prince of Peace!’ The One in whom all true & lasting peace uniquely lies. The One whose peace & whose presence are inextricably, linked together. Whether or not we’re always as conscious of it as we should be!

It was 1983 & I was returning to my flat in Braintree where, for the past seven years I’d lived & worked as a schoolteacher. It was to be my very last visit before tying the knot with Anne-Marie, a week or so later at Sible Hedingham Baptist Church, where we were both members. As I climbed the stairs leading up to my living room & opened the door, there He stood. Not a neighbour or a relative or a friend, but Jesus.

The entire room was ablaze with the light of His presence & the wonder of His amazing peace. A peace that put me entirely at my ease. A peace I had never before experienced. At least not in quite that way! A peace through which I felt I heard Him lovingly say –

‘John, I want you to know that I’ve been here with you the whole time. Not once have I ever left your side. When you were least aware of my presence, I was never more near!’

I’m with Jacob on this one who, waking from a deep sleep, is recorded to have said in Genesis 28:16 –

‘Without any doubt the Lord is in this place & I did not realise it!’

I entered the flat that day with zero expectations. I left with an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards God, not only for revealing Himself to me in the way that He did but also for reminding me that His peace & His presence, which always go hand in hand, are always within easy reach of those who make it their business to secure it for themselves! I.e. Those who ask for it & believe in their hearts that, come what may, it will always be there for the taking, regardless of the problems & pressures that surround & assail them.

As Dr Michelle Bengston, a Christian author, neuropsychologist & international speaker, based in Southlake, Texas, succinctly puts it –

‘God’s peace is not the calm after the storm.
It’s the steadfastness during it!’

May such a peace garrison both our hearts & our minds today & in all the days that lie ahead, as we look to the One who in the midst of all His trials & difficulties maintained an inner state of calm tranquility throughout! Yes, even at Calvary!!

Prayer

Dear Lord
Teach me to trust You in such a way that when the
Unexpected storms of life come,
I will know Your peace in the midst of those storms,
Confident in the fact that You are always near,
Always in control & always working things out not only for my good
But also for the good of those You’ve called me to love & serve.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Please pray for –

• Those who are struggling with their mental health & other related issues, as a consequence of COVID 19. That they will come to know & experience God’s great & uplifting peace for themselves.
• Those unable to attend church gatherings. That they will experience the joy of God’s presence, despite the confines & restrictions of their home environment.
• Godly leaders to be raised up. Leaders who will lead the nations back to Him!