Whether you are breathing a sigh of relief, or wishing the Book of Esther had more than nine chapters, today is the day we come to the conclusion of the book, which puts the point of it all really rather clearly.
Yes, it's time to say a sad farewell to Esther and start making space for Easter ... after a break next week for some other necessary stuff I need to get done!
But first here's some encouragement to persevere with Esther's last chapter.
Let's pray
Father we thank you that we come to you today as the God Who has a history of redeeming the lost and then providing for and preserving them as His people.
Draw out our hearts today in worship and adoration for your great reversals in the fortunes of your people, and build in us a firmer faith that our God's irrevocably for us.
We ask for Jesus' sake.
Amen.
Let's pray
This week saw elections in Nigeria (Africa's most populous country of 200 million souls), marked the first anniversary of the most recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and saw a return to terrorist murders in the North of Ireland.
Nigeria
Elections in Nigeria this week saw a late turn-out with voters hoping for better things in days following the time of increasing violence and hardship under the Presidency of Muhammad Buhari, who is stepping down after holding the office for the maximum permitted term of eight years.
The country is struggling with Islamic insurgency in the north-east of the country, an epidemic of kidnaps for ransom, conflict between farmers and herders, shortages of cash, fuel and power (in spite of the fact Nigeria is Africa's top oil-producing country) and deep-rooted corruption and poverty.
The elections have not run to time and are expected to flow over until Sunday (today). Of the three front runners, two are Muslim and one is Christian in this religiously polarised society.
Christian farmers and villagers are repeatedly attacked in Nigeria's Middle Belt region. Tens of thousands have died over the last twenty years of this unrest. Hundreds of thousands of Christian settled farmers have lost everything and are living as refugees.
There are two main forces behind this, Boko Haram (which seeks to violently Islamise society) and Fulani militants ... nomadic cattle herders following Islam the are intent on driving Christians out of the region ... attacking Christian farming villages at night, killing Christians using machetes and guns.
Lord we pray for the political situation in Nigeria that you will establish for this vast country a Presidency of peace with prosperity.
We ask that you will bring a solution to the violence that is causing such suffering, and particularly where Boko Haram and the Fulani tribesmen are operating.
And we pray that you will protect and empower your people in Nigeria to sever you freely and fear-free, as their Saviour and their coming King.
Ukraine
This week world leaders have been showing their colours on the invasion of Ukraine. At the G20 group meeting of the world's top twenty financial leaders the extent of the unwillingness to criticise Russia openly led to countries like India studiously making no comment on the situation.
This week Russia's President withdrew from the new START nuclear arms reduction treaty and talked up Russia's nuclear arsenal.
China has all weighed in to support Russia this week, as the President of Belarus, Russia's client-state bordering Ukraine, sets out on a state visit to Beijing.
Father we praise you that as international politics brings concern and consternation, it is your hand that directs the course of human politics and history.
Strengthen, we pray, the hearts and hands of the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom.
Inspire, enable and transform the abilities of your faithful servants living and serving you within the country and bless their efforts with the anointing of your Holy Spirit. Give Spirit-led wisdom to those who run radio ministries in Ukraine, those who man the radio stations' telephone help-lines and protect those who have volunteered to serve as chaplains to the army.
May your people in Ukraine know your presence and your power, and may they be encouraged by the prayers and by the generosity of their brothers and sisters around the world.
Northern Ireland
This week saw violence return to Northern Ireland as talks aimed at producing a new Brexit agreement for Northern Ireland were reportedly inching towards a conclusion.
The suspected attackers of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell are being interviewed by anti-terrorist police at Belfast's Musgrave Police Station, with investigations on-going.
Clearly a return to paramilitary violence in Northern Ireland has fearful implications for the people of the province, and for followers of Christ in their communities.
Lord, we pray as some of us have prayed throughout the time of the Troubles in years gone by, for the peace, security and stability of Northern Ireland.
We pray for faith and fortitude in Christian life and leadership in the province, and we pray that the people who chose violence where there should be peaceful politics will not prosper.
Father hear our prayers for your broken world today, and in your righteous wrath and your pain at what people do, we ask that you would show mercy.
We pray for Jesus' sake.
AMEN.
Click the Bible below to be taken to this week's Bible reading
Here's the video recording of the sermon
The second verse of our last hymn refers to Memorialising one of God's great deliverances of His Old Covenant people in 1 Samuel 7:7-12.
Give that passage a quick look by clicking on the reference above, then let's sing this familiar old hymn in the light of what we read.
May the Lord give us opportunity this week to remember His interventions through the course of our own Christian lives to deliver us from challenges and trials we have faced, and to rejoice at our version of the old story of Jesus and His love!
If you would like to join with us in supporting the on-going work of y GRWP, please click the offering bag below to be taken to our online giving page.
Thanks.
And now may God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us— 2 so that His ways may be known on earth,
His salvation among all nations.
And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
Welcome to our inclusivity-themed DIY Sunday Service Kit!
I imagine you weren't expecting that topic, in spite of the way that word has been all across our news in the last week, and the likelihood it will be back there again before the end of the month.
So before you jump to conclusions about what we're up to with this one, here's a quick 'foretaste' video of about forty seconds ...
Let's pray
Father we thank you that we enjoy freedom to open your Word and to read it and meditate on it.
Grant us time in peace today to focus on your Word to us and stimulate our minds to benefit from and to rejoice in its truth.
We ask this along with the forgiveness of our sins, in Jesus' Name.
AMEN.
Our Sunday Psalm comes to us today with a little taste of 'Gospel' ...
Let's pray
Revival on American university campuses?
Something unusual has been happening on university colleges in the U.S. which started at Asbury College in Kentucky.
Here's just one report from social media:
This has been going since February 8th. and it's not just happening at Asbury College but has spread to other universities like Samford, Lee, and Cedarville.
It seems that young people are really seeking the Lord fervently, that events are centred on Scripture and that this is not about big personalities but a movement of the Spirit of God.
Let's pray:
that the Lord will do a deep and genuine saving and sanctifying work in many students' hearts
that He will protect the work that is being done there and all his servants who are active in the work
that a genuine work of God will spread across many universities and colleges in the U.S.A.
and the the Lord will also meet with students here in the UK in deep and life-changing ways.
Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022 when attacks by Russian forces were reported in major cities across Ukraine and in the capital, Kyiv.
The first anniversary of this conflict is therefore at the end of next week.
The UK government has said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will lead a one-minute silence at 1100 GMT on Feb. 24 and they are encouraging individuals and organisations across Britain to participate.
Let's pray again this week for all the displaced people who have fled the conflict, particularly those who have come to the UK
Let's pray for those who are involved in the active military defence of their country, that many of them will put their trust and hope in the Lord as they hear broadcasts from Christian organisations and meet volunteer chaplains moving amongst them to help and encourage them
Let's pray for those who have lost loved ones, who have been injured or whose minds have been deeply and disturbingly altered by the effects of the conflict.
Let's pray for a just, lasting and speedy end to the conflict and the restoration of peace and safety to the people of Ukraine, Europe and the UK
Lord, in your mercy please intervene in the affairs of mankind to restrain all that is evil, encourage all that is good and bring your world into true peace with justice.
Industrial unrest
Strikes and rumours of settlements of industrial disputes still persist across the UK.
It's a confusing situation, with differences in the situation in the same industry across different devolved administrations within the UK.
Let's pray for those who are working hard but finding they don't earn enough.
Let's pray for those who are striking because they fear for the future of their service or industry, where the conditions of work are not seeing staff recruited or retained in sufficient numbers.
Let's pray for those adversely affected by the strike action ... especially in schools and the health service.
And let's pray for unity in our land as these matters have such potential to cause division.
Lord in your mercy please ensure that our key workers have enough, that our people will be well-served and that we enter again into a time of industrial peace.
We bring you all these prayers and requests giving thanks that you listen when we pray.
And we pray in Jesus' Name.
AMEN.
Click the Bible below to be taken to the reading for today
The video of the sermon recording is here
Let's sing
Now ...
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy
—to the only God our Saviour
be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
before all ages,
now and forevermore!
Amen.
Thanks for being with us again here today.
We have been making steady progress again this week towards being able to meet at a café in Llandovery again, God willing, in the next few months.
There are still things to resolve which could prevent it, and provision of people and material things will be needed to let it happen, but we'd really value your prayers about it all.
If we can help, please contact us in the usual ways.
If you'd like to help support the work of y GRWP by giving, as usual the giving link is below. just click the offering bag and that will get you there.
And let's remember to pray for God's Word and work to be powerful also in our area this week.
just as a little 'extra' for Sunday afternoon, if you have questions about the awakening that is spreading out from Asbury College amongst students in America at the moment, here are two quite intellectual and conservative people really giving us a good idea about what they think God is doing there.
It's called 'Is Revival Happening in Asbury' and it's just under 50 minutes of personal chatting, but I think it's really helpful.
Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for February 12th. 2023. It's been a week of tragic and quite disturbing news coming in from various parts of God's troubled world. It is easy to feel crushed by the sad circumstances we witness in the world. we'll have the chance to bring a few of those sad and serious things to Him in prayer shortly.
But let's start by calming and ordering our thoughts as we join Sovereign Grace in their meditation on Psalm 121.
Let's pray
Arguably two large issues today dominate the thinking of many of the people we live amongst, both of which cause considerable complications and confusion.
A huge earthquake struck an area of substantial social and economic deprivation on the outskirts of Europe on February 6th.
And a metaphorical earthquake rocked the Church of England on 9th February as its General Synod voted to bless gay civil 'marriages'.
As we pray about these two issue and the needs and consequences raised by them, we do so
conscious of the spiritual confusion and pain that both matters raise ...
and conscious of their impact on people that our God calls us to reach with the Gospel.
Turkey
In Turkey the death toll has been reported on Saturday (11th. Feb) as being above 19,000.
A slow initial rescue response, damaged roads and appalling weather have worsened the situation as devastation covers a vast area, impacting ten provinces in the country.
Hope of finding more survivors in the rubble is now fading fast.
Emergency shelters ... tent cities and prefabricated houses ... have been put up to relocate more than 75,000 people being transferred to other cities.
We pray Lord for people who have lost loved ones and all their material possessions, people who do not know what has become of their loved ones from whom they are separated, and for those who tragically do.
We pray for those who are now being transported to other cities and into camps for internally dispersed people in the cold of a Turkish winter.
We pray for adequate provision for the support of the living, and for the measure to deal with the needs of those who have lost their lives as these are also in very short supply.
Lord have mercy on the people of the areas affected by this tragedy, and support the small number of your persecuted people in Turkey as they make their response to the needs of their neighbours.
Syria
Syrian and Russian teams have been working to rescue people in Government-controlled parts of Syria where more than 3,900 people are known to have been killed and 2,000 injured.
These figures are expected in reality to be much higher.
In opposition-held parts of Syria, which was totally dependent on aid even before the earthquake struck, the situation is expected to be much worse.
Lord we know so little of the situation in Syria due to the political situation and the ravages of the war that has been crippling the land and its people for so long.
We know that you have your people in Syria. We know that the humanitarian provision in Syria has historically been made in the refugee camps where it has not been safe for Christians to go.
Have mercy Lord we pray on the people of Syria and particularly on your believing people there, and meet their needs in this situation particularly we pray.
Synod
This week the Church of England Synod approved the 'blessing' of homosexual relationships that had been sealed in civil gay 'marriages'.
Many Evangelical Christians remain as a faithful remnant of people within the Anglican Church, and are now finding this all very difficult.
Let's pray for them.
The discussions in Synod have shown just how far the leaders and governing body of the Church of England have moved from sticking to the Bible as their authority in matters of faith and conduct ... which is of far greater consequence than the headline issue of 'gay marriage'.
Let's pray that accommodation to the spirit of the age rather than holding faithfully to God's Word will be shown up for what it is in our land ... wherever, whenever and by whomsoever that spiritual compromise gets made.
Across the country people outside the Anglican denomination, both from other denominations and from none are finding the Gospel is getting confused for them. We meet them, they speak to us about this and it really isn't helping God's cause in this world.
Let's pray that the confusion being spread in the minds and hearts of unbelievers will be countered as the Lord raises up faithful people who speak out in the power of the Holy Spirit, whether from within Anglicanism in England, around the world or from believers in other church structures ... so that God will have clear and authentic testimony to the truth of His Word not just on this issue but on all issues, and that people will be turned from error to delight in His Word of truth.
Lord have mercy on our sin-stained world, where the effects of the Fall are seen in human suffering and in rebellion against the authority of You and Your Word.
In all the misrule and mistakes and the deep mysteries that make it hard to understand things that we observe and are disturbed by, we ask you to step in.
Honour your Word.
Show error, sin and confusion for what they are and place the responsibility for sin's harms where they belong.
Lord, would you please speak with a voice that wakes the spiritually dead, so that all people may hear your life-giving truth.
We ask for Jesus' sake and Glory.
AMEN.
Click on the Bible for today's reading from the Book of Esther (chapter 8)
Twenty schemes lead us to focus on the spiritual essentials as we lift our hearts to sing with them ...
The video of the sermon is here ...
Our concluding hymn comes again today from 20Schemes
Let's pray
The Apostle Paul reminds both Titus and us:
"At one time we too were
foolish,
disobedient,
deceived and
enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.
We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he poured out on usgenerously through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
so that, having been justified by his grace,
we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life"
(Titus 3:3-7)
Lord clear our thinking.
Clarify our thoughts about ourselves and your gracious rescue of us.
Enable us to go int the coming week living our lives on the foundation of the truth you have shown us and the work you both have done and are doing in us.
And help us bring light, decisively, into our darkened world.
We ask for Jesus' sake.
AMEN.
We've come through a confusing week and we stand on the brink of another week to live for our God in His world.
If you would like us to pray about any aspect of what you expect lies before you this week, please contact us by emailing HoWChaplain@gmail.com or by texting or using WhatsApp to get in touch on 07748 644958.
If you would like to contribute to the work of y GRWP, please click the offering bag below to be taken to where you can do that.
This week we are following up on Esther 7 which we focused on last week by looking at Ephesians 6:10-12 ... here's the short video taster explaining why:
Let's pray
Lord we thank you for the freedom we have to come into your presence today.
Please lead us deeper in our understanding of you, of the work you are doing in your world and of our place both in your world and your work.
We pray for Jesus' sake.
Amen.
"God is faithful, He is faithful to His own"
... Sovereign Grace lead us in reflecting on Psalm 114
Indonesia
Recently, after twelve years of hard work by the translation team, the new Moma language New Testament was published at the launch ceremony in Kulawi District, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Since Java and Bali are highly crowded, the government organized the relocation of over 8 million people to Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua, and West Papua where more space is available. Most of the people relocated were Muslim Javanese and Madurese.
The relocation has often swamped the population of indigenous people in these areas, leading to all sorts of tensions and problems.
However, many in the local population wanted to be there to witness this occasion as the New Testament was released in their own language.
What the Moma speakers said at the launch event summed up the impact that Moma Scripture portions have already had – and the impact the Moma New Testament will have:
‘People understand the Scriptures better; they understand grace. Some people who were involved in occultism have stopped because now they understand the Scriptures.’
‘People prefer to hear the Scriptures in Moma. They are more interested than when they hear them in Indonesian.’
‘We had a sermon in our church in Moma and all the songs were in Moma. People loved it!’
‘Our old people understand Moma better than Indonesian. Also, many people in our community have a low education level, so they understand Moma better.’
This is happening against a background where:
More than 500,000 Christians from Maluku and central Sulawesi have suffered personal loss, bitter trauma, and loss of their ancestral homelands to Muslim groups.
Although the violence has passed, these areas have shifted from the two religious populations living amidst one another to a separation that means there is much less interaction between Muslims and Christians – and therefore much less witness to Jesus for those who do not know him.
Let's pray for religious freedom at grass roots level throughout Indonesia
Let's pray that the Moma speakers of Central Sulawesi will learn to really love their New Testament as the Lord speaks through it to them in their life situation.
And let's pray that many of the Moslem people who have relocated into their area will also hear the Lord speaking to them through His Word and come to faith in Him through the witness of the local Moma speaking believers.
National Strikes
As things stand, the Ambulance strikes planned for Wales on Monday have been suspended following a fresh pay offer and the as been followed by most health unions in Wales also calling off their planned action for the same reason.
Let's give thanks to God for that.
Let's also pray for people who take care of our health who are finding it hard to make ends meet, for the trend for people to leave jobs in the health service leaving the service very under-staffed, and for those who did valuable work in society to know and to feel that they are valued for what they do ... whether they work inside the Health Service or elsewhere.
School strikes are currently still planned in Wales for 14th. February. Let's pray for this to be resolved so that children's care and education will not be disrupted.
Father we pray that the principle of fair day's work for a fair day's pay will be enshrined in our nation's set of core values.
We pray that those who work hard but still can't afford to live and care for themselves and their families will be given relief.
And we pray that the current financial situation of our country will be quickly resolved.
We ask all these things for Jesus' sake.
AMEN.
Celtic Worship helps us to renew our strength in the Lord
Click the open Bible to go to today's Bible passage
City Alight have a great 'standing' song for us to follow that passage with ...
The sermon audio and transcript are behind this button ...
Here's the video of the sermon
We conclude today with a hymn from John Bunyan himself ...
Let's pray
We thank you Lord and Heavenly Father that you provide for your people all that we need to enter into and pursue our calling.
Be with us in the course of the coming weak to make us alert to the cosmic context in which we live, to be alert and watchful and to find our resources and our strength in you to meet the challenges we will encounter along the way.
And give us joy as we walk with you in the plans you have prepared for us to serve you in your Kingdom here and then in Glory.
We ask for Jesus' sake.
AMEN.
If you would like to join with us in supporting the outreach of y GRWP, please click the offering bag below to be taken to our giving link. Thanks.
If we can be of any help and pray for you, please contact HoWChaplain@gmail.com
