Worship led by Ken Cowell
Psalm 103. 1-2 Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
In the authorised version of the Bible the word “Blessed” is used instead of “Praise.” The word “blessed” is a more reverential and exalted form of praise. In these verses David speaks to his soul twice, motivating himself to bless God in praise. In a previous psalm David speaks of himself of “blessing the Lord at at all times.” (Psalm 34.1) Why then in this psalm is he talking to himself to motivate him to praise God? Maybe because of difficult circumstances he doesn’t feel like praising God. Do we feel like that this morning? What does David do? He remembers God’s blessings to him in the past which encourages him to praise God in the present even when he doesn’t feel like it. Our praise to God shouldn’t be governed by our present feelings but by how God has blessed us by his grace us in the past. Remember the chorus “Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings see what God has done, Count your blessing name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. To help us in our praise this morning let’s remember for a few moments some of the blessings God has given us before we sing our first song.
Bless the Lord O my soul
96 Father in heaven how we love you
Praise for David isn’t just something that on the outside with his lips but it comes from deep within his soul. It also not half-hearted but whole-hearted with “all his inmost being.” It wasn’t a ritual just going through the motions but it sprung from a deep personal relationship. David wrote 73 out of the 150 psalms. Another name for psalms is “praise songs.” Praising God wasn’t a pastime for David was a full time occupation. In Psalm 119. verse 164 David speaks of praising God seven times a day. With such a busy life we wonder how he found time to worship with whole hearted devotion. May God help us to follow his example.
859 I will worship with all of my heart
Psalm 103 3-5 Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
These are some of the blessings for which that David praises God. His spiritual blessing of forgiveness which he puts first, no doubt considering the forgiveness of his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. How grateful we too should praise God for our forgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus.
David goes on to speak of his physical healing in life and his redemption for from the pit of eternal death after this life. He praises God for his love and compassion that provides satisfaction with many blessings both in this life and the next. David here is not just relating these blessings for himself but for God’s children which includes ourselves. May we give thanks and praise for all God’s blessings to us.
1015 Thank you for saving me
1203 Come let us worship the King of Kings
Breaking of Bread, led by Brian Legg
I don’t know about you, but I’m very thankful that I do not know what tragedies may befall me in the days, weeks, months or years ahead. I do know I can trust in my God, who knows it all very well, and has promised to be with me whatever happens.
I want to read the well-known account in Luke’s gospel where our Lord initiated what we are going to share in today – we call it the Breaking of Bread. As we read once again these verses, I want us to think about how Jesus must have been feeling at the time – although He had told his disciples many times that he must suffer at the hands of men, they didn’t really believe it would happen, and were doing all they could to protect him. `In the forefront of his mind was the fact that, in carrying out His Father’s will, he had to be rejected by mankind, and go to the cross.
Read Luke22: 14 - 20
The words of Jesus recorded here – v 15 – “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer”. In spite of his knowledge of what would soon take place, he was keen to get on with the Passover celebration – knowing only too well what would shortly take place.
At the same time, we find him looking forward – beyond the suffering of the cross, and the victory of the coming resurrection – to the time when He would take his place with His Father in heaven.
We often live in fear because we don’t know what lies ahead – take encouragement from the attitude of Jesus, when he was to give his life to bring us back to the Father.
I’d like us to sing, remaining seated, There is a Redeemer. It repeats our thanks to God for sending His Son to be our Redeemer, and concludes by looking ahead – beyond all the uncertainties and trials of life – to the time when we will all be called to meet with Him in glory. In the meantime, He has blessed us by sending the Holy Spirit to empower us in our service for Him
There is a Redeemer
Prayer Time
Please continue to remember:
- Peter – thanks that he is making some progress and is still having treatment at Caterham Dene. Pray for his future care, and especially for Jan in these difficult times.
- We hear that Charmaine’s mother passed away last Thursday – pray for Charmaine and her family to know God’s peace in their loss.
- Sue – for continued recovery of her knee, and for a painful tooth to be sorted out quickly.
- Rose’s nephew David passed away suddenly this week. Pray for his family, and for Rose in their loss.
- We prayed last week for Joyce’s friend Maureen’s sister Angela – her op went well, so she is now on physio and can walk a few steps. Pray for complete recovery.
- Connie, as she has a planned operation on her ankle on 24th August.
Summary Notes of Message by Stephen Lawrence
TEXT:- 2 THESSALONIANS 2: 1 -13
V 1 -3 Paul encourages the church that the day of the Lord (Tribulation period), has not started. The letter they got was not from him. It was opposed to his first letter and also what he had spoken to them in person when with them. It doesn't matter if the message comes from a spirit, a word or a letter, we must test it. He told them to do this in the first letter 1 Thess 5.21.
He speaks of the Lord's second coming and our rapture and the signs that mush happen. There will be a departure from the faith, we are seeing it but it will intensify, and the man of Sin, a synonym for Anti-Christ, will be revealed.
V4 - His character will be the opposite to Christ, who was self humbling and kept all the law, he will be self exalting and lawless.
A third temple WILL be rebuilt and this figure will enter it to claim deity.
V5 Remember Paul's words and make our words also teaching in line with God's word so we can say to people, remember my words.
V6 God is gracious in still restraining evil, one day he will let it flourish as judgment.
V7 Mystery, something hidden in old and revealed in new, here it is iniquity that is at work.
V8 The wicked one, anti-Christ will be destroyed by the mere presence of Jesus when he returns.
V9 Satan does have power and signs that deceive and lie.
V10 Pray we can love the truth, not only agree but LOVE it. This is how to not be deceived.
V11, 12 The lost are damned, as they refused the truth. Once God sends a delusion who can you pray to for that to go?
V13 Let's be thankful and for our being chosen for salvation, justification, sanctification and glorification.
V15 briefly touched ....it is okay to listen to words or letters as long as they are in line with what God has said and biblical tradition as Paul taught them.
Notices
- Wednesday at 9.30am – Prayer Meeting
- Next Sunday our speakers are Jon and Clare Skipper (from Barcelona)