…and pray for one another
BBC local radio service and Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, Sunday 23rd August 2020
Church in bed us something I am getting used to. Every Sunday since we went into lockdown I have been awakened at 8 am for the BBC local radio service, where all the BBC local radio join together for half an hour. The service should be available for people to hear on thr BBC Sounds app. This one was recorded in Manchester and was on the theme of trusting God in troubled times.
John Wesley was feeling low. Whilst on a ship in a storm, he thought they were going to drown as waves came down inside the boat, German Moravian Christians were singing hymns and praising God. Wesley was astonished at their certainty of faith which he did not have despite being an ordained Church of England priest.
Music included the hymns, “Will your anchor hold,” Eternal Father strong to save” and contemporary songs “You call me out upon the water,” and “He shall hold me fast.[1]“
A woman with cancer told about how she had been given two and a half years to live, needing a double lung transplant. She said that she wanted to serve and worship God in her suffering. She said there was a day when she was suffering greatly and was told to see her doctor for antibiotics but if a transplant became available she would not be able to have the transplant. her doctor gave her a short course on a lower than usual dosage of antibiotics. The course finished on December 31st and on January 1st she got the call to go in for a transplant.
How it reverberated with me and my chronic illness. I was waiting for a recovery that never came. I was waiting to be well to praise Jesus, but I found thay all the time Jesus was there, even in depression. The walking on the water reading Jesus does not calm the storm before walking out on it, or calm the storm in order for Peter to walk on it. He calls us to get out of the boat and come to him during the storm. During the storms and dark times Jesus is there with you to help you as he was with Peter, with John Wesley, with the woman who spoke of her transplant and with me.
Are you going to trust Jesus in your hard times?
On to Holy Trinity Church’e You Tube service:
This week I have taken it nice and easy, It has taken me two afternoons to recording my part for next weeks service. One day to set up everything and make test recordings, then laying the track down on 12 string guitar the next day.
Today’s service:Paul, one of our life group leaders was leading the service. on Pray for one another. Bev, a licenced lay minister preached. Here are a few notes from the sermon.
Love your neighbour as yourselves. We bring each other to God. God did not send this virus but he can use it to bring us to trusting in him.
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you ill? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:13-16
The answer to everything, pray.
- Be God focussed ans God dependant.
- Remember we’re all in a band (of pilgrims)
- Because God wants to forgive we are to confess our sins to each other.
- We do life together through prayer. Prayer brings God into the centre of things and makes him the centre.
My notes are short this week, as God spoke to me more through the radio service. That is not to say there is anything wrong with it, God speaks to different people in different ways at different times. So I have included a link to the service[2].
[1]He will hold me fast by Keith and Kristyn Getty :
[2 ]Holy Trinity service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdU3YdkX_nE&list=PLcRb4ElnwdZcCbGx_Osg5CX-TExNxVvsl
Making an ass of myself 