SUNDAY 14TH JUNE 2020
MORE & MORE What a week we have had at the Golf Club. As we suspected, the need is not going away. As the trend on the infections graph goes down, so the economic impact seems to go up. This week we have helped to supply food to Foodbank as they try to keep up with an increasing demand, CAB similarly and other community professionals looking to help their clients. As well as this we have recorded the highest numbers of people coming in to the Golf Club yet with over 70 on Wednesday and over 60 on Saturday. The figures are astonishing but only goes to prove the ongoing need and number of people who have never before asked for any help. At the moment, things are different for people. I pray that they may realise the love God is giving them in their crisis. In my message this week I refer to us taking time to give our love and adoration to God because, of course, he has loved us first and loved us the most. This love has not only been evident in the deeds of The Salvation Army during the pandemic, but has been apparent to us as a driving force to keep us serving. I cannot stress enough the value of your ongoing prayers for the volunteers, staff and service users of this project as we continue. The need is not going away in a hurry, but neither will The Salvation Army because God never leaves us. At times like this, we see people forced to stop focussing on what they want and start to focus on what they need. In many cases, you can’t get what you want anyway because things are closed down. Sure there are the aspirational ones who still focus on what they want to make their lives all the richer at the expense of others, its sad but true. But many of even the wealthiest in society have had their focus shifted. Most industries have seen their businesses squeezed to potential breaking point. All have been restricted in their social contact with people they love. People who have worked seven days a week to get more and more have actually found the reward of spending time with their family and resting. I hope there have been life lessons learned in refocussing from wanting more and more to know more and more what we need. I am so mindful of the words of Major Joy Webb (below) who wrote a beautiful song that reminds us of the thing we need more than anything else. Jesus. Rich or poor, better or worse, any creed or colour, all of humanity; we need Jesus more and more. I pray that you will not only seek him, but share him with those who need to know him more and more today. O Jesus, Jesus, You are the one who can make my life complete. O Jesus, my peace restore. It's Jesus I need, Jesus indeed, Jesus in me, more and more.
The Salvation Army Stornoway Corps 59 Bayhead Stornoway HS1 2DZ
“We exist to worship God, to support each other and to serve our community. ” REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 214779 AND IN SCOTLAND: SC009359
Corps Officers Lts. Callum & Emma Newton Callum.newton@salvationarmy.org.uk
Telephone: 01851 703875 Mobile: 07493 880058
@stornowaysalvationarmy
Something to listen to...
Sunday meetings at 11:00am and 6:00pm. Music broadcast all week. Listen online at www.fortressradio.online
Believe it or not, this is an album I still own on LP (for those of you who know what that is)! It’s an old Salvation Army classic album that was intended to reach the masses with God’s music and it did. Enjoy some marches, hymns and reflections. Listen here: https://www.regalzonophone .com/Albums/An-Evening-AtThe-Citadel
Psalm 116: ‘ 1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.’ How often do we just want to be heard? We’re not necessarily looking for answers and solutions, we just want someone to listen to us. Often we can find the solution by talking about it, perhaps we already know deep down what we should do, but it still helps that someone will just listen while we get it all off our chest. The psalmist here recalls that great wonder that whenever, wherever, God is always ready to just listen to you. Sometimes he intervenes, sometimes he makes miracles happen, but more often he just listens, restores your soul and gently guides you aright. Despite him holding the balance of the entire universe in his hands, the invitation is always there for you to approach him, let him wrap his arms of love around you and say ‘tell me what’s on your mind’. What a privilege, what an opportunity, what a God. ‘What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!’ and yet ‘...what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’ There is nothing that we cannot talk to God about, so why not talk to him about everything. In Psalm 116 the psalmist rejoices that the Lord hears and answers his prayers for salvation. So well had the Lord listened to him, he resolves to keep praying and keep calling out to the Lord for as long as he lives. Then he gives testimony bearing witness to the God who listens; ‘5The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.’ I don’t know about you but I can definitely share that same testimony saying ‘The Lord is good and kind, compassionate, protecting and he saved me’. I know many of these things because I prayed and he listened to me over and over again. I know that when the time was right, not when I necessarily chose, but when it was right, he answered me. Other times, he just restored my soul compassionately as I poured out the worries and cares of my heart. I know that when I prayed in repentance and gave my life to Christ, I was saved by the astonishing and undeserving love he showed on Calvary for you and me. Because of the security in knowing that his prayers would be heard and listened to, the psalmist was able to write; ‘7Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.’ Have you been able to return you soul to rest lately? I have encountered a lot of people with many emotions recently, I don’t think many of them would say they are rested. Most people I have spoken to have been; anxious about the future, lonely and afraid of how long they will have to stay apart from people they love, terrified that they may catch a virus that could kill them, angry at politicians and government, uncertain that they will have a job to go back to after furlough, or desperate to make ends meet when their income has been removed from them. With all things considered, we may well ask, how can our soul possibly be at rest? There is of course only one way; Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer. Coming before God in prayer we have the chance to recommit ourselves in to his hands. We can approach him in the way that the psalmist explains at he very beginning; I love you Lord, and I am so glad that you listen to me. Lift your hearts in praise and worship remembering all He has already accomplished in your life. Lift your hearts also for restoration, for none of us ever get it all right. The honesty of you brokenness is the clay in the almighty potter’s hand. Song 506 (next page) in our Songbook is a great prayer for restoration. It speaks of challenges that I believe many of us are dealing with in our own hearts and minds, but also ones we are confronted with in others at the moment. Love has weakened and instead anger, hatred and violence has prevailed in the world in these last couple of weeks. Fervour, the passion, resolve and enthusiasm to come together and help each other through this crisis, in many quarters has rather lulled into a sense of ennui, fed up of the situation. But we know that we must never carry these attitudes onward. They are not the fruits borne of the Holy Spirit. So song 506 asks for that same fresh outpouring of God’s spirit as I pray for you all reading this now as I write it; ‘Fill our lives with Your Spirit's power, Lord of love, make us strong! We who to Christ belong.’ I pray that you will restore your soul to rest as the psalmist declared, because the Lord has been good to you. He listens to you with great compassion whenever you talk to him. He is gracious to you and will always teach you in the right ways. Above all, by the suffering and death of Jesus, he saved you from death and all evils. Don’t forget to talk to Him, and don’t forget to worship and tell God you love Him. You will restore your soul. Perhaps each day this week, you could start the day with the little chorus on the next page (Song 369), ‘I love you, Lord.’ It would be interesting to hear how starting the day with this positive talk with the Lord helps you to keep talking with the Lord and bringing you restoration and rest in a time of great unrest. People will notice it in you and you will be a great testimony.
Prayer Focus Almighty God, Your love has held me and kept me through the years. Now may your hope and healing lead me to a place of restoration. I give you all that I am, and rest in your peace. I will hold tightly to your promises all the days of my life, For you have saved me. Amen. Please remember in your prayers… • Your family and friends, and those who you have not seen for quite a while now. • Our General, Territorial Commander and their close colleagues as they continue to lead us through these times. • Our Divisional Commanders as they prepare for retirement. • Major Gillian Jackson as she prepares to take on the role of Divisional Commander for our division and her husband Major Steve Dutfield taking on the role of Divisional Leader for Leadership Development at DHQ. S.A. Songbook 506 1. Lord, you know that we love You, You know our thoughts and intentions; Know the depth of devotion Found in our lives today. If our love has weakened, if our fervour has waned, Turn us, Lord, by Your Spirit, Let us love with love unfeigned.
Lord, You know that we love You! Help that love to be true;
Fill our lives with Your Spirit's power, Lord of love, make us strong! We who to Christ belong. 2.Lord, You know that we fail You; Our sins, how sorely they grieve You! Many times have we fallen, Lord, lift us up again. May we walk to be worthy of the call that is ours, May Your will and Your purpose Claim our undivided powers!
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLUzF0pAUSk
S.A. Songbook 369 I love you, Lord, And I lift my voice To worship you, O my soul, rejoice. Take joy, my King In what you hear, May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear. Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h yBJwTKmQ8
These two songs feature in a very moving band piece called ‘Fire in the Blood’. Those who were with us for the Edinburgh congress will remember the impact this piece has. Please take some time in your devotions this week to watch this video with the words and music of the piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atVuV7JvPrI
Something to watch... This is a Sunday morning meeting from Norwich Citadel in 1987. It’s lovely to be able to share with the congregation in worship, prayer and testimony all be it from over 30 years ago. We still worship the God who is the same today as yesterday and all those years ago! This is another video that comes with a bonnet warning! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNkyRk-0LFo