“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.” Psalms 5:11 NIVUK8/3/2026 This is the secret to the joy that Christ has promised us. It is to hide ourselves away in Him from all the storms of life. There is complete calm and peace in Christ. Satan cannot enter into Christ and so, when we are in Him, we are safe from Satan and all the troubles our enemy whips up all around us. That’s why we can sing for joy, no matter what we face. As we take refuge in Christ we cannot help but feel glad because we are connected to the One who is gladness itself.
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15:11 NIVUK His joy is in us. There is nothing like joy to chase away the discouragements we feel. If you meet a happy person when you’re feeling down you often discover their mood rubs off on you. You can feel lighter after just a few minutes in their company and find yourself smiling at something they said. How much more when we come into close contact with Christ Himself. Whether through church, prayer or song, you suddenly find Him near, and your heart is made glad. “Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Psalms 5:11 NIVUK He protects us from the cold winds so that we may rejoice in Him. No matter what we are facing, we can feel His arms around us. When life is tough, bury yourself in His strong arms like a little child, and feel His protection and joy. “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.” Psalms 5:12 NIVUK
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I’ve been reading through the life of David in 1st Samuel of late. Prior to becoming King, David’s life is marked by hardship, exclusion, ostracisation and harassment – often at the hands of one who held ultimate power in the land – King Saul. He was cut off from his own family at times, on one occasion feigning madness to protect himself. When things could barely get worse, and the fulfilment of the anointing Samuel had given David many years before never seemingly so distant, David found himself rejected from a people whom he had helped – the Philistines, out of fear and suspicion of David’s motives, would not allow David to enter the battlefield with them.
David returned to his home village of Ziklag and, as he approached, saw the burning of the silent village – his wives and children gone. What sorrow must have washed over him. Torment and confusion. And to add to this his own friends started grumbling in bitterness and growing rage – threatening to stone him. David’s response? “But David strengthened himself in the Lord His God” (1 Samuel 30:6). What an inspiration and consolation – out of this place of deep darkness David found the strength to lead his men to victory, the recovering of his family and the spoils of the enemy his very own. Are you downtrodden? Is the enemy seemingly winning the battle? Find your strength in the Lord your God and push on in the certain knowledge that He will give you the spoils of the enemy in His own way and in His own time. It is a lovely thing to feel special to someone. It might be your partner, but it could also be felt from a parent, child, family member, or a friend with whom you share a particular bond. It warms the heart to know someone is genuinely delighted you are there.
I remember, as a child, being blessed to feel this from my Gran. If I was feeling a bit rubbish, I knew that visiting Gran would always bring unconditional love, a cup of tea, and hopefully some home baking! The truth is, though, I knew every grandchild felt the same way. Flaws and all, when you came to see Gran, you were just hers, and you were loved. The beauty and wonder of this verse from the Song of Solomon is that these are the words of Christ directed to us. The same Christ who loves all mankind loves you as an individual. When we are in His presence, we feel very special indeed. His love for us is so individual that we can feel like the most precious person in the world. That is truly how He sees us. He looks beyond our flaws to His own special creation, His dearly loved child. Loved because we are His. The earlier part of this verse says: “My dove is hiding behind the rocks…” So often, when we don’t feel in a great place spiritually, we don’t want to come to Him in prayer. We hide away, sometimes avoiding church and our own quiet times. But it’s in those moments that we need Him the most. Looking inside isn’t usually a good idea, but lifting our eyes to who He is and the truth He brings us is where every need is met. No loving parent casts a child off because they made a mistake or were not quite perfect enough. If you think of any child in your care, would you not be heartbroken if you thought they were afraid to come to you because they had made a mistake? The love of God for us does not depend on our need to be perfect, we would all be in serious trouble if that were the case! This verse is a great encouragement to us, telling us not to hide away but to come and be loved, to pour out to Him and find that He is ready to receive us in love. So, wherever you are today in your spiritual journey, come to Him in the sure knowledge that to Him your voice is sweet and your face is lovely. Come and let His love surround you like a warm blanket as you go into a new week. May this precious mantle keep you close to Him, whatever this week may bring. This verse sums up the call given to our forefathers and mothers at the inception of the work of God, which has become known as the Struthers group of churches. “That we might serve in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.”
Each church has its own calling. This is ours. Holiness and righteousness are not popular concepts among humanity, and are not always popular among the church. But to the soul who discovers Christ, they are delightful. We hunger after them and are not disappointed. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NKJV This weekend, I found myself really looking forward to our meeting on Saturday night in our Glasgow church. I had this most delightful spiritual feeling every time I thought of it. Our Heavenly Father didn’t disappoint. The atmosphere during the worship time was exquisite. At one point during the worship time, the verse came to me: “For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.” Song of Solomon 2:11-12 NKJV The whole atmosphere began to fill with the coming of Christ, and the people felt like flowers opening to the warmth of the Son as the singing in the Spirit rose to a crescendo. Christ had come. And right in the midst of that, a gentleman who has been attending our Saturday nights for some time, who has never particularly responded before, began to come under anointing. I watched as I saw the Spirit crack him open. His head was raised, and I heard him begin to speak in tongues. I left the platform to help him to a clear place but he didn’t need my help. Christ was ministering to him directly, and as I stood with him, he began to scream. Our worship team filled the air with music and the congregation with song. Christ was there in the midst of the hall, and a life was gloriously set free. I discovered after the meeting that he had never found Christ. He did that night! What a lovely encounter. His face was radiant as he told me about it afterwards. This is why we serve God. That we: “Might serve Him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.” This is what is so deeply opposed. Satan hates to see lives cleared out and swept clean. “He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn”. Matthew 3:12 NKJV I love when Christ comes right into the heart of a company of people. He transforms, He cleanses, and He heals. What a wonderful Saviour we have. May He grant that we shall serve Him all the days of our lives. The word victorious in this passage comes from the Greek root ‘nike’ meaning to conquer, overcome, prevail. This is the language of triumph. Most believers do not wake up feeling like conquerors; we are fragile, inconsistent, and unfinished. However, Christ speaks a different identity over His people. In His kingdom victory is not earned, it is inherited. We are victorious because He is victorious.
In the ancient world, pillars symbolised strength, honour, and permanence. Even today, when we walk through ancient ruins, the pillars are often the only things still standing. Christ promises to make the victorious believer - the believer who clings to Him - a pillar in God’s temple. A pillar does not begin as a pillar, it starts as raw stone. And so do we. God shapes us as a stonemason, He cuts, crafts, and fits each piece for a purpose. He uses every event that touches our lives – pressures, disappointments, waiting, grief — as places where His hands work. Our triumphs are also stones He sets into place: reminders of His faithfulness and evidence that He is building something enduring in us. Many ancient pillars are made of individual stones stacked together. Likewise, our lives are built from the “stones” of our experiences — joy, hardship, victories, and trials. None of these moments stand alone. Nothing is wasted. Every stone matters. Every season becomes part of the structure He is forming. The church in Philadelphia lived with constant instability in a city known for earthquakes. Buildings cracked, pillars fell, and people fled from their homes again and again. Into that instability, Jesus speaks a promise of unshakeable belonging: “Never again will they leave.” Those who feel displaced become permanent fixtures in the house of God. Those who feel weak and unstable become load-bearing. Those who feel overlooked become essential to His work. In Him, we become unshakeable — able to endure pressure, storms, and seasons of testing because our foundation is Christ the Rock (Luke 6:48). Be encouraged. Whatever you are facing today, God is doing a deep work in you. He is shaping you to stand. He is making you a pillar in His house. Ephesians 2:20-22 (NIV) ‘built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.’ “But Jesus said, “No, go home to your (church) family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.””
Mark 5:19 NLT https://padlet.com/padstruthers/how-was-2025-for-you-95vswdjfvu2gam3w It’s time for you to share. I share every week and I’d love to hear back from some of you. Click the link above to share. Wherever you are, come tell us what the Lord has done for you. You can make it anonymous or you can leave your name and city, town or country. Let’s share what the Lord has done for us. “Give as freely as you have received!” Matthew 10:8 NLT On a Friday morning Graham and I are up very early, as we have a bit of a journey to make so that we can have the pleasure of looking after two of our lovely grandchildren from 7 am.
Despite the early rise, I always like to get up just that little bit earlier to have a quick coffee and to read my Bible. I am always rewarded. These were the words I drank in on Friday morning: ‘You honor me by anointing my head with oil.’ Psalm 23:5 NLT The Spirit of the Lord drew very near, and the reward was this: A wonderful, rich, warm, anointing oil was poured on my head. The hand that anointed me was the hand of the Lord, my Shepherd. It poured in richly, bringing His presence close (v4). It caused me to relax deeply inside until I felt as if I had really unwound, feeling absolutely chilled (v2). As I relaxed, I felt my strength renewed, and the way ahead became clear (v3). And suddenly, renewed, refreshed, strengthened, my cup overflowed with blessing because His goodness and unfailing love have pursued me at every stage of life. What more can I say? ‘The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.’ Psalm 23:1 NLT These moments are divine and much appreciated. Some seldom find such special moments. They seek here and there but never have that divine encounter. All of life is worth living for these moments. How do we find them? By surrendering all, including our opinions and desires, and allowing ourselves to rest with our Bibles until the Lord draws near. His anointing is perfect. How grateful we are to God for His goodness to us. He has gathered the remnant of His people. How good it is to be together with all of God’s people, to worship and to praise. He brought us together like sheep in His pasture to feed richly on the green pastures of His goodness.
It was good to see our church so busy this week with the Men’s Night and the Ladies’ Breakfast. Our land was certainly filled with noisy crowds! But even without these special events, our church is filled with noisy crowds. You only need to listen online on a Sunday morning to hear the noisy crowds. We are glad to be in His house and to be together with His people. They are family to us. Why? “Your leader will break out and lead you out of exile, out through the gates of the enemy cities, back to your own land. Your king will lead you; the Lord himself will guide you.” Micah 2:12-13 NLT Our leader, Christ Jesus, has broken out of the grave in the power of His resurrection. He has led us out of exile, out of death, out of sin, through the gates of the enemy cities, until we were delivered. We are no longer barred from our own land, our rightful inheritance with all the abundance of power and anointing of the righteousness and goodness of God. Our pastures are rich with spiritual nourishment. We are home in our own land, in our own church, with our own Saviour. The King will lead us. Who else could we want? The Lord Himself will guide us. We can be confident going forward. Our leader goes before us, and our guide walks close beside us. The path ahead is cleared before us, and the comfort of God will be around us. He will bring us, like a flock to its pasture, into a place of safety and strengthening. Our noisy crowds will continue, they will deepen in their faith and walk with God until they are like fat and contented sheep with hearts gladdened by His continual presence. ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.’ Psalm 23:1-3 NLT Just before our New Year’s Conference, I felt a wave of uncertainty come over me, wondering whether the conference would be well-attended or not. Perhaps it had come as a result of changing the venue at the last minute, I don’t know, but I suddenly felt afraid folks wouldn’t come.
On that particular day, during my daily reading, I came across Psalm 22. As we know this Psalm centres around the thoughts of Christ on the Cross. How perfect was this verse for me at such a time. The Spirit caused it to live and it brought tremendous comfort to me. We will never be disgraced if we trust in the Lord. As our spiritual ancestors called out to the Lord so will we. He will hear our prayers. He answered their prayers gloriously. A work flourished and bloomed under their hands. Miracles were wrought: people were saved, baptised in the Holy Spirit, bodies healed, demons were cast out, and the church was filled. He answered my prayers too for the conference. Despite the flu epidemic that was going around, the church was very busy. The sound of praise filled the church and: “The glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:11 NLT Our spirits were thrilled with His presence, and our Lord was glorified. As we sang ‘Ye Gates’ in closing, there was such a strong, throbbing power of the presence of God. It took me back to the days of Miss Taylor and Mr Black when the atmosphere used to fill with God’s glory. My eyes were closed, but I could see Christ standing in the Gates. He was tall, strong and immovable by any flurry of opposition against His work. “His legs are pillars of marble Set on bases of fine gold. His countenance is like Lebanon, Excellent as the cedars.” Song of Solomon 5:15 NKJV Our Lord is excellent! We will trust in You, Lord, and never be disgraced. We could ask for a year of blessings, health or happiness but the best is the presence of God. For the truth is none of us know what the year ahead holds for us, but we do know that He can accompany us all the way along life’s journey.
During our Hogmanay watchnight service, just at the midnight hour, I had the oddest sensation of walking through a door. I could see the doorframe and feel the pull to go through it. I stepped within its boundaries but could see nothing but darkness ahead. It wasn’t a frightening darkness, but the way ahead was unknown to me. I stepped through that door into the new year with Christ and heard myself say aloud, we have passed over into the new year. There was a strong feeling of leaving 2025 behind, with all its joys and sorrows, and stepping into a new, unknown adventure. The only insight I have is the new year promise: - Matthew 8:26 NIV ‘and it was completely calm’ - John 1:51 NIV ‘you will see heaven open.’ What beautiful words to invite us into a new year. ‘We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender! We go not forth alone against the foe; strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go; strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender, we rest on thee, and in thy name we go.’ By Edith Gilling Cherry 1985 And so we willingly go into a new year, knowing that He will be with us throughout each day, with the promise of complete calm within, and the delights of an open heaven to accompany us on our journey. |