psalms

God Is Always With You

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Back in August, I had the opportunity of going for a holiday in Tasmania, somewhere I have never visited before. We had a wonderful 11 day self-drive tour of the island with our accommodation and car rental organised and pre-paid through a travel agent.

One of the highlights of the holiday was a cruise along the Gordon River, which is a truly amazing place. The cruise included a stop at Sarah Island where a guide led us through the ruins of what had been one of the most severe convict settlements in the colony.

There were very few escapes from Sarah Island, because if you got across the water to the mainland, where would you go? One convict did escape, and walked through the rugged highlands all the way to Hobart. This was a marvel of bushcraft, when you consider there were no tracks, signposts or maps. He was captured on the edge of the town and assigned to a survey team that was tasked with exploring the very country he had just passed through.

For a while, Sarah Island became a centre of boat building because of the natural properties of the Huon Pine. After this enterprise wound down, a group of convicts stole the last boat and sailed it as far as Chile. Eventually the British caught up with them and returned them to Tasmania. Again, this episode represented amazing skills for these men to navigate a small vessel that far.

Although these men were in very isolated places, they were never alone. In Psalm 139 we read:

Where can I go from your Spirit?

    Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

    if I settle on the far side of the sea,

 even there your hand will guide me,

    your right hand will hold me fast.

Whenever you feel isolated or alone, know that God is always with you. Even in the loneliest places, He is there with you. He will never leave you.

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The sermon from the Combined Service of March 30 2025 is now available on the New Life web site.

In this sermon, which is based on Pslam 32, I talk about” The Joy of Forgiveness”

Click here to listen in your browser or to download the mp3.

Reflection on Psalm 22

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Scripture

The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him. All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

Reflection

Psalm 22 is a powerful visual description of crucifixion, especially Jesus’ crucifixion.

It is the death of Christ on the cross that sets us free from sin.

“The cross is my provision for you,” says the Lord. ” There is no other way.”

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, I know my sins are forgiven and that the wall of separation that kept me away from God is demolished; not one brick stands on another.

The whole Earth will acknowledge the Lord. The gospel has gone to every nation on the planet. Millions and millions of people get saved every year. Whole nations who just a generation ago were pagan are now confessing Jesus Christ is Lord.

As many nations in the West – Europe North America and Australia – turn their backs on the Lord, many more in Asia and Africa are coming to the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the cross of Christ. It is the only way to salvation. Thank you for paying the price for my sin. Please help me to live as your obedient child. Amen.

Reflection on Psalm 118

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Scripture

The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?

Reflection

My dear child, I love you and everything I do in your life is for your thriving.

Your destiny is with me. Your destiny is eternal. You will live with me for ever.

My love runs deep. You can never escape from it, or from me, even if you run to the farthest corner of the Earth.

My love for you is eternal and unconditional. Do not be afraid of losing me. Don’t think there is anything you can do that will cause me to stop loving you.

Even the biggest sin that you can imagine will not stop the flow of my love. Fear that you might step outside of my love or turn me away from you.

Whatever you go through in this life, I will be with you. You may face challenges. You may face human enemies that are out to destroy you. But I will walk with you.

What can people do to you? Mere people. All they can do is break your body. They cannot kill your spirit. They cannot take the Holy Spirit from you.

Rejoice and be glad.

Let the joy of my presence transform your daily life.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for this knowledge that you are always with me. People cannot hurt me because you are my strength and shield. Amen.