Prayer

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for the responses to last week’s Prayer Letter. It has been interesting to see how many people are feeling as I do. I am so grateful for the blue skies and the best blossom I have seen on trees and shrubs for many a long year. Thank You Lord.

PRAISE and Prayer

• One of the Leaders here in Surrey for the CPA has now returned to work part time; following major Surgery.
• Please continue to Pray for Luke who is still awaiting decisions on tests taken a fortnight ago.
• An Officer in the NPT based in Woking, was assaulted last Friday evening, whilst checking on a group of young males. He received head and wrist injuries. Admitted to hospital. Is now home.

I am sure like me you attend Zoom and Conference Call Meetings. Mine are Prayer Meetings with Police in Surrey and Sussex, as well as Church and Family get togethers.

Last week in a Police Prayer Meeting with Surrey, one of our Chaplains used the Biblical Phrase, “Faith, Hope and Love”. That is a well-known quote, but I had to admit, it is a long time since I had heard it said. Immediately I knew it was for this week’s Prayer Letter.

The reason – a few days earlier, I had received an email where an Officer was being very honest with me saying how pessimistic he felt and lack of hope for the future, was uppermost in his thinking.

Where we are today, in what we have been through and we still battle with; Faith can take a battering, our Hope can be very thin, but Love……

It says in God’s Word 1Cor: 13.13.

                   And now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love.

                              But the greatest of these is Love.

             May you know the never-failing Love of God during these days.

In His Grip

Alice.

Hello Everyone,

When I sat to type the Prayer Letter last week, I had nothing to say. I felt totally empty. I knew the Bible Slot was to be the writings on Esther 4.14. But how to start……. And then I found myself writing the following-

“And so, the weeks go by.

The only thing right now that I can trust in; is My Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Gift of the Holy Spirit”.

In hindsight I realised that that had come from singing a Chorus a few days before, based on the Creed. This took place during a daily Zoom Prayer Meeting with our Church.   I was empty, but my spirit was full of truth.

Having sent the Prayer Letter out to the three Forces as usual, a particular person came to mind outside these three Forces. I knew I had to send it to that Officer. I knew he was far from well.

Having received it; he immediately placed the introduction above, on Twitter. He received many likes and even someone wrote saying that they had no belief in God, but felt that at that moment those words were powerful and he would appreciate Prayer.

Here is the Creed, on which my introduction above was based.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.

In these days, where life is so difficult, only God remains the same.

His Love

Alice.

My father’s thoughts…

When my dad died (nearly 6 years ago) I inherited a number of his books. My dad was a strong Christian but I hadn’t realised how much until I started reading these books and looked at the annotations and marks in the margins. I saw a new side of my father, something that I had never really seen before, it was, as if, I was seeing more of my father’s character in his words…

My dad was a big JC Ryle fan (if you haven’t read anything by him, I’d encourage it). Clearly he was a big fan as I soon worked out that my middle names (John Charles) come directly from the first names of Ryle himself! Something I was never able to ask my father about…

In his book Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Ryle shares these thoughts on Luke 1: 68-79 (Zachariah/Zacharias’ hymn of praise)

“We should notice…, in this hymn of praise, how much stress Zacharias lays on God’s fulfilment of His promises…. Let us learn to rest on promises, and embrace them as Zacharias did. Let us not doubt that every word of God about His people concerning things future, shall as surely be fulfilled as every word about them has been fulfilled concerning things past.” [in bold where my father had underlined it!]

In these uncertain times of health, finance and family let us never forget the many future promises that are there for those in Christ Jesus. May I encourage you all to hold firm to this? God, our Father, reveals himself to us in his word, the bible. The more time we spend in it, the more time we see more of him and can be assured of his love, peace and promises.

• Please continue to pray for those who are sick and suffering at this time.
• Please pray for our leaders in Surrey, Sussex and The Met as they lead the response to this ongoing pandemic.
• Please pray for gospel opportunities with colleagues as we seek to bring light into a dark situation.

In the words of JC Ryle “We have the seal of Christ’s blood to assure us that what God has promised God will perform”

Every blessing,

Bert

Hello Everyone,

The weeks move on.

And life is not normal.

I am unable to visit as a Chaplain to either of my Chaplaincy bases: Woking Police Station and Headquarters. I write weekly to the Departments; hopefully to encourage.

I have asked the Lord that when I am in the car on my main shopping visit, or taking a close friend to/from a Dialysis Appointment, I would be stopped by a Police Crew checking up on why I am out in the car. But no …

However last Saturday I walked into Woking for my exercise and essential shopping and met two Officers. How wonderful to be able to chat with them and to thank them.

That is my continued desire today, to say, “Thank You”. I am truly weary of the criticism you receive. Please be assured the majority of the Public really do appreciate you.

Prayer Request.  L.S. describes himself as a “Chap in need of Prayer”. Here is his Prayer request –  “I’m going for a liver biopsy, on Friday 24th. So on that point, any prayers will be great. Prayers of thanks for the NHS, whoever sticks the needle in has a steady hand, and wisdom for whoever has to interpret the results”.

A fortnight ago – and I guess by then we began to realise we were in for a very difficult, long haul; I received an email from one of our Officers. In it was written the following –

“Lovely phrase I read on somebody’s email. Part of their Signature was ‘In His Grip’.”

Those three words, “In His Grip” have not left me.

I recall on occasions when I have been involved with Police Recruit Training that you receive input on how you handle people, not only by your voice/body language but also physically by using your hands.  You are aware of the “Grip” you need to have on someone determined to get away.

God Has “His Grip” on you at this time.

Below is a very old Hymn which has come to mind whilst thinking about “In His Grip”.

When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.

He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.

For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!    

(Keith & Kristen Getty)

With love in The Lord and “In His Grip”.

Alice.

Hello everyone,

Perhaps like me you are “On Line” for your Church Services and Prayer Times.

The person who led one of our Prayer Meetings last week shared the following Psalm with us.

Although there are many theories as to why David wrote Psalm 13, it is generally thought to have been written, because David, like us often asks God questions; I know that I do. Perhaps the most used phrase in my questions is “Have you noticed Lord what is happening in this situation?” I immediately ask for forgiveness…

We can see in the Psalm below; that David was in despair, but… eventually he writes verses 5 and 6.

Psalm 13   A Psalm of David.

¹ How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³ Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
    Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
    and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.

We were encouraged to start our Prayers during that Prayer Meeting with “How long Lord…”

I leave that suggestion with you as you battle at this time.

I sincerely “Thank You” so much for what you are handling.

My love and concern for you all in His Name.

Alice.