Ruach Breath of Life

Miserere mei, Deus (‘Have mercy upon me, O God) Disaster! With one fell swoop, the second king of Israel broke three of the commandments God had given to help His people live in the light of His holiness. The enormity of what David had done in his sudden relationship with Bathsheba did not seem to strike his heart immediately, however. He had coveted another man’s wife, committed adultery, planned...

Throughout this Mashal, we are thinking about how we can turn what we see into prayer. A while ago, I took a walk around the streets where I live, and took the opportunity to see – with my spirit as well as my eyes – the people I passed. My walk became slower and slower as I felt the Lord’s burden come upon me for these people, and He began to talk to me about these ones whose names I didn’t know,...

Eternal Triumph by Ruach Breath of Life

Set to moving music from Monteverdi's brilliant vespers of 1610, with Anthony Thompson and Kevin Ashman leading on the trumpets, join Robert and Elizabeth in this rendering of Isaiah 26, and Psalms 18 and 17:14-15. Biblical Hebrew does not have tenses in the way that most modern languages do, so I have at times turned the tense around to make it not only a reflection on past deliverances but an ac...

O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done wonderful things, things planned long ago._ With these words, Isaiah falls in worship before the Lord. You have been a refuge for the poor , a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. How beautiful the Lord is, and how kind! In His gentleness,...

What a gem Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is, with his unsurpassed eulogy to love, his seminal teaching about spiritual gifts and the functioning of the Body of Christ, crowned with his deep understanding concerning the glory we will enjoy with the Lord in our heavenly home and in our resurrected bodies in. It soars to such heights that you might almost wonder what a second letter could ad...

Do not fear, I will help you by Ruach Breath of Life

Just a few days ago, I knew next to nothing about this huge country that is the size of Western Europe, but whilst preparing to lead the prayer meeting I had been asked to lead for it, I soon ‘discovered’ the country (the last of the former Soviet republics to declare independence in 1991) and took it to heart. Kazakhstan, has the reputation of being the political and economic powerhouse of the ce...

We pray for all who are shocked and shaken by items in the news, and by the state of the world. Renew the focus of our hearts and our flow of prayer, that it may be neither the swathed in sentimentality, nor swayed by prejudice, but founded in the spirit of truth and focused on the Prince of Peace. Answer when we call to You, O righteous God. Grant relief from our distress and hear our prayers, an...

As we pray for the mission of each church and movement that You've raised up, and that's truly reaching out for You, we pray that You will guard them from the shame of sordid squabbles and senseless splits. Guide them through and beyond each setback. Let's pray now for all who are feeling mixed up and muddled and alienated from church, from those who are holding back because of hurtful things that...

Your love Lord reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, Your justice like the great deep, Lord. You preserve both people and animals; Your unfailing love is priceless! So many take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fo...

This is the sketchiest of sketches, musically speaking, but I was looking for something that would reflect and speak into the unsettledness of our times. Obvious examples spring to mind, such as the grim situation on the battlefront in Ukraine, and the endless grief in the heart of that nation - but may the Lord lead you where He and you together would go in prayer. And may the musical fragments s...

When I wrote this piece, Stillness and Joy, I ‘bookended’ it with the theme from that wonderful hymn, 'I bind unto myself this day’ – the great ‘Breastplate’ prayer for protection that is widely accredited to St Patrick.* The Greek words I used in the title are hésuchazó (stillness, rest, quiet, silence) and charmolupē, a remarkable compound word that St John Climacus, a 7th century monk of Sinai,...

Nebuchadnezzar's empire was as secure and far-reaching as any great world power in the ancient world, but in himself, the king was not at rest. Night after night, disconcerting dreams swirled round his head, robbing him of peace and well-being. Dreams not only reflect the preoccupations of our hearts, but sometimes contain within them significant prophetic pointers. By revelation, the Lord showed...

The principle of Suffer-reign. In his first epistle, Peter frequently links the concept of suffering with glory. That's why I have coined the word 'suffer-reign' to describe this. In this far-reaching talk I am unpacking this precious and important theme. 1 Peter 2:11-25.

Mussorgsky - The Village by Ruach Breath of Life

Mussorgsky - The Oxcart (Bydlo) by Ruach Breath of Life

Teleman Allegro by Ruach Breath of Life

Telemann Largo by Ruach Breath of Life

At this time when nations are in turmoil, and Russia has acted in such ways as to make itself an all but complete pariah among them, it is precious to pray for God's work and will to be done in that vast country. Praise to God in the highest! Bless us, O Father: praise to you! Guide and prosper the nations, rulers, and peoples: praise to you! 2 May the truth in its beauty flourish triumphant: prai...

The scale of the depradations and sufferings in Ukraine has been astonishing as the result of Putin's invasion. These are offerings to help us keep all the citizens who are grieving at losing homes, families and loved ones as a result of the war. The suffering is by no means all one way. Whole Russian brigades have simply ceased to exist as a result of being wiped out in a war that they are not al...

The Rock of Eternity and the age that is to come by Ruach Breath of Life

On both sides of the Conflict. Ongoing prayer for those caught up in the war in Ukraine by Ruach Breath of Life

With increasingly violent protests occurring on our streets in the UK, which once again greatly threaten people and properties, and stretch the police forces, let’s join in this prayer with considerable urgency. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ . . . and if you call on...

What an extraordinarily rich account the book of Samuel is! It has all the flow and potency of an epic historical novel, as we are introduced to larger-than-life characters, and to the whole saga that surrounded the founding of the monarchy in Israel. What a wealth of pithy quotes and spiritual truths and treasures we come across, too: phrases that have passed into our common spiritual language ra...