Matthew 1:18-25

This morning's songs and hymns:

Morning has Broken

Morning has broken
Like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word!

Sweet the rain’s new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass.

Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God’s recreation
Of the new day!

Morning has broken
Like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the Word!

-Eleanor Farjeon

I Hear the Sound

I hear the sound of rustling in the leaves of the trees,
The Spirit of the Lord has come down on the earth.
The Church that seemed in slumber has now risen from its knees
And dry bones are responding with the fruits of new birth.
Oh, this is now a time for declaration,
The Word will go to all men everywhere,
The Church is here for healing of the nations,
Behold, the day of Jesus drawing near.

My tongue will be the pen of a ready writer,
And what the Father gives to me I’ll sing,
I only want to be His breath,
I only want to glorify the King.

And all around the world the body waits expectantly,
The promise of the Father is now ready to fall,
The watchmen on the tower all exhort us to prepare,
And the Church responds – a people who will answer the call.
And this is not a phase which is passing,
It’s the start of an age that is to come;
And where is the wise man and the scoffer?
Before the face of Jesus they are dumb.

A body now prepared by God and ready for war,
The prompting of the Spirit is our word of command.
We rise, a mighty army, at the bidding of the Lord,
The devils see and fear, for their time is at hand.
And children of the Lord hear our commission,
That we should love and serve our God as one.
The spirit won’t be hindered by division,
In the perfect work that Jesus has begun.

-Ronnie Wilson, Thankyou Music

I Heard the Voice

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast”:
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary, and worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting-place,
And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink, and live”:
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright”:
I looked to Jesus and I found
In Him my star, my sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk
Till travelling days are done.

-Horatius Bonar

Psalm 130

Lord, from the depths to Thee I cried,
My voice, Lord, do Thou hear:
Unto my supplication’s voice
Give an attentive ear.

Lord, who shall stand, if Thou O Lord,
Should’st mark iniquity?
But yet with Thee forgiveness is,
That fear’d Thou mayest be.

I wait for God, my soul doth wait,
My hope is in His word.
More than they that for morning watch,
My soul waits for the Lord;

I say, more than they that do watch
The morning light to see.
Let Is-ra-el hope in the Lord,
For with Him mercies be;

And plen-te-ous re-demp-ti-on
Is ever found with Him.
And from all his iniquities
He Is-r’el shall redeem.

-Scottish Psalter