Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says that speaking the truth in love is one way we grow and mature to become more like Christ. (Eph 4:15-16) Speaking truth is an essential element of spiritual growth; what we say has an enormous influence on us and on other people.

What we think is at the root of what we say; our mouths speak from the overflow of our hearts. (Matt 12:34) What we say can, however, also affect our thinking. If we constantly think about unwholesome or trivial things, it will affect our speech (and later our actions), which is why Paul is determined to focus our thoughts on all that is true and good. (Phil 4:8) What we say reinforces our thoughts, like a circle without end, creating a loop from which it is impossible to escape.

The psalmists knew this, urging themselves to speak of God and truth: ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.”‘ (Ps 91:2) ‘If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you,no disaster will come near your tent.’ (Ps 91:9-10) What we say about and to God is absolutely essential. Talking to ourselves in this way can be an important step in realigning ourselves with truth. Ps 27:8 says, ‘My heart says of You, “Seek His face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.’ As we speak out truth and repeat what God has said (rather than what we, others or the enemy say), our faith is strengthened and truth becomes the bedrock of our lives.

The British comedy series ‘Dad’s Army’ told the story of the Home Guard in England during the Second World War. The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers who were otherwise ineligible for military service, either because of age or by being in professions exempt from conscription, and the series regularly focussed on the ineptitude of these men (led by Captain Mainwaring, a pompous but brave and patriotic bank manager.)

I grew up watching and loving this series which poked fun at many institutions and reminded us that bravery comes in many shapes and sizes. There were two catchphrases I particularly associate with the series: Corporal Jack Jones’ flustered ‘Don’t panic! Don’t panic, Captain Mainwaring!‘ as he inevitably panicked and Private James Frazer, a dour Scottish undertaker, the epitome of pessimism, whose catchphrase was ‘We’re doomed! Doomed!’

It feels like we’re living in doomed times at the moment. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus has transformed our lives, leaving people fearful, uncertain and on the edge of a precipice which seems inevitably to lead to doom. The message that shouts at us from headlines and news broadcasts on a daily basis seems to be Frazer’s message: ‘We’re doomed! Doomed!’

How do we respond to this daily bombardment of negativity and pessimism, which pelts us more furiously and relentlessly than any hailstone storm? How can we have hope when everyone is telling us we’re doomed?

For the Christian, we must resist the scare-mongering, fear-inducing tactics of government, media and any other source – and John tells us how: perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) There is no place for fear in our hearts if they are filled with the love of God. We don’t need to fear the ‘invisible mugger’ of coronavirus because our God is more powerful and is in sovereign control, even if we must journey through illness, sorrow and loss. As we allow God’s love to fill our hearts, fear has to go.

Secondly, we have hope, despite all the modelling predictions, worst-case scenarios and restrictions seen as the only answers. We have hope in God, even when our situations look hopeless and desperate. Open the Bible at just about any page and we see God doing impossible things: healing people, rescuing people, raising the dead to life, delivering people from evil. That God is our God. Even during sieges and exile, God’s people had hope. (Lam 3) Jeremiah faced affliction, wandering, bitterness and gall, and yet spoke about hope:

• “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam 3:22-23)

• “No one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.” (Lam 3:31-32)

• “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?” (Lam 3:37)

We may feel as ramshackle an army as Dad’s Army, as ineffective and incompetent as that motley crew. But ultimately the gates of hell will not prevail against the church (Matt 16:18) and God’s purposes will not be thwarted. (Job 42:2) Ultimately, we are not doomed if we are on God’s side, for He will have the final word. That’s why we can live with hope and confidence even in these dark times.

Once again we celebrated being together again after 19 weeks by giving God a wave offering through our balloons and flags!

We also heard testimonies of how God had kept people through illness and bereavement and how He has spoken into situations as only He can.

In our evening service, Garry focussed our attention on accessing the power. People can often have great strength and power (as do animals and insects), but the difference with humans is that we can think and can use power that isn’t just our own. There are many diverse sources of power, including wood, coal, water and gas.

Newer sources of power (solar power, wind power, wave power and hydro-electric power) are also useful for generating electricity which is used for all kinds of things, including electrical instruments, lights and computers.

The greatest source of power we can access is God’s power, however. He has power to do what no one else can: He can forgive us completely and give us a new life, enabling us to access eternal life. He is always with us wherever we are and can help us and work through us in miraculous ways.

How do we access this power? We access God’s power through prayer, as we seek God and respond to what He says. This power may be seen in healing and in giving us wisdom and knowledge beyond our natural abilities. God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20-21) – so let’s be people who ask and imagine lots!

Here are some more photos from this morning’s service as we praised God through our wave offering with balloons and flags!

A testimony is simply declaring to others what God has done for us. In Revelation 12, we see that the word of our testimony is powerful. We read that the enemy can be defeated by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

“Now have come the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.
¹¹ They triumphed over him
    by the blood of the Lamb
    and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.
¹² Therefore rejoice, you heavens
    and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
    because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
    because he knows that his time is short.” (Rev 12:10-12)

As we share testimonies, we are effectively declaring that God is great, that God does great things, that God loves us and cares for us. As we share a word of testimony, we remind others that God is a personal God, that God knows each one of us by name, that the very hairs on our head are numbered, that we are never forsaken. The word of our testimony is powerful because its focus is not on ourselves but on God. Many of the psalms act as people’s testimonies. In Ps 118, David says, ‘I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defence; he has become my salvation.’ (Ps 118:13-14) David was in a difficult position. David was facing enemies on all sides and felt hemmed in; he felt oppressed and as though he were surrounded by swarming bees. (Ps 118:12) But God stepped in. God helped. He goes on to say,

‘Shouts of joy and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
  The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”’ (Ps 118:15-16)

Testimonies remind us that God has done mighty things and continues to work on our behalf.