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Psalm 148 calls upon all creation to praise the Lord– from the highest heavens to the depths of the sea and everything and everyone in between. The reasons for this praise are: the Lord is the one who created everything; and he has "raised up a horn (strength) for his people." One question this psalm raises is, "How does the inanimate creation such as mountains and fruit trees praise the Lord? Or the animal kingdom?" And then, "How does this inform our own worship and praise of the Lord?" Good things to prayerfully ponder as we prepare to hear the Word and praise the Lord together this coming Sunday.

Psalm 147 begins by telling us simply, "it is good to sing praises to our God!" And it is good isn't it!? Singing songs of praise is so good in so many ways. But the psalmist goes on to declare, not merely how good it is for us to praise God, but how good God is and therefore we should praise him. From the stars to the snow he conducts the affairs of all creation. But as the creative and sustaining power of God's word is sent throughout all the earth he speaks especially to his chosen, covenant people– dealing with us in ways he deals with no other - in saving, redeeming love. It is through this covenant love that we know the blessing of God, so that we might be a blessing to the nations. And that! – makes it all the more good to sing praises to our God!

The Book of Psalms ends with a crescendo of praise– five psalms of hearty and uplifting doxology. This reflects something of the trajectory of the entire Scriptures as well as of God's great plan of redemption for all creation. In the end, it will all be unadulterated praise to God in glory. But the final five psalms encourage us not to wait until then to praise the Lord. Instead, they give us good reason and call upon us to praise him now from the depths of our souls as long as we live. Would you please pray with me that the Lord might do just that among us through this series– that he would lift our hearts and set free any captive part of our souls to praise and worship him in spirit and truth.

This week we come to the end of our short series through the book of Jude. Last week we saw Jude giving believers concise instructions on how to "contend for the faith" by keeping themselves in the love of God. In this week's passage, Jude instructs the church to rescue those who are wavering in their faith by showing them mercy. Jude then concludes the chapter with one of the longest and most beautiful doxologies in the New Testament. God, Jude assures us, is fully able to make us appear before him on that final day "without fault and with great joy." As we reflect together on: · Who is NOT able · Who IS able · WHY he is able · HOW he is able Pray that we will see that Jude's doxology is a fitting conclusion to both his letter and our series. Jude has warned the church of a serious and ongoing threat to their faith. He has called believers not simply to contend for their own personal faith, but to reach out with mercy to others within the church whose faith is being perverted. Believers can do this because their position with the Lord is secure: he has the power to preserve them intact until the Day of Judgment.

We heard last week that Jude's purpose is to "urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people". His urgency stems from unregenerate ungodly individuals who have slipped into and are influencing the Church. This week's Scripture passage first recognises those who have crept in by their fruit. Jude then gives concise instructions on how to contend for the faith. These are centred around a single imperative instruction to keep yourselves in the love of God, and surrounded by actions we are to keep doing to keep us in the Love of God.

Christians are a people who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. We have received "the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." This is the good news of what God has done for us in Christ, and it calls us to submit ourselves to Jesus as our Master and Lord. In Christ we are saved from the wrath of God against sin and brought into his limitless mercy, peace and love. Praise God! But Jude reminds believers that we cannot simply take the faith for granted. We are called to "contend for the faith." It is altogether too easy for the truth of the gospel to become distorted by ungodly influences—even within a church of professing believers. What does such distortion look like? Jude gives us several examples: denying the certainty of God's judgment, treating God's grace as permission to pursue sinful desires, and claiming Christ as Lord while refusing to submit to his authority. Such a rejection of the truth produces people who are grumblers and malcontents, driven by sinful desires, loud-mouthed boasters, and those who show favouritism for their own advantage. Rather than falling prey to such distortions, Jude calls us to contend for the faith entrusted to us. Let us hold firmly to the truth of the gospel, submit ourselves to Christ our Master and Lord, and rejoice in the common salvation we share in him.

As we come to the end of our series through the Book of Daniel we are told what to expect in the end– there will be times of trouble such as never before. How long will those days last? That remains a mystery that Daniel himself did not understand. But he was told 'the outcome' of it all, and what he was to do until the end. "Go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days." Like Daniel, as we wait in faith with patient endurance we may not know how long the wait will be but, in Christ, we can know the outcome of our faith– the salvation of our souls. And so, also like Daniel, we too can 'go our way' in faith, hope and love, devoting ourselves to the Lord in our daily lives without compromise as we serve and seek the welfare of those around us.

Daniel 11 is more than nearly four centuries of historical intrigue leading up to the coming of Messiah. It is a prophetic forewarning of the constant political upheaval of the world powers that struggled for supremacy in the Middle East and beyond with the returning exiles caught up in the middle. These pagan anti-God kingdoms appear so powerful compared to the 'littleness and weakness' of God's people returning from exile. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. The people of God are not to be caught off guard and paralyzed into inaction by the trials and tribulations that threaten to destroy them. Those who know their God will stand firm and take action, resting in the truth that the proud ambitions of earthly kings will always be destroyed by God's enduring kingdom. The Kingdom of God towers over the puny kingdoms of this world including the rival kingdoms we are prone to set up in our own hearts. Even the death dealing anti-Christ who sets Himself up as God cannot stand before the overcoming, resurrection power of God's Kingdom. The big boys are on the block but not for long!

The last few weeks we have been reading and listening to the final six chapters of the book of Daniel. These chapters contain three visions that Daniel receives from God—visions that reveal to him, in stark and troubling images, the hand of God at work among the nations. The first two visions occupy a chapter each, but the final vision is spread across the last three chapters of the book. Daniel describes it as "a great conflict." Chapter 10 sets the scene for this final vision. And in it, Daniel is shown a shocking truth: there is more going on than meets the eye. Behind the scenes of human history there is a spiritual conflict taking place between principalities and powers. And remarkably, Daniel's prayers are caught up in God's purposes within that unseen conflict. What Daniel sees is troubling. What he cannot see is even more significant. Because behind the visible events of history, God is at work.

The time is drawing near for Daniel and his people to be sent back to Jerusalem. Daniel knows this from reading the prophet Jeremiah– the seventy years are almost up! And so, with that great hope before him he prays to his 'great and awesome God'. He pleads for mercy and forgiveness for himself and for his people and for the Lord's own sake. The Lord hears his prayer and responds immediately! The reply, however, is not what Daniel expected. Yes, the city would soon be restored but it will not be the end of their trouble. In fact, there is even more destruction to come. And yet, this word of great desolation is at the same time a vision of awesome love when transgression and sin will be put to an end and everlasting righteousness will be brought in. How can this be so? An anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. Please pray for myself and one another as we consider these tremendous truths.

In the final chapters of Daniel we are invited to a number of 'behind the scenes' tours as he describes the visions God has given him - a heavenly perspective of the events to take place on earth. And if we are honest, much of the future revealed in Chapter 8 looks rather grim. Terrifying even! And yet Daniel is shown these things so that he and his people can be prepared for what is to come and comforted in the knowledge that the Lord is the one directing each and every scene of history. However appalled or overwhelmed we might be at the state of the world today, we too can be comforted in the same knowledge - the Lord is the one directing the days of our lives and the nations of the world. We too, in Christ, can be prepared and persevere in faith and 'rise up and go about the king's business,' trusting the God of gods and Lord of kings whose kingdom endures forever.

Daniel 7 is a little different. As we've journeyed through the first six chapters of Daniel, we've encountered a series of remarkable narratives. In each one, Daniel and his friends remain faithful to God before powerful foreign kings, often under the threat of severe consequences. At first glance these stories seem to be about Daniel and his friends—but it doesn't take long to realise they are ultimately about God. They reveal the Lord who reigns over every king, every kingdom, and every nation, no matter how powerful. Daniel 7 marks a dramatic shift. Instead of narrative we enter the world of apocalyptic literature filled with vivid imagery and powerful symbolism. Yet while the style changes the message does not. The God who ruled over Babylon in Chapters 1–6 is the same God who rules over all history. This vision lifts our eyes beyond the rise and fall of earthly empires to the day when every human kingdom will be judged and the everlasting kingdom will be openly given to the Son of Man. That is a message of profound hope, comfort, and confidence for God's people today. Join us on Sunday as we discover why.

"Don't be surprised that the world hates you." And when it does, "put not your trust in princes… in whom there is no salvation." In Daniel 6 we see these very things playing out in real life, all the way to the lions' den. Daniel doesn't fit in with the crowd and he is hated for it. But he doesn't allow this enmity to compromise his faith nor his devotion to the Lord. Instead, he puts his trust in the Lord who 'delivers and rescues.' This is our God! He who shut the mouths of lions in Daniel's day will one day shut every mouth when we stand before him. On that day the blood of Christ will speak for all who trust in the Lord, declaring us to be his! – righteous and blameless in his sight. He truly is the Lord who delivers and rescues.

In Daniel 5 we meet a new king, Belshazzar. Yet instead of learning from King Nebuchadnezzar's humbling in Daniel 4, he lifts himself up against the Lord of heaven (5:22-23). The writing was on the wall for King Belshazzar. Is the writing on the wall for us today? As we live in a world consumed by pride, and as we recognise this pride within our own hearts, where can we find hope?

When the Lord chooses to pursue us with his goodness and mercy not even the most stubborn or unlikely convert can escape the grace of God. It may surprise us to learn it sometimes takes the wielding of an axe to soften our hard hearts. But praise be to God that he does so in his severe mercy and lavish grace. As Nebuchadnezzar learns himself, and then teaches us, "all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble." Pray that our own hearts would be humbled to hear the Word this week.