“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law, that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success, wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Joshua Chap 1:7-8
From a human point of view, Joshua had the unenviable task of taking over the leadership of Israel from Moses, the great man of God. I’m sure Joshua would have felt overwhelmed at the prospect, but God reminded Joshua in v2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise and go over this Jordan.” Moses is gone, but the work has to carry on. That is something we always have to remember. God uses many people; some more than others; but at the end of the day, no one is more than a servant. One day our service here will be over, but the work will carry on. I would imagine Joshua would have felt fearful, however the Lord comes and encourages Joshua and tells him to be strong, courageous and not to fear. Joshua is encouraged to be strong in v5-6 based upon God’s presence. We should also grasp hold of the fact, that we can count on the Lord’s presence all the time, as we seek to serve Him. God will enable us to inherit the land of Promise. He has given His Word on that, and He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. We too are having to fight our way to inherit our Promised Land. Along the way we face enemies within and without that are seeking to blow us off track, and even destroy us. It is a journey we could never hope to complete without the presence, grace, strength and help of God. As God gave Joshua the command we also see He gave a promise as well. Very often we will find in Scripture a promise accompanying a command.
Read more about 'Let the Word Be Your Guide: Pastoral Reflection for June'...Service Details - Sunday 31 May
11am Service: Facebook Live, YouTube and our sermons page at stornowayfreechurch.com/sermons
Rev Kenneth I Macleod
Sermon: Psalm 17:15, 'The Christian's Assurance in Death'
6.30pm Service: Facebook Livestream (click here)
Rev James Maciver
Sermon Text: Romans 11:33-36
Sermon Title: Paul Takes a Break for Worship
Read more about 'Service Details - Sunday 31 May'...
Gaelic Worship Service
We are very conscious that those who attended the Gaelic services have missed these since the Covid-19 restrictions were set in place.
The minister will be recording a short Gaelic service at his home for transmission on the congregation’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Thursday 28th May, at 7.30pm, the time at which the Gaelic midweek service was held prior to the lockdown.The service will be available on the sermons page of this website shortly afterwards.
Our Kirk Session decided last week that it would be appropriate to hold a Prayer Meeting for the Stornoway congregation, using Zoom, on Monday evening 8-9pm (25th May) so that we spend this time together in prayer, focused on the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and the recovery period.
Read more about 'Monday Night Prayer Time'...Service Details - Sunday 24 May
11am Service: Facebook Livestream (Click here)
Rev Maciver leads this act of morning worship in a service livestreamed from his home. He looks at Lamentations 3:22-24, considering 'Hope Encouraged by God's Kindness'.
6.30pm Service: Facebook Premiere, YouTube Premiere, and on our sermons page
Rev Kenneth I Macleod leads this act of evening worship in a service recorded at his home, looking at Psalm 62:1 and considering 'Waiting on and for God'.
Read more about 'Service Details - Sunday 24 May'...
“Fight the good fight of the faith.” 1 Timothy Chapter 6v12
Paul had real admiration for the young Timothy. He saw great promise in him as a gospel worker. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus, with the intention of coming back; so in the meantime he had written this letter to him, concerning issues that were arising in the church. This letter is dealing with false teachers who were troubling the church. In the letter Paul shows that true Christianity is evidenced by a lifestyle that is shaped by the gospel. Paul knew, just as we do, that the Christian life can often be a struggle, and so he encourages young Timothy with these words-“Fight the good fight of the faith.”
Read more about 'Pastoral Reflection for Thursday 21st May'...
On the anniversary of VE Day Torcuil Crichton recounts the remarkable story of his late uncle, the late Alasdair Crichton who was an elder in our congregation, and his experiences at the end of WWll.
Last December, just as we approached the shortest day of the year, we buried our uncle Alasdair at the Braighe cemetery, a mile or two from the Isle of Lewis village where he was born.
At the age of 94, Alasdair Crichton, my father’s brother, was the last of the men in the WWII generation of veterans from Swordale.
My father used to tease him about how being a 1945 recruit he never actually made it to the war.
That was only partially true, as I discovered when I went to visit my uncle in the summer of 2011, fresh from Westminster’s political battlefields.
Read more about 'Alasdair Crichton, last of the VE Day Generation'...Service Details - Sunday 17 May
11am Service: Facebook Live, YouTube and our sermons page at stornowayfreechurch.com/sermons
Rev Kenneth I Macleod
Sermon: Mark 4:3-8, 'Listen Carefully'
6.30pm Service: Facebook Livestream (click here)
Rev James Maciver
Sermon: Luke 22:61-62, 'The Look of Jesus'
Service Details - Sunday 10 May
11.00am Service: Facebook Livestream
Rev James Maciver leads us in this act of morning worship in a service livestreamed from home. He considers 'The Voice of Jesus' in John 11:43-44
6.30pm Service: Facebook Live, YouTube and at StornowayFreeChurch.com/sermons
Rev Kenneth I Macleod leads this act of evening worship in a service recorded at home. He looks at Psalm 42 verses 2 and 8 and considers 'Tears, Fears, Faith and Song'.
Read more about 'Service Details - Sunday 10 May'...Pastoral Reflection for Thursday, 7th May
A Reflection on Psalm 121
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved: He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper: the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and in from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121
This is a psalm that is all about being Kept. I am sure that is something we all want for our lives-to be kept. Kept safe. Kept from danger. Kept from falling. Kept from hurt and harm. Kept from being lost. Kept from shame. Kept close to the Lord. We live in such a dangerous, deceptive and uncertain world. A world that is constantly threatening us spiritually, morally, physically, mentally at every turn; so the theme of being kept is really precious to us.
Read more about 'Pastoral Reflection for Thursday, 7th May'...
