In our lives whenever we strive in faithfulness and obedience to God to be good, the devil is there to deceive and destroy.
The Editorial Team’s thoughts “In This Day and This Hour” [1] are timely and awesome: “It is beyond question that the integrity of the United Kingdom and the great company of Covenant Nations in all their aspects have been undermined during the past seven decades. What has happened by neglect and deliberate action is unacceptable and the voice of the People must now be heard. In the Western World we are a people in crisis, desperately looking for positive guidance and leadership that will remove us from the deepening quagmire of destruction in a spiritual vacuum.”
Positive Godly guidance and leadership is the key in this destructive ‘spiritual vacuum’. The alternative is what is happening now and has happened as Holy Scripture records:
Ezekiel 34.1-2
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?’”
Ezekiel 34.15-16
“I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.”
Further, the recent Editorial [2] “Chaos and Confusion Rule as Russia and China Prepare for Confrontation” has clearly explained the dreadful result from unfaithfulness and disobedience to Almighty God and treasonous misleading actions which I will comment on shortly.
I am constantly guided by the Holy Spirit to remember Covenant Nation Britain’s ministry and mission in the colonization of lands and Territories given by Almighty God:
Matthew 28.18-19
Then Jesus came to them and said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
Up until the 1960s this ministry was effective. Now we need to remember again.
2 Chronicles 7.14-15
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered…”
Concerning Russia and China and their possible future confrontations I reflect on how they were helped by Britain, America and India when they were in great danger from the evils of Germany and Japan respectively. The Japanese Tanaka Plan of 1927 concerning Japanese expansion in the 1930s is now, I believe, being copied by China for its expansion. How Russia and China have forgotten the love and concern by Britain, America and India in the 1940s with the provision of enormous quantities of material and supplies (aeroplanes, tanks, trucks, field guns, etc.) for their, and our, war effort. They expanded their empire until stopped at the turning point – the Battle of Midway – 4 June, 1942. We pray that in our future there will not be another ‘Midway’.
For China, I remember the help on the new Lido Road (1944) and again the supplies, and the training of Chinese troops in America and India. All forgotten!
As Covenant Nations, let us remember how Almighty God has blessed us – certainly to the time mentioned in this recent Editorial: [3] “…that the time had arrived for Britain to resume her global vision and role after 47 years of displacement of The Queen being ‘deceived in her grant’ – that is, the Realm betrayed at law by her Ministers to be subsumed by the pagan European Union…” This again supports what Dr Coggan argued “…that economic regeneration had to be accompanied by moral regeneration…” This ‘moral regeneration’ has been what faithful Covenant Nation Britain has been ministering for centuries. I remember, again, the Preface (pg x) of the Book of Common Prayer 1662:
“…There was never any thing by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted: that all the whole Bible (or the greatest part thereof) should be read over once every year; intending thereby, that the Clergy, and especially such as were Ministers in the congregation, should (by often reading, and meditation in God’s word) be stirred up to godliness themselves, and be more able to exhort others by wholesome doctrine, and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth…”
The glorious Godliness of the above Book of Common Prayer quote has been ignored by unfaithfulness and disobedience, as mentioned, since 1975 (in fact since 1958). Thus, I reason my heading above ‘Praying for Godly Leadership and God’s Glorious Abiding’. We thank Almighty God for His calling:
Romans 8.28-31
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
We need to remember our true worship of Almighty God – His ‘worth-ship’ in our hearts; His provision of our Christian civilisation, Christian heritage and way of life in each of our Covenant Nations and Territories.
I am greatly encouraged by the Book of Common Prayer Services calling for our dedication to remaining in the will of Our Father, in His Son, Our Saviour, Jesus. As Covenant Nations, we must continually focus on our calling – our election. Almighty God’s abiding is in our remaining in Him as His chosen sons and daughters:
Ephesians 1.3-14
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves… Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.”
Almighty God always keeps His promises: “But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so, through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1.18-22
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
We are focusing on Godly leadership and God’s glorious abiding.
When His people give Almighty God thanks, He graciously gives us His blessing and abides with us. Do we under the Crown allow foreigners to take away our faith and Godly heritage? We pray for his continual abiding.
Hymn – Abide with Me: Verses 1 & 3 [4]
Abide with me;
fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens;
Lord, with me abide;
when other helpers fail,
and comforts flee,
help of the helpers,
O abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour;
what but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine,
O abide with me.
At this point I wish to share with you some wonderful truths from the Services in the Book of Common Prayer 1662. Let’s get real again!
In the Service for Evening Prayer, the Third Collect is encouraging: “Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.”
Almighty God remains, abides with us when we remain in Him. This reality is confirmed in the General Thanksgiving: “Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; (*particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them.) We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we shew forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives; by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
In understanding our position in Jesus and remaining in love, faithfulness and obedience to Almighty God, the Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent embraces our hope: Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Further, calling for the Lord’s continual abiding is the great encouragement of the Collect for the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: O Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. At these truths we remember Jesus’s words:
John 6.37-39
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.”
When we know we are His and remain in Him He abides with us.
Will our Covenant Nations repent and constantly pray for the Lord’s inspiration through His Holy Spirit as prayed in the Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Easter: O Lord, from whom all good things do come: Grant to us thy humble servants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Similarly, will our Covenant Nations again be steadfast in faith in Jesus as prayed each Trinity Sunday: Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech thee, that thou wouldst keep us steadfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.
As I reflect further on the spiritual condition of our Covenant Nations in relation to the Book of Common Prayer prayers mentioned, I am mindful of what Jesus’ brother James recorded:
James 1.22-25
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
May all Covenant Nations truly take to heart Paul’s concern:
Philippians 4.8-9
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Are we going to prayerfully seek out true Christian leaders like Churchill or is this new dark age going to accept we are “now in the very end of days bringing God’s correcting punishment to the covenant nations for our gross national sin? (Jeremiah 30.11).”
In holy faith may we all pray again for Godly leaders as we were taught to pray in past centuries.
[1] The Covenant Nations Vol 5 No 6, 2021 p 10-11
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Henry Francis Lyre (1793-1847) p 2