This is the sketchiest of sketches, musically speaking, but I was looking for something that would reflect and speak into the unsettledness of our times. Obvious examples spring to mind, such as the grim situation on the battlefront in Ukraine, and the endless grief in the heart of that nation - but may the Lord lead you where He and you together w…

When I wrote this piece, Stillness and Joy, I ‘bookended’ it with the theme from that wonderful hymn, 'I bind unto myself this day’ – the great ‘Breastplate’ prayer for protection that is widely accredited to St Patrick.* The Greek words I used in the title are hésuchazó (stillness, rest, quiet, silence) and charmolupē, a remarkable compound word t…

Nebuchadnezzar's empire was as secure and far-reaching as any great world power in the ancient world, but in himself, the king was not at rest. Night after night, disconcerting dreams swirled round his head, robbing him of peace and well-being. Dreams not only reflect the preoccupations of our hearts, but sometimes contain within them significant p…

There is no one like You by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Mussorgsky - The Village by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Mussorgsky - The Oxcart (Bydlo) by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Teleman Allegro by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Telemann Largo by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Stunningly flamboyant, and said to have been inspired by a Polish folk dance, here is something to bring heart-skipping joy! Nicola Gerrard and Julia Herzog lead us in this fast-flowing movement from Georg Philipp Telemann’s double concerto for flute and recorder, which we recorded during our ‘Heaven’s Kingdom’ event in Kempsey in 2018. Telemann wa…

Russian Hymn with words by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

The scale of the depradations and sufferings in Ukraine has been astonishing as the result of Putin's invasion. These are offerings to help us keep all the citizens who are grieving at losing homes, families and loved ones as a result of the war. The suffering is by no means all one way. Whole Russian brigades have simply ceased to exist as a resul…

Many years ago, as a young Christian, the Lord gave me this lovely song, reassuring me of His constant watchfulness and presence. I used to sing it to the community I was part of in Oxford. I recorded it some years ago with Janey Petterson, and now, because I woke up this morning ‘hearing’ it in my heart, have finally mustered the courage to releas…

The Rock of Eternity and the age that is to come by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

On both sides of the Conflict. Ongoing prayer for those caught up in the war in Ukraine by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

With increasingly violent protests occurring on our streets in the UK, which once again greatly threaten people and properties, and stretch the police forces, let’s join in this prayer with considerable urgency. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the re…

What an extraordinarily rich account the book of Samuel is! It has all the flow and potency of an epic historical novel, as we are introduced to larger-than-life characters, and to the whole saga that surrounded the founding of the monarchy in Israel. What a wealth of pithy quotes and spiritual truths and treasures we come across, too: phrases that…

Well aware of how easy it is to fall prey to one or more of the satanic strategies that powerful spirit-beings design to catch believers out, Paul concludes his magnificent epistle to the Ephesians with a briefing on spiritual warfare and a call to don the armour of God.Given the sheer weight of issues that we all have to deal with internally as we…

Dobru noc - A prayer for each Ukrainian child forcibly deported to Russia As I listened this morning to this exquisite Czecho-Slovak folksong, I had a strong image of a mother, (along with another member of a Ukrainian family) singing an idyllic lullaby to their child in the warmth and security of their home.Half way through, a great rupture happen…

This brief interlude of prayer and worship in the Spirit was recorded at the start of our 1998 conference in Malvern, ‘Symphony of Worship.’ May the Lord use it again now to still and prepare our hearts to soak in His presence afresh.Autor: Ruach Breath of Life

In the fourth chapter of Job, we see that a man of God who was going through hard times, hearing a whisper from a spirit telling him that he could not possibly hope to be right with God.How sickly subtle are the silent whispers that drip from the Accuser’s tongue. Staunch and strong must be our defence to lift the shield of faith and let the Word o…

As storms of all kinds rage across the world, and we pray for the Lord to bring His deliverance near to many in great need of it, let's take deeply to heart these words. They are primarily taken from the prophet Isaiah and the Revelation that brings the New Testament to its climax. We exalt and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have…

Restore broken heartsHow right Job was when he said that those at ease have contempt for misfortune. Lord, we acknowledge our lack of compassion before you for those in need.And we pray to share more of Your heart, a Restorer of broken walls. You desire that our heart should be like well-watered gardens, springs whose waters never fail, but there i…

Enlarge our hearts LordArise, O God, on behalf of the afflicted. In the morning hear our voice as we call to you, as we lay our requests before you and wait expectantly.By Your great love we come into Your House, bow down in reverence towards Your holy temple, and ask You to arise and administer this mighty life -changing power right into the heart…

Lament for the Middle East by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Most of us will have known times when we regret things that we have said or done, or failed to say and do, and burst out, ‘Oh, if only I had . . .!’ Such idle regrets are usually an open invitation feels of worthlessness and condemnation – although they can serve some valid purpose if they make us more watchful and attentive in the future.As surely…

Shine Your Light into the darkness - Eliakim 2010 by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil His good purpose. (Phil. 2:12-13) What a blessing Paul’s letters are! Through them we get to know so much about the man, and feel his heart for the people and the churches he was writing to. How amazed he would have been…

If you are a sports fan, you will be more than familiar with this much-loved Welsh hymn. It is far less likely, however, that you will have come across the English translation of the words. the two million Welsh immigrants who made their home in America, (especially in New England, the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama but also as representative of th…

The beautiful music is a Lullaby from Philip Spratley's Outlaw Suite, Opus 12. Lord, let me keep saying Yes to you! You have made known to me the paths of life; and You will fill me with joy in your presence. You reign over heaven and earth (Rev. 19:6), and I will give You thanks at all times, and in all places, for all things. In the name of our L…

More or less every day, and for some of us many times each day perhaps, we read or hear of examples of tyranny, corruption and injustice. When feelings of upset over specific situations combine with the accumulated weight of many such instances, it can easily get under our skin and leave us feeling very vulnerable. I was feeling this way the other …

Redeeming at the end of the day by Ruach Breath of LifeAutor: Ruach Breath of Life

Welcome to this opening track in the second part of our series on Yahweh-Mephalti: the Lord our Deliverer. We will be praying here for a whole selection of situations where people are in distress and in immediate need of His help. Prayer flows more deeply when it is soaked and wrapped in worship - and we are very pleased to share this really precio…

Back in 1599, Philipp Nicolai, a Lutheran pastor who ministered in plague-struck communities, wrote the words of this hymn:How lovely shines the Morning Star!The nations see and hail afarthe light in Judah shining.O David's son of Jacob's race,my Bridegroom and my King of grace,for you my heart is pining.Huw Sung wrote an exquisite tune to accompan…

Throughout the course of human history, God has heard the cries of countless individuals and groups who have called out to Him for deliverance from unbearable circumstances, as well as from a crushing awareness of their own shortcomings and failings. Set to Gustav Holst’s beautiful Somerset Suite, this introductory track celebrates some of the Lord…

Featuring an instrumental version of the beautiful hymn, ‘O Sons and daughters of the King,’ this track narrates specific miracles of deliverance Yahweh Mephalti did on behalf of two very different people: the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the faithful Romanian pastor, Richard Wurmbrand. Not all of us will know of the miracles God di…

Many fake news reports, false doctrines and wicked forces bombard people’s minds as the enemy of souls attempts to lead even the elect of God astray. Mercifully, our Lord Jesus is able to increase our discernment and keep us free from deception – provided only that we are diligent and vigilant in seeking Him, so that He may be able to present us be…

There are definitely no prizes on offer for identifying the music on this track! It is the lovely aria, ‘Sheep may safely graze’ from Bach’s Cantata BWV 208. How precious it is to know that we have been delivered from the orbit of our preoccupations to become the beloved ‘sheep of the Lord’s pasture’ – and even, as He sees us, His crown and masterp…

Set to the exquisite Andante from Borodin’s second string quartet, this track explores one of the really great mysteries of the faith: that it was not by forcibly resisting the hostile authorities that Jesus accomplished the salvation of the world, but rather by handing Himself over to them. For more on this radical idea, see the chapter The Statur…

Celebrating the truth that God is our everlasting refuge and strength, even in a world that appears to be spinning out of control, this track features a piece that I wrote for Thomas Herzog to play on the cor anglais, as well as Carol Sampson’s own arrangement of the joyous hymn ‘God is love.’Autor: Ruach Breath of Life

The magnificent opening movement of Vivaldi’s concerto for two trumpets, which is played for us here by Anthony Thompson and Kevin Ashman, accompanies an exploration of some of the apparent contradictions we so often feel between how things are now, and how they will be in God’s glorious future. He truly is the Lord of History – and in His sight th…

Revolving around an instrumental version of Et in Terra Pax from Vivaldi’s Gloria, (‘And on Earth peace and goodwill towards all’) this finale to part one in this series speaks of . . . Well, have a listen and hear for yourself. May Yahweh Mephalti bless you as you do so.Autor: Ruach Breath of Life

I woke up a few days ago thinking of this song that Huw Humphries wrote a few years ago. It feels a very relevant time to release this reminder to Israel of His kindness and goodness - and that even though they have so often failed to respond to Him, He has given them their land once again, and longs to draw many hearts there to worship Him. May it…

The song started with God challenging me to sing at the keyboard one day when praying for a friend who was going through some very difficult things. It's a song that is highly appropriate for anyone going through hard times, as the Psalmist cries out to the Lord in anguish, declaring God's strength, and that He is our Rock and refuge.Written and su…

The despairing words of the original Welsh song, the Ash Grove, tell of a lover wandering in an ash grove, mourning the loss of the love of his life because she has been taken from him too soon. I have given this poignant folk song a new twist by taking for its subject the potentially tragic figure of Jacob’s first wife, Leah.When her father subtly…

Music: Lauda 2, written and performed by Bill KleinGod, give us worthwhile work to do,and precious people to befriend for You.Meet with Your people, Lord, as they go to work this day.May all they do help to fulfil Your purposes in the world.Use us wherever we go today, more perhaps than we realise at the time.Grant to those who work in spiritually …

Music: Lauda 3, written and performed by Bill KleinThis is an extract from an exhortation Hilda gave her monks and nuns in the seventh Century at the great double monastery of Whitby.So trade with the gifts God has given you.Bend your minds to holy learning that you may escape the fretting moth of littleness of mind that would wear out your souls.B…

Music: Vivaldi: 'Autumn' - Concerto No. 3 in F major from The Four SeasonsMusicians: Shirley Richards, Suzanne Herzog, Helen Rees, Julian Chang, Jo GarciaLord, we remember those who have meant a lot to us but from whom we have grown apart. Help us not to resent those who, for whatever reason, appear to have distanced themselves from us. Help us to …

Music: Francis Cummings: Psalm 45Musicians: Francis Cummings, Cathie Muncey, Natalie Halliday, (strings) Mike Halliday (clarinet), Jane Horsfall (Celtic Harp) James Horsfall (keyboard)CS Lewis said, ‘God whispers to us in our pleasures; He speaks in our conscience, but He shouts in our pain; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.’Lord, we ask t…

Music: An oboe concerto by Marcello and a sonata by Jean Baptiste LoeilletMusicians: Amy Roberts (oboe), Francis Cummings, Claire Lewis Lim, Chian Lewis Lim, Corinne Frost, Matthew Deakin (strings)It’s been said that there are no atheists on the night before a battle. Help us to seek You, Lord, in our times of crisis.‘I cry out to God Most High, wh…

Music: The Second movement of Torelli’s trumpet Concerto in D (Etienne), plusan improvisation on the theme.Musicians: Philippa Barton, Helen Rees, Julian Chan, Jo Garcia, (strings) James Horsfall (keyboard)Solzhenitsyn wrote, ‘The line dividing good and evil cuts through the hearts of every human being, and which of us is willing to destroy a piece…