Chaplain Dr. Paul Spence

An Independent Chaplain Serving Long Term Care Facilities For More Than 29 Years

"Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth." "O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help." --Psalm 71.9,12.

AUGUST 2nd; LORD'S Day (Sunday); 2026.

THIS WEEK'S SERMON. In This Week's Sermon, Dr. Spence will continue, GOD Willing, preaching concerning The Third Pouring Of Prayer. In Isaiah 44.3, GOD says: “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.” In the Sermon, Dr. Spence will consider the depth of JESUS' Words. In John 19.28, JESUS said: “I thirst.”

THIS WEEK'S HYMN. “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” by Rev. Dr. Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Dr. Watts was an Independent Pastor who lived in England. When a wealthy Doctor offered to pay for Dr. Watts' education so he could be ordained in the Church of England, he preferred for conscience sake to identify himself with the suffering Independents. In time, Dr. Watts became one of the leading Independents of his time and pastored the little but famous Mark Lane Independent Chapel in London, England. This Hymn was written in 1707 and has been critically acclaimed to be the finest Hymn in the English language. We will be singing the original words, just as Dr. Watts first wrote them.

THIS WEEK'S REPORT. 1. Please pray for a Lady who is moving. She attended the Church Services in her Care Facility for nearly a year. But now she is going to live somewhere else. We will miss her. May THE LORD go with her. 2. Pray for the sick and those in pain who frequently attend the Church Services in the various Care Facilities Dr. Spence visits. These are precious souls. The Church Services that happen in their different Care Facilities are important to them. Amidst not feeling well, these people keep attending. May THE LORD greatly bless the Preaching of the Scripture to the good of their souls. 3. A Lady's Son will be coming to visit from Texas in another week. Ask THE LORD to help and be near during the important conversations that will take place. 4. Another Lady's Sister has a newly swollen hand that is quite painful. 5. Still another Lady's Sister is in the hospital these days. She is in serious condition. Pray that there will be a gracious turning in her health. 6. After several weeks of intense heat, several Residents in different Care Facilities expressed gratitude for cooler weather these days. 7. A Lady's Mother turned 90 years old last week. Please keep this Mother in your Prayers. 8. A Lady generally requested Prayer for her Sister. 9. Please keep in Prayer the Relatives that often attend the Church Services in the Care Facilities. Pray that the Sermons will be a Blessing to them. 10. It was good to see various new faces in some of last week's Care Facility Church Services. Some of these Residents expressed thankfulness for the Sermons. Zechariah 12.10 says: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Grace and of Supplications.” *These Prayer Requests come from the Residents, their Families, the Staff, or Dr. Spence's observations. In This Week's Report, the names of the people have been withheld to protect their privacy. Nevertheless, the Thanksgivings and Prayer Requests are real and true.

THIS WEEK'S QUOTATION. Hebrews 9.14 says: “Purge your conscience.” Isn't it grand that in a world in which the government often tramples upon the conscience and the contemporary church often ignores the conscience that JESUS has tenderly considered and provided for the conscience? JESUS is conscience's Best Friend. In his admirable Exposition Of Hebrews, that truly great Independent, Dr. John Owen (1616-1683), says of these Words: “These three Words ['purge your conscience'] speak that there is a two-fold effect of the Blood of Christ. In the first place, the effect is in making atonement for our sins, answering unto the effect of the blood of bulls and goats being offered. In the second place, the effect is in the sanctification of our persons, answering to the effect of the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled. There is nothing more destructive unto the whole faith of the Gospel than by any means to evacuate the immediate efficacy of the Blood of Christ: it overthrows the foundation of the Gospel.”