Autumn 2006
FROM THE PASTOR
As we recommence another
season of work and witness for the Lord in our church fellowship, we have been
encouraged during the summer months by those converted through the outreach
ministries and others contacted who have come under the sound of the Gospel
message. The words of Jesus in MT 9.37 being relevant.
“The
harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
We as a fellowship have been
excited to see young men and woman called by the Lord who have obeyed His word
and either started or recommenced theological studies at Bible College.
Recently I was reading about
the life of the American evangelist D.L.Moody and was challenged that in death
Moody’s testimony was as powerful as during his life, as with his last words
on his deathbed.
“This is wonderful, earth
is receding, heaven is opening, God is calling me.”
As I contemplated the last
words of Moody, my mind went to Calvary and the last words of Jesus, and I hope
that they encourage and challenge you as they did
myself.
Firstly
we encounter words of tenderness
The
prayer addressed to his foes.
Luke
23.34 “Father forgive them for they know not what
they do”
Even though those assembled
around Calvary had criticised, cursed and crucified the Lord, He loved them and
desired to save them, and prayed that they would be forgiven if they repented.
The
promise given to a felon.
Luke
23.43 “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
The transgressor and
troublemaker had justifiably been condemned for his crimes and confessed as much
in v40 and 41 but on the cross he was convicted by the words of Jesus and
converted by the work of Jesus and when he died, he was heavenly bound.
The
provision for his family.
John 19v26 “When Jesus
therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith
unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”
Whilst most of the Lord’s
disciples forsook him, his mother followed him to
Golgotha. Jesus had already declared his relationship with God the Father
and now dissolved his relationship with Mary his mother, but before he died
Jesus made provision for her material needs by giving John the beloved apostle
the responsibility to care for her.
I’m reminded of the hymn,
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me, see on the
portals he’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me.
Next
we encounter words of travail
Mt
27.46 “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
On the cross Jesus endured
psychological anguish, when Adam sinned in the
garden, it brought separation between himself and humanity and God
(Genesis3v22-24) and when
Jesus became the bearer of sins he himself
experienced the fact that sin separates.
John19v28 “I thirst.” These
words speak of the physical agony endured by Jesus. The Messianic Psalm 22v15
said “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and
my tongue cleaveth to my jaws.”
Jesus, who had offered the
woman by the well in John4 soul refreshing water, now thirsted as he suffered
and died alone and took the punishment we deserved.
Lastly we encounter WORDS OF TRIUMPH. John19v30
“It is finished.”
These words concerned the
past and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Just as the
Father said of creation in Genesis1v31 “it is finished” and behold it
was very good, so Jesus on the cross proclaimed “it is finished.” Both being
perfect works that could not be bettered or added to.
Luke23v46 “Father into Thy
hands I commend my spirit.”
Jesus did not die of
exhaustion, nor of heart failure nor by a Roman spear, no man took His life from
Him, rather Jesus said John10v18 “no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down
of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”
Today Jesus is enthroned on
high and counting down the days to His return. I conclude with a question.
We’ve meditated upon the last words of Jesus, when He returns what will be His
first word to you?
Pastor Jones.
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YPF
Report June-August
The
summer months for all connected with Youth Fellowship have been very busy!
June
held the final of our meetings for the season.
This was a fun-filled night with more of a relaxed meeting.
We played “Biblical Scrabble” which was a huge hit and ate lots of
sandwiches and dessert! Thanks go to
all who provided the supper for us, we really appreciate it and
everyone truly enjoyed it! As
is tradition, on the final night of YPF a new
committee is voted on, or not as was the case. Five names were put
forward so no vote was needed. Two
of our committee members decided to stand down from the position and we thank
Claire Calderwood and Alison Whann for all of their hard work and dedication
throughout the
past
YPF season. The new committee for
the 06-07 season are as follows, Ian Calderwood, Cherith Cameron, Deborah
Kennedy, Geoffrey Kennedy and Richard McCord.
Three
events were organised for the young people during the summer months.
Our first trip was to Dundonald Outdoor Crazy Golf on the 1st
July. This was a great night with 38
attending in total. Ski Supreme in
Coleraine was our next outing on the 5th August.
This night involved banana-boating,
tube riding, paddle boating and a delicious barbeque!!
Everyone really enjoyed all the water sports but especially the burgers!
Our final trip as a youth group was on 26th August when we
headed back to Dundonald, but this time to “Indiana Land”.
It was great to see new members of the Youth Fellowship attending as this
event was open to all those beginning Year 8 in September.
Thanks to everyone who attended the events!
Saturday
29th July – Sunday 30th July marked a new venture for
the Youth Fellowship. Eight of out
young people travelled down to Westport, Co. Mayo to be involved in outreach on
Croagh Patrick Mountain, or “the Reek” as it is known to the locals.
This was a tremendous experience. These
devout Roman Catholic people climb this mountain to gain an “indulgence”,
this indulgence shortens their time in “purgatory” or a loved one’s time.
The experience was very moving and deeply saddening as we watched their
futile actions trying to earn their way into Heaven.
Praise the Lord He climbed Mount Calvary for us!!
While
we were there we joined the Irish Evangelical Band and helped to make juice and
tea, and distributed the drinks and Gospel literature.
We hope to go the Croagh Patrick again and bring a much larger group of
young people next year.
Thanks
again for all your continuous prayers for the Youth Committee and the Young
People. It is great to see their
spiritual growth from one season to the next.
Please continue to pray for them as they grow in the Lord, and also for a
few that are still unsaved.
God
Bless,
The
Youth Committee
THERE’S
JUST NO ONE LIKE YOU
When trouble comes a calling
In moments when you’re
blue,
Here is something to
remember:
There’s no one just like
you.
In all the wide world over
And since creation’s morn,
No other soul just like you
Has ever yet been born.
You are by Him appointed,
Who hung the stars in place,
For some especial purpose,
And none can take your place.
You’re here because
you’re needed,
With work that’s yours to
do;
And in the heart of someone,
There’s no one just like
you.
Submitted by N.McKeown.
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A
WORD ABOUT WORRY
Forty
percent of what we worry about never happens. Thirty percent has already
happened. Twelve percent focuses on our health, which only worsens it. Eight
percent concerns real problems we can influence. Think -
ninety two percent of our worries are needless!
Worry
comes from a Greek word meaning, “to divide the mind.” Anxiety splits us
right down the middle. Rather than take away tomorrow’s trouble it robs us of
today’s strength. And who can afford to lose strength? “But how can I stop
worrying?” Paul offers a two -pronged answer. God’s part and our
part. Our part includes prayer and gratitude: “Be careful for nothing: but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God.” Phil4 v6. Do you want to worry less? Pray more! And
express your gratitude. God wants to be thanked before He gets invoiced! And
what’s God’s part? “And the peace of God which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil4 v7. Believing
prayer ushers in God’s peace. Imagine having God’s peaceful state of mind!
Do you think He battles anxiety and wrings His hands with worry? Your problem is
not in the least challenging to God. God enjoys perfect peace because He enjoys
perfect power - and He offers His peace to you. Just do your part through prayer
and thanksgiving and He will do His!
Whom
shall I send?
Isaiah
Ch6: 1-8
In
the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the
seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and
with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto
another, and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole
earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him
that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! For I
am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he
had taken with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth, and
said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy
sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and
who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
As a young Pastor, I served a
fledgling new congregation that included my
parents. My father was very active in the church’s “people
ministries” -
evangelism, hospital and nursing - home visitation, bus ministry, relief
for the poor and more. Although he had never been formally trained in ministry,
Dad had a natural ability to connect with people who were in the midst of hard
times. That was his passion - the downtrodden people who are often overlooked.
In fact on the day he died, my last conversation with him was about someone he
had promised to call on.
He was concerned that his promise be kept.
I believe that my father’s
service was one that followed the heart of Christ. Jesus looked out over the
masses of the forgotten people of the world and felt
compassion for them (Matthew 9:36-38). He commanded His followers to pray
that the heavenly Father would send workers (like my Dad) to reach those weighed
down with the cares of my life.
My Father became the answer
to those prayers in many hurting people’s lives, and we can as well. When the
prayer goes out to someone to represent Christ’s love, may our heart respond:
“Lord, Here I am! Send me.”
Bill Cowder
Take the task He gives you
gladly,
Let his work your pleasure
be;
Answer quickly when he
calleth,
“Here am I. send me, send
me.”
True
service is love in working clothes
Our
Heart .. Christ’s Kingdom
Christianity
is a life to be lived.
It is not
just learning and following a set of rules but rather is the growth of Christ
likeness in the heart, which then spreads into the whole being. It takes over,
so that we can say like the Apostle Paul “It is no longer I that liveth, but
Christ that liveth in me”
It is to be subject to the
authority of Christ, under His rule of love by which we say “the love of
Christ constraineth me”
It is to be a new creation,
and declare “I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”
It is to let Christ reign in
the very throne of our hearts.
The
conquest is slow, and often the heavenly King finds His kingdom under alien
sway, and in order to get full control and possession, and to be able to reign
supreme, he must subdue the old nature. This is an ongoing process as we live in
this world and will only be complete when we pass into His
presence. Thankfully progress can and must be made.
It is a
learning process, and with God’s help we can bend all the energies of our
being, towards bringing the heart, mind and will into complete
subjection to our King. We have the power of God at our disposal.
So often it
is in our heart that departure starts. The thoughts, feelings,
dispositions, moods, tempers, affections all so easily can depart from
Christ. We need to watch our inner personal state.
The world
may see no abatement in our zeal, in our religious activity, and in our
earnestness for the truth, yet behind it all, we may be less prayerful, have
less love for Christ, less tenderness of conscience, less hunger for
righteousness and less desire for holiness!
Is
Christ more to you now than He ever was before?
Does
His love constrain you?
Does
He have full sway?
Can
you say .. “I have only one passion, and that is Christ!”
Only
one life ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
Francis
Smyth
All
correspondence to Mrs. Ruth Neely
100A Carnlough Road,
Broughshane.
PRAYER
LETTER FOR GOSPEL BUS MINISTRY
As
you know we have kept you updated with the progress of God’s work on the
Gospel Bus. We have been richly blessed and encouraged during the summer months
as we have seen six souls saved. As autumn is approaching we plan (DV)
discipleship classes for those who have accepted the Lord as their Saviour, also
on 13th December (DV) we trust the Lord that he will supply the need for the
Christmas Dinner planned for the Ballee estate in the community centre that has
been kindly granted. Also we would like to show God’s love to the
underprivileged and needy of the area by giving them a Christmas hamper.
We read in Luke Ch10 the parable of the Good Samaritan, the priest went, he saw
him but he passed on the other side. Then the Levite went and did the same. Then
we see the Good Samaritan, he went, he saw and he had compassion on him.
We
thank God for those who have been exercised already to support the work on the
Gospel Bus.
We
are seeking direction from the Lord over the winter months for his will in each
of our lives as we study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim. 2v15
Yours
in the great commission
Richard
Bell and the Gospel Bus Committee
For
further information contact 07753240113
Paradoxes
in the Christian
by
Herbert Palmer
1. A
Christian is one who believes things his reason cannot comprehend.
2. Who
hopes for that which neither he nor any man alive ever saw.
3. Who
labours for that he knows he can never attain.
4. Yet
in the outcome, his belief appears not to have been false, hope makes him not
ashamed, labour is not in vain.
5. He
believes three to be one and one to be three.
A Father not older than His Son, the Son to be equal with His Father; the
one proceeding from both to be equal to both.
6. Believes
in one nature three persons, and one person two natures.
7. Believes
a virgin to be a mother and her Son to be her Maker.
8. Believes
Him to be born in time who is from everlasting, and Him to be shut up in a
narrow room which Heaven and earth could never contain.
9. Believes
Him to be a weak child carried in arms who is the Almighty and Him to have died,
who alone has life and immortality in Himself.
10. He
believes the God of all grace to have been angry with One who never offended
Him; and the God who hates all sins to have reconciled to Himself those who sin
continually and never make Him satisfaction.
11. He
believes the most just God to have punished a most innocent person, and to have
justified those who are most ungodly sinners.
12. Believes
himself freely pardoned and yet that sufficient satisfaction is paid for him.
13. Believes
himself precious in God’s sight, yet loathes himself in his own sight.
14. Does
not justify himself even in those things concerning which he knows of no fault
in himself; yet believes God accepts even those services in which he himself is
able to find fault.
15. He
praises God for His justice, and fears Him for His mercies.
16. He
is so ashamed that he does not open his mouth before God, yet comes with
boldness to God and asks anything that he needs.
17. He
is so humble to acknowledge he deserves nothing but evil; yet so confident as to
believe that God means him all good.
18. He
is one that fears always yet is as bold as a lion.
19. He
is often sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; often complaining, yet always giving
thanks.
20. He
is the most lowly minded, yet the greatest aspirer; most contented yet ever
craving.
Submitted by Paul Kinney.
MEXICO
Church
planting
“Have
not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be
thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God
is with thee whithersoever
thou goest”.
(Joshua
1:9)
Jonny
and Julie are planning to help with the church planting project over in Mexico.
OMS International firmly believes that a nation can best be reached by its own
people so they will be working alongside
national pastors and church planters to help the church in Mexico to
grow. They are both trained nurses but this year they will be
studying in Belfast Bible College to help prepare themselves for the work
God has called them to do in Mexico City. Both
Jonny and Julie were in Mexico during Easter 2006 with OMS, after which they
felt God calling them to longer-term missionary service.
Before
leaving for Mexico, they need to form a team to pray for them.
They must also raise their own financial support to cover such things as
air fare, insurance, accommodation and food.
Please consider
supporting Jonny and Julie as they serve Jesus Christ in Mexico.
If you would like to join us
in partnership in our ministry, either prayerfully or financially, please
contact us on 07834377047, or 02825820271.
Mexico
is Central America’s largest
country. It has borders with North America to the north and Guatemala and
Belize to the south. Its Hispanic and Indian heritage and its proximity to the
US leaves it struggling for its own
identity.
Mexico’s
rapidly growing population ranges from those who have prospered from the
exploitation of the country’s natural
resources, to those living in the massive slum
areas of Mexico City. Mexico
City is a mix of dazzling contemporary architecture, weathered
Spanish colonial buildings and whole communities based around rubbish
tips. Smartly dressed business men
pass Serape Indians tugging donkeys
alongside Mercedes sedans. The
city’s population of almost 30 million makes it the largest city on earth,
with a host of unresolved political,
economic and social problems.
Most
of Mexico’s population is nominally affiliated to the Catholic church, but
traditional spiritist religions are widely practiced.
The fact that the Virgin of Guadeloupe is the Patron Saint of
Mexico still reflects the strong influence with which Roman
Catholicism still grips the nation.
Ancient religions and pagan customs are subtly blended to further confuse
a people searching for the truth. OMS
in Mexico exists to enable Mexicans to discover this truth in the person of
Jesus Christ. The evangelical
population of Mexico is less than 5%, and many Christians still suffer
persecution for their faith. The church is growing, however, and there is
much to praise God for.
OMS
started working in Mexico in 1990. It’s
ministries include:
* Evangelism
teams
* Establishing
self-supporting churches
* A
Bible college to train local leaders and lay workers
* An
international Christian school
* University
outreach
* Conversational
English lessons
* A
street children’s care project
THE BEACH TEAM 2006
United
Beach Missions,
also known as The
Beach Team,
is a Christian Charity that originated over 50 years ago. They operate on
beaches across England, Wales, Ireland and Continental Europe bringing the
Gospel to children and young people alike.
My
brother-in law Scott is a UBM team leader and on different
occasions he had encouraged me to go on a UBM team. Last year I
became interested in joining a UBM team but it didn’t work out.
However, after Easter this year I completed my application form for UBM
after much prayerful consideration. In
July of this year I went on a team to Kilkee, Co. Clare for a week.
After
a long 8 hour journey we met all the team members which,
consisted of four boys and six girls.
Fortunately, everyone got on well together.
To
provide a picture of the week’s programme it had a varied
schedule. During each day we
had around 60 children at the morning and afternoon sessions.
There were choruses, memory verses, quizzes and Bible stories as well as
competitions. The children engaged
in some fun activities during the afternoon such as tug of war which proved a
healthy challenge.
We
had two family nights which was a great way of getting to know the children’s
parents. During these nights we had
a barbeque, a sand-modelling competition, a sponge-throwing activity and
sports-just to name but a few things. At
the end of each night there was an
epilogue. God truly blessed
us on these two nights as we had around 200 people.
My
week at Kilkeel was a very blessed week. I
had the delight of leading an
8-year-old girl, Sarah-Louise to the Lord. She
had shown interest all week and on the last day she approached me and asked me
how she could know the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please
could I ask you to remember Sarah-Louise in your prayers.
Kilkee is a spiritually barren place.
It has two churches- one of which only opens for the summer months.
Sarah-Louise really needs a lot of encouragement in her new walk with
Christ. Her mother is unsaved though
she doesn’t oppose Sarah-Louise’s conversion.
Pray that she too will trust Christ.
Pray for James, Sarah-Louise’s younger brother, that this family will
be blessed with household salvation. There
were many children who asked questions that week.
Please also pray that the seeds sown will take root in their young hearts
and that they too like Sarah-Louise will come to know the Lord.
Next
summer, God-willing I hope to go on another UBM team for a fortnight, perhaps to
Kilkee again. Being part of a UBM
team this year has taught me so much spiritually and also encouraged me.
At the end of the week like Paul, I could say “I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians
4:13)
Sarah Cotton
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THE
GARDENER
He has a plan
For this brief life of
mine,
A perfect plan