Spring 1989

FROM PASTOR LAWRENCE KENNEDY

Looking back over these past months we can say with the Psalmist, "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised". We thank Him daily for the sense of His presence in our services and to see His hand at work in challenging and stirring the people of God. We are encouraged to see the numbers attending the services, not only on Sunday, but also at our Tuesday Bible Study and Friday Prayer Meeting. If as yet you have not been to these meetings be assured that a warm welcome awaits you.

I would like to use this little article to draw your attention to the exhortation in the Word of God to be "filled with the Spirit" [Ephesians 5 v 18] and to suggest a variety of ways that this should be evident in our lives.

Firstly, we should be full of the SPIRIT OF WORSHIP as we are caught up in adoring wonder when we contemplate the Person of our Saviour and our God.

The SPIRIT OF PRAISE should manifest itself in expressions of gratitude to our God for calling us by His Grace and bringing us into the fellowship of His people with whom we can worship and serve Him.

Our lives should be pervaded by the SPIRIT OF THANKFULNESS to God for His continued blessing on the Church, for young and old engaged in the Service of the Lord, for willing hands to do His bidding in the many tasks that lie to our hands.

The sick and the afflicted ought to fill us with the SPIRIT OF SYMPATHY. They are to be taken to our hearts, remembering also those faithful believers among us who watch by the sick and minister to them.

The practical needs of the work of God demand of us the SPIRIT OF SACRIFICIAL GIVING. We praise God for all who have helped in this area of sacrificial giving to ease the financial burden of our new facilities, built to the Glory of God. Liberal souls are made spiritually prosperous. He who gives cheerfully will find His God to be faithful in return.

All around us are men and women in bondage to sin who need a mighty deliverance. Ours should be the SPIRIT OF CONCERN, which identifies itself with such a need and seeks in intercession and Gospel activity to bring God’s power to bear upon the situation. As our community moves further away from God, so it should move our hearts to cry to the Lord for a manifestation of His power.

Above all we need the SPIRIT OF REVIVAL, that primitive and glorious unleashing of heavenly energy which renews the people of God and revolutionises society.

While we give thanks to our God for all that is past, let us afresh seek His face for that continual fullness of the Holy Ghost which will make us worshippers and servants who are pleasing in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

The Work is Solemn, therefore do not trifle

The Task is Difficult, therefore do not relax

The Opportunity is brief, therefore do not delay

The Path is narrow, therefore do not wander

The Prize is Glorious, therefore do not faint.

oOo

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP By Jean Kelly

"O magnify the Lord with me, come let us exalt His name together." Psalm 34 v 3

At our first Fellowship Meeting of the New Year we had a visit from the ladies of Lanntara Baptist. After two messages in song from the choir and a word of testimony from one of the visitors, Mrs Toner brought us God’s Word. She encouraged each one of us to aim for new goals in this New Year. Not only were we to forget past hurts and past failures but we were reminded not to rest on past successes and past blessings.

In February we had a visit from Mr & Mrs Irons from Sandes Homes and they brought us up-to-date with the work they are doing among the young soldiers there in the camp. An ex-bomb disposal officer told us how the Lord had helped him cope with the pressures of his job here in Northern Ireland.

Pastor Rodgers from Grange Baptist was our speaker in March. He testified as to how the Lord had led him down through the years and then brought us a challenging message about Mary. She sat at Jesus’ feet, she fell at Jesus’ feet and she worshipped at Jesus’ feet.

Our monthly prayer meetings continue on the last Wednesday of each month and we can truly praise the Lord for these precious times spent with Him.

Although we have only one Missionary Meeting left for this season, on Wednesday 12th April, when the speaker is Mr David Trimble from E.C.M., our prayer meetings continue throughout the summer and if you have never been yet we would love to see you joining us there just for one hour each month.

oOo

MISSIONARY FOCUS

Dear Friends,

As we look back over the past few weeks in the Church we realise that God has once again been speaking to us all regarding the Missionary Challenge. The question has been asked by each of the Missionaries present at our weekend - Have we prayed? Have we given? and maybe to some, Are we willing to go? I wonder what our response will be, [that’s between us and God]? I do trust that we will each one be obedient to the Voice of God in our lives. We were a little bit disappointed at the attendance on Friday and Saturday nights, but I’m sure those of us who were there can testify to a real sense of the presence of God. As Alan spoke on Friday evening I think all of us without exception were challenged afresh as to whether or not our lives were laid on the altar for God, as the little hymn ---

‘Go through with God thy vows to pay

Thy life upon the altar lay

The Holy Ghost will do the rest

And bring to thee God’s very beSt’

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit from our brother Ron George a few Tuesdays past, he certainly gave us some insight into the facts and figures regarding the numbers of Muslims there are still unreached with the Gospel message. Surely all over our world to-day there is a desperate need to be up and doing while it is still day for the night cometh when no man can work.

I had the privilege of hearing our brother Joe Donnelly from the I.M.F. speaking. What an encouraging report he brought from Dublin, how many Roman Catholics are being reached through the work he seeks to do in the bookshop. He told how just a short while ago two young men came in to look around the books and he got talking to them. At the time the bookshop was crowded with people and he was able to raise his voice so that everyone could hear as he told them about the Lord Jesus and how He had changed his life. The young fellows continued to come in every Saturday and he invited them to a meeting and there they both accepted Christ as Saviour. He also encouraged us by telling of how God can answer our prayer when everything seems against us. He told how one day just after he was saved and there was very little fellowship or witness where he lived, he was passing an old fallen-down hall where the Gospel used to be preached; he just paused and put his hands on the railings and prayed silently, ‘Oh God, open this door again for the preaching of the Gospel’ and today there is a work going on in that very hall amongst the small group of Roman Catholics who have been saved. It was really challenging to listen to the exciting way he spoke of how he was able to witness to other of his own people, many who are nuns in the Catholic Church, and the zeal he has to win others for Christ after only being saved for six years and from the terrible darkness of Rome.

I wonder what we are doing with regard to witnessing to others - many of us saved a long time longer than our brother and with a completely different background? Let us not be ashamed to speak of the One Who died for us.

News continues to come in almost daily from the different missionaries all over the globe. Many are encouraging as they tell of the many answers to prayer they are witnessing. Some are facing many disappointments and encouragement as the devil would seek to oppose the work of the Lord. Let’s remember the devil is real in Africa, Brazil, Japan or any other Mission Station as he is here at home. How much the missionaries need our prayers. Let us not fail them as they stand at the front of the firing line, some with young children who need a touch in body - how the devil can use even this to bring discouragement to the hearts of his children.

Please continue to pray for Geoffrey, Gillian and little Sarah that God would keep His hand upon them in these difficult days as they would seek to get a grasp of the languages [some of us are kept busy speaking one!]. Also let us remember Sam and Anna as they seek to reach out in love to a completely new regiment of soldier lads and their families, that God would open up doors for them to witness and make friends with these lads, many a long way from a mother’s love and care. Thinking too of James and Audrey in the work they seek to do for God. All these ones depending on our PRAYERS; let us not fail them.

As Missionary Enterprise starts another New Year perhaps there are some of you who up to the moment have not joined. Why not ask for a little card and then ask God what He would have you give back to Him.

God bless you

Desmond Shaw

oOo

YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIP

It’s time again for another report on the recent work of the Young People’s Fellowship and as always the past three months have been a busy time. Those taking part in our meetings so far this year included the following:

January 8th Geoffrey McGrath brought us right up-to-date with how God is leading both himself and Gillian in USA

January 15th Our young people interviewed both the Pastor and Mrs Kennedy

January 29th &

February 12th Pastor Kennedy spoke at both these meetings and I’m sure we can all still remember the lessons we learned from "The Cock that Crew"

February 26th Mr Jack Bennett ACRE - our time of fellowship was enjoyed by all who attended our "meet the missionary"

March 10th - 12th our Young People’s Fellowship Weekend to Kilkeel. Once again a good time was had by all who attended our weekend. Pastor Ronnie Gibson, Limavady, was with us as the speaker and brought challenging messages on ‘coping with temptation’ and the ‘centre of the Christian life’. A tremendous time of fellowship and fun was had on the Saturday despite the blisters and lack of sleep! We joined with the Kilkeel young people on the Sunday afternoon and sang in the Gospel service in the evening.

At the time of writing this report we plan to take the meeting for Glenwherry young folk on Wednesday 22nd March.

We are also looking forward to our weekend reunion where we hope that slides etc., taken by William [David Bailie] Nesbitt will be shown, reminding us of our time in heaven at Kilkeel [no night there]!

If you don’t already join with us on a Sunday evening why not make a date with us - you are very welcome.

Agnes

oOo

GOOD NEWS CLUB

We have been continuing to meet each Monday night at 7.00pm for our Good News Club. It really is a joy to see the children coming along and we thank God for the privilege it is to share His Word with them, for their safety in journeying, as well as for their faithful attendance, we give Him our thanks.

We started off the term with a series of six lessons on "the life of Peter". There was much for us all to learn [leaders and children alike] from a study of the life of this great apostle. More recently we have started a short series of lessons called "Teach us to Pray". As usual we have had a "central truth" each week ["Christians need to pray", for example or "God tells me to pray for others"] and each lesson has been based on a story taken directly from the Bible. This time, however, we have been using flashcards rather that the customary flannelgraph as the main means of demonstrating the stories to the children. I am not sure that the children have been finding this approach just as easy to concentrate on as the usual one, so please pray that God will help each teacher to present the flashcard lessons in as meaningful a way as possible.

We hope to have a visit from Mr Noel McMeekin again in the middle of April, and after that to continue with individual lessons up to the end of the current season, in late April. There will then be an interval of about two months before our next [the fourth so far] Holiday Bible Club, in the beginning of July D.V.

We would value your prayers as we prepare once again to reach the children of our neighbourhood with the wonderful message of Salvation.

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16 v 15

oOo

WHO CARES? By General William Booth,

Founder of The Salvation Army

On one of my recent journeys, as I gazed from the coach window, I was led into a train of thought concerning the conditions of the multitudes around me. They were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare. As I looked out the window, I seemed to see them all....millions of people all around me given up to their drink and their anxieties, their politics and their troubles. Ignorant - wilfully ignorant in many cases - and in other instances knowing all about the truth and not caring at all. But all of them, the whole mass of them, sweeping on and up in their blasphemies and devilries to the throne of God. While my mind was thus engaged, I had a vision.

I saw a dark and stormy ocean. Over it the black clouds hung heavily; through them every now and then vivid lightning flashed and loud thunder rolled, while the winds moaned, and the waves rose and foamed, towered and broke, only to rise and foam, tower and break again.

In that ocean I thought I saw myriads of poor human beings plunging and floating, shouting and shrieking, cursing and struggling and drowning; and as they cursed and screamed they rose and shrieked again, and then some sank to rise no more.

And I saw out of this dark, angry ocean, a mighty rock that rose up with its summit towering high above the black clouds that overhung the stormy sea. And all around the base of this rock I saw a vast platform. Onto this platform, I saw with delight a number of the poor struggling, drowning wretches continually climbing out to the angry ocean. And I saw that a few of those who were already safe on the platform were helping the poor creatures still in the angry waters to reach the place of safety.

On looking more closely, I found a number of those who had been rescued, industriously working and scheming by ladders, ropes, boats and other means more effective, to deliver the poor strugglers out of this sea. Here and there were some who actually jumped into the water, regardless of all the consequences, in their passion to "rescue the perishing". And I hardly know which gladdened me most - the sight of the poor drowning people climbing onto the rocks, reaching the place of safety, or the devotion and self-sacrifice of those whose whole beings were wrapped up in the effort for their deliverance.

As I looked on, I saw that the occupants of that platform were quite a mixed company. That is, they were divided into different ‘sets’ or classes, and they occupied themselves with different pleasures and employment. But only a very few of them seemed to make it their business to get the people out of the sea.

But what puzzled me most was the fact that though all of them had been rescued at one time or another from the ocean, nearly everyone seemed to have forgotten all about it. Anyway, it seemed the memory of its darkness and danger no longer troubled them at all. And what seemed equally strange and perplexing to me was that these people did not even seem to have any care - that is any agonising care - about the poor perishing ones who were struggling and drowning right before their very eyes...many of whom were their own husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, and even their own children.

Now this astonishing unconcern could not have been the result of ignorance or lack of knowledge because they lived right there in full sight of it all and even talked about it sometimes. Many even went regularly to hear lectures and sermons in which the awful state of these poor drowning creatures was described.

I have already said that the occupants of this platform were engaged in different pursuits and pastimes. Some of them were absorbed night and day in trading and business in order to make gain, storing up their savings in boxes, safes and the like.

Many spent their time in amusing themselves with growing flowers on the side of the rock, others in painting pieces of cloth or in playing music or in dressing themselves up in different styles and walking about to be admired. Some occupied themselves chiefly in eating and drinking, others were taken up with arguing about the poor drowning creatures that had already been rescued. But the thing to me that seemed the most amazing was that those on the platform to whom He called, who heard His voice and felt they ought to obey it - at least they said they did - those who confessed to love Him much and were in full sympathy with Him in the task He had undertaken - who worshipped Him or who professed to do so - were so taken up with their trades and professions, their money saving and pleasures, their families and circles, their religions and arguments about it, and their preparation for going to the mainland, that they did not listen to the cry that came to them from this Wonderful Being Who had Himself gone down into the sea. Anyway, if they heard it they did not heed it. They did not care. And so the multitude went on right before them struggling and shrieking and drowning in the darkness.

And then I saw something that seemed to me even more strange than anything that had gone on before in this strange vision. I saw that some of these people on the platform whom this Wonderful Being had called to, wanting them to come and help Him in His difficult task of saving these perishing creatures, were always praying and crying out to Him to come to them!

Some wanted Him to come and stay with them, and spend His time and strength in making them happier. Others wanted Him to come and take away various doubts and misgivings they had concerning the truth of some letters which He had written them. Some wanted Him to come and make them feel more secure on the rock - so secure that they would be quite sure that they should never slip off again into the ocean. Numbers of others wanted Him to make them feel quite certain that they would really get off the rock and onto the mainland someday; because as a matter of fact, it was well known that some had walked so carelessly as to lose their footing, and had fallen back again into the stormy waters.

So these people used to meet and get up as high on the rock as they could, and looking toward the mainland [where they thought the Great Being was]; they would cry out, "Come to us! Come, help us!" and all the while He was down [by His Spirit] among the poor struggling, drowning creatures in the angry deep, with His arms around them trying to drag them out, and looking up - oh! so longingly, but all in vain - to those on the rock, crying to them with His voice all hoarse from calling, "Come to Me! Come, and help Me!"

And then I understood it all. It was plain enough. That sea was the ocean of life - the sea of real, actual human existence. That lightning was the gleaming of piercing truth coming from Jehovah’s throne. That thunder was the distant echoing of the wrath of God. Those multitudes of people shrieking, struggling and agonising in the stormy sea, were the thousands and thousands of poor harlots and harlot-makers, of drunkards and drunkard-makers, of thieves, liars, blasphemers and ungodly people of every kindred, tongue and nation.

Oh, what a black sea it was! And oh, what multitudes of rich and poor, ignorant and educated were there. They were all so unalike in their outward circumstances and conditions, yet all alike in one thing - all sinners before God - all held by, and holding onto, some iniquity, fascinated by some idol, the slaves of some devilish lust, and ruled by the foul fiend from the bottomless pits!

"All alike in one thing?" No. all alike in two things - not only the same in their wickedness but, unless rescued, the same in their sinking, sinking ... down, down, down ... to the same terrible doom. That great sheltering rock represented Calvary, the place where Jesus had died for them. And the people on it were those who had been rescued. The way they used their energies, gifts and time represented the occupations and amusements of those who professed to be saved from sin and hell - followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. That Mighty Being Who was calling to them from the midst of the angry waters was the Son of God, "the same yesterday, to-day and forever", Who is still struggling and interceding to save the dying multitudes about us from this terrible doom of damnation, and Whose voice can be heard above the music, machinery and noise of life, calling on the rescued to come and help Him save the world.

My friends in Christ, you are rescued from the waters, you are on the rock. He is in the dark sea calling on you to come to Him and help Him. Will you go? Look for yourselves. The surging sea of life, crowded with perishing multitudes, rolls up to the very spot on which you stand. Leaving the vision, I now come to speak of the fact - a fact that is as real as the Bible, as real as the Christ Who hung upon the cross, as real as the Judgement Day will be, and as real as the Heaven and hell that will follow it.

Look! Don’t be deceived by appearances - men and things are not what they seem. All who are not on the rock are in the sea! Look at them from the standpoint of the great white throne, and what a sight you have! Jesus Christ, the Son of God is, through His Spirit, in the midst of this dying multitude, struggling to save them. And He is calling to you to jump into the sea - to go right away to His side and help Him in the holy strife. Will you jump? That is, will you go to His feet and place yourself absolutely at His disposal?

A young Christian once came to me and told me that for some time she had been giving the Lord her profession and prayer and money, but now she wanted to give Him her life. She wanted to go right into the fight. In other words, she wanted to go to His assistance in the sea. As when a man from the shore, seeing another struggling in the water, takes off those outer garments that would hinder his efforts, and leaps to the rescue, so will you who still linger on the bank, thinking and singing and praying about the poor perishing souls, lay aside your shame, your pride, your cares about other people’s opinions, your love of ease and all the selfish loves that have kept you back for so long, and rush to the rescue of this multitude of dying men and women?

Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? Unquestionably it is so. There is no doubt that the leap for you, as for everyone who takes it, means difficulty and scorn and suffering. For you it may mean more than this. It may mean death. He Who beckons you from the sea, however, knows what it will mean - and knowing, He still calls to you and bids you come. You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of hands and shouting of praises - very much of heaven on earth.

Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn you back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you.

You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind, and the call that is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them.

NOW, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Geoffrey and Gillian McGrath

oOo

CHILDREN’S CORNER

One day a missionary upon a jungle trail was surprised to see a small black boy stumble through the bush and fall sobbing at his feet. Stopping to lift him, the missionary tried to find out what his trouble was, for the boy was trembling with great fear. When he grew quiet enough to speak he cried: "Don’t let him get me!"

"Who do you mean, my boy?"

"The slave trader!" he sobbed. "He stole me from my home. He wants to sell me - maybe even to a cannibal tribe! Oh, don’t let him get me! He is coming!"

The missionary listened, and finally his ear caught the sounds of heavy running as someone followed the trail of the boy through the jungle. In his heart the missionary wondered just what he could do, but he lifted his heart to God, and then putting his arm about the trembling figure he said, "No! I will not let him get you!" The jungle bush parted again, and revealed a tall, powerful native with an ugly club in his hand. "Give me that boy!" he shouted.

The missionary tightened his arm about the boy as he answered, "No! He does not belong to you. You cannot have him!"

In anger the slave trader raised his club, but the missionary stood calmly with no sign of fear. Slowly his arm dropped to his side and turning he disappeared into the jungle. Together the boy and the missionary made their way to the missionary station. In the days that followed the little boy was so sweet in his love for his new friend that it seemed he just could not do enough for him! Nothing pleased him more than to be able to run an errand or do some little task for the missionary; so the name of "Black Sugar" was given to him.

One day the kind missionary said, "Black Sugar, do you remember when the slave trader was after you?"

"Oh, yes!" cried the little fellow, trembling even at the memory.

"Did you know that someone even more dreadful than the slave trader is after you?"

"Who? Who?" cried the boy in fear.

Then the missionary told him of Satan who, "as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour". As he spoke the boy flung himself into his arms, crying, "But you will not let him get me! You will save me from him too!"

As the missionary explained that he could not, he pointed the little fellow to the Saviour Who alone could save him. Tears streamed down the boy’s dark face as he learned that this One had had to die to save him. In simple faith Black Sugar believed the wonderful story and received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.

oOo

MY RESPONSE

So often when I ponder over all my Lord has done,

When I think of all His sufferings, and He the Spotless One,

I recall His loving patience ere the heart of mine be won;

I marvel that such love could be, and long to live more worthily.

When I think of His deep anguish there in dark Gethsemane

And remember how they nailed Him to the cruel, cruel tree,

I consider all the shame - and know He bore it all for me,

I only know that all my days must be for Him in grateful praise.

And now I pray that I may help some other soul to know

The deep abiding love of God which Jesus came to show,

So may my life a channel be through which His love shall flow,

For in the strength which He does give we may the life abundant live.

Evelyn Wood

oOo

BIBLE QUIZ No. 5

1 Who betrayed his Master with a kiss? Matthew 26 v 47 -49

2 Who was the oldest man in the Bible? Genesis 5 v 27

3 Near to what city did the Lord Jesus sit on a well? John 4 v 5

4 What is the sign that God has given to prove that He will not again destroy mankind by water? Genesis 9 v 13-15

5 Who escaped by the skin of his teeth? Job 19 v 20

6 Who carried roast mutton on donkeys? I Samuel 25 v 18

7 Who begged the body of the Lord Jesus? Matthew 27 v 57-58

8 Who was in prison with Paul? Acts 16 v 25-29

9 Finish this sentence - "Almost thou persuadest me to be _______" Acts 26 v 28

10 In which book in the Bible do we read the life story of Solomon? I Kings 1 v 11

11 How many books did Moses write? Genesis - Deuteronomy

12 For how long was Paul without sight? Acts 9 v 9

13 How many lions were under Solomon’s throne? II Chronicles 9 v 19

14 Who was the man who asked God for understanding? I Kings 3 v 9

15 Who was called the friend of God? James 2 v 23

16 What did Gideon build? Judges 6 v 26

17 What was the tree that the two angels with flaming swords guarded? Genesis 3 v 24

18 Who came to the Lord Jesus at night? John 3 v 1-2

19 What does Whitsun speak of? Acts 2 v 1-3

20 Who said: "We have found Him of whom Moses did write"? John 1 v 45

21 Christ walked on the sea. Where in the Old Testament is this stated to be an attribute of God? Job 9 v 8

oOo

NOTICE BOARD

Sunday 2nd April PM Baptismal Service

Sunday 9th April PM Ian Greenwood "Testimony night"

Sunday 7th May AM & PM Anniversary Sunday - speaker Mr Ken Brown

Saturday 27th May Ladies’ yearly outing

WEDDINGS

9th June Lynne Foster & Robert McCloy

10th June Diane Alexander & Rodney Johnston

oOo

I WISH THEE PEACE [ JOHN 14 V 27]

I wish thee peace.

The earth is full of trouble

And days are marked,

But rush and strain and test

And life grows one unceasing round and struggle.

I wish thee peace, God’s peace thy heart’s deep rest.

I wish thee peace, the peace of sin all taken,

All cleansed away through Christ’s atoning blood.

The peace which rests untroubled and unshaken

Since God’s redeeming grace is understood.

I wish thee peace, the peace of His near presence.

The peace of glad abandon to His will.

The peace which is of God’s own heart the essence.

The peace which reigns serene and strong and still.

Submitted by Mrs Alexander

oOo

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Sunday April

2nd Mrs Elizabeth Alexander

9th Yvonne and Noleen

16th Joel and Ray McConnell

23rd Miss Beverley Murray

30th Lurgan Male Voice Choir

May

7th Winston Annette [Preacher Mr Ken Brown,

7th anniversary of opening of new Church]

14th Mr Tom Laverty

21st Mr William Warwick

28th Mrs Martha McClintock

June

4th Sally, Eddie and Moira

11th Mrs Jean Lucas

18th Mr William McBride

25th Children’s Day

If you have any news for the magazine, any comments you would like to make, we would be only too glad to receive them. Think about it - and let us know as it would make our task much easier in compiling the magazine. We have three months before the next issue is due.

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