Spring 1992

From the Pastor

We welcome you to our quarterly magazine – full of comment and verse to bring a smile to your heart and soul, as well as your face!

Now that the winter is drawing to a close and the nights lengthening many are making a list of all that they would like to do and achieve.  The grass needs cut, borders weeded and prepared, house painted (I hope I am not getting our male readers into domestic trouble!), but before we go too far with our list – may I ask a question:

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?”

Psalm 116 v 12

The Lord’s benefits didn’t falter throughout the winter months, His love was still bountiful, His grace was still measureless, His mercy and salvation still available … now what can we render unto the Lord?  It’s a very personal question; so ponder it individually and personally as you read this article.  It is a proper question for each of us, and especially those who have known His saving and keeping power.  It is a present question that I would like you to answer today and it is a pressing question, for we may not have as much time as we think in which to demonstrate our love for the Lord.

Let me suggest some things that we could render/give to the Lord:

(a)                We can give to our Lord the faith that He deserves.  The writer to the Hebrews reminds us “But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that is a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).  For us to either neglect or refuse to trust the promises of God is to insult our God and to deprive ourselves of His blessing in our lives.

(b)               We can give to our Lord the love that He deserves.  The first and greatest commandment requires that we love God supremely and without reservation (Matt. 22:37).  If we were to enumerate the many ways in which God demonstrated His love for us as the Psalmist did, we would find Him to be altogether lovely.  We would also find it impossible not to ask the question contained in our text.

(c)                We can give to our Lord the obedience that is essential.  The Lord Jesus said to His disciples and to us, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  Our heavenly Father much prefers that love be the motive behind our service rather than fear.  The Lord would have us to labour in His vineyard because of love rather than out of fear of the consequences of disobedience.  There is no substitute for obedience.   World evangelism both in the community at home and to the furthest point on the globe waits upon the obedience of those who consider themselves to be disciples.

(d)               We can give to our Lord the dedication which is our reasonable service (Rom. 12:1)  Faithfully, joyfully, and unreservedly we should present our physical bodies as a gift on the altar of service of Jesus Christ, that we might endeavour to reach those outside of Christ, heading for the judgement of God in hell and the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14 and 15).

As you sit reading this article your first question must be; Am I Saved?  Have I asked the Lord Jesus to cleanse me from my sin?  Am I depending on Christ and His work at Calvary for to reach Heaven?

If the answer is ‘NO’ – Please do so now “for it is time to seek the Lord (Hosea 10:12) or in the words of Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near”.

If the answer is ‘YES’ – Then before the gardening, painting or D.I.Y. answer this “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?”

* * * * * * * 

Watch Your Tongue!

If you are tempted to reveal

A tale by someone told

About another, make it pass,

Before you speak, three gates of gold.

Three narrow gates: first, is it true?

Then, is it needful? In your mind

Give truthful answer, and the next

Is last and narrowest – is it kind?

And if to reach your lips at last,

It passes through those gateways three

Then you may tell the tale, nor fear

What results of speech may be.

* * * * * * * 

Still, as of old, man by himself is priced:

For thirty silver pieces Judas sold himself, not Christ.

* * * * * * * 

The best rosebush after all, is not that which has the fewest thorns,

but that which bears the finest roses.

* * * * * * * 

A LETTER FROM HEAVEN

I am having a great time in Heaven

This land that is fairer than day;

For I left you all there unexpected,

As I heeded His call Come Away!

I am having a great time in Heaven,

On this beautiful, beautiful shore;

I am breathing the air that’s Celestial,

My troubles and trials all o’er.

I am having a great time in Heaven,

With the angels around the bright Throne;

Although they know nought of Redemption,

It was they who escorted us home.

I am having a great time in Heaven,

On the streets that are paved with pure gold;

With all the Redeemed of the ages,

The saints and the prophets of old.

I am having a great time in Heaven,

With loved ones at His blessed feet;

And throughout the ages unending,

The triumphs of Grace we’ll repeat.

I am having a great time in Heaven,

I’m in residence here with the King;

His beauty, no one could describe it,

For language could never begin.

I am having a great time in Heaven,

In the place that He went to prepare;

How glad I shall be at His banquet,

To meet you again over there.

Together we’ll be in His presence,

Together His name we’ll adore;

And part again? Never no never,

At home with our God evermore.

Extract from the book of poems by the late Lesley Armstrong

* * * * * * * 

He who has no vision of eternity

Doesn’t know the value of time.

* * * * * * * 

YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIP

Once again another year has started and the Young People’s Fellowship at Ballee goes on.  As usual we have had our fortnightly meetings with started on 12^th Jan. and also we have had a few singing engagements in between.  The dates and speakers were as follows:

Jan. 12^th – We had a visit from David Hoy who now runs a home for battered wives in Armoy and he showed us slides from a visit to a Missionary Centre in Zim.

Jan. 26^th – We had a visit from Rev. Eddie Kirk from 1^st Portglenone.

Feb. 9^th – We watched a video loaned us by S.I.M. and after watching it we had to answer a few questions based on the video.  Just like being back at school!!

Feb. 23^rd – This was the Sunday of our Missionary Weekend and the speaker on that day Alan Armstrong, also took our Young People’s meeting. 

Mar. 8^th – This was the Sunday before our weekend and this meeting was taken by our speaker for the weekend, Jimmy Murphy, who spoke to us on the methods Jesus used to reach others.

During the month of February we had two singing engagements at Dunaghy on Sat. 8^th and at our Missionary Weekend on Sat. 22^nd.

On Friday 13^th March we headed off for our annual weekend to the Rest-A-While Guest House in Portrush.  Jimmy Murphy was to take our weekend but instead he brought two Americans with him, Russell Doughten and Marge Thompson from ‘Mustard Seed International’, who talked to us about how to talk to someone, on a one-to-one basis, about Jesus Christ.  Although the weather was wet and windy a good time was had by all.  Everyone went home tired but happy.

Our meetings continue through to 17^th May and some of our speakers will include Pastor Geoffrey Ward, Maurice Brown and Auldwyn Calderwood, and we would like to invite all young people the age of eleven years and upwards to come to our meeting and enjoy the times of fun, fellowship and blessing we are having.  See YOU there?

T. Robinson

* * * * * * * 

THOUGHTS OF CALVARY

Outside an ancient city wall

A rugged hill stands nigh

On which My Lord in love to me

An atoning death did die.

We see the throng from Pilate’s hall

To Calvary wend their way;

And in their midst the Lamb of God,

To slaughter led that day.

The place is reached, the ponderous cross,

Is laid upon the ground;

Unto the wood His hands and feet

By cruel spikes are bound.

Uplifted now upon the cross

Behold His lovely form;

His visage marred, His blessed brow

Enclosed in crown of thorn.

All Hell’s let loose against the Lord,

And man his heart has shown,

That he by nature is depraved,

And far from God has gone.

And in this throng that now surrounds

My dying Saviour’s cross,

Myself I see, by nature vile,

All sinful, helpless, lost.

And now when men have done their worst

God hides Him from their view,

And to His Blesses Son deals out

What should have been by due.

The flaming sword which long has slept,

God bids it now awake

To smite the Man that was as He,

Thereby my peace to make.

And there my sin’s enormous load,

On him by God was laid;

The debt which I could never meet

By precious blood was paid.

From such a sight the sun withdraws,

Golgotha’s rock are rent;

The wrath of God that was my due

On Christ His Son is spent.

Now, every jot and tittle done,

‘Tis finished’, Jesus cries,

His spirit up to God He yields,

He bows His head, He dies.

* * * * * * * 

My Testimony

I attended Sunday School, also evening Church.  I hear the Word of God preached over and over again, but I never felt any conviction to be saved.  Then I started to attend Ballee Baptist Church where I heard Pastor Kennedy preach.

Following the Sunday evening meeting on 21^st April, I felt that evening that I wanted to give my life to my Lord.  On the following morning, Monday 22^nd April 1991, I got down on my knees beside my bed, and asked the Lord to come into my soul.  The text that came to my heart and mind was from John 3 v 16.  I now really enjoy the fellowship at Ballee Church, and find everyone is very friendly, and makes me feel very welcome.

William Houston

* * * * * * * 

HEAVEN – OUR HOME:  EVANGELIST W.P. NICHOLSON

Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you” John 14:2.  There is no other subject that inflames the heart and fires the imagination more than the subject of Heaven.  Are we weary with life’s battles and struggles?  Isn’t it grand to know that soon we shall be in Heaven where there will never be another fight or struggle, and where we can never be weary again.  Heaven is a place of brightness.  There will be no night there.  It is one long eternal day.  The Lord is the Light of Heaven.  That bright land has never been dimmed by sorrow.  There are dressed in garments of white up there.  Pain is unknown there; none escape it here.  Many have pain at the heart.  Worse than any physical pain – a child gone astray in sin. 

Heaven is so bright that no eye will ever by dimmed by tears.  There will be no curse there.  How many are cursed by sin here.  Thank God we are going to a world where the curst and bright of sin are forever done away with.  Heaven is also a place of happiness.  We read of choirs singing and rendering singing “Unto Him that love us and loosed us from our sins in His own Blood”.

* * * * * * * 

Do you want what you want when you want it?

Do you pray and expect a reply?

And when It’s not instantly answered

Do you feel that God passed you by?

Well, prayers that are prayed in this manner

Are really not prayers at all

For you can’t go to God in a hurry

And expect Him to answer your call.

For prayers are not meant for obtaining

What we selfishly wish to acquire,

For God in His wisdom refuses

The things that we wrongly desire …

Wake up!  You are missing completely

The reason and purpose of prayer

Which is really to keep us contented

That God only answers our pleadings

When He knows that our wants fill a need,

And whenever our will becomes His will

There is no prayer that god does not heed!

* * * * * * * 

Some attitudes never change – this is a quotation from the Greek poet Hosiod, 8^th Century B.C.  “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.  For certainly all youth are reckless beyond words … when I was young we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly impatient of restraint”.  Young people – let’s prove Hosiod wrong!

* * * * * * * 

LADIES FELLOWSHIP

It is hard to believe that as I write this report we have only two meetings left of this year.  March 11^th sees a visit form the Ladies of Coagh Baptist and in April when we anticipate a visit form Eric and Ina Wells from Ireland Outreach.  I also wonder if you can remember how many meetings this past year you managed to attend – if any!  As I write this it reminds me of my keep-fit.  Some weeks it is a struggle to muster any enthusiasm to go – I know it’s good for me physically and yet even a few moments before starting we think of any excuse to delay even the first exercise!  Mind you, once finished we feel a lot better physically and knowing we are trying to look after ourselves properly can stimulate our mental outlook.

Spiritually, I sometimes feel it can be like that for many ladies regarding our meetings.  It is so easy ‘not to bother’ – even though we know it is always beneficial spiritually and the fellowship with other sisters is good. Some come occasionally, others have commitments, others feel that Wednesday evenings should be spent at home, while some are absent due to lack of interest.  May I put it this way – if all the ladies who are faithful month by month decided to stay at home on Wednesday evenings then we would have no Ladies’ Fellowship.

I do not wish to seem hard or uncaring, but it is precisely because I do care that I want to encourage you to come.  Truly we are blessed by each visiting speaker as we learn of how God is moving in various parts of the world.  It is also a great encouragement for the Speaker to see many people interested and perhaps even moved enough to pray for that person on a regular basis.

Keep fit is good for you but of no benefit unless you take a active part.  The ladies’ meetings are also spiritually good for you but again you will lose out on the blessing unless you become actively involved.  To keep fit involves participation, but to keep fit spiritually involves participation plus dedication.  Are you dedicated enough to spend two and a half hours in a month with the ladies of our fellowship?

It has been good recently to see a few younger ladies join us but we still have room for all age groups.  We would love to see you at our meetings.  Also do not forget our prayer meetings when God’s presence becomes a reality to the few who meet in the back hall.  Come and join us.  Come and be blessed that in turn we may be of blessing to others.

L Kennedy

* * * * * * * 

SHUT IN

Shut in?  Ah, yes, that’s so,

As far as getting out may go,

Shut in away from earthly cares,

But not shut out from Him who cares.

Shut in from many a futile quest,

But Christ can be your daily guest,

He’s not shut out by your four walls

But hears and answers all your calls.

Shut in with God, Oh that should be

Such a wonderful opportunity

Then after you have done your best

In God’s hands safely leave the rest.

* * * * * * * 

A Smile – Costs nothing, but gives much.  It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.  It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that they can get along without it, and none is so poor but they can be made rich by it.  A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in business, and is the countersignature of friendship.  It brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discourages, sunshine to the sad – yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.  Some people are too tired to give you a smile.  Give them one of yours as none needs a smile so much as the one who has no more to give.

* * * * * * * 

There is only one thing better than a friend you can trust, and that’s a friend who trusts you!

* * * * * * * 

WHEN ILLNESS COMES

When illness comes, as it does to all –

God is so great and we are so small –

But there is nothing that we need know

If we have faith that wherever we go

God will be waiting to help us bear

Our pain and sorrow, our suffering and care –

For no pain or suffering is ever too much

To yield itself to God’s merciful touch!

By:  Helen Steiner Rice

* * * * * * * 

WORDS OF WISDOM (SELECTED)  M. ROBINSON

As long as we keep our eyes upon Jesus,

The tempter can do us no ill;

The Saviour stands near to help and support us,

To steady our feet and our will.

* * * * * * * 

Satan’s plays are no match for the Saviour’s power

* * * * * * * 

The children in a Christian home

Are rich beyond compare;

A blessed heritage is theirs

Whose parents love and care

* * * * * * * 

Our children are watching;

What we are speaks louder than what we say

* * * * * * * 

O Lord, you see what’s in my heart –

You know me through and through;

I pray you’d grant me strength to build

A life that’s good and true!

* * * * * * * 

Jesus, Saviour, Friend, and Lord,

Now and evermore adored,

Always with the Father one,

Thee we own as God the Son!

* * * * * * * 

What you decide about Jesus

Determine your destiny.

* * * * * * * 

THE HEALING PROCESS

God has designed us in such a way that if we cut ourselves the healing process takes place.  Consider a child with a cut knee.  A child may want you to put a sticking plaster over it to cover the hurt.  As a mother I know that I must clean the dirt out of the cut to allow it to heal properly.  To clean the cut with antiseptic to remove the dirt may make the pain worse as far as the child is concerned.  This temporary worsening of the pain is for the child’s own good.  My children now trust me and know that this is necessary, that I know best because I can see further ahead and also because I have their best interest at heart.  What would happen if I put a sticking plaster over the cut with the dirt and debris still in the wound?  Well, we all know that although the child might e pacified at the time, there would be a good change of infection and complications settling in.

Let us now consider emotional illness in the light of what I have just said.  There are very real similarities to be found.  When we experience hurts, fears, anxieties, depression, guilt and many other emotional symptoms do we like the child and the sticking plaster just want immediate relief, the problem covered up, regardless of the future consequences?  Immediate relief of symptoms does not lead to complete healing.  Do we as God’s children trust Him?  He knows what is best for us and sees further ahead.  We hear of people who have been instantly healed, and we do not doubt that God can heal in this way, but is has been my experience in my job and in my own life that healing is usually a process and I believe this to be so for most people.  God desires the best for us.  He cannot settle for second best.  Just as a mother has to remove the dirt and debris from a cut so God wants to remove from our minds all the wrong thoughts, false ideas and sometimes to expose the hidden reasons for our symptoms.  The skeletons may need to come out of the closet, so to speak and we may need to deal with these things for complete healing of our damaged emotions – a temporary worsening of the pain leaving a raw wound which can then gradually heal properly.   To heal properly involves healing from the inside out.  Sometimes a wound may look healed on the outside only to have a collection of pus underneath with needs to be drained.  So it can be with our minds – we can appear to be alright on the outside but on the inside all may not be well.

As I write this I am aware that while some may disagree with my views, others may say that this is all very well but that if I were experiencing the pain that you were I could not possibly put up with it to allow this healing to take place.  Let us remind ourselves of what took place in the Garden of Gethsemane before the crucifixion when our Lord prayed saying:  “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine by done.  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”. (Luke 22 v 42 – 44)

Such unbearable pain – after the Lord Jesus prayed He looked to the disciples for support but He found them to be asleep, unaware of His great anguish.  And so it can be for us, we may look to those around but they may be unaware of our great pain.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4 v 15).

Let us consider a few of the reasons that can lead to the development of emotional illness in the light of what our Lord suffered.

Yes, we do come to one who understands.  The Lord Jesus knew that god had a perfect plan for His life, so too we must realise that God has a perfect plan for each of our lives.  He loves us despite our weaknesses and failure.  He ahs promised to meet our every need if we trust Him.

The choice is ours – we can choose to look for immediate relief from pain and to cover up the problem and indeed to ignore the fact that more serious problems may develop later on, or we can choose to put our trust in the “Wonderful Counsellor”.  God knows us best because He made us.  He knows the path to complete healing.  The Holy Spirit in us can guide us in the way that we should go, but be prepared that if you ask God to reveal to you what lies at the root of your problem you may well not like what you find our initially, but with His help you will be able to deal with it.  God’s Word exhorts us to comfort, encourage and support one another through these difficult times.  May we seek to be obedient to His Word.

Barbara Bankhead

* * * * * * * 

There’s a pathway, precious pathway,

Revealed in the Bible –

I will tread it – Jesus said it

Would lead me to God –

So to Glory I’m going, while to

Others I’m showing –

There’s a Saviour worth knowing –

Who loves young and old.

TUNE:  When He Cometh

* * * * * * * 

MISSIONARY FOCUS

Dear Friends,

Just recently I had a letter from Geoffrey and Gillian McGrath telling in detail about their plans to move into the Embera village.  Firstly Geoffrey had to go and prepare a home for the family and then they both had to learn a new language, take into account making the break from their friends they had mad and learned to love at Correra, the moving of their young family and all the other arrangements.  Yes friends they surely need our prayers and also our financial support in these days.  It’s so easy for us to sit at home and say missionary works easy.  It’s not, far from it.  Geoffrey and Gillian have left themselves and their little family in God’s hands and they are seeking to do His will, which is the most important thing is this life, so let’s pray that god will use them in this new area of His work to which He has led them.

Remember in your prayers also our brother Billy Swann of the D.C.M.  Billy has M.E. virus and has been anything but well for some time now.  He usually looks after the young people’s camps coming up to the summer time, but because he is ill there is a great need in this area of the work for someone to help out with these camps.  Do pray that God will meet the need and send someone along who will be willing to help out.

Remember too the Hanna family as they labour down in Dublin.  They are doing a great work amongst the down and outs there, especially those involved in drug taking.  They have had the great joy of seeing souls won for Christ, continue to uphold them praying that God will meet their every need.

Recently I had a prayer letter from Nancy Gill.  Nancy is working in Indonesia with O.M.S., and I quote from her letter ‘I am still waiting before the Lord for His direction for my life, unless there is a real breakthrough I have no hope of getting more time here on my present visa, even with new visas being issued some have even been refused permission to stay, this does not bring great encouragement, but I know that God has His plan which will not be thwarted by man, and I look to Him to reveal it to me’.  It looks at present that Indonesia is closing its doors to the Gospel.  Much prayer is needed for this place.  I remember in another letter she wrote some time ago ‘ working in this area is like working in the palm of Satan’s hand’.  So it is sad that such a dark place is losing the light which only the Gospel message brings.  God through prayer can change this situation – PRAY.

Sam and Anna have quite a few prayer requests in their last prayer letter.  There is a great need for helpers up at Holywood, also they seek prayer for the many different problems which they face from day to day, whether in the lives of the young soldiers or their families.  Pray that God will give wisdom, as they would seek to help or counsel those with so many different needs.  Don’t just read the prayer letter and then leave it to one side forgetting all about it ‘till the next letter arrives, there are so many who depend on our prayers, let us not fail them.  I have a little card which says: I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I FORGET TO PRAY, WOULD THAT WITHOLD THE BLESSING FROM SOMEONE ELSE TODAY, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT HOW MY PRAYERS WOULD AVAIL, BUT IF THEY SHOULD BRING BLESSING, I’LL PRAY, I WILL NOT FAIL.   So folks don’t let’s fail the many who depend so much on us.

Quite a few of the Acre missionaries have been unwell recently and they too would value our prayers.  Fred Orr has been ill and has had to come home to Belfast for tests and treatment.  He is feeling a bit better now but still needs a touch in body.  So many of God’s servants have so much to do as often when one missionary comes home on furlough there is no-one to take their place, so this throws extra work on those who already have a great work load.  The cry would so often go up from so many different fields.  ‘Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that He would send forth labourers into His harvest’.

“Let us then be true and faithful, trusting serving every day, just one glimpse of Him in Glory, will the toils of life repay”.

God bless you all

Desmond.

* * * * * * * 

What does Easter mean?  It means that eternal truth is eternal.  You may nail it to a tree, wrap it up in grave clothes and seal it in a tomb – but truth crushed to earth shall rise again.  Truth does not perish, it cannot be destroyed.  It may be distorted, temporarily silenced, but with an inevitable certainty, truth will rise again.

* * * * * * * 

A good Sermon leaves you wondering how the Preacher knew so much about you!

* * * * * * * 

Procrastination is a Sin,

It brings me naught but sorrow,

I know that I should stop it,

In fact, I will – tomorrow!

* * * * * * * 

Saint Patrick

1          From the lovely land of Scotland,

            Taken captive as a slave,

            To relieve the Pagan Irish

While he kept the herds of Milchoe,

To perform a servant’s care,

On the rocky hill of Slemish

There he gave himself to prayer.

2          Chosen in the fiery furnace,

            He was one of God’s delight;

            In his trials and temptations,

Patrick sought to do the right.

But the trials fitted Patrick

For the mission not begun,

And the Spirit gave conviction –

Dawn before the rising sun.

3          God did speak to brave St. Patrick,

            In a vision of the night;

            To obey his Heavenly Father

            Was his aim and pure delight.

            Far away inside a harbour

            Lay a ship in water cold;

            How he