Winter 1990

FROM PASTOR LAWRENCE KENNEDY

Dear Friends,

My wife, Lesley, and I greet you and your family at this most lovely of all seasons of the year - Christmas/New Year. What joy, what comfort and gladness fill our hearts as we reflect and focus on the coming of our Saviour to the manger at Bethlehem. I invite you to join your heart and voice to that of the Heavenly Host and give "Glory to God in the highest". Those humble shepherds saw their common field transformed by the message of the angel and a meeting with the Saviour. "O come let us adore Him" and watch as He transforms our common place into one of Glory and Praise.

As I write this article I am reminded of the words of Paul to the Church at Philippi: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before" Philippians 3 v 13. Often we hear people complain about their inability to remember. In my case it is so often people’s names that cause the trouble!

We are told by those who have studied the mind of man that nothing is ever completely forgotten. The things we have done, said, heard or seen are all stored away in the computer of our unconsciousness [these computers get everywhere!] Sometimes without any deliberate effort on our part something will happen that will provoke the computer to lift up into our conscious thought something that happened years ago. We therefore need to give careful attention to what we feed into our mind and memory. Memory is one of the greatest sources of joy we have, and yet there are two sides to the coin:

The necessity of Memory -

We trust remember God’s goodness and faithfulness to us. Psalm 103 v 2 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget now all His benefits."

- we must remember God’s Great Salvation

- we must remember the kindness of others

- we must remember God’s Word and apply it daily in our lives

- we must remember to "love our neighbour as ourself"

- we must remember to be faithful to God and to His people.

The necessity of Forgetfulness -

There is a more sinister side to the coin that we call memory. Satan can use our memory to defeat and destroy us both in the present and in the future. In light of our text "forgetting those things which are behind", what are some of the things we would be better to forget as we enter into the new decade of the 90’s?

1 Some need to forget past success - man has tendency to want to rest on his laurels. Yet while we should be grateful for past blessings and achievements we must beware lest we find ourselves looking backward rather than forward. Paul had many achievements for which he could have been proud. He had been a great Pastor; a famous Evangelist; an outstanding Missionary. He was perhaps the most influential author the world has ever known - yet he still did not count himself to be perfect or completely achieved his goal "I count not myself to have apprehended"

 

2 Some need to forget past failures - not all of us have been successful - in fact as we view 1989 we may be depressed at our miserable failure in our personal life, family life, business life and our spiritual service. Peter disappointed the Lord. He was terribly disappointed in himself; yet he experienced the forgiveness of His Lord and then forgave himself! This enabled him to preach the great sermon on the day of Pentecost. Jonah was a great disappointment to God. Yet God gave him another chance, and Nineveh repented because of his preaching.

 

3 Some need to forget past grievances - Do you keep a list of resentments tucked away in your mind? Do you plan to carry all of your old grudges into the New Year? Do you continue to cultivate a quarrel with your relatives? Are you and your marriage partner carrying on a running battle? Do you have a grievance against your parents? Are you angry with God because your life is not all that you had hoped that it would be? Christ pointed out the necessity of our refusing to harbour grudges in His words to Peter about forgiveness [ Matthew 18 v 21-22]. Hatred is like poison which would eat out your heart like an acid, and if we are to face the New Year with hope for success we must forgive and forget past grievances.

 

4 All of us need to forget our handicaps - we all have them, but if we concentrate on them we will never get the work done. In fact, a handicap can be a blessing as we are forced to rely totally on God. Paul had his thorn in the flesh [II Corinthians 12 v 7]. But instead of concentrating on his problem, Paul trusted more in God and found the strength required to live victoriously for the Master.

 

5 All of us need to forget our fears - many fear tomorrow, many fear failure, for others the fear of death and eternity grips them. If you know my Saviour as your Saviour He will calm your fears! It is great to bring all our fears and doubts and leave them at the feet of the Son of God - the One Who died that we might be forgiven, to cleanse us from sin, to give us new life in Him. If you know Him - bring Him your fears. If you don’t know Him - my dear friend, you desperately need a Saviour - seek Christ, find Christ, trust Christ, live for Christ [if I can help you find my Saviour - please ring me, Ballymena 2565 3003 or call at 17 Ballee Road West, Ballymena].

 

As we enter a New Year with all its potential - let us learn how to remember, but also learn how to forget!

Lesley and I take this opportunity to thank you all for your fellowship, help and support through 1989. We have much to praise God for, as we have watched His Blessing in souls being saved, backsliders restored and God’s people being challenged. All of this has encouraged us all in the Lord’s work. Please continue to remember all those connected with our fellowship who are ill or elderly and unable to be out - a visit or a letter can mean so much on a winter’s night. Also our missionaries need your prayers as they face the years challenge ahead.

Let us give Glory to God in the highest and the Gospel to all in Ballymena

oOo

The Berkshire poet Phyllis Berchall sums up in this verse

the feelings many people have about their Church.

A place that you can enter,

A place where you can pray,

A place where you can ease

The burden of a heavy day.

In quietness and solitude,

You feel that God is there,

He’ll never turn away from you,

Your troubles He will share.

He will not make life easy,

He does not work that way,

But He will give the strength you need,

To meet another day.

So if your cares are many,

The Church is there for you,

Just step inside and pray,

And God will show you what to do.

oOo

ICICLES

Sometimes short, sometimes long,

Often thick, often strong,

Dripping in the wintry sun,

Melting slowly, one by one,

Till upon a sunny day

All of them have gone away.

Troubles large, troubles small,

Come to each, come to all,

Like icicles on rood and tree,

So they visit you and me;

Their fingers with their icy grip,

Would seize the mind - to shatter it.

Yet icicles can never stay,

With the sun they pass away,

Dripping, dripping they become

Smaller, shorter till just one

Melts completely in the heat -

A pool of water at your feet.

So troubles, where God’s love doth shine,

Melt away in HIS good time.

oOo

YOUNG PEOPLE’S FELLOWSHIP

In our meetings we have been having great times of fellowship and blessing. On the 8th October we had a visit from David Hoey who spoke to us about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. David, who is currently studying at Belfast Bible College, is a worker with Stauros Foundation, which counsel alcoholics and drug addicts.

The next meeting we had was on October 22nd, when James McKeown, Vice-Principal of Belfast Bible College, showed slides of how we got our Bible, and its origins, which was very interesting.

Jonathan Reid and Pat Kitchen of C.E.F. took our meeting on 5th November. They both gave us a report on the particular work which they are each involved in with C.E.F. and also a challenge on Children’s work, which is so important [ Matthew 18 v 14].

On 19th November the young people had the privilege of going out to Lowtown [Glenwherry] with the Gospel. At that meeting the youth choir sang, Ruth Long sang a solo piece, I had the knee-knocking privilege of giving my testimony and Pastor Kennedy spoke at the end on being "Lost", and took opportunity to preach the Gospel in the packed school house.

Our last meeting took the form of a tape and testimony ministry. At this meeting Mr Jim McIntyre gave testimony to how God changed his life dramatically, Jim was eventually brought to a knowledge of the Saving Power of Jesus Christ through overhearing his small son praying and asking God to save his father. Jim now holds Good News Clubs at his home in Belfast for the children in the area. Then Pastor Kennedy played a tape recording, on which we heard a very realistic construction of a radio news broadcast on Christ’s Birth as though it were present day news. This was particularly enlightening as it told us things surrounding Christ’s Birth and King Herod’s reign that we didn’t realise were happening at the time. We are now looking forward to the Christmas Dinner on 11th December which will be in the Church Hall, with some party games afterwards.

Our annual weekend trip will be to Seaview House, Kilkeel from 16th - 18th March 1990. Our guest speaker for the weekend will be Pastor Chambers from Hill Street Baptist Church, Ballymena. We had a great weekend with him two years ago. Anyone 11 years and over who considers themselves a young person and would like to go to Kilkeel, give your name to me as soon as possible, or to any of the Committee.

On behalf of the young people I would like to congratulate Alan and Heather Hoey, Geoffrey and Gillian McGrath on the birth of their babies.

Aaron

oOo

FACE TO FACE WITH CHRIST

Jesus stood before them all,

"Crucify Him", was their call.

"This man’s deeds don’t justify death."

But Pilate’s words were a waste of time.

So Pilate abstains and washes his hands,

"I’m not involved in this devious plan".

He may have thought it wasn’t his place

And he turned Christ away to be disgraced.

Not a wrong thought ever entered His head,

But the people cried louder they wanted Him dead.

Jesus was killed for you and for me

Dying in shame on an old rugged tree. [Matthew 27 v 22-25]

Pilate’s now sorry he turned Christ away.

Given one more chance he’d know what to say.

He’d consider his soul worth too much to ignore

And prefer all the shame to Hell evermore.

Come as a sinner to Jesus and find

Your eyes will be opened though once they were blind. [John 9 v 25]

The weight of your sin He’ll lift from your heart.

Pilate would tell you your choice was smart.

Aaron Herbison

oOo

In life’s dying embers I have two regrets -

When I am right no one remembers;

When I am wrong no one forgets.

oOo

TURNING PAINS INTO PEARLS

It is quite clear from what we have been seeing over these past few days, that Christians are to follow in the steps of their Lord and turn their sufferings to good account. The way in which this is to be done is beautifully illustrated by the experience of the oyster, into whose shell there comes one day a grain of sand. This tiny piece of quartz lies there imposing pain and distress - so what shall the oyster do? Well there are several courses open. The oyster could, as so many men and women have done in times of adversity and trouble, openly rebel against God. The oyster metaphorically speaking, could shake a fist in God’s face and say, "why should this happen to me?" But it doesn’t. Or it could say, "it can’t be true; this is not happening to me. I must not permit myself to believe it". It doesn’t do that either. It could say also, "There’s no such thing as pain. It is an error of the mind. I must think positive thoughts". But that is not what the oyster does.

What then does it do? Slowly and patiently, and with infinite care, the oyster builds upon the grain of sand layer upon layer of a white, milky substance that covers each sharp corner and coats every cutting edge. And gradually ... slowly ... by and by a pearl is made. The oyster has learned - by the will of God - to turn grains of sand into pearls. And that is the lesson we must learn along this pilgrim way. Surely it is something more than a simile when the Bible says that the entrance into the New Jerusalem is through a gate made of pearl. It is pointing out that the way into the city of God is through a wound that has been healed. Let God help you turn your pain into pearls, so that others can walk through them to joy and encouragement.

From Every Day With Jesus

oOo

NOW IS THE TIME

If all the sleeping folk will wake up,

All the lukewarm folk will fire up,

All the crooked folk will straighten up,

All the depressed folk will cheer up,

All the estranged folk will make up,

All the gossip folk will shut up,

All the dry bones will shake up,

All the true believers will stand up,

All the Church members show up,

To honour Him Who was lifted up -

Then we can have the world’s greatest renewal.

Mr S Wells

[Pastor’s father-in-law]

oOo

FIELDS WHITE ... LABOURERS FEW ... WHO WILL GO?

This seems to be the crying need from all across our world - from here in the homeland to the furthest-flung places in the world. I am sure most of you have either read or heard on the news about the almost unbelievable changes that are taking place in Eastern Europe. "Glasnost" is popular and change is "in the air". Hungary is tearing down their section of the Iron Curtain, Poland is replacing a communist form of government with a democratic one. At present it would seem Albania is the only door totally closed to the Gospel and even there the "radio ministry" beams the "good news" into where man cannot go. Alas the one problem is again - White Fields - no labourers. Pray ye the Lord of the Harvest that others may catch the vision and obey the great command "Go ye".

Again the missionary news and letters continue to pour in, many praising God for answered prayer in saving souls turned from darkness to light - many requesting prayer for those still held in the awful darkness of superstition and idol worship - some with personal needs, healthwise and other problems that face all the missionaries in foreign lands. Let us especially over this Christmas period, as we rejoice in the birth of the Christ Child and all that His coming to earth meant, think of those to whom Christmas means nothing - only a time for celebration and sinful practices. Let us think too while we have our family and friends around us, of those who have left home and loved ones, and perhaps at this time feel lonely and maybe homesick, may God bless them richly.

We rejoice with Geoffrey and Gillian in the birth of their son, Matthew. We give God praise for His hand upon Gillian and again the miracle of life.

Remembering Sam and Anna, praying that God will continue to touch Sam in body and that together they might see much done for Christ amongst the Army lads and their families.

Let us all strive to do our best in trying to reach out to those who are still unreached, whether it be our neighbour or those in far off lands.

Time is short and how fast our little life-span goes past, and remember it’s only what we do for Christ will last. None of us knows what 1990 will bring, let us be up and doing now.

What know I of the coming year

Or what ‘twill mean for me

Whether it’s close will find me here

Or in Eternity!!!

Desmond Shaw

oOo

A blazing bush drew Moses: a blazing Church will attract the World!

~~~

"I have need of nothing" - Laodicean Church

~~~

O Lord, deliver me,

From the desire of being loved,

From the desire of being extolled,

From the desire of being honoured,

From the desire of being praised,

From the desire of being preferred to others,

From the desire of being consulted,

From the desire of being approved,

From the fear of being humiliated,

From the fear of being despised,

From the fear of suffering rebuke,

From the fear of being forgotten,

From the fear of being wronged,

From the fear of being suspected.

And, Lord, grant me the grace to desire,

That others might be loved more than I,

That others might be esteemed more than I,

That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease,

That others may be chosen, and I set aside,

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

That others may become Holier than I, provided

That I become as Holy as I should.

oOo

PRAYERS AND PRAISE FOR LITTLE CHILDREN

God is great and God is good,

And we thank Him for our food,

By His hand we all are fed,

Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread.

~~~

Help me, Lord, to love Thee more

Than I ever loved before,

In my work and in my play,

Be Thou with me through the day.

~~~

When winter is here a cold wind blows,

My fingers are cold and so are my toes,

But down by the fire I’m warm as can be,

Thank God for the fire, so cosy to see.

oOo

LADIES’ FELLOWSHIP

At our opening meeting of the winter season we had a visit from our own Missionaries, Geoffrey and Gillian McGrath. As part of their training with New Tribes Mission they had to build their own home and live in it and they showed us very interesting slides of this part of their work. They also explained some of the difficulties of learning the language.

Our next meeting was taken by Mr Billy Swann of D.C.M. and he told us of the work that he and his wife were involved in among the children and young people down in Dublin.

Miss Janice Warwick from I.F.M. was our speaker in November and she brought us up to date with the work that she carries out mainly among the women and children here at home. At the moment Janice does her visitations and children’s meetings as well as her full time work as a nurse but she hopes, God willing, to go into the mission full time in the near future.

All these people who have been with us so far and many more need our prayers and that is why we meet together as a band of women on the last Wednesday of every month to seek God’s face. We have been enjoying much blessing during these precious hours together and we would thank the ladies of our Fellowship who so ably bring us God’s message month by month.

We are very glad to see the increase in numbers this season, particularly at our Prayer Meetings but there is still room for YOU. Even if you are unable to attend all the meetings you will still receive a warm welcome when you can come and join with us.

Looking forward to seeing you DV in 1990.

"O magnify the Lord with me,

Jean Kelly

oOo

HARD CASES

Come sinners, the Lord Mediator and bless

Whose wants are beyond what your words can express

To sorrow and sadness no longer give way

But bring your hard cases to Jesus today.

Thy doubts may be many, thy fears many more,

Thy sins far exceeding the sands on the shore.

Yet mighty His grace is your wants to supply

With all your hard cases to Jesus draw nigh.

Bring all your hard questions as one did of old

And ask Him in mercy the sum to unfold.

His oath and His promise He cannot deny

To all your hard cases He’ll speak by and by.

Doth darkness surround thee and God hide His face,

Yet firm is His love and immutable grace.

Though faith should wax feeble and love should grow cold,

Bring all your hard cases, leave nothing untold.

Should sin for a season against thee prevail,

And guilt like a vapour the Saviour conceal,

The fountain is open your guilt to remove

Bring all your hard cases for Jesus is love.

The blood redeemed host that are gone to the skies

Received from His fullness of grace all supplies,

Convinced that the creature no help could afford

They told their hard cases to Jesus the Lord.

Like them when in trouble to Jesus repair,

His shoulders are able the burden to bear.

The promise assures you that all shall be well

If once your hard cases to Jesus you tell.

In Him still believing whilst under the rod,

And grace all receiving they glorified God;

Their crosses and losses to Jesus they show

And all their hard cases the old and the new,

His heart all compassion redressed all their woes

And silenced each heart rending sorrow that rose;

The grace was so mighty, so large and so long

That all their hard cases were lost in a song.

oOo

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?

Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?

God specialises in things thought impossible,

And He can do what no other pow’r can do.

oOo

SOME OTHER DAY

I am sure there are many reading this today who can look back to that time when God first spoke to your heart and for the first time awakened you to your need of His salvation. I know I can. I can remember very clearly finding a tract in my grandparent’s house. I was very young, around six or seven. In this tract was a poem entitled "Some other day". After reading it I was very aware for the first time in my life that I needed to be saved or I would never be in Heaven. Sad to say although God spoke to my heart often it was not until the age of twenty-six that I accepted Christ as my Saviour and knew the joy that His salvation brings. As I look back I thank God for His great mercy in sparing me all those years. Had I died before then my soul would have been lost in hell. Friend as you read this poem today I pray with all my heart that God will awaken you to your need of salvation before it is forever too late. Remember He says in His Word "My Spirit shall not always strive with man". Genesis 6 v 3.

Emma Simpson

"Some other day"

The Spirit once came to an innocent child

And plead in the tenderest tone;

"Dear little one, let me come into your heart

And make it forever My own."

"Sweet Spirit," he cried, "please go away

For childhood is only for fun and play,

Some other day, some other day,

When I am older I’ll bid Thee stay."

The Spirit came back to the tall fair youth

With a loving and tender plea.

"The harvest is ready, there’s work to be done.

Arise, God is calling for thee."

"O Spirit," he cried "leave me I pray

The pleasures of life hold me in sway

Some other day, some other day,

Then Holy Spirit, I’ll bid Thee stay."

The Spirit plead thus with the toil-worn man;

"Make haste while God’s grace shall last.

The silver is tingeing thy locks of brown

The years now are slipping by fast."

"O Spirit," he cried "I should obey

But I am too busy and tired to pray.

Some other day, some other day,

When I have time I will bid Thee stay."

The old man now leans on his trembling staff,

With a quavering bitter sigh -

"I’ve wasted a life time in sin," he cried

"And now I am going to die.

The Spirit long slighted has flown away

No hope, no God, I cannot pray.

No other day, no other day.

The Holy Spirit has gone to stay."

by Gertrude Manly Jones

oOo

IT’S A THOUGHT

George B Hossack

The sense of guilt is a fearful thing. Restlessly it haunts the mind, and rides the conscience like some horrid incubus. Shakespeare pictures it most powerfully, perhaps, in the person of Lady Macbeth after her murder of Duncan. Hear her agonising, tortured cry as later she contemplates the horrid deed: "Not all the perfumes of Arabia can sweeten this little hand".

But I have to thank an American friend for the bizarre tale of Widow Winchester. I refer to the wife and widow of the famed William Winchester, creator of the renowned Winchester Rifle. The thought of the countless lives destroyed by her husband’s deadly repeating rifle haunted her. She tried to cope with her burden of "guilt by association" - and did so in unbelievable fashion. She built the house which is still known as the "Guilt House". The house remains today in San Jose, California, identified by an "Historical Landmark" sign - [well, what would you expect!]. It was built over a period of 38 years, and cost $5.5 million dollars to build. A weird place indeed. It contains 160 rooms, has stairs which climb up only to end in blank walls; rambling corridors which lead to solid, immovable doors; one room has four fireplaces; a spiral staircase contains 42 steps, each only two inches high. The number 13 meets one everywhere; 13 lights hang from the chandelier; another room has 13 windows. We learn that a Boston spiritualist told Mrs Winchester that if she moved out West and started such a never-ending project she could thus:

1 Achieve eternal life, and

2 Provide a suitable home for the spirits of those slain by Winchester rifles.

The unhappy lady actually believed such miserable nonsense. She set to work to relieve her guilt and worked on the "Guilt House" project till her death in 1922.

The tragedy, of course, is not in her sense of part-responsibility and guilt in such a situation. In itself guilt is God’s inner witness to, and monitor of, man’s sin; it is a grievous feeling, yet how more wretched would we be without it. Mrs Winchester’s tragedy lay in believing the spiritualist’s nonsense-gospel - that thus she could win eternal life; that thus she could atone for, and propitiate, the spirits of the Winchester victims. Why - oh why didn’t someone tell her: "There is a fountain filled with blood

Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins,

And sinners plunged beneath that flood

Lose ALL their GUILTY stains?"

More powerful than all the perfumes of Arabia are the cleansing, purifying waters of Calvary.

oOo

People ask me, people say,

‘How do you go from day to day

Believing in something you cannot see?’

‘It’s because God in love took a hold on me.’

He said, ‘You can go through life on your own strength

Or leave all your cares and burdens with ME.

Trusting in Me to do the things no one else can

Or rely on your own power to set you free.’

He said. ‘ For your sins I sent My Son,

Not to condemn you for all you have done.

But to show His love, to set you free,

Having lived as the life, He died on a tree.’

The final perfect sacrifice, for all was why He came,

And for each and every one of us dying bore our shame.

If I had been the only one on earth when Christ came down,

He would still have suffered humility and worn a thorny crown.

So why not come and leave with Him, your life for which He died,

And know in your heart as you live each day Christ’s cleansing blood applied,

Having done all in your power to stand and do His perfect will

His blessing and love will shine down on you,

As on me He is pouring it still.

Aaron Herbison

oOo

I think that I shall never see

A Church that’s all it ought to be;

A Church whose members never stray

Beyond the strait and narrow way;

A Church that has no empty pews

Whose Pastor never has the blues;

A Church whose Deacons always "Deak"

And none are proud but always meek;

Where gossips never peddle lies

Or make complaints or criticise;

Where all are always sweet and kind

And all to other’s faults are blind;

Such perfect Churches there may be

But none of them are known to me;

But still we’ll work and pray and plan

To make our Church the best we can!

oOo

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

As a young boy I was sent along to Church and Sunday School and even at that early age I knew my need of salvation, but like most young people I though I had plenty of time and being a Christian was for older people.

As time moved on I found myself at secondary school and it was there that sin began to take a real hold on my young life and I got involved in things that today I am ashamed of. Then one Saturday afternoon a friend asked if I would like to go to a coffee bar which was being held nearby. At first I said no but after some persuasion I finally said I would come; after all we could have some fun trying to disrupt the meeting.

I remember there was a film shown that first night - when it was over there was what I can only describe as a battle which was taking place inside me. It was as if one side was saying become a Christian now, tonight, and the other side saying you’ve got plenty of time, anyway your friends will only laugh at you. The battle continued all weekend until finally on the 16th March 1976 I gave my life to the Lord. Since then I have found Him to be a "Friend that sticketh closer than a brother" Proverbs 18 v 24. He is a Wonderful Saviour and He means everything to me.

If you don’t know Jesus as your Saviour and Lord of your life could I urge you to accept Him today, then you can say with the words of the hymn-

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,

Oh what a foretaste of glory divine.

Heir of salvation, purchase of God,

Born of His Spirit washed in his blood."

Alan Hoey

oOo

It was seven years

... before Carey baptised his first convert in India.

... before Judson won his first disciple in Burma.

... that Morrison toiled before the first Chinaman was brought to Christ.

... declares Morrat, that he waited to see the first evident moving of the Holy Spirit in Africa.

... before Henry Richards wrought the first convert at Banza Manteca.

Therefore pray, watch, wait and believe!

oOo

THE PASTOR’S POEM

God manifest in flesh, oh wonder to behold!

Creative power within the breast that felt the blast of cold.

God in our likeness made, oh may we understand

The One Who made the wondering worlds appears as lowly man!

He stood within the realm He fashioned with a thought,

His creatures gazed upon Him; alas they knew Him not.

They cried out for His blood, His claims cast down as dross,

They spat upon His princely face, then nailed Him to a cross.

But He made the tree for that cross of wood,

He made the hill on which it stood,

And in some hidden vein of land

He made the steel that pierced His hand.

He made the sun which hid its face;

He made the fathers of that race

Who, in their hatred knew Him not.

He made the fiends with which He fought,

And there, in death, He made a way

Back to Himself

Eternally.

[Composed by Pastor William Mullan on Christmas morning 1940]

Jean Craig

oOo

THE GLORIES OF EMMANUEL

Now let a song of sacred joy

Our voices and our hearts employ

While we on earth attempt to tell

The Glories of Emmanuel.

Seraphs and angels round His throne

Unite to make His glories known,

Yet does He all their praise excel

So great is our Emmanuel.

For us He left the worlds above

On wings of everlasting love

With sinful worms on earth to dwell

And thus appeared Emmanuel.

Hail Great Redeemer all Divine

In Whom eternal glories shine

With joy to all the world we tell

Our Jesus is Emmanuel.

Accept Dear Lord the highest praise

Our hearts and voices here can raise

With Thee were long we hope to swell

And ever sing Emmanuel.

oOo

CONFIDENCE IN GOD

VERSE 1

A] GOD OUR GUIDE

 

The Lord in my light: in God’s Word we find many places where He speaks of light. Revelation 22 v 5 is one we all look forward to when we get to Heaven. There will be no more darkness for our light won’t be the sun that sets but the Son of God Who’s light will never fade. In Psalm 27 v 1 I feel it is not talking about everlasting light but light as in guidance, "The Lord is my GUIDE [Helper] and my Salvation". Without His guidance and help we would get nowhere and we wouldn’t be much use for God.

 

B] GOD OUR KEEPER AND PROTECTOR

 

It is also great to know that He is not only our Light [Guide/Helper] but our Salvation. We will find that in life’s journey we will have many trials and difficulties. Salvation I feel here is our keeper from evil [Protector]. "The Lord is my Guide and my Protector; whom shall I fear?"

 

C] GOD OUR STRENGTH

 

The Lord is the Strength of my life. God is in us, His strength is ours. So many times we say we’re too weak, too young, too old. What an insult to God, for if His strength is in us then God mustn’t be very powerful. But God is all powerful, so we must be all powerful in our Christian lives and in our outreach for others.

 

D] TRUST

 

Of whom shall I be afraid? If we trust in God and let Him be our Guide, Protector and our Strength, then what have we to fear. As a young person myself I find it hard to live as a Christian as there is so much in the world. But the Bible states clearly that we must be separated from the world. Even though we may face persecution we must remember that no matter how big the foe may be, the battle has already been won on Calvary when the Lord Jesus died and rose again. So when we are under persecution remember we can’t lose because we’ve already won.

 

VERSES 2-3

A] THE SOUL’S ENEMIES

 

Here we find in these two verses the hatred the world has for us as Christians, mainly because of what we are, and what we have. Many people today in this world use the world as something to fill an empty space in their lives. As a Christian this is one reason why we are to be separated from the world because it doesn’t want us [Example: if your so-called mate hated you would you still run around with him? If ‘No’ then why chase after the world because it hates you, and will try to pull you down because of what you are.]

 

B] THE FALL OF OUR ENEMIES

 

They stumbled and fell. Here we find the victory over our enemies. Why? Because we have our trust in the Lord Jesus Who is our Guide, Protector and our Strength. He gives us a great promise in His Word that He will build His Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. So the next time the devil tries to pull you down, don’t fall for it. Show him the power God has given you, the two edged sword, your ‘Bible’ and show him what’s inside it. For the Lord has promised He will never leave nor forsake you.

 

C] FEARLESSNESS

 

My heart shall not fear. I know sometimes it is hard to have that fearlessness in our hearts, after all we’re only human. With God’s help He shall remove all our fear and no matter what the problem may be we will overcome it if we have confidence in God.

 

D] CONFIDENCE IN GOD

 

So often this is the hardest part of our Christian life, like when we may be sick, work problems, money problems [bills], maybe you feel life just doesn’t seem to be running right, maybe family problems. But we all have problems in our lives at sometime. Maybe God is permitting it as a way of testing our faith in Him, or a way of bringing us back to Himself. But I hope after reading these few verses that you will have more confidence in God. After all He has shown us here His power to guide and protect us with His great strength through all problems.

 

Maybe you are an unsaved person reading this and you won’t get saved because you have no confidence in God. I hope this has shown you that even if your mates, those you work with, parents, girl/boyfriend or husband/wife may laugh and try to pull you down, God will help you through. That is why He died on Calvary for you.

"In this will I be confident" Psalm 27 v 3

Leslie Kirk

GOOD NEW CLUB

The Good News Club recommenced on Monday 18th September, at its usual time of 7.00pm. There was a very big increase indeed in the number of children coming along on the opening few nights of the season, although some of the older [teenage] ones who attended at the beginning have subsequently stopped coming again. Even though the recent bout of ‘flu’ has also reduced the attendance somewhat of late, there is still a good and most encouraging number on the roll. We praise God for every child who has been able to join us each week, and for just how well the meetings have been going so far this term.

We have continued with our practice of inviting the occasional guest speaker along to the Club, and this year again we were glad to welcome Mr Tommy Wright [Glenarm Baptist] and Miss Janice Warwick [IFM] on 16th October and 27th November respectively. Tommy spoke about our bodies, souls and spirits while Janice told a story of a young handicapped boy who was greatly used of God after he had asked the Lord to save him.

Our main themes so far have been Creation and the lives of some of the early patriarchs. To date, we have looked at Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and we plan to continue with the life of Joseph some time early in the New Year. In the meantime, however, we have just started some lessons on the Annunciation and the early life of the Lord Jesus. This is clearly an appropriate time to be presenting those lessons to the children, and we pray that God will indeed bless His Word as it goes forth in the meetings in the weeks ahead.

As the winter months and frosty weather continue, we would ask you to pray for the children’s safety in journeying to and from the meetings. Also pray that God will continue to give them the desire to make the effort to come out on such cold nights as we have been having of late, when just to sit at home in heat and comfort must clearly be a tempting alternative for them.

We now have a faithful and regular band of workers in the Club. We thank God for each of them, and for the burden He has given them for the children of our district. We know that God will bless them as they continue to serve Him in this way, and our prayer is that together we will see every child who comes to the Club saved and on their way to Heaven.

"The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance" II Peter 3 v 9

Ivan Bankhead

oOo

BIBLE QUIZ No. 7 - SELECTED

1 How many books are there in the Old Testament?

2 Where do we read of a smoking chimney? Hosea 13 v 3

3 Whose daughter found Moses in the bulrushes? Exodus 2 v 5

4 Who made a money box? II Kings 12 v 9

5 Who wrote on a piece of stick? Ezekiel 37 v 16

6 Who said "To obey is better than sacrifice"? I Samuel 15 v 22

7 "Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in Thee". In which Psalm do we read this? Psalm 85 v 6

8 Who was set free when Jesus was condemned? Mark 15 v 15

9 What did Jesus pray for His crucifiers? Luke 23 v 34

10 Who is "The Author and Finisher of our Faith"? Hebrews 12 v 2

11 What is promised to those who are "Faithful unto death"? Revelation 2 v 10

12 Name the only Archangel mentioned, as such, in the Bible. Jude v 9

13 Give two crowning names for Jesus found in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 19 v 16

14 What request did one of the malefactors make to Jesus? Luke 23 v 43

15 How much did Jesus see "A certain poor widow" casting into the treasury? Luke 21 v 2

16 What city did Jesus visit when He was twelve years old? Luke 2 v 42

17 What happened at the gate of Nain? Luke 7 v 11-15

18 How did Judas betray Jesus? Mark 14 v 44-45

19 Where did Jesus find a coin with which to pay the tribute money?

Matthew 17 v 24-27

20 How long did Jesus spend in the wilderness? Matthew 4 v 2

21 Who was the just and devout man who rejoiced to see the Child Jesus in the temple? Luke 2 v 25-32

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SUNDAY MORNING SONG

I believe that on this day

I should go to Church to pray,

Pray to Jesus Christ, my Lord,

And to hear His Holy Word.

oOo

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