Winter 2000
From the Pastor
It
is hard to believe, that not only have we celebrated our last Christmas of the
twentieth century, but also that this is in fact the first church magazine of
the twenty first century! I trust
that all our readers had a peaceful and blessed Christmas, remembering the birth
of our Saviour, Christ the Lord. To
the many of our fellowship and friends who found the Christmas season difficult,
sad, and lonely, I assure you that you were much on the thoughts and prayers of
the Kennedy home. By the time you
are reading this, the “Millennium Bug” will either have been dismissed as a
hyped-up scare story, with no substance, or we will be counting the cost of our
complacency. I suppose the lesson
is, don’t take a chance … be sure of safety, when the consequences of being
wrong are so great. To those
reading this article who are not saved, who never have turned from sin and
trusted the Saviour, don’t take a chance, be sure of safety, for to die
without Christ is to be lost forever without God.
What
message can I bring to you at the start of a new millennium? … I think I will
draw your attention to a problem that Paul the Apostle addressed in his first
letter to the Church at Corinth, but that we are very unlikely to face in the
year 2000:-
1st Corinthians 8: 13 “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend”.
Paul was referring to a local problem, which was of great significance to new Christians in Corinth. They were recent converts from Paganism, and it had been their custom to offer meat sacrifices on the alter to their pagan gods. They looked upon the eating of meat as being an expression of worship. The more mature Christians recognised that these pagan idols were actually “nothings”, and saw that offering meat to a stone, or wood, did not change it in any way, and so had no personal problem in eating the meat. Paul urged upon them, that love and concern for their younger and weaker brothers and sisters in the faith, should be the growing principle that controlled their behaviour. Paul declared that he would abstain from eating meat, rather than be the cause of a weaker brother falling into sin because of his actions. The apostle thus gave voice to a guiding principle rather than a rigid law.
As
we face, in the will of God, a new year, a new century, a new millennium, we can
still apply this principle in the face of the moral difficulties of our day.
The word of God sometimes does give a clear prohibition on certain things
for the child of God. But for most
of the dangers around us, we will find no specific guidance.
So God has graciously given us principles, which we apply with the help
of the Spirit of God, to the complexities of the modern world. Let me list for you ten tests that we can take with us into
the year 2000, to help us make the right decisions:-
1.
The Spiritual Test: Is this
action or attitude expressly forbidden in the word of God? Am I aware of what the Bible teaches concerning this issue?
Am I willing to let the teaching of the Bible be authoritative and
determine my conduct?
2.
The Prayer Test: Is this
something concerning which I can ask for both the approval and blessing of God?
Can I count on God to smile upon it and bless it?
3.
The Personal Test: Will
doing this particular thing make me a better Christian?
Will it aid my spiritual growth? Will
it cause me to become more Christ like?
4.
The Social Test: Will
my doing this particular thing influence others to be better Christians, or will
it make a stumbling block for them to fall over?
5.
The Practical Test: What
will be the results if I do this particular thing?
Will they be desirable or undesirable?
Will they produce happiness or unhappiness for me or for others?
6.
The Stewardship Test: Will
I be fulfilling God’s purpose for my life, or will I be wasting what God has
placed into my care?
7.
The Universal Test: What
would happen if everybody did this? Would
the community be better or worse?
8.
The Publicity Test: Is
this something that I would be willing for everybody to know about?
Will it stand the gaze of the public without causing me to blush?
9.
The Missionary Test: Will
my action help or hinder the progress of the Kingdom of God around the world?
10.
The Evangelistic Test: Will
this cause others to know my Saviour? Or
will it cause them to lose confidence in Him whom I claim as my Saviour?
May
the Holy Spirit guide us in the year that we have entered, to make wise
decisions, and Godly choices, by applying these simple tests for His Glory.
Enjoy
the rest of your reading in the magazine.
God Manifest in Flesh
God
manifest in flesh O wonder to behold,
Creative
power within the breast that felt the blast of cold,
God
in our likeness made, O 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 made out as dross
They
spat upon His princely face, then nailed Him to the cross.
But
He made the tree for that cross of wood, He make the hill on which it stood,
And
in some hidden vein of land, He made the steel that pierced each hand.
He
made the sun that hid its face, He made the fathers of that race,
Who
in their hatred knew Him not, He made friends with whom He fought,
And
there in death He made a way back to Himself eternally.
Willie
Mullan Submitted by N Allison.
God's Gift
Did
you ask Jesus to forgive you your sins?
Did
you ask Him to save you?
Did
you give Jesus full control of your life?
If
so welcome to God’s family!
1.
He wants you to have assurance of your salvation.
Because you have been born again. Because
of you commitment. You did as the
Bible told you to do. Because of
God’s record. Because of God’s
promise.
2.
As evidence of Christ in your life, He wants you to publicly confess Him
and follow Him in Baptism and Church Membership.
The bible says, “They that gladly receive His word were baptised; -
Acts 2: 41-47.
3.
Jesus wants you to grow into a strong, faithful disciple. 1st Peter 2: 2 “As newborn babes, desire the
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”.
For growth we need spiritual food, that is God’s word.
Spiritual breathing which is prayer.
Spiritual exercise which is helping others, witnessing, and being a
living testimony to the world you live in.
Spiritual rest which means worship, both public and private, and being
still while waiting on God.
4. Jesus wants you to experience victory over sin in your daily life. The Christian life is difficult, but victory is assured because “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world”.
New Year
Welcome
New Year!
Welcome
New Year!
You
are my bright new tomorrow!
Whatever
the past –
Dreaming
dreams that don’t last!
I
greet you with anticipation!
God
knows what’s ahead
So
there’s no need to dread
What
hides behind moments and hours:
I
will hoist up my sail;
Not
fearing the gale –
My
Captain is
KING
OF ALL AGES!
Why Have I Got Trouble?
WHY
HAVE I GOT TROUBLE? (John 1-2 v 10)
We have heard and seen over recent months of terrible earthquakes. Hugh cracks opening up in the earth, buildings shudder and collapse. Thousands who went to bed peacefully the night before wake up to a scene of destruction. In March of this year I was on a work course in Ayr, Scotland and staying in Preswick. I had just got to bed one evening about midnight when my room shook. The heavy radiator vibrated on the wall and I thought it was a large aircraft taking off from the nearby Preswick Airport but in the morning I discovered there had been an earth tremor along the west coast of Scotland. It measured about four on the Richter scale, a reading of 6/7 is severe structural damage. If seismic devices could measure personal tragedy, then Job’s earthquake would have registered very high indeed. He lived a long time ago possibly around the time of Abraham. Job had a good reputation for being an upright man. He obeyed God and avoided getting involved in wrongdoing. Job was a successful man blessed with health and wealth. In those days wealth was not measured by money but with livestock 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 oxen and 500 donkeys. He was rich indeed, He had a lovely family 7 sons and 3 daughters. Had a lovely house and servants. Job encouraged his family to obey and serve God. His sons and daughters took it in turn to entertain the rest of the family and each time they had finished making the rounds, Job gathered them together and offered sacrifices to the Lord on their behalf. As a family they asked God for His forgiveness and blessing.
The
Enemy Accuses. (ch 1 V 6-12)
God uses His angels to keep and care for those who belong to Him: (Heb 1 v 14). The angels assist God and at times report to Him. Job’s troubles began when some angels in heaven came to report and who should turn up by Satan himself. He was, and still is, an enemy of God spending his time trying to destroy God’s work. When God asked Satan where he had been, he replied, “walking up and down the earth” God asked Satan, “ Have you noticed my servant Job? He is a fine Christian, an upright man who will have nothing to do with wickedness. Satan was not impressed. He said, Job only trusts You because you are good to him. If you took away his health and wealth he would curse you to thy face. God knew Job better than that and could not let Satan away with that sort of accusation. God allowed Satan to take Job’s riches but he could not physically hurt him. Satan is never allowed to go further than what God permits. God is always in control. Satan now set off to make Job turn away from God.
Job’s
Troubles (v 13-21)
There is a saying that trouble comes in threes but for Job it came in fours. One day a messenger rushed to Job, bad news he said. Bandits from Sheba have stolen all your donkeys and oxen. They have killed the servants that were looking after them. He had hardly finished speaking when a second messenger arrived. Terrible disaster he said. Lightning has struck killing your servants and your sheep. Job had hardly taken this terrible news in when a third messenger arrived. Thieves from Chaldea have attacked, they have stolen all your camels and killed the men in charge of them. Poor Job was stunned. Just then a fourth messenger arrived with the worst news of all. A great wind had blown the house down. Your sons and your daughters were having a meal inside and none of them have survived the disaster. In one day he lost everything he owned and almost everyone he held dear. As was the custom of the day, he shaved his head and rent his mantel to show his sorrow. He wept but in all his immense grief he did not blame God or curse Him as Satan expected him to do. Instead, he lay face down on the earth and worshipped God. With a tear-stained face he said, The Lord God gave and The Lord God has taken away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord v 21.
God never promised His children that they will not have grief or trouble. It may be hard at times to praise God like Job did when God allows us to face difficult situations. Because of what Job endured and the way he endured it, his name has become synonymous with suffering and patience. (James 5 v 11).
The
Enemy Strikes Again: (ch 2 v 1-10)
Satan had been proved wrong but did he give up easily: when the angels reported to God, he turned up again (v1). Have you noticed my servant Job, God said; although thou movest me against him, to destroy him without cause, he still trusts me. As always, Satan was quick with his answers, he only trusts you because he is strong and fit of himself. If he were to suffer he would turn against you. God gave Satan permission to test Hob in this way. Satan would dearly have like to have put Hob to death because he loves to destroy (1 Peter 5 v 8 ). However, God would not allow Satan to go that far. Job faced more difficulties. Horrible boils broke out all over his body. They were very sore and itched terribly. The pain was intense. Job’s skin turned black and began to flake off. He was in such a bad stat that others became afraid that he would infect them. Poor Job had now lost his health. Job’s wife became fed up with her husband’s troubles. His friends regarded him as a sinner and his wife moaned saying, why do you continue to worship God when he lets you suffer like this? Job did not let his wife’s reactions turn him against God. Sitting in the ashes he spoke to his wife and said, “In the past we accepted good from the Lord; we should also be willing to accept the bad when He allows it” (v 10). What a statement. Despite loosing his health and his wealth Job continued to trust in God. Job is known for his patience and his suffering but I think his righteousness is at the top of the list. He lived a righteous life. Job knew God and God knew Job. Satan had failed again. Satan is a great enemy but he is on a leash: always remember God holds the leash on the “roaring lion”.
Job learned some things from this time of prosperity but much more from his time of adversity.
James 1 v 2-4 “My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptation. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing”.
1 Cor 13 v 12 “For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known”.
The blind Scottish poet and preacher George Matheson expressed his deep faith in God’s goodness during a time of severe suffering.
“O joy, that seekest me through pain I cannot close my heart to thee I trace the rainbow through the rain and feel the promise in not vain, That morn shall tearless be”.
David Mitchell
Can This Be Christmas?
What’s all this hectic rush and worry?
Where go these crowds who run and scurry?
Why all the lights – the Christmas trees?
The jolly “fat man”, tell me please!
Why, don’t you know? This is the day
For parties and for fun and play;
Why this is Christmas!
So this is Christmas, do you say?
But where is Christ this Christmas day?
Has He been lost among the throng?
His voice drowned out by empty song?
No. He’s not here – you’ll find Him where
Some humble soul now kneels in prayer,
Who knows the Christ of Christmas.
But see the many aimless thousands
Who gather on this Christmas Day,
Whose hearts have never yet been opened,
Or said to Him, “Come in to stay”.
In countless homes the candles burning,
In countless hearts expectant yearning
For gifts and presents, food and fun,
And laughter till the day is done.
But not a tear of grief or sorrow
For Him so poor He had to borrow
A crib, a colt, a boat, a bed
Where He could lay His weary head.
I’m tired of all this empty celebration,
Of feasting, drinking, recreation;
I’ll go instead to Calvary.
And there I’ll kneel with those who know
The meaning of that manger low,
And find the Christ – this Christmas.
I leap by faith across the years
To that great day when He appears
The second time, to rule and reign,
To end all sorrow, death and pain.
In endless bliss we then shall dwell
With Him who saved or souls from hell,
And worship Christ – not Christmas!
M.R.
De Haan
Founder,
Radio Bible
Submitted
by Sheila Burgess
Ladies Fellowship Report
This report for the magazine is shorter than usual due to there being no meeting in October (because of the mission) and again no meeting held in December, because of the holidays. However, we did have a visit from Tommy Anderson form W.G.M. (World Gospel Mission) in November. He told us of his trip to Hondurans at the beginning of the year with the mission and how they were helping people cope with everyday survival after the earthquake and how many were having to come to terms with the enormity of loss and devastations caused. Tommy showed a video and everyone present was touched by the scenes that unfolded before our eyes and yet challenged by the faith of the Christians living in Hondurans.
When the ladies recommence in January 2000 we hope to have a special millennium meeting. All I will say is ‘don’t eat too much for tea’ that evening. We plan a very different evening from our usual meeting. Intrigued? Come and join us for a special evening of fellowship on 12th January 2000.
Our prayer meetings continue as usual the last Wednesday of every month. Please join with us if possible when you will be made to feel very welcome.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to which all our ladies a Happy Christmas and peaceful and spirit filled New Year.
Leslie
Kennedy
NASA Proving God
For all you scientists out there and for all the students who have a hard time convincing people regarding the truth of the Bible, here’s something that shows God’s awesome creation and His control of it. Did you know that the space programme is busy proving that what has been called “myth” in the Bible is true? Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland and a consultant in the space programme, related the following development.
I think one of the most amazing things God has for us today happened to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They were checking the position of the sun, moon and planets out in space where they would be in 100 and 1000 years from now. We have to know this so we won’t send a satellite up and have it bump into something later on its orbits. They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong either with the data fed in or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department who found that there was a day missing in space in elapsed time and they could find no answer for it. Eventually a Christian man on the team remembered a story about time standing still from his Sunday School days. The sceptics didn’t believe him but since they had no other theory they asked him to look it out. He got out his Bible and went back to Joshua 10 v 12 – 14.
“Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and moon, in the valley of Ajalon”.
“So the sun stood still and moon stopped, till the people had revenge on their enemies. Is this not written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heave, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day”.
And there has been no day like that, before it or after it; that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy, and if darkness fell they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still!
The scientists checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua’s day was 23 hours and 20 minutes – not a whole day.
They read the text again and saw that it said “About a whole day”. These little words are very important but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you’ll still be in trouble 1000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it multiplied many times over in orbits.
As the Christian man thought more about it he recalled somewhere in the Bible that it talked about sun going backwards. The scientists told him he was crazy, but again he got out the Book and found these words in 2 King 20 v 9-11.
Then Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the sun go forward ten degrees or backward ten degrees?”
“And Hezekiah answered, It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees”.
“So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz”.
Isaiah visited Hezekiah on his deathbed and told him he wouldn’t die. Hezekiah asked him for a sign as proof. And so Isaiah asked the Lord to bring the sun back ten degrees, which he did. Ten degrees equates in time to 40 minutes. And so adding 40 minutes in 2 Kings to the 23 hours 20 minutes in Joshua add up to exactly 24 hours. The day they had been missing.
Service That Costs But Triumphs
“They loved not their lives unto the death”. Revelation 12 v 11.
“ So will I go in unto the King, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish”. Esther 4 v 16.
The life of the Church becomes fruitful when it becomes sacrificial. When the Church is easeful she loses her power to redeem. I remember the old story of Pope Innocent IV and Thomas Aquinas, who were standing together as bags to treasure were being carried in through the gates of the Lateran. “You see”, observed the Pope, with a smile, “the day is past when the Church could say, Silver and gold have I none”, “Yes Holy Father”, was the saints reply, “and the day is past when the Church could say to the lame man, Rise and walk”. When the Church’s life is lived on the plane of ease and comfort, and bloodless service, she has no power to fertilize the dry and barren places of earth. When the Church becomes sacrificial she becomes impressive.
The sacrificial things in history are the influential things today. It is the men and women who have given away their being, the bleeding folk, who are our present inheritance. “They loved not their lives unto the death, and they overcame by the blood of the lamb”.
The woman who gave the two mites still works as a factor in the life of the race. Sir John Kelynge – have you ever heard of him? – the brutal cynical justice who thrust John Bunyan for twelve years into Bedford jail, his very name is now a conundrum! John Bunyan, the sacrificial martyr, is still fertilizing the field of common life with energies or rich inspiration. The finders have lost. The apparent losers are at the winning post! The sacrificial are the triumphant.
J
H Jowett
Submitted
by Alice McKeown
PEACE
Pardon
Eternal
Abundant
Costly
Enjoyable
P stands for PARDON. There can be no peace until we are pardoned. Isaiah 55 v 7. One little lad said: “I’m not a sinner. My big brother is, but I’m a good boy”. “Have you ever told a lie? Ever stolen anything? Ever disobeyed?” he was asked. With dropping head he confessed he had. He needed pardon. Tell the Saviour you need His pardon and it will be yours on the spot.
E stands for ETERNAL. Your salvation does not depend on happy feelings or anything else in you. It depends wholly on what Jesus did at the cross. All the debt was paid, the work finished. Our peace is as lasting as the Throne of God.
A stand for ABUNDANT. Think of the prodigal as he comes home. His father does not give him a few slices of bread and a spare room and threaten to put him out at the first sign of disobedience. He gets an abundant pardon, an abundant provision, plenty of everything, the past forgotten, the present filled with joy, and the future glorious.
C stands for COSTLY. It is not peace at any price. Before peace was declared in, 1918, ten million precious lives had been sacrificed, another ten millions were wounded and £100,000,000 expended. What a cost! And yet that is nothing compared to the cost of our salvation. Jesus had to suffer all the tortures and spite of wicked men, then bear the awful judgement of God against sin. In love He did it that peace might be ours.
Romans 4 v 25 & 5 v 1.
E stands for ENJOYABLE. You can become the possessor of a joy which nothing can quench or steal away. See that little lad as he rubs his eyes on Christmas morning, then looks around his bed! Toys! toys! Toys! These gifts have brought joy; but suppose you visit that boy a few weeks later. His sweets have all gone, his toys are all broken to pieces, except one or two! Earthly gifts don’t last, but this jewel lasts forever, and brings more joy all the time. But when is a gift enjoyed? When you look at it? When you guess its value? No! no! You all know it is when you take it. The gift is the Saviour Himself, “He is our peace” Eph 2 v 14 and He is waiting for you to accept Him. You would not insult Him by refusal, surely?
Your Heavenly Home
Can you imagine boarding a plane for your dream holiday and the pilot’s voice says, “Welcome on board. After take off we’ll be serving you a meal and we’ll do all we can to make your flight enjoyable. However I need to tell you – we have no destination. That’s right, we’re just going to keep flying until we run out of fuel and drop into the ocean”. No matter how wonderful the journey is, what’s the point if there’s no destination? The Bible says “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor 15:19) But there’s more! Its called heaven and its “better by far” than anything you’ve ever known in this life.
If you’re wondering what we’ll do there, the Bible says we’ll serve the Lord forever Rev 22: 3. You won’t be issued with a harp, a halo, wings, a long woolly suit and be assigned to a cloud to sit and strum for all eternity. No you’ll serve the Lord in a thousand different capacities. Think of it no mid-life crisis, no downsizing and no burnout. On earth we fail, we get tired, we get frustrated and out motives are often mixed. But not there, Can you imagine serving the one you love perfectly, doing the thing you enjoy pre-eminently and doing it in a body that’s forever energised? That’s heaven! But the ultimate bliss will be seeing Jesus face to face.
I
will behold Thy face in righteousness: I
shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness (Ps 17 v 15).
It’s
going to be wonderful;
ARE
YOU SURE YOU ARE GOING?
Remind Me
MORNING
PRAYER
Dear God, when I am lonely and perhaps I feel despair,
Let not my ailing heart forget
That you hear every prayer,
Remind me that no matter what I do or fail to do,
There still is hope for me as long
As I have faith in you.
Let not my eyes be blinded by some folly I commit,
But help me regret my wrong
And to make up for it.
Inspire me to put my fears upon a hidden shelf,
And in the future never to be sorry for myself.
Give me the restful sleep I need
Before another dawn,
And bless me in the morning with
The courage to go on.
Submitted
by Moira Herbison
The Year 2000AD
The Millennium celebrates the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary in fulfilment of OLD Testament prophecy. This momentous event changed the history of the world. It has been said, “His birth was contrary to the laws of life, and His death was contrary to the laws of death. He had no cornfields and no fisheries, but He could spread a table for 5,000, and have bread and fish to spare. He trod on no beautiful carpets, but He walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, and they supported Him. Three years He preached the Gospel, but wrote no book, built no place of worship, had no monetary backing. Nevertheless, after the lapse of so many years, He is the one central character of human history, the pivot around which the events of the ages revolve, and the one and only regenerator of the human race”.
Not only so, but countless millions who have received Him as Saviour and Lord have found Him to be the One who makes life worth living, death worth dying, and Eternity something to look forward to .
He still invites burdened and sin-sick souls to come to Him – “Come unto me, all yea that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. Matt 11 v 28. “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out”. John 6 v 37. Charlotte Elliott, troubled about her soul, asked Dr. Malan how she could come to Christ. He said: “Just come as you are”. Se did, and later wrote the well know words:
Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thos bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come;
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come!
May you know the wonder of His saving, keeping, and satisfying power till He welcomes you home to His Father’s House.
J.A.
Robert Arthington
Robert Arthington of Leeds, a Cambridge Graduate, lived in a single room, cooked his own meals – but gave the equivalent of one million pounds to foreign missions on the condition that it was all to be spent on Gospel pioneer work within twenty-five years. He wrote “I would gladly make the floor my bed, a box my chair, another box my table, rather than one man should perish for want of the knowledge of Christ”.
Keep The Gate Shut
An English farmer was one day at work in his fields when he saw a party of horsemen riding about his farm. He had one field that he was especially anxious they should not ride over, as the crop was in a condition to be badly injured by the tramp of horses, so he dispatched one of his work boys to this field, telling him to shut the gate, and then keep watch over it, and on no account suffer it to be opened. The boy went as he was bidden, but was scarcely at his post before the huntsmen came up, peremptorily ordering the gate to be opened. This the lad declined to do stating the orders he had received and his determination not to disobey. Threats and bribes were offered, alike in vain. One after another came forward as spokesmen, but all with the same result for the boy remained immovable in his determination not to open the gate. After a while one of the noble presence advanced, and said in commanding tones, my boy you do not know me. I am the Duke of Wellington one not accustomed to be disobeyed, and I command you to open that gate, that I and my friends may pass through. The boy lifted his cap, and stood uncovered before the man whom all England delighted to honour, then answered firmly, I am sure the Duke of Wellington would not wish me to disobey orders. I must keep the gate shut, nor suffer any to pass but with my master’s clear permission. Greatly pleased, the sturdy old warrior lifted his own hat, and said, “I honour the man or boy who can neither be bribed nor frightened into doing wrong. With an army of such soldiers, I could conquer not only the French, but the world”, and handing the boy a glittering sovereign, the old Duke put spurs to his horse and galloped away, while the boy ran off to his work, shouting at the top of his voice “Hurrah, Hurrah, I’ve done what Napoleon couldn’t do I’ve kept out the Duke of Wellington”. Every boy is a gatekeeper, and the Master’s command to all his faithful servants is “Watch”. Are you tempted to drink, smoke, or use angry words. Keep the gate of your mouth closed, and allow no evil to enter. When evil companions would counsel you to break the Sabbath, to lie, to deal falsely, to disobey your parents, keep the gate of your ears fast shut against such enticements, and when the bold blasphemer would instil doubts of the great truths of revelation, then keep the door of your heart locked and barred against infamous suggestions, remembering that it is only the fool who hath said in his heart. There is no God.
Submitted
by Mrs Alexander
YPF Report
As we commenced a new term of the young peoples fellowship on the 5th September we were encouraged by the number of young people who came to our meeting. Pamela encouraged us on this our first meeting to look closer at the word “love” and how we have to love God first before we can even start to love one another. The youth choir headed off to Saintfield Baptist in Belfast on the 18th September to sing at their praise service. Our next youth fellowship meeting was on the 19th September when we watched the “Jesus” video, this allowed us to focus on the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and His very significant death at Calvary. On the 3rd October our meeting was conducted by Neil Harkness. We looked at ways in how we could be more dedicated to God in our lives. We then were very privileged to have a visit from Wilson Burgess. This meeting was quite informal and we came away thinking about how we as Christians should be taking our stand for God each and everyday of our lives. The youth choir had their second choir engagement of the season as we sang at the mission on the 22nd October. Karen Moore was in control on the 31st October. She made us very aware of the dangers of getting involved in “things” that we think are just good fun especially at Halloween but really they have roots coming from Satan himself.
We then ventured, not too far, - Wellington Street Presbyterian Church. The young people of Wellington Street took this meeting themselves and the topic of discussion for the evening was personal quiet times. We heard about the benefits and how to have an effective quiet time. Hopefully many of us will be exercised to change our habits and discipline ourselves to spend more quality time with God. At the end of November we had a visit form Ballyclare Young People. Noel looked at current fads which many of us are involved in. Some fads we found useful but others demanded unhealthy relationships with our parents, which we should try to avoid. Numbers in the youth fellowship have remained steady from the beginning of the season and we trust this will continue to be the case as we look forward to God’s blessing in the year 2000.
Stephen
Smyth
Release
Release from the pressures and burdens of life,
Is found at the foot of the Cross;
All of your struggles, your failures and strife,
Disappear at the foot of the Cross;
The problems and all that has caused you to fear;
The pressures of family and friends that are near:
The Saviour has promised to lift every load,
And share all your troubles to the end of the road.
Vera
Smyth
Notices and Dates for Your Diary
Mon. 3rd Jan. – Fri. 7th 8.00pm Week of Prayer
Sun. 9th Jan. am & pm Mr George Conn (Faith Mission)
Fri. 28th Jan. 8.00pm Mr Walter Burrell (Cork)
*Annual
Business Meeting Thursday 10th February 2000: 7.30pm*
A
full attendance is essential if at all possible.
Fri. 25th Feb. – Sun. 27th Feb. Annual Missionary Weekend
Fri. 25th Feb. 8.00pm Mr Samuel Adams (Every Home Crusade)
Sat. 26th Feb. 8.00pm Mr Victor Maxwell (Acre Gospel Mission)
Sun. 27th Feb. 11.30am Mr Henry Berry (Child Evangelism Fellowship)
6.30pm Mr Bill Burnett (O.M.S)
Tues.
28th March 8.00pm Mr
Alan Armstrong (E.C.M)
The
Pastor and oversight wish everyone a Happy and Blessed New Year.