Listooder Youth Fellowship

Knowing God's Will - Maurice Warburton

Maurice Warburton returns to Listooder to consider the words of David in Psalm 40:8, whose delight was to do the will of God. He began by explaining that many young Christians feel under serious pressure to know the will of God, seeing the will of God as the 'holy grail', something that will bring ultimate completion to their lives. But God does not often reveal His will to us in that way, and certainly does not reveal to us the entirety of His plan for our lives. For one thing, our minds could not cope with the detail of those things. God's will, rather, is revealed to us progressively. Maurice demonstrated that even the Word of God was not given all at one time. God revealed Himself to Moses, who recorded the words in the first five books of the Bible, through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Then through different individuals over many centuries to comprise the inspired cannon of Scripture. So it is with the will of God throughout our lives. God reveals each step to us, as and when we need it, when we seek Him. But to understand the leading of God, we must first be a child of God. To be outside of the family of God, to be unsaved, is to be as far from God's will as it is possible to be. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is 'not willing that any should perish', it is not God's will that any should fail to accept His salvation. God calls all men everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him. A Believer, however, by the very nature of having their sins forgiven, is already on the right path, and is found within the will of God. But beyond that, there are general principles which every Christian should abide by, for it is only these principles that will keep us fully in the blessings of God's Will. 'If ye love Me, keep My commandments' (John 14:15). We should love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind and we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves. It is the will of God that we keep His commandments. Believers are to honour all men, and honour those in authority over us (1 Peter 2:17). It is God's will that we respect and obey the laws of the land. It is wrong for a Christian to rebel against authority, whether that be in churches, in schools or in the community. Of course, the commands of that authority must be in line with the commands of God. In employment also, a Christian is commanded to be obedient, diligent and hardworking (Ephesians 6:5). In the family setting, it is the will of God that husbands love their wives with the love that Christ had for the church, and that wives submit to their husbands. For children, the instruction of Scripture is also clear. 'Honour thy father and thy mother' (Exodus 20:12). Outside of the family, but within the wider family of God, we should 'love one another' (John 13:34). There should be no jealously, anger and bitterness within the church of Christ. This is not God's will for our lives, or our relationships with others. It is His will that we keep ourselves pure, that we 'abstain from all appearance of evil' (1 Thessalonians 5:22). In the blatant sexualisation of the world today, in magazines and in the media, there is no purity. It is God's will that we remain pure, just as with alcohol, we must abstain from the appearance of evil. 'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise' (Proverbs 20:1). Then what about our relationship with God?  'But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night' (Psalm 1:2). It is God's will that we study His word, that we consider it and that we speak about it. It is His will that we pray over His word, making our requests known to Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). It is His will that we serve Him, that we go 'into all the world, and preach the Gospel' (Mark 16:15), preaching Christ, sharing the Gospel through every opportunity that the Lord gives us. This is the general will of God, the principles by which God would have us to live. To follow the commands of God is to live for Him, to commune with Him and to serve Him. And it is by living in the will of God, that we will present Christ to others. The love of God will consume us and shine through us. The Holy Spirit will guide us. By living in the commands of God, by following the general principles outlined in Scripture we will be brought closer to Him, and will then become sensitive to His leading. As unnatural as it seems to say, it will then no longer be necessary to seek God for every finite detail of our lives. The pathways will become clear, and the decisions more obvious. You see, by following the will of God through the clear principles of Scripture, our heart's desire will become aligned with the desires of God. The decisions we naturally make, the relationships we enter into, the careers we begin and the work that we do for Christ will all be honoured of God if we are applying the general principles of Scripture. 'Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart' (Psalm 37:4). So many believers today sit waiting for the Lord to speak to them, rather than simply stepping out and pursuing the instinctive desires that the Lord has given them. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. And if we keep His commandments, then we will know that our desires are His desires and that our will is His will. We can step out in the faith and in the knowledge that He will bless us as He promised to. But is it really that simple... What if I go off in the wrong direction? What if I take a wrong step? In Acts 16, Paul and Silas where choosing where next to go and preach the Gospel of Christ. They were about to head into Asia when we read that they are 'forbidden of the Holy Ghost', then, just as they tried to move off to a place called Bithynia, 'the Spirit suffered them not'. It was then that the Lord spoke to Paul, and sent them into Macedonia. If we are sensitive to the leading of the Lord, and to the inner guidance of the Holy Spirit within us, we will not find ourselves going in the wrong direction. God will intervene and gently draw us back to the right path. Some doors will open, some doors may close, but God's path of blessing will always be made clear. 'Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths' (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Anger Management - Bobby Mackay

Drawing on his experiences growing up in North Belfast, and taking as his example the relationship between Saul and David in 1 Samuel 18:1-14, Bobby McKay explained the dangers of anger and bitterness in the life of a believer. David was described as a man after God's own heart. He was chosen of God to replace Saul, a decision which Saul did not take well. Saul developed a real bitterness towards David, an anger which consumed him to the extent that he even attempted to kill him. Anger and bitterness are all around us, they are accepted in general society and among the unsaved, but these are attitudes which should not be present in the life of a Christian. CAUSES OF ANGER AND BITTERNESS King Saul was the nation's chosen King, he had the favour of God upon him and the nation behind him. But what happened to him? In short, Saul departed from God. Saul FORCED himself to do something that he shouldn't have done In 1 Samuel 13:12, Saul was commanded to wait, yet decided to throw himself into an unknown situation. How often do we, as believers, push ourselves into places of temptation and situations which we are not equipped for, simply because we like to push ourselves forward. This was Saul's first step away from the Lord. Saul FOUGHT for his own will, rather than the will of God In 1 Samuel 15:9, Saul clearly disobeyed the command of God. Many Christians go their own way in life, choosing rather to satisfy their own desires than to seek direction from God's Word. Saul FOCUSED on himself In 1 Samuel 18:8, it is clear that Saul was agrieved that attention in the land had turned to young David. He was the King, he was the one they should have been shouting for, but the people were calling for David. Pride is no stranger to many believers, yet a true relationship with God has no room for pride. Saul FORGAVE himself In 1 Samuel 26:21, Saul knew he had sinned. Yet Saul did not turn to the Lord for forgiveness. It is an easy thing to forgive yourself, pat yourself on the back and carry on. But we must need to seek forgiveness from God, and ask for His strength to be holy. Saul FORGOT his standards When first he came into power, Saul removed all the witchcraft from out of the land, yet in 1 Samuel 28:7 he goes out looking for the Witch of Endor. Once we begin to take our salvation for granted, we become less and less particular. This is the time when our standards can slip and we find ourselves drifting away from God. Saul FELL on himself Rather than fall upon the mercy of God, and return to the guiding hand of his Heavenly Father, Saul spent the last moments of his life in hiding, before falling on his own sword in 1 Samuel 31:4 and taking his own life. How sad to find yourself so far God that the only remaining option is to end your life, yet it happens. We must learn from the mistakes of Saul, and never find ourselves in a position like that. Cling to the Lord, let Him be your guide, maintain the standards of Scripture and you will know His power in your life. COMPANY OF ANGER AND BITTERNESS Anger is not found alone, but rather goes hand in hand with the influence of the devil. If we give space to the devil in our lives, he will cause us to fall. Of course there will be times when we get frustrated, circumstances which, as Christians, we cannot accept or pass over. But Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us 'be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil'. The Lord Jesus Christ, when on this earth, was angry with the blatant sin of men, yet never sinned himself. We must be sure that our anger does not take control of us, and cause bitterness and hatred to set in. Ephesians 4:31-32 'Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you'. COST OF ANGER AND BITTERNESS Saul discovered that there was a cost to his anger. It consumes us (Galatians 5:15). Saul could not think of anything else but David. It had taken over his life, he had lost the joy of the Lord. It corrupts us (Galatians 6:8). Bitterness and anger will affect our speech, our actions and our attitude. It will damage our testimony. It changes us (Hebrews 12:15). If we let anger fester and grow within us we will find it harder and harder to return to the Word of God and study it. It condemns (Luke 23:39). The thief on the cross, condemned already to death, was so full of bitterness that he missed the opportunity to turn to the Son of God for forgiveness in his dying moments. A believer will never be condemned to eternity in hell, our destination is secure, but in life we could miss out on such a blessing from God because we find ourselves pre-occupied with bitterness. CURE OF ANGER AND BITTERNESS It is almost certain that we will face some sort of opposition in our lives. Perhaps we will be the victim of mockery, discrimination or hatred. We have little control over such things, but we can control how we respond to it, and as we believers we should be blameless in our response. The Lord Jesus Christ was beaten, bruised and afflicted. If anyone deserved to be bitter, to be angry and to bear a grudge it was the Lord, 'yet he opened not his mouth'. While hanging cruelly upon the cross He cried out for forgiveness to those who had oppressed Him. Christ is our ultimate example. In comparison with the treatment He received, there is no justification for bitterness in our lives. It is a sin. But praise God, He died and rose again, so that His blood could cleanse us from all anger, all bitterness and all sin. There is a cure for bitterness. If you not a Christian, you must first turn to the cross. Then, a child of God, we must confess our sin to Him, seeking His cleansing power in our lives. Finally, we must show the compassion of Christ to those around us, even those who stand against us. He forgave us our sins, let us also forgive others.

New Tribes Mission Update - Dave & Libby

Supported financially by the young people of Listooder, among many others, Dave & Libby have been serving the Lord among the tribes of South-East Asia for almost 10 years. Dave began his report by explaining the current situation of themselves and their co-workers. For himself and Libby, they have not been fully engaged in the work out there for several years due to issues with Libby's health. However, in the will of the Lord, Libby will shortly be undergoing her final operation on the journey towards her recovery. For their co-workers, it is becoming increasingly difficult to work as missionaries in the area. Much prayer is needed for them as they labour in the Gospel, under the watchful eye of the authorities, in risk of illness and fighting to be accepted by the indiginous people. Despite the dangers, and despite the opposition, the Lord has been giving opportunities for the workers of New Tribes Mission to visit the tribal villages, understanding the culture of the people, their belief system and spiritual darkness. It is only by learning the culture, language and mindset of the village folk that the workers can ultimately present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. Doors have been opened to the Gospel through medical work. By introducing the people to simple medical procedures, they can demonstrate the errors of traditional witch-doctor potions and spirit worship, and in turn point them to the God of the heaven, the Mighty Healer of men. Dave & Libby hope to return to the tribes soon, in the Lord's will, but they must await God's timing. Reading from Luke 24, and the two on the road to Emmaeus, Dave drew comparisons with their own circumstances. Following the death of their Lord on the cross, the two were disheartened, they were confused and could not understand what was happening. But the Lord was in full control of the situation, allowing them to pour their hearts out to Him along the way, opening the Scriptures to them and communing with them in their own home, before He revealed Himself to them. Our circumstances may change, our path may become dark and at times confusing. Why would Dave and Libby spend so much time learning the language of the people, yet never have the opportunity to fully use it for His glory? Why would they be forced to return home from the land to which they had been sent? These are logical questions to which our finite minds have no answers, but as believers we must content ourselves in the knowledge that He has a purpose. God's timing is perfect, He is in full control and in time He will lead them back to the land where they long to be.

The Testimony of Trevor Baxter

Born in 1948, Trevor Baxter was brought up in Loyalist Tiger's Bay in Belfast. He was born into an unsaved family, church going, but no time for Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a family affected by alcohol, where his father could be found lying passed out in their home on many occasions. Despite this, he was sent to Sunday School and the church-run Boy's Brigade on a regular basis, but he never heard the Gospel. Trevor lived in the darkness of sin until he was 17 years old old, living for the things of the world and with a filthy tongue. But it was around this time that the name of Ian Paisley was starting to be heard in Northern Ireland, causing controversy wherever he went. This intrigued Trevor, who went along to hear 'the Big Man' preach, and for the first time heard the Gospel. He realised that he was a condemned sinner on his way to hell. He knew he needed to change. Trevor decided to 'get religion', he cleaned up his life and even joined Dr. Paisley's home church, but still he wasn't saved. However, a short time later, reading through a little booklet which outlined the 'last days', as explained in the book of Revelation, he was struck by the realisation that he wasn't ready for the day of Judgement. It was then that he knelt down before God, confessed his sin and prayed for salvation. From this time he began to pray fot the salvation of his parents, who still lived in the darkness of sin. The Lord answered his prayer by saving his father a few years later, just before he died. However, it was 27 years before his mother was saved, brought to the Lord as he himself preached in a Gospel meeting. Trevor used this experience to encourage the young people of Listooder to carry on in prayer for unsaved fiends and families, reminding them that God will honour the prayers of His saints. At the age of 18, the Lord began to shape the path for Trevor's life as a believer. He got married, and has since been blessed with children and grandchildren. He also began to preach, feeling the burden of the Lord to enter the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church. After years of refusing to yield to the call of God, he entered Bible College at the age of 25. Having completed the course, he has spent the last 40 years as a Minister, proclaiming the message of Scripture, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He now approaches retirement having pastored in Ballynahinch Free Presbyterian Church for 14 years. Trevor closed his testimony with a word on the future. His prospect is Christ, his home is in heaven and is with anticipation that he looks forward to the day when he is called home to glory. Quoting Philippians 1:21 'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain', he reminded the young people that it is not the church that we live for, nor or families, nor our work, but we should live for Christ and for Christ alone.

Testimony Night at Listooder

Following the disappointment of expected speaker, Alan Bartley, being unable to attend the meeting, a Testimony night was arranged at Listooder. In the style of an interview, David McCoubrey was below asked to reveal how the Lord has directed his life and on the audio recording, Sharon Rice speaks of the opportunities she has had to serve the Lord as a teacher at Derriaghy Primary School for 10 years.

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So, David, tell us a little bit about your upbringing and home life. I am from just outside Ballynahinch, on the Belfast side of the town.  I went to Magheraknock Primary School for a couple of years and then changed to Spa Primary School on the other side of Ballynahinch.  My mum and dad were both Christians from before I was born and my older brother John became a Christian at a young age.

How and when did you first come into contact with the Gospel?

Growing up in a home with Christian parents meant that I was taught from the Bible from a very young age at home.  We went to the Congregational Church in Ballynahinch and so I would have heard the Gospel message in the Sunday services as well as through Sunday School and Boys Brigade.  My brother and I also went to a CEF Good News Club in Langley Road Estate in Ballynahinch where my Mum was a teacher in the club.  I can honestly say that the foundations of my Bible knowledge were laid in those early years of my life and the verses that I learnt then, are still in my mind today.  I am also thankful that we weren’t just taught from the Bible as a story book or even for the sake of knowledge.  Those who taught me wanted me to know Jesus as my personal Saviour.

What do you remember about the time when you got saved?

I became a Christian when I was eight years old.  I can remember one night becoming scared because I realised that because of the sin in my life, if I was to die, I would be going to hell.  I’m not sure if this was after a specific meeting or not.  I went into my Mum’s bedroom and I can remember her taking out her Bible and showing me specific verses that showed me how I could be saved from my sin.  How if I repented of my sin and trusted in Jesus as my Saviour, he would forgive all my sins and I could know that one day I would go to heaven.  It was that night that I was saved and the Holy Spirit came into my life.  Romans 10:13 says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”.

Did you find that there was an immediate change in your life and circumstances at that time?

From memory can’t say that there was an enormous change in my life at that point.  I was still young and I suppose that although there was of course sin in my life, it may not have been as noticeable as in an older person who has been caught up in serious outward sins.  I am sure that after that night, when I read my Bible and prayed each day it meant something more than before.  It wasn’t just a formality anymore that my parents wanted me to do, but was something that was real and important to me now.

What about later in your life? How did being a Christian affect things?

I suppose like many young Christians I found it difficult to be a Christian when I moved from a relatively small country primary school with some Christian teachers, to a large secondary school in the city.  I went to Wellington College in Belfast.  There was a strong pressure to blend in and not make yourself stand out from the crowd – especially not for something like being a Christian which would automatically lead to some people making fun of you.  So while I never got involved in anything too bad or actually denied Jesus, I do regret that I didn’t take a more open stand for him and not telling others about my faith.  However, never underestimate how much people observe your life and if your Christian faith is genuine it will shine through.  Especially when you are with those people every day in school.  People will see that you are different in a way that is good.  In my case, I think it might have been in third year when I realised this.  I was in some conversation with my friends, none of whom were Christians, and it emerged that they all knew that I was a Christian - even though this was something that I couldn’t remember directly talking to them about. It can be tempting to live two separate lives as a Christian.  One when you are at home or in Church and the other at school or out with your friends.  But not being ashamed of Jesus and taking your stand publicly for him is something that you will never regret.

Are there times when you have specifically known God guiding you and speaking to you?

One example that I can think of is a number of years ago when I read quite a number of Christian autobiographies – mainly of missionaries in the 1800’s.  I believe that God challenged me through the lives of these men and women.   Their sacrifices and the way they lived their lives fully for God and were willing to give up everything for him.  They left behind money, possessions, friends and family to serve him.  Their Christianity was not just a small part of their lives like an interest or a hobby – it was everything to them. More recently God has spoken to me through Jeremiah 32:17 “Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee”.  No matter how impossible a situation may seem, nothing is too difficult for God.

You've been involved in some Christian work over the last few years. Can you tell us something about that?

I started to help with CEF, that’s Child Evangelism Fellowship, during my summer holidays when I was 16 or 17.  I went to the summer missionary training week that they hold at the start of the July in Kilkeel and learnt how teach a memory verse, lead choruses, do a quiz and of course teach a bible lesson to children.  I was then able to put what I had learnt into practice by helping with CEF 5-day clubs around my local area.  So in that first summer I helped with children’s clubs in estates in Ballynahinch, Saintfield and Lisburn.  The next year I did the second part of the summer missionary training course in Donegal and helped with CEF 5-day clubs in the South of Ireland in places like Dublin, Cork and Limerick.  I learnt a lot by working with the people who led these clubs and in some cases had been reaching children in these areas with the gospel message for over 30 years.  It also increased my confidence to speak in public and to witness for God in public. In recent years I have had opportunities to travel a bit further and have been as part of a team to South Africa several times to help a missionary and local children’s worker with outreach to children there.  The experience I had in Ballynahinch and Saintfield was invaluable as we would be doing exactly the same kind of clubs and teaching the same message but just in a different country.  Last year I went as part of a team of five young people to Mongolia for four weeks.  There we visited different Christian outreach projects and did evangelism work with Mongolian teenagers.

Any particular advice you'd like to give us based on your own experiences with the Lord?

I was thinking about this question and the thing that came to my mind was something I heard a minister say once.  That you should not live your life with one foot in the world and the other in Christianity.  And that you will never be happy if you do that.  This is something that I think I often do.  I find myself looking to find my happiness in the things of the world and it’s easy to start to think that you are missing out by not living your life the way others do.  But I believe that is often because you are not fully committing yourself to Jesus, handing your whole life into his control and following him with your whole heart.  Instead you are trying to have what you see as the best of both worlds.  And that will only lead to unhappiness. Of course if you have never trusted Jesus as your own Saviour then my advice to you would be to come to him today and not to put it off any longer.  In II Corinthians 6:2 it says “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”.

The Christian Institute (Callum Webster)

Callum Webster began his report on the Christian Institute with a plea to pray for those that are in authority, according to the words of 1 Timothy 2:2. Despite Timothy living in the days of the anti-Christian Roman Empire, Paul exhorted him to pray to the Lord on behalf of his political leaders. And in a day when few government minsters will uphold the principles of the Word of God, we also should pray that God would give them wisdom and help as they lead the nation. As well as praying for our nation, for our leaders and for the decisions that they need to make, Callum urged us to action against those decisions which are contrary to the Scriptures. Citing the examples below, he explained how the Christian Institute had stepped in to assist the Christians in taking a stand for the truth.

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PETER AND HAZELMARY BULL This couple, owners of a Cornish B&B were sued  in 2010 after refusing to allow a same-sex couple to share a double room. They have operated a marriage-only policy on all of their double rooms for many years, even refusing to relax the ruling for family members.  The Christian Institute have been assisting them in their legal case, but have so far been unsuccessful. JAMIE MURRAY In 2011, the owner of a Christian cafe in Blackpool was warned by police that Bible verses shown on a TV screen breached public order laws. Following an approach by the Christian Institute, the police have acknowledged that the verses did not, in fact, breach any public order laws, but have yet to issue an apology. ADRIAN SMITH Having expressed the view on Facebook that the Bible does not advocate same-sex marriage, an employee of 18 years at the Trafford Housing Trust in Manchester was recently demoted from his position, receiving a 40% cut in pay. The Christian Insitute are currently fighting his legal battle for freedom of speech and to be returned to his deserved position within the organisation.

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If you would like to follow any of the above cases, or to find out how you can get involved in opposing the growing numbers of anti-Christian laws getting passed in the UK, please visit the Christian Institute's website at http://www.christian.org.uk/.

Security in Christ - Stephen Jamison

In the history of the Church, few Christians have not struggled, at some time or other, with assurance of their own salvation. For those who are young in the faith, it is especially difficult to overcome the thoughts that we can somehow lose what the Lord has given to us. Yet as Stephen Jamison explains, the Bible is abundantly clear that we can never be taken out of the Lord's hand once He has redeemed us from our sins. We are secure in Him, just as secure as if we were in Heaven with Him. Stephen reminded the young people that our eternal security does not mean that we will never sin. Many of us will fall away from God, we will grow cold in our love for Him, distracted by the temptations of the world. But if we are truly saved, washed clean by the precious blood of Christ, it will never be possible to fall from our privileged position of salvation. ' The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.' Psalm 37:23,24. There are many examples in Scripture of believers who battled with sin throughout their lives, but the Lord never left them. King David committed lust in his heart, adultery and eventually murder, growing far from the Lord in his spiritual life. But God, in mercy, continued to hold onto him, and restored him back into a loving relationship with Himself. Peter too, when faced with opposition at Christ's trial, denied the Lord three times. But God gave Peter back the fire and enthusiasm that he once had, and 3,000 people were saved when He preached with the power of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Praise God our eternal security does not depend upon us, and our efforts to keep close to Him. Instead, it depends wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. Our Lord never changes (Hebrews 13:8), and His work is finished (John 19:30). Once we are saved, we can never be lost. Eternal security. WE ARE SECURE BECAUSE OF GOD'S ELECTION 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.' Ephesians 1:3,4. God has chosen us, and therefore He will not let us go. In fact, He cannot let us go, because He has promised to give us 'all spiritual blessings in heavenly places'. That means now, and also with Him in glory. We are His forever.  God does not make any mistakes, everyone that He has chosen will be with Him in heaven. WE ARE SECURE BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S DEATH 'For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.' Hebrews 8:12. When we put our trust in Christ, He has said that He will remember our sins no more. Christ's blood atones for our sins. His death, in effect, removes our sins from God's memory. Our sins have been paid for, and that can never be undone. Eternally perfect before a holy God because of the sacrifice of Christ. WE ARE SECURE BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN US 'That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.' Ephesians 1:12-14. We are 'sealed' into Christ by the Holy Spirit, the gift of God in the life of anyone who believes unto salvation. This 'seal' of the Holy Spirit is the 'earnest' of our inheritance. It is the guarantee of our inheritance in Christ. As believers, we possess the key to unlock the treasures of God's inheritance, the Holy Spirit. And while we have the Spirit, we have the inheritance. WE ARE SECURE BECAUSE OF GOD'S FAITHFUL PROMISE 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.' John 10:27-30. The promise of God is that we can never be removed from his hand. The word [man] is not found in the original Greek language, and so we could read this as 'neither shall any pluck them out of my hand'. No power, no demon, no devil, no sin and no man can ever remove us from Christ's hand. That is the eternal promise of God. We are His forever.

Blessed is the Man - Trevor Matthews

Psalm 1 1 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 - But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 - And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 - The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 - Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 -For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 'O the Happinesses of the Man' Paraphrasing the very first verse of the Book of Psalms, Trevor Matthews of the Faith Mission declares 'O the happinesses of the man'. He is referring to the abundance of the joy in the life of the man described in Psalm 1, a man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, does not stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful. His delight is in the law of the Lord. This is a godly man, an individual who knows their sins forgiven and has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Path of the Godly Man The opening verse of Psalm 1 describes the path which this man takes. He takes his standards for living from the Scriptures, and not from the world around. His counsel is in the Christ and not of the ungodly. So many in this world take their standards from the immoral acts of soap stars, actors and sportsmen, but if we, as Believers, honour God then He will honour us (1 Samuel 2:30). The verse also shows the danger and depth of sin. This man avoids walking with sinners, because if he walks with sinners, he will stand with sinners, and if he stands with sinners, he will sit with them in seat of the scornful. Therefore the godly man does not walk in the company of sinful men for fear that he himself will become scornful to the Gospel. The Pleasure of the Godly Man In verse two we discover the pleasure of the godly man, whose delight is in the law of the Lord. He has an affection towards the Word of God, and is fully attentive to its instruction. It is his spiritual food, necessary for the growth and development of his spiritual walk with God. He medidates daily upon it, chewing over the depth of the Word of God, as it fills his thoughts, leaving little room for the concerns of the world. The Prosperity of the Godly Man In verse three, the godly man is a prosperous man, like a growing, thriving tree. He is like a tree that has been very carefully and particularly planted by the side of the river, giving him the full benefit of its nutrients, water and wildlife. God has specifically chosen this man, and saved him. Likewise he has chosen out His children, and planted them beside the river of His goodness. In Christ we lack nothing, growing daily in His love. As evidence of this growth, we produce fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), the proof of new life in Christ. This true growth in Christ is not a temporary outcome, but a permanent change in the life of a Christian, whose leaf shall not wither (John 10:28), but will prosper in Christ. But the ungodly are not so... The rest of the Psalm goes on to remind us of the many who know not Christ as their Saviour. There is no depth and certainty to their lives, but rather they are as chaff which is blown about by the wind. They shall not stand in the day of judgement, but will perish eternally in hell. Are you part of the congregation of the righteous? Have you had your sins washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ? Is your delight in the law of the Lord?

Are You Paralyzed By Fear? Alastair Crawford

Since September 11, 2001 the western world has existed in a greater climate of fear than ever before. As a society we are obsessed with fear: health scares, financial scares, climate scares and terrorist scares. Looking at fear from a Biblical perspective, Alastair Crawford asks the question: Are we, as Christians, paralyzed by our fears? Not all fear is harmful. Instinctive fear is a gift from God, to protect us. For example, when crossing a road, fear causes us to go cautiously so that we avoid harm. There is also the 'fear of God', spoken of in the Bible. It is a good thing to fear God, not in the sense that we are afraid of Him, but that we respect the power and position that He has in our lives. However, a lot of our fear can have a negative affect on our lives. In 2 Timothy 1:7, we read that 'God hath not given us the spirit of fear'. God does not want us to have this 'spirit of fear', but wants us to be free to serve Him. FEAR WILL MAKE YOU FORGETFUL In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul needed to remind Timothy about his gifts, and to make sure He used them. Fear can make us forget what God wants us to do as believers, and to forget what He has done for us already. In verse 12, Paul says I know, I am reminded, 'whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.' FEAR LEADS TO FAILURE In verse 8 Paul warned Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord. Fear can lead us to be ashamed of our Lord, and ashamed to stand up for His name. The thing which most holds us back from sharing Christ with our friends and colleagues is fear. In Matthew 25 we read of the unfaithful servant who, when given a talent from his master, went and hid it in the ground because he was afraid. Fear will cause us to waste our talents for the Lord. FEAR LEADS TO FRAILTY In 1 Timothy 5:23 Paul advised Timothy to take a little wine to aid in his frailty. Fear can affect the mind and the body. It can damage our health, destroying our effectiveness for God. So how can our fears be conquered? We are reminded in 2 Timothy 1:7 that 'God hath NOT given us the spirit of fear, but of POWER, and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND.' POWER - We must remember how powerful our God is. 'Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world' - 1 John 4:4. 'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?' - Psalm 27:1 LOVE - We have no need to be afraid because God loves us with an everlasting love. 'There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear' - 1 John 4:18. 'All things work together for God to them that love God' - Romans 8:28 SOUND MIND - God has give us a discerning mind to evaluate our fears, and to bring them under control. 'For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ' - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 So often, our adversary the devil brings fear into our lives to cripple our walk with God. We need to look beyond our immediate circumstances, like the Apostle Paul, writing this letter to Timothy from a prison cell, and remember that God is in control, working everything out for our benefit. Christ has already won the victory over the devil. The war is over. Sin and Satan have been defeated forever. As Christians, the children of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, what reason have we to fear?

The Purity of Doctrine - David Scott

It was a pleasure to welcome Pastor David Scott back to Listooder, with a message on the importance of having a Pure Doctrine. David began by defining the word doctrine as simply 'teaching', explaining that Christ's doctrine which He brought while on this earth was simply a revelation of what God had to teach us through His word. "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." (John 17:6) Our doctrine and teaching, therefore, should come from the Bible itself, where "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16). Before going into some of the specific doctrines of Scripture, he warned against the dangers of bad doctrine, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). THE DOCTRINE OF GOD God is eternal. He had no beginning, and He will have no end. Psalm 90:2 - "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." There is only one God. 1 Timothy 2:5 - "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" God never changes. Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I change not;" THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST Christ is both God and man. Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:' A child is born - Born of a virgin, unlike any other birth, without sin - Humanity A son is given - The Son of God - Deity Christ was born sinless and lived sinless. 1 John 3:5 "In Him is no sin" 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." If He had known sin, He could not have taken our place, as the substitute for sin. Christ died in our place, and of His own will. 1 Peter 2:24 "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree." John 10:17 "I lay down my life, that I might take it again." Christ rose from the dead, and will live and reign forever. Revelation 1:18 "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore." Christ ascended into Heaven Acts 1:9 "He was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Christ will return again to the earth - the second coming. Acts 1:11 "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Christ represents us in Heaven. Romans 8:34 "Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is a gift to every believer. Romans 5:5 "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." The Holy Spirit is given to guide us. John 16:13 - "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth:" The Holy Spirit is given to comfort us. John 15:26 "The Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth." By keeping our doctrine pure, and Biblical, we gain assurance of our salvation, assurance of our eternal rest in Christ, and assurance of the guidance of the Spirit. Without these doctrines we have no assurance and our faith is in vain. Pure doctrine helps us to understand why we do the things that we do. As believers then, we are expected to live out this purity of doctrine in the form of The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), so that others might see the truth of God's Word in us.