god helped me! the other side happiness, health and hope steve mcqueen personal stories of god s intervention

Transcription

1 The Magazine of The Faith Mission july/august 2013 Price 75p the other side finding the right bridge from this life to the next happiness, health and hope what the gospel can do for you steve mcqueen how the king of Cool met the king of kings god helped me! personal stories of god s intervention

2 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matt.6:33). FIRST! No July/August 2013 EDITOR: Lin Pearson CONSULTING EDITOR: John Townend OUR VISION STATEMENT To reach through passionate evangelism the lost of all age groups, particularly in the villages and rural areas of Great Britain and Ireland, and by biblical teaching to encourage holiness of heart and life in Christian people. COUNCIL MEMBERS President - Rev. N. Darragh General Director - J. Townend Mission Administrator and Treasurer - J. McNeilly J. Bennett, Miss A. Brown, Rev. J. Currie, N. Liddle, I. MacLeod, J. Matthews, Miss A. Paul, R. A. Potts, J. Sandall, Rev. W. Smylie, D. Stevenson, Directors and Superintendents. The FAITH MISSION General Headquarters - Govan House, 548 Gilmerton Road, Gilmerton, Edinburgh EH17 7JD. (Tel: ) (Fax: ) hq@faithmission.org Website: General Director - John Townend Mission Administrator & Treasurer - Joe McNeilly ( admin@faithmission.org) Office Administrator - Carole Townley Practical work - John McCartney Bible College Interim Principal: Rev. John Shearer 2 Drum Street, Gilmerton, Edinburgh EH17 8QG (Tel ) (Fax ) admin@fmbc.ac Website: English Headquarters Director: A. Patterson 10 Millgates, York, YO26 6AT (Tel ) hq.england@faithmission.org Irish Headquarters Director: T. Matthews 62 Glenavy Rd, Lisburn, Co.Antrim,BT28 3UT (Tel ) hq.ireland@faithmission.org Scottish Headquarters Director: J. McNeilly 548 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh, EH17 7JD (Tel /1419) admin@faithmission.org Faith Mission & Missionary Training Home (known as The Faith Mission) is a charity registered in Scotland No SC LOCATION OF WORKERS SCOTLAND South District: Superintendent DANIEL & JUNE CHAMBERS, 3 Southhouse Rd, Edinburgh EH17 8DZ. (Tel ) s.scottish@faithmission.org Glasgow: Gordon & Janice Thomson East District: Superintendent NOEL McCLINTOCK, 43 Great Southern Road, Aberdeen AB11 7XY. (Tel ) east.scot@faithmission.org Kirkcaldy: Kathy Wood Peterhead: John & Liz Macdonald Highland District: Superintendent DONNIE & Catherine MACLEOD, 1 Lodge Park, Inverness IV2 4YR. (Tel ). highlands@faithmission.org Fort William: Justin & Carol Cummings Anglo-Scottish Border District: Superintendent WILLIAM & CAROLYN HARRISON, The Steadings, High Barbuchany, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8 6QF.(Tel ). anglo.scot@faithmission.org Bookshops : General Manager NORMAN & PEARL LIDDLE. bookshops.scot@faithmission.org EDINBURGH, 548 Gilmerton Road (Tel ) DUNFERMLINE, 4 Canmore Street (Tel ) PETERHEAD, 2 Erroll Street (Tel ) STIRLING,36 Barnton Street (Tel ) PERTH, 240 Old High Street (Tel ) Glasgow, Bothwell Street, G2 6NU, (Tel ) COVER photo: Expectations of summer sunshine! See page 16. ENGLAND Headquarters and North District: DIRECTOR ALISTAIR & SHARON PATTERSON, 10 Millgates, York, YO26 6AT (Tel ) hq.england@faithmission.org Preston: James & Lynda Bovenizer Durham: Mark & Sheena Nelson North Lancashire: Paul Curwen South East District: In Charge Stephen & Cynthia Walker, Red House Farm, Fen Lane, Earl Stonham, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5EG. (Tel ) southeast.english@faithmission.org Norfolk: David & Donna Ohin Kent: Arabella Paul Central District : Superintendent DANIEL & GRACE HOWSON, Glebe Farm, Langar Lane, Harby, Melton Mowbray LE14 4BL. (Tel ). central.english@faithmission.org Associate Workers: Simon & Rebecca Walsh Grantham: Andrew & Grace Morton South West District : Superintendent IAN & HAZEL GILKINSON, Henerys Garden, Lewdown, Okehampton, EX20 4BS (Tel: ) southwest.english@faithmission.org Outreach: David Lewis WALES Regional Representative: PAUL & ELIZABETH CROWE, 5 Glandulas Drive, Mochdre Lane, Newtown, Powys SY16 4JB. (Tel: ). wales@faithmission.org (Locations are continued on the inside back cover)

3 All dressed up with nowhere to go By Gordon Thomson Posed by model Thinkstock/Ingrams Publishing I WAS born in a busy housing scheme in Motherwell, near Glasgow. My parents were divorced when I was five. I was not brought up to go to Sunday School or to attend church. To me Sunday was just another day of the week. Truant At the age of fourteen I went on a holiday to Oban to visit my brother, who was a chef there. It was so beautiful and totally different to the area from which I came. I started working for him as his gopher (go for this and go for that!) I enjoyed it so much that I decided to stay, even though I was only fourteen. The school didn t know where I was. Eventually I learned how to cook, and during my brother s time off I d stand in for him. At fifteen, a job came up at another restaurant and I started work there as a cook. The wages were much better! The school found out my whereabouts and wanted me to return to face a children s panel, but I still stayed in Oban. One night as I was working I met one of my teachers who was in Oban for the weekend. He reported me to the authorities, who then washed their hands of me. Continued overleaf

4 Photo by Flikr user dun_deagh (Creative Commons) Oban Harbour Catalogue At work, a waitress brought in a catalogue, and there I saw advertised a grey suit costing only ( 1.25 per week)! As I was earning 60 a week and had never owned a suit in my life, I decided to treat myself. It arrived and I was the proud owner of a new grey suit! Where to wear it was another question. I was all dressed up with nowhere to go! One of the waitresses suggested that I go to church to wear it and offered to accompany me. I didn t mind where I was going, as long as I was wearing my new suit. So two of the ladies decided to come along with me each Sunday. Something new to me We tried a few churches and then went to an evangelical church in Oban. There I heard something that was new to me God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to die for me. To go to heaven I needed to meet God, and the only way to do that was to put my trust for salvation solely in Jesus Christ, because he is the only mediator between God and man. This was all new to me. I had thought that because of my good works my way to heaven was secure, but now I heard that in God s eyes what I supposed was my righteousness was no better than filthy rags. The girls stopped going to church as they had family responsibilities, but I continued. Now the reason had changed. It was no longer to wear the suit, but to listen to the minister speaking about the Saviour. Where would I spend eternity? I realized that if I wanted to go to heaven I would have to ask Jesus into my life. At first I did nothing about it, 4 July/August 2013

5 but God convicted me of sin of things that I was doing and of places to which I was going. I had thought them to be an innocent part of growing up, but I soon realized that they did not please God. Concern for my spiritual condition gripped my soul. When I died, where would I spend eternity? The minister explained from the Bible about heaven and hell. I began to read the Bible at night. I tried to tidy up my life a wee bit, but it wasn t enough, because I was trying my way to put my life right, instead of God s way. There were many times when I wanted to trust Christ, but I was afraid of what my friends would say. Consciousness of my sin, however, became a part of my life, and the fear of falling short of God s standard was always on my mind. Total commitment to God One afternoon I explained to the minister why I had begun to go to church. I was not in a fit state to meet God, and I was deeply concerned. The minister showed me from the Bible what I needed to do. We got down on our knees and I asked the Lord Jesus to forgive my sins and to come into my life. Praise God he did! I walked into the manse a child of the devil and I walked out a child of God. As time went on I got involved in the activities of the church, but later I realized that there were areas in my life of which God did not have full control. I worked long hours with an insatiable desire to make money. My night-life would not have been that pleasing to God either. Realizing this, four years after trusting Christ for salvation I committed every area of my life to him. I had thought that because of my good works my way to heaven was secure, but now I heard that in God s eyes my righteousness was no better than filthy rags. Tell others God then began to call me to use my whole life to share the gospel with others. I had left school at fourteen with a very limited education. I wanted with all my heart to serve God, but I felt so weak and useless. God continued to encourage me through the Bible. Guided by him, I entered the Faith Mission Bible College. As I applied myself to the studies, to my amazement, I found that God helped me and equipped me in my weakness. He saw me through, and I left College not only with a diploma, but with a burning longing to tell others about Jesus, and to see them drawn to him. New chapter After some years in Faith Mission work in England and Scotland, God guided me into church ministry, where I had many happy years. Now, with my wife and children, a new chapter begins as I have returned to the role of full-time evangelist with The Faith Mission. Why? Because I want others to know the same joy, freedom and peace that I have found since Jesus came into my life, and because I long that they may also be sure that their sins are forgiven and that they will one day go to heaven. First! 5

6 Steve McQueen: A Rebel Rescued By Lin Pearson Steve McQueen starred in over thirty movies, including Le Mans, Towering Inferno and The Great Escape. If you thought he was like the characters he played, you wouldn t be far wrong. He was a wild and troubled man, and something of a loner. His early life was very traumatic. As one friend stated, Steve knew what it was like to be dyslexic, deaf, illegitimate, backward, beaten, abused, deserted. Steve McQueen was a rebel. Once, during his military service he spent 41 days in the brig for resisting arrest when caught AWOL. He loved fast cars and motorcycles. Nicknamed the King of Cool, he told people that he lived for himself and answered to no one. Asked once if he believed in God, he replied, I believe in me. God will be number one as long as I m number one. Despite this bravado, his life was desperately troubled. His addiction to alcohol and drugs, together with his womanizing and violence, wrecked two marriages. By the late 1970s McQueen was as broken down as the characters he played. His health deteriorated and he became more of a loner. For a while, he lived with his wife in an airport hangar which housed his motorcycle collection. He bought a bi-plane and learned to fly it. His instructor, Sammy Mason, soon became a close friend of McQueen. Sammy said, We talked intimately about our feelings about life and our purpose for being here. Through this, Steve realized that there was something different about Sammy. He asked him what it was. Mason explained that it was Jesus Christ who made the difference. As a result, Steve started attending the Ventura Missionary Church with the Masons. After several months of regular attendance, McQueen spoke to the pastor, Leonard Dewitt. He had a string of questions about the Bible and Christianity and after the actor had finished, the pastor said, Steve, I have just one question for you. McQueen knew what was coming. You want to know if I ve become a born-again Christian. Then he explained what had happened at a recent service. When you invited people to pray with you to receive Christ, I prayed. So yes, I have asked Jesus Christ to take over my life. 6 July/August 2013

7 From then on his life dramatically changed. Sammy Mason commented, I had always felt that he possessed a depth of character, but when Christ infiltrated his life, and brought it in tune with God s will, the full beauty of the man began to blossom. Oh, he still had problems with his quick temper and with areas of his life that had been poorly cultivated for many years, but I doubt that I have ever seen a man flourish with more spiritual reality in such a short time. Steve told his friends and the people he worked with what had happened to him and how he had made his peace with God and been forgiven. He tried to help as many people as he could, especially the disadvantaged. He had always been generous, but now he did good because he wanted to serve God, instead of trying to make up for the wrongs he had done, which he knew had been dealt with only through Christ s death. Then Steve was diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable cancer. He was devastated, because he had expected God to use him now that he was a Christian. But he told his pastor that he could endure it, because he knew for sure where he would spend eternity. One writer* tells of a taperecorded conversation from this time where McQueen is talking about his illness, his faith, and the change in his life. My body is broken, he says, but my spirit isn t broken. My heart isn t broken. You can hear his voice crack when he shares dreams of changing some people s lives with what I know of the Lord, and what I have to offer with what s happened to me. This 1961 Triumph Trophy was ridden by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape. It was adapted to look like a German army BMW. One of the last people Steve talked to was Billy Graham. It was arranged for them to meet just before Steve was flown to hospital for surgery. He told the evangelist how he had repented of his sin, and how God had completely changed him. It is on record that McQueen had misplaced his Bible, so Graham personally inscribed his own Bible and gave it to the dying actor. He stayed by McQueen s side and prayed with him until they reached the airport, then saw him off on the plane. Four days later, Steve died of a heart attack. Resting on his chest was the Bible that Billy Graham had given him. It was open at Steve s favourite part: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16) SOURCES *Greater Grace: A Story of God, Redemption, and Steve McQueen from southerngospelyankee. wordpress.com The Final Chapter by Grady Ragsdale, Jr. The 1960 photo of Steve McQueen on the opposite page is by Steve Avery. First! 7

8 From Hospital to Heaven CHRIST THE HOPE OF GLORY By Vernon Bearinger, Ontario, Canada Grand River Hospital (Creative Commons) As I write, two months have passed since the death of our 17-year-old daughter in a car accident. As we sat there in the hospital waiting room, we were totally unprepared for the news that Beverly had been called home. It was a shock to see and hear things that did not seem possible and which my whole being attempted to shut out. A daily prayer I remember saying with clear conviction to my wife and daughter Laurie, who were with me, that every morning I pray specifically, committing Today to the Lord. Doing this allows us to receive the events of that day as from his hands. At that catastrophic moment in my life, I experienced an overwhelming desire to truly receive this as all in God s purpose, fully convinced that to do anything less would have disastrous consequences. It was as I openly told about my prayer, whispered so many hours earlier, that I realized the presence and strength of God, an undergirding, that carried us home from the hospital and through the days and weeks that followed. Facing the reality There was still pain, sorrow and a sense of loss. Imagine going home and gathering the rest of our children around us the next morning to tell them that Beverly will never come home to us again. Or sitting around the table for our first meal and there was one very obvious empty spot. We had never 8 July/August 2013

9 experienced before such heaviness of heart. Even now it is on our minds every day, and we will always feel our loss and miss her dearly. Although we realize that our loss is her gain, we still need to face the reality of it each day. But the purpose in sharing my story is not to dwell on the hard times, rather to direct our attention to the One who said, Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls. Broken hearts and shattered dreams Some say to us that they don't know how they could possibly go through something like this and be able to continue. They couldn't, and nor could we. I have compared our experience to an event that is recorded in the Bible (Acts 3), where Peter and John demonstrated the power of Christ in the healing of a lame man at the temple gate. I realize that the context and setting are different, but the principle there applies 100% to our experience. We did not have any damaged legs, but we had broken hearts and shattered dreams and a situation that was totally out of our control. Peace and paradox The apostles were ordinary, unschooled men, who demonstrated the power of Christ in the healing of the lame man, because they had been with Jesus and put their trust in him. Like them, we have no Bible school training to fall back on, but we have Christ, and as we cried out to him in our need, he met with us, bringing both peace and the power to cope. God gave us a sense of his presence unlike anything we had ever experienced before. It was a paradox on one hand my daughter had just died, and I was dealing with pain and sorrow, yet at the same time my cup of joy was full and overflowing. I felt such grace and peace flowing into my life that I could not contain it. As people came to us expressing their sorrow, I would thank them for sharing in our loss with us, but asked them to also share in the peace and joy that we gained from the Bible promises which we knew to be true, for there was plenty to go around. Jesus said: Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls. Comfort in the Bible The Bible speaks to us not only about those who have died and are in heaven, but also about those who keep company with Jesus in their daily lives right now. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9,10). I believe that God wants the absolute best for our family and has a plan beyond our comprehension. Another passage that became very powerful to me after the accident and during the week of the funeral was in John 11 where Jesus came to the house of Lazarus after he had died. Jesus said to a broken and discouraged Martha, I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. Continued overleaf First! 9

10 Jesus clearly identifies himself as being in control of life itself and then he says three things about a person who dies. He who believes in me Beverly believed. I know she did. I had helped her to put her trust in Christ for salvation when she was eight years old, and in later years her life and testimony evidenced that she was a child of God. Then Jesus said, though he dies Beverly died. We know that too. I touched her hand and face and her skin was cold. But then Jesus said, yet shall he live! Her body was laid in the ground, but her soul lives on in the presence of her Lord! Gratitude I took the truth of that promise and carried it with me day and night. The assurance and strength that our whole family gained from taking Jesus at his word and basking in his presence, convinces me that God is good, heaven is real, Jesus loves us and cares about us, his Spirit anoints us and his word is true. With grateful hearts we give Christ full credit for paying for Beverly's salvation on Calvary's cross. With joy we receive assurance concerning her position today. She is in God s presence. And we see, surrounding all these facts, the glory of God displayed in her death, if we look not at our circumstances, but at the big picture of which he has so graciously given us a little glimpse. Assurance During these months I have had absolutely no doubt concerning the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and his presence in our lives. Even though Beverly's body did not rise to life again, her soul ascended to a place where she is able to appreciate the Lord God in the beauty of his holiness. She is no longer held back by the limitations of an earthdwelling human. She can now worship him in all purity and perfection. When our daughter was laid in the ground that day, I realized again that it was only the shell that had been buried. It had served its purpose and was no longer needed. Not only that, it could never have contained her quickened spirit, her soul that had by now seen Christ s glorious face. The One who will greet us I know that someday we will see Beverly again. If we believe as she believed, we will all meet again! We will see many loved ones who have gone before us. But as we enter into that blessed place of Paradise, I do not believe that our focus will be on finding all our friends. The One who will greet us will be our Friend all right, but it won't be Beverly, or grandma, or anyone else we might be looking forward to meeting again it will be Jesus! As we are ushered through heaven's door, our quickened step, our outstretched hand, the light in our eye, the joy in our soul will be directed to him who sits on the throne! We will be singing, Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. We will be worshipping Jesus, who died to give us eternal life. The Bible refers to him as Christ in you, the hope of glory. We know where Beverly is! Our hearts desire, as we travel this journey, is that we would reflect Christ s presence in our lives, and that our Lord will be both honoured and glorified. 10 July/August 2013

11 A king who identifies with his people By Alan Smith You may have heard this story. Many years ago, when Hitler's forces occupied Denmark, the order came that all Jews in Denmark were to identify themselves by wearing armbands with yellow stars of David. The Danes had seen the extermination of Jews in other countries and guessed that this was the first step in that process in their countries. The King did not defy the orders. He had every Jew wear the star and he himself wore the Star of David. He told his people that he expected every loyal Dane to do the same. The King said, "We are all Danes. One Danish person is the same as the next." He wore his yellow star when going into Copenhagen every day in order to encourage his people. The King of Denmark identified with his people, even to the point of putting his own life on the line. It's a wonderful story with a powerful point. The only problem is it isn't true. It's an urban legend. It's been around for a long time and told many times over, but it never happened. What a shame! It's a beautiful image of a king identifying with his people. Fortunately, there is another story which is even more beautiful, which makes the same point of a king identifying with his people. It's the story of Jesus Christ, the king of the universe, coming to this earth to become a man by taking on human flesh, to experience all the temptations and trials that this world has to offer, and ultimately to place his own life on the line so that his people could be saved. Because God s children are human beings made of flesh and blood the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people (Heb. 2:14-17). Praise be to our Lord and King for his willingness to identify with us! How blessed we are! The Imperial State Crown Brand X Pictures First! 11

12 The Other Side By Andrew A. Woolsey THERE are two sides to every river. And being the inquisitive creatures we are, we like to know what is on the other side. And since curiosity has always been the mother of invention, our ancestors devised bridge-like structures to provide a more permanent means of access, even if it was only a tree trunk spanning the water. The development of this early initiative has come a long way from the first ancient clapper bridges to the modern structures we see today. Purpose But whatever the nature of the bridge whether it be a girder bridge, a cantilever bridge or a suspension bridge; whether it is a sophisticated feat of engineering such as the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland, or the old, arched packhorse bridge the purpose is still the same, to get safely to the other side. Cold comfort It has been said that human beings are incurably religious, and one of the expressions of this religious nature is our desire to know what comes after death. Something in us senses that life also has two sides to it and that death is merely the transition from one state of existence to another. It is this quest that keeps the religions of the world in business, and yet this is the question on which they speak with least assurance. The vague speculations about transmigration of soul and purgatory, and the unhealthy and dangerous séances of spiritualism, are cold comfort for an honest seeker after truth and assurance of well-being beyond death. 12 July/August 2013

13 A voice from the other side But there is good news regarding the other side! The God who created us has not left us to be the victims of these doubtful disputations. He has spoken from the other side! He has actually come from the other side to where we are! In the person of Jesus Christ he has bridged the yawning gulf of separation that our sins placed between us and him. This is why the Christian can speak with confidence and assurance not only about this life, but also about the life to come. The Christian has heard God s message, has turned from his or her self-willed ways, and has received the pardon that Jesus Christ purchased for us on the Cross, when he took the awful punishment that our sins deserved. But something more thrilling yet the Christian has had a personal encounter with the living Saviour who died and who rose again from the dead to give his eternal life to us! The Christian is already tuned in to the life from the other side! Back from the dead No one has ever come back from the dead to tell us what is beyond is one of the common objections of the sceptic. But how wrong! The most truthful and reliable person who ever walked this earth went through death and returned to assure us of what lies on the other side. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a firmly attested fact. It is the touchstone of our faith. He is alive! And he communicates with men today! Message to you His message to you is this: What awaits you on the other side depends on what you do with him on this side. Nothing you achieve by self-effort can span the great gulf that your sin has fixed between you and God. And if you do not find the Saviour from sin in this life, that gulf will be permanently fixed on the other side. 1 No self-made bridge will be strong enough to support you over the river of death if you do not have the company of the One who has conquered death. No terror Death has no terror for those who know and follow Christ. The Bible tells us that the resurrection of Jesus is the guarantee of the resurrection to eternal life of those who trust in him. 2 We can actually share his resurrection life today, and because he lives to die no more, we can live with him where death can never come. Are you sure? A young minister with more theology in his head than assurance in his heart was once commiserating in a dismal manner with an aged parishioner who was dying. The saintly old lady looked up at him, her face aglow with the love of Christ, and said, Why, young man, there s nothing to be scared about! I m just going across the river, and my heavenly Father owns the land on both sides! Are you sure yet about the other side? Have you been reconciled to God through the death of Christ? Have you received the resurrection life of Jesus within you and the certain hope of eternal life with him? 1. Luke 16:26 2. John 11:25 The Rev Dr Andrew A Woolsey is a former Faith Mission worker, past Assistant Principal of the Faith Mission Bible College and author of several books, including Channel of Revival: Biography of Duncan Campbell. This article was first printed in Life Indeed, the former title for the FM magazine. First! 13

14 Surrendered Sleep: Part 4 By Dr Charles Page Jet lag and short-term missions Random thoughts: Baptist house Lilongwe, Malawi, 2 am: Having survived being stuffed for a day on a tiny aeroplane seat, like a sardine, and being sprayed with toxic pesticides by the flight attendant, you have finally arrived at your destination ready to serve God on a short-term mission trip. But there is still one obstacle that requires prayer a formidable foe jet lag. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak! Initially I had planned to discuss in this article conventional measures to minimize jet lag on short-term mission trips. Short-term mission trips are all about being able to function as soon as possible right? First, here's a little conventional wisdom to help with jet lag (desynchronosis): Before leaving, you may try moving your daily routines (sleepwake cycle) back an hour each week for several weeks. During your flight drink lots of water, exercise (get up often) and avoid caffeinated products. Try going to bed at 10pm the night you reach your destination; avoid that temptation to take a 4pm nap. When you arrive at your destination try to get as much daylight as possible; sunlight helps to keep you awake (this recalibrates your biological clock). A different perspective Although the above is beneficial, let me introduce you to a different perspective of insomnia and jet lag for your short-term mission trip: Considering jet lag as a relatively new 14 July/August 2013

15 phenomenon, there is a spiritual side to this issue that few have considered. Jet lag was not on the radar of those who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write down God's precious life-changing words. They did not even know that the earth was round or that it revolved on its axis. Galileo, Copernicus and Kepler did not come on the scene till the late Middle Ages. The apple had yet to fall on Newton's head and the Wright brothers had never flown at Kitty Hawk. The Bible writers could not conceive of aeroplanes. They could not comprehend the complexity of the sleep physiology hormones melatonin and cortisol. But they did know God, understanding the One that never slumbers or sleeps, meditating, praying, singing, studying, worshipping in the stillness of the night. Comprehending the purpose of their sleeplessness, they knew their Creator was meeting with them in the night hours. Redeeming the hours of silence Short-term missions are more about what God does in your life than through your life. Insomnia in the middle of the night may be God's way to use your malfunctioning biological clock to get your attention. Remembering that the heart of missions is worship, you can redeem those hours of silence, focusing on God's will for your life, processing what God is doing in your life, praying for the team and the tasks ahead, reflecting upon the Lord's goodness in your life, listening for the gentle voice of the Shepherd, journaling your insights onto paper, meditating upon God's character, preparing for the upcoming day, praising him for what he has done and will do, singing to the One who gives songs in night. I would encourage you to think about Samuel's responses during his night-time encounter with the Lord (I Samuel 3). Get up and listen! "Here I am, Lord!" In other words, give God your full, undistracted attention and allow him to speak whatever he wants to speak into your life. Sometimes God has to uproot you from your busy daily routines to get a message to you. Don't miss out on this opportunity. "Speak for your servant is listening!" Listen for the voice of God when you awaken. Lay down your agendas and listen. You may be surprised what God has to say to you while experiencing jet lag. Changing your geographical location and your circadian (24 hour) rhythm may be part of God's purpose to get your attention. Relax, God is simultaneously working on the other side of the equation, providing you with the energy you need to fulfil the tasks he has planned for you. Following his encounter with God, Samuel got up and carried out his temple duties faithfully, without complaining. The yoke of sleeplessness was easy and the burden of exhaustion was light, considering that the Lord of the nations had come to pay the young boy a visit. With a responsive heart, understand that before God works through you he must first work in you. Let him work mightily in your sleeplessness. This series, used by kind permission of the author, continues in our next issue. Charles W. Page, MD, FACS, is a surgeon, author and father of five, who enjoys watching sunsets with his wife Joanna in their Texas-sized tree house. For an overview of the spiritual principles of sleep, and regularly updated comments, check out Dr Page s Surrendered Sleep blog at surrenderedsleep.blogspot.com. First! 15

16 The Daily Telegraph newspaper recently published the results of research conducted by holiday provider Thomas Cook. They were looking into genuine complaints received by various travel companies. Among the many ridiculous complaints received were the following: I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store in Indian villages does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts. On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all. No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled. It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. The brochure stated: No hairdressers at the accommodation. We're trainee hairdressers Is it ok for us to stay there? There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners now live abroad. A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she d been locked in by staff, when in fact, she had mistaken the Do not disturb sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room. We are amused by these incidents, but it gives us pause for thought. Maybe our expectations do not always tally with reality. For example, what do you think will happen when you die? Will you simply cease to exist? Will you be turned into an angel? Maybe you imagine St Peter welcoming you at the Pearly Gates? Or perhaps you think that you will come back to earth again, as another person or creature? Wh 16 July/August 2013

17 at do you expect? Thoughts from the editor The problem is that such expectations are not based on reality. So, what is the truth? The safest way to be sure about what really happens after we die is to find out about it in the Bible. It makes certain things very clear. We will die only once there is no reincarnation promised in the Bible. Each person is destined to die once (Hebrews 9:27a NLT). We will then face God and be judged and after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27b NLT) This judgment is based on how a person has responded to the Lord Jesus Christ in this life. anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light (John 3:18,19 NLT). God, the Judge, will decide each person s final destination. It will be one of two places a place of eternal life with God, or a place of punishment. Then they [referring to those who are not in right standing with God] will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life (Matthew 25:46 Amplified Bible). How, then, can we be sure of going to Heaven? We need not find that our expectations of life after death have proved false. The Bible tells us how we can receive God s gift of salvation and be assured of a place in heaven. Own up to your sin For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God s glorious standard (Romans 3:23 NLT). But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (1 John 1:9 NLT). Turn away from sin Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away (Acts 3:19 NLT). Put your trust in Jesus For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish but have eternal (everlasting) life (John 3:16 Amplified Bible). Welcome Jesus into your life But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12). First! 17

18 God in every circumstance Part 4 - healed by god By Catherine Slight The Lord Jesus, when he has drawn near to me, hasn t just touched my feelings so that I feel different emotionally; he has not only touched my mind, the way I think and observe and what I know about him; but he has actually affected my physical body. I have osteoporosis and I haven t been healed of that. But there was a point when I had back pain the like of which I had never suffered before. I could hardly move. It was there all the time. I couldn t lift my arms. Later someone in the medical profession who actually deals with bones told me I had all the signs of a fractured spine, which can happen to people with osteoporosis. Puppets It was near Christmas. I was part of a puppet team and we were preparing a 35-minute play expressing the Christmas message. One of the puppets that I had to work was an angel. It was four feet tall, very heavy, and I had to work it with one arm straight above my head, while with the other I operated rods attached to its hands. I had added wings, made of plywood strapped to his back and overlaid with layers of heavy holographic card. So this angel was seriously heavy! And now my back pain made it impossible for me to even pick up this puppet. I said, Lord, I need your help here, because I knew it was too late to ask anyone to stand in for me. Then I was speaking to myself. I don t know if you ever do that! I said, Catherine, what would you do if Jesus were standing physically in front of you? Right away I said, I would ask him to heal my back so I could work the puppets. Then I asked, And what do you think Jesus would do if he were in front of you physically and if you asked him that? Without hesitation I said, He d heal my back. All I can say is that I got really excited about this. United meeting Now that was a Thursday and on Saturdays the denomination that my friend Lin and I belong to have a united meeting in Glasgow. I thought, I am going to the united meeting and at the end I am going to ask someone to pray for healing for my back. Lin said to me on the Saturday, Unless you know that God is going to heal your back you are foolish to even think about going to Glasgow. You could do more damage travelling that distance in the car. It s an hour each way over bad roads. And she was right. But I felt I should go. Deep awareness Even before the service began there was a very deep awareness that Jesus 18 July/August 2013

19 Photo from istockphoto Posed by model Lord, you are the King of Kings and you are here. If it is the last thing I do, I am going to stand in your presence. So I rose to my feet. was there. We all worship in different ways in our various churches and it doesn t really matter how we worship, as long as we are sincere in worship. In our church some worshippers sit, while others stand in the awesome presence of God, showing reverence to the King of Kings. Some folks raise a hand, or two hands, just to indicate, O Lord, I love you and you are here. We never look to see what others are doing. We are taken up with Jesus. And that night I was taken up with Jesus. Standing in God s presence I was sitting. It was always painful for me stand. And when I got up it was often hard to sit down. But I said, Lord, you are the King of Kings and you are here. If it is the last thing I do, I am going to stand in your presence. So I rose to my feet. Suddenly I realized I had stood and raised my hand and I had absolutely no pain. I thought, Will I risk putting my other hand up? Then, Lord, I don t care if the pain comes back, you are worthy. I m putting up two hands and worship you with all the hands I have got. I love you Lord. And I didn t have a pain! It s just as well folk don t look around in our church I had a wee swivel to the right and a wee swivel to the left. Wow! No pain! First! 19

20 When I got home, I lifted the puppet and put him through all his paces. Not even a twinge! As I said, I haven t been healed from osteoporosis, but that excruciating pain has totally gone and never returned. What will God do? I used to suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. It meant I was very limited in what I could eat. The pain was so bad I used to pass out. Once Lin couldn t get me revived and she had to send for the emergency services. But one night I knew the church was praying for me and I got on my knees at home and said, Lord, I know they are praying for me to be healed. I don t know what is going to happen. What have you got in mind? If you are going to heal me, that s fine by me. If you are not going to heal me, and are just going to continue to let me know you are with me, that s enough. I am open for whatever you ve got in mind. And I went to bed. Jesus is real! In the morning I woke, and instead of being drained as I often was, I had a feeling of well-being and hopped out of bed. Then I remembered I had been prayed for the night before. I made a big pot of soup. Into it I put every vegetable and herb I could think of! When it was ready I had a big bowlful. Then I filled the bowl again. I was seriously hungry! I ate it no problem. The IBS had gone. Jesus had done a great work again. He is real! Better still Every day I thank God for those healings. But what outshone and still outshines the moment when I was being healed is this the lovely presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, with me all the time. I have been healed physically, but better still, one day in my flesh I shall see God. Physically I shall see Jesus. When Jesus followers saw him ascend to heaven, two men said, This same Jesus that you have seen go into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go (Acts 1:11). Every morning, when I wake in his company, I say, Lord, what are you going to do next? Years ago, in a wee hall where I went to Sunday School, a minister spoke on that very verse. I told the Lord, O Jesus, I want to be ready to meet you. Forgive me for anything wrong I have done or thought. Help me live right and be close to me. He has answered that prayer. I was twelve when I prayed it and every day since, Jesus Christ has been with me in every circumstance. We used to sing with the children, It s an adventure following Jesus, and that is certainly true. So every morning, when I wake in his company, I say, What is the Lord going to do next? Catherine is a retired Faith Mission worker. She worked in the Mission from 1968 until 2002, in both youth and children s work. This article is extracted from a talk she gave to a ladies group. Our prayer and God s mercy are like two buckets in a well; while one ascends, the other descends. Mark Hopkins 20 July/August 2013

21 How do we get the best? Law and order the economy unemployment Europe? What political party can best resolve these and other issues? Is democracy failing? Do we need a benevolent dictatorship? What system of government should we adopt? These are questions in the minds of many thoughtful people today. Some even think in terms of a world government, a sort of amplified United Nations. Which system would you prefer? Circumventing the system We can mistakenly believe that if only we hit on the right system, everything will be all right. But the fact is that no system can save us from the problems we have as individuals, or as a nation. The trouble lies with every one of us. It is not a system we need, but a Saviour. Our twisted hearts will soon find a way to circumvent any system, however good. And so, to have a better world, we must have better people! And people must be changed one by one, individually. Individual change This is exactly what God wants to do with us. He effects the change not by altering our environment or circumstances, but by changing us. He does it through Jesus Christ, who willingly died to bear all the punishment we deserve because of our sin. If we accept this we can know his forgiveness and inward peace. When we accept him as our Saviour he comes permanently into our lives by his Spirit and transforms us. He takes away the monotony and frustration. He gives us new aims, new desires, new powers, new hopes and new joy. We are changed not by a system by a Saviour. Invite this wonderful Saviour into your life now. He will do you nothing but good. Article used by permission. Illustration by istockphotos First! 21

22 As I see it By John Townend Reflections and news from our General Director Early in the life of the Mission it was recognized that those involved in gospel ministry need training in evangelism and instruction in doctrine. Initially, using the founder s home as a base, three months of instruction and mentoring were given to those called to join the work. The primary purpose was that new recruits should learn the necessity of a fully surrendered life, of prevailing in prayer and of the empowering of the Holy Spirit upon their lives and ministry. This remains the threefold spiritual dynamic of our course today An Historic Landmark The brief course was valuable to recruits, but as the worked grew it was felt to be inadequate. Exactly 100 years ago training developed significantly as The Faith Mission Bible College and Training Home was launched in Ravelston, Edinburgh with a one-year course. This was based in a large house bought with a generous gift ear-marked for the purpose. Twenty years later, through a further gift from the same donor, a nearby second house was bought. During the Second World War, the course was extended to two years. For seventy-four years, under the direction of a succession of eleven leaders and Principals, training was based there. Eventually, as needs outgrew the restrictions of those two wonderful homes, in 1987 the College moved to its present location in the extensive facilities at Gilmerton. A Wonderful Heritage There have been periods during its history when the Bible College has been bursting at the seams with students and other times when numbers have been much smaller. Nevertheless, God greatly blessed the ministry of the College and over the years there have been many occasions when there have been precious manifestations of his presence and power. Times like these leave a mark upon staff and students which remains with them throughout their ministry. Many Christian workers in the UK and elsewhere look back with gratitude to the Lord for the enriching and spiritually formative years they spent in the Faith Mission Bible College. Dr Colin Peckham, a former Principal of the College, once said, This surely is the heart of any vital training programme. Students must learn biblical doctrine and Christian theology, but without the dynamic of the Spirit the teaching itself can be merely sterile intellectualism. 22 July/August 2013

23 God is Good This current session, despite its many challenges, has been wonderful. We have known God s goodness, his presence and provision, in a number of remarkable ways. John Shearer s contribution as Interim Principal has been a blessed and timely gift from God. We are grateful to John and trust that it will be possible for him to continue to give some input to the College in the future. Another significant development was the addition to lecturing staff of Paul James-Griffith, who leads a module in evangelism. The students have been enabled and encouraged as they have joined Paul on Thursday afternoons for practical outreach experience. Guarding the Essential We believe that God still means to bless the College. The training programme has evolved significantly over the years and no doubt will continue to do so under the leadership of our new Principal, Dr Robert Murdock. Sadly, the darkness of society around us continues to deepen. Governments and some church leaders are destroying the very fabric of society by refusing to acknowledge the foundational principles God has laid down in his Word. More than ever, I am convinced that we must ensure students are thoroughly prepared for Christian service. This means that sound teaching of biblical doctrine and Christian theology must be accompanied by the spiritual dynamic the need for fully surrendered, prayerful and Spiritempowered lives. The fire of God must be ignited in their hearts and the flame of his love rest upon their lives. Other Mission News As I write, we look forward to Edinburgh Convention 2 8 July. We value prayer for the power and presence of God to rest upon each of the meetings and those who are responsible for ministering God s word. Paul Mallard is to be the speaker at the Bible College Graduation on Saturday 7 July. This forms part of the Convention programme. Please pray for the seven students who are to graduate, as they continue to seek God s direction regarding their future ministry. At present a number of applications for training are being considered and we value prayer that there will be more before College recommences on 18 September. Please uphold our new Principal Robert Murdock, his wife Elaine and their five children Katherine, Jane, Adam, Grace and Caleb, as they prepare to move to Edinburgh in August. It is vital that we find a suitable house for them. Camps and local Conventions form the greater part of our ministry throughout July and August and we trust to see much accomplished for God s glory. Timothy Currie and Cherith Anderson have each withdrawn from the Mission and Ruth Martin leaves us at the end of June to prepare for her marriage. We assure each of them of our gratitude for their fellowship and ministry in the Mission, and of prayer as they move forward in God s plan. Former workers Mark and Rachel Bassett re-joined the work at the beginning of May. Currently Mark is using his skills to help with practical projects at the College, but later we plan to place them in an outreach ministry in England First! 23

24 What the GOSPEL* can do for you By Sam Workman *The gospel is the Bible s message about who Jesus Christ is and what he can do for us. There are some who claim to be Christians, but the gospel does not seem to have done very much for them. They are still as crooked and cranky, and as hard to live with as always, but that is certainly not the fault of the gospel. You may have heard of the dirty, scruffy individual who heckled an open-air preacher by shouting, Christianity has been around for 2,000 years and what has it done for the world? My good man, the preacher replied. Soap has been in the world even longer and what has it done for you? You see, the gospel is like soap, it has to be rightly applied. Certainly there may be those who bring dishonour and disgrace upon the gospel by their inconsistent lives, but we would be foolish to condemn it because of a few shams. The gospel message tells us that Jesus Christ will do three wonderful things for you, if you are willing to repent and accept it. 1. HAPPINESS The Bible says in Ps.144:15 Happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Many associate happiness with sin and worldly pleasure, and think that if you become a Christian you go around with a face like an undertaker who hadn t been paid for his last funeral! They 24 July/August 2013 may get that impression looking at some Christians, but certainly not from Christ. Jesus said I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). He said to his disciples These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full (John 15:11). His gospel gives us happiness. We are happy because our sins are forgiven. Shortly after I was converted I read in Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. I could have jumped for joy; the blessed assurance of God s salvation flooded my soul. I was now a child of God, my faulty past was forgiven; oh the happiness that came into my heart! An old lady, who was converted in one of W.P. Nicholson s missions, was afterwards asked by the great evangelist how she was getting on. Oh, Mr. Nicholson, she replied, It s so wonderful I m far happier now when I m not happy, than I was before when I was happy! 2. HEALTH In the Bible book, Proverbs, we read, My son attend to my words For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all flesh. And Christ commanded his disciples Preach

25 Happiness Health Hope the gospel, heal the sick (Luke 9:1,2). Healing very often comes in a very practical way to those who are converted. When God converts a soul, salvation makes a marvellous change in the life. It delivers us from many harmful habits that are injurious to our health. Take smoking, for example. A report published by the Scottish Medical Authorities says, Smoking kills. The average person killed by smoking loses years of life. Out of 1,000 young people who smoke 20 cigarettes a day or more, 6 will be killed in traffic accidents but 250 will be killed by smoking. Smokers are much more likely to have a heart attack, or be crippled by bronchitis, and their risk of getting lung cancer is up to 40 times more than non-smokers. The chances are that for every cigarette you smoke, your life will be shortened by five and a half minutes. For years I tried to give up smoking and failed, but when I accepted the gospel message and received Christ, his indwelling power enabled me to stop immediately. I found the words of Philippians 4:13 to be true it was Christ who strengthened me. Multitudes of believers have had a similar experience, and their health has improved as a result. Another health hazard is excessive drinking. One of my friends, who was once a hopeless alcoholic, had almost ruined his liver. According to doctors he had only a short time to live. He was wonderfully converted through the preaching of the gospel and he was instantaneously delivered from addiction to alcohol. He is now over eighty and keeps in wonderful health. Many illnesses today are caused by tension, stress, and worry. When God s salvation comes into the heart, it brings peace to the mind, and delivers us from fear and anxiety. The end product is a renewed health and a sense of well-being. So in a very practical way the gospel gives us health as well as happiness. 3. HOPE Who wants to believe that after a few short years our lives are snuffed out like a candle? The poet wrote: As the leaves must fall, so will we all / And this world s bloom will all be over. I thank God that the Christian has another world, a better world that Continued overleaf First! 25

26 never loses its bloom. Our Saviour said, Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself: that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-5). The gospel gives us the hope of heaven. Back in the Middle Ages people believed the world was flat. They imagined that if you went far enough you d go over the edge! So they put up a notice at Land s End which read Nothing Beyond. Then in 1492 Christopher Columbus sailed out into the Atlantic and came back with the joyous news that there was something beyond. There was a great, new, wonderful world beyond the sea. The man in the pub may mock and sneer and say, How do we know there is an afterlife? How do we know there is anything beyond the grave? Nobody ever came back to tell us. Thank God somebody did come back, somebody we can trust, for he is the Truth. Our Heavenly Christopher Columbus went into the unknown region beyond the grave, and he came back with the triumphant message: I am he that liveth, and was dead: and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:18). Hallelujah! What a hope what a gospel! Is it any wonder we delight to preach it? It gives us happiness and health in this life, and a glorious hope for the life to come. A former Faith Mission worker, the late Rev Sam Workman was a renowned evangelist and minister. This article was first printed in 1992 in the magazine of The Faith Mission, then known as Life Indeed. How to find a part of the Bible Throughout this magazine you will see reference made to various parts of the Bible. For example, Romans 10:9. It is easy to look up for yourself any part referred to, if you know how to read the reference. The Bible is 66 books, bound into one volume. The word at the beginning of the reference (in our example it is Romans) is the name of a book in the Bible. If you are not sure where to find the book, you can use the index at the beginning of a Bible to find the correct page. The first number (the one before the colon) refers to the chapter of the book. Each chapter is divided into smaller sections (verses). The second number (the one after the colon) refers to the verse. So in our example, Romans 10:9 refers to the Book of Romans, chapter 10, verse 9. Finally, in some references you may see a group of letters at the end. These stand for the particular translation quoted. For example, NLT - New Living Translation; Amp - the Amplified Bible, etc. 26 July/August 2013

27 Live coal or cold? By Peter Shepherd CAN a person be a Christian without going to church? I m often asked that question, usually by those who hope from my answer to justify their absence! Usually I reply by asking them a question. Can you belong to a family without ever meeting with other members and sitting down to a meal together? Scattered The answer is obviously yes. In some circumstances a family must inevitably be scattered. But it would be a strange family that ate in separate rooms, hardly ever spoke to each other, never played any games together and generally seemed averse to any corporate activity. Unfortunately there are some families like this, but the reason is that relationships have broken down. They are no longer real families at all. Fire goes out A live coal removed from the grate and placed on the hearth soon loses its glow. The fire goes out of it and it becomes cold. Is that true of you? And there s one other thing. Jesus Christ told his followers to remember his death on the cross in a fellowship meal called the Lord s Supper or Holy Communion. That cannot be done in isolation. It requires the presence of the family at the meal table. Get back If you re a Christian all on your own somewhere, why not find another and A live coal removed from the grate and placed on the hearth soon loses its glow. decide to get back into the family circle? The Bible is very clear on this point when it says Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. We need the hear the reading and exposition of the Bible and that happens best when we are with other Christians. Answer That s the answer in a nutshell to the original question. Yes, you can be a Christian all on your own, isolated from others in God s family. It happens to missionaries and people who live in lonely places. But basically the idea is a contradiction in terms. We need each other. If we hive off on our own, we lose the sense of belonging to God s people, we impoverish the united witness of the church and we reduce our own potential. Used by permission from Farmers Post. First! 27

28 Stop and Listen Nathalie Saunders has a message to the young that resonates with all of us. There are over 600 million members on Facebook, over 200 million members on Twitter and over 100 million iphones have been sold. Put the three together and you get constant access to everything, almost everywhere. Constantly plugged There s a huge market for accessibility to the internet and people. It seems that we need to be constantly plugged in. Apparently young people tend to be the worst offenders. How often have you heard put your phone away or get off your phone from parents or teachers? I count as one of those young people and I have a confession to make I m addicted to my iphone. I use it 24/7. It s the first thing I see when I wake up thanks to the alarm app and the last thing I see when I go to sleep. I m used to being glued to it, and being able to access my , texts, Facebook and 28 July/August 2013 How often do you run on empty, or just have so much to do that you forget how to slow down? Twitter whenever I want. But what happens when you turn off your phone and don t use it for the whole day? You get peace and quiet. As a 17-year-old girl, I m not the likely advocate for turning off your phone, and I very rarely do it, but sometimes switching off and getting away from technology is the best thing to do. Sometimes you need a day when there isn t the constant ping of text messages and the constant distraction of Facebook! Logged off Okay, so what does my addiction to my iphone have to do with God? Well, how often do you take away the distractions of life and spend time with Jesus? How often do you switch off your iphone, log off the lap top, turn off the TV and music to purely focus on him? Life can get pretty busy. School or college, church, family, friends, homework or coursework, hobbies, pets, musical instruments The list is endless! And because of this busyness and stress, the need to take time out is crucial. I used to be awful at giving God any space. I was always the person who wanted to stop praying and start singing. My worship was vocal and loud. It was all about me saying something to God. But now I have this yearning for space in my worship, for times of quiet when I don t say anything at all. God can speak to us in so many different ways, he has no restrictions. But often we put restrictions on ourselves, and though songs, prayers and words are good

29 things, they can sometimes get in the way of our ability to hear what God is saying. Sometimes it s us who need the space to listen, so our hearts and minds can finally tune into God and hear him. There s a song called Stop and Listen by Bethany Dillon. These are some of the lyrics: I wake up, Start the rush and pour some coffee. Things to do pile up Oh so quickly. Too many days I feel like I run on empty. Does anyone else out there feel like me? But I d be a fool to forfeit The chance to take a moment... For You to rise like the dawn, Over my cold, tired heart. What I thought I had lost, Finds me when I stop. Stop and listen Honesty What I love about this song is the honesty in it. She s up front about what she struggles with, and she isn t alone! How often do you run on empty, or just have so much to do that you forget how to slow down? When I first heard this song, the line that stuck out the most was But I d be a fool to forfeit the chance to take a moment. We'd be stupid to not take time out, especially for God, but more often than not God is more of an afterthought in our day. But when we stop and commit time to God, he can rise like the dawn over our tired hearts. The closeness and focus that we can often lose in the busyness of life can be found in the quiet. However, it s not easy. I m awful at stopping, and I suck at listening, but the more I hunger for time with God, the better I become. To be honest I think it's all about perseverance. I find that whenever I spend time waiting on God, whether that be by myself or with my youth group, my mind wanders and I fidget. I get so restless. But if you're like me, don't panic. It s normal. Most people get like that. Silence is often uncomfortable, and as humans, we are not used to it! Just think of the phrase awkward silence! Yet, stick with it; the silence is where, like Elijah (1 Kings 19), you can hear the whisper. Reprinted by permission from the November 2011 edition of Soul Survivor Magazine (soulsurvivor.com) First! 29

30 Called Home Following his conversion at a Pilgrims mission in Lislagan (near Ballymoney) and studies in FMBC, William Moore spent six years in FM work. He was always a keen supporter of the work and was joint Rep. of Balnamore PU. He loved talking about the Lord and could turn everyday conversations into opportunities to share the gospel. Elizabeth Harper (nee Thompson) wife of the Rev Bill Harper, has gone home to be with the Lord in her 94th year. Her ministry was greatly blessed as she served the Lord in The Faith Mission for approximately seven years. She attended the Dundonald PU for over 20 years and her whole life was spent serving the Lord, whom she deeply loved. Cecil Bassett and his wife Joan set up a PU in their home in Garboldisham in the 70s and latterly they led the Diss PU. We valued their long-standing and wholehearted support of Mission events. Cecil was an evangelist and over the years many of our Bible College students benefited from working with him and watching how he approached people. We will miss his warm friendship and partnership in the gospel. Mrs Elizabeth (Betty) McClintock, mother of Faith Mission worker Noel, was saved at a Pilgrims mission on her 28th birthday. A member of Castlegore PU, FM work remained close to her heart. Her deep peace and confidence in God was clearly evident during her short illness which she bore with great dignity. Mrs Annie M Todd was a faithful supporter of The Faith Mission and along with her late husband Albert hosted Capecastle PU in their home for many years. Her witness was a great blessing to many and will be sorely missed. Mrs Eva Campbell was converted at a Pilgrims mission in 1962 and maintained a keen interest in Faith Mission work until her sudden passing. She was a devoted mother and a faithful witness to all who knew her. Hubert and Molly Marks were very faithful attenders at Craigs Mission Hall. Their prayers and practical support were a great encouragement to many. They will be greatly missed at the PU and the other services in the hall. Mrs Martha Bowman was a faithful member of Castledawson PU for many years. Described by her minister as a lovely, quiet Christian lady she is lovingly missed by all in the PU. Mrs Ethel Clements was a faithful member of Omagh PU for many years, until prevented through ill-health. She helped in many ways, supporting the work of God wholeheartedly and was a very able organizer and speaker. The glow on her face reflected the deep work of grace in her heart. Mrs Sadie Guy was a friend of The Faith Mission for many years, having association with Barr PU, Fintona. She was a quiet, godly lady, who had a heart for the gospel and will be greatly missed. Mrs Doreen Smith, with her husband Eric, has had a long association with The Faith Mission and regularly attended the meetings until prevented by illness. Mrs Jean Lockhead went to be with the Lord after a long illness. She was saved at the age of ten at an FM mission sixty-four years ago. Jean, with her husband Bill, has been a faithful supporter of the Mission for many years and she was latterly Treasurer of Armadale PU. Margaret (Madge) Wilson first had contact with The Faith Mission as a child at Sunday School and was a member of Bathgate PU. Nat McLean was converted as a young man and from then started to attend Lisnafillan Mission Hall where he was a faithful member for many years while health permitted. He spent much time every day praying for his neighbours and friends in the work of the Lord. David Adams was leader of the Ballymacbrennan PU for over 40 years. He was well known in the Lisburn area for his great wisdom and his godly, consistent Christian witness. His deeply loyal support for The Faith Mission will be greatly missed. Harper Kirkpatrick was a founder member of the Glenavy PU and its leader until February He was a wise and godly man and had a great love for the work of the gospel. His quiet, but thoroughly consistent, witness at the Tansy Mission Hall and the surrounding area lives on. Mary McGookin attended the Ballyfore PU very faithfully. She was a woman of prayer and demonstrated a deep relationship with the Lord in every aspect of her life. Her godly influence will be greatly missed. 30 July/August 2013

31 Advertisements Co. Donegal Christian farmhouse, self-catering accommodation available. 10 minutes drive to Rathmullen beach. For further details Tel: (UK: ). Cornwall nr. Callington. B&B. Comfortable en-suite accommodation. Convenient for moors, towns, coast or stopover. Tel Cornwall B&B nr Saltash, Tamar Valley, en-suite rooms. Ideal for coast, moors & National Trust properties. Tel Co. Wicklow Mini-caravan & camping park situated in Rocky Valley 5 miles from Bray and 6 miles from Greystones. Usual facilities. Convenient to shops, mountains and sea. Also to let on site 2-berth caravan. Telephone: Richard Rowan (UK/NI ) rowanbb@eircom.net Dumfries and Galloway Static caravans for holiday lets (half an hour from Irish ferry) Further details DVDs for children presenting the Gospel clearly with teaching for Christians. Suitable for children s meetings or home use. Free of charge. List available. Mail: Immanuel studios, 10 Meadow Drive, Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, BT39 9XF; Telephone: ; barfoot@ talktalk.net Holiday let 8-bedroomed house in Coleraine, Co Londonderry available from mid-june to end of August. Contact Revival in the West 1 Million Irish hearts for King Jesus, Fermanagh Lakes for your holiday, Ballinamallard Christian Holiness meetings (Killadeas Camp) Dr Noel Scott, Missouri, USA, July 14-21, Archdale Hall, Lord s Day 3.30 pm & 8.15pm, weekdays ex Sat 7.45pm. Ring for details Hylands Mitchell, Ballinamallard, Co Fermanagh, NI, BT94 2LY. 61 years interdenominational. Yorkshire Dales Static holiday caravan on farm. Also B&B in bungalow in Settle, ideal to see the Dales or a stopover. Details: Mrs Irene Fawcett fawcettirene@gmail.com Self-Catering Florida, 6 Bedroom villa, heated pool, lake views, Disney 20mins, year round warm climate, evangelical fellowship/friends nearby. Spain, Coastal apartments near beach/town, year-round sunshine, special rates autumn/ winter, large families, no charges additional children, pickups available, car not necessary. N.Ireland, apartment, sea views (Antrim coast), town minutes walk. Contact: Gerald Locations IRELAND Headquarters and Central District Director: TREVOR & SANDRA MATTHEWS, 62 Glenavy Road, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT28 3UT. (Tel ) hq.ireland@faithmission.org Auxiliary workers: Trevor & Yvonne Bennett West District: Superintendent GEORGE & ANDREA CONN, 15 Derry Road, Omagh, Co. Tyrone BT78 5DY. (Tel ). west.irish@faithmission.org Assistant (part-time): Anne Brown Outreach: Jenny Kilpatrick Fermanagh: Heather Wilson North-West District: In Charge Garry & Alison Tutty, Sheephill House, 74 Tully Road, Limavady, Co.Londonderry BT49 9HW. (Tel ). northwest.irish@faithmission.org North District: Superintendent LESLIE & MABEL BRUSH, 3 Grange Avenue, Ballymena, Co. Antrim BT42 2DX. (Tel ). north.irish@faithmission.org Assistant: Ian Booth Border District: In Charge Andrew McCullough, 131 Mahon Road, Portadown, BT62 3SF, (Tel ) border@faithmission.org Co Cavan: Ronnie & Carey Killops South District - Superintendent DAVID & MARJORIE BENNETT, Bethany, Oakvale, Stradbally, Co. Laois, Eire. Tel hq.roi@faithmission.org Midlands: Mervyn & Rachel Tomb Cork: Johnathan & Janet Slater Bookshops: Gen. Manager- JOHN MATTHEWS ( ) Accounts - Linda Collins ( ) Purchasing - Trevor Wilson ( ) BELFAST (Queen St): Mark Conroy ( ) Armagh: Craig Beattie ( ) Ballymena: William White ( ) Banbridge: Stephen Dundas ( ) Bangor: Stephen Dundas ( ) Belfast (C reagh Rd): Jackie Smith ( ) Coleraine ( ) Cookstown: Iris Farrell ( ); Kilkeel: Elsie Baird ( ) Lisburn: Tracy Brown ( ) Londonderry: Brian Kerr ( ) Lurgan: Liz Lavery ( ) Omagh: Dean Mallison ( ) Portadown: Jim McKee ( ) P DOWN Clearance Shop:Glenn Yeman ( ) THE BIBLE COLLEGE College Director: John Townend Principal: Rev. John Shearer Vice-Principal: Adrian Holdsworth Staff Lecturer: Heather Holdsworth Chef: John Frame Administrator: Alistar Frater Librarian: Valerie Robertson Finance Assistant: Patti Worth Property Maintenance: Scott Worth

32 Faith Mission events to help you Grow in God West Irish District BIBLE WEEKENDS LAKELAND, Co. Fermanagh September in Cleenish Community Millennium Hall, Arney, Ballanaleck. Friday 8pm Family Barbecue Influencing Children in a difficult society, Noel Darragh Sat 8pm Coping with depression, Dr Walter Boyd Sun 3.30pm Ministry Meeting, John Matthews WEST ULSTER, Co. Tyrone September (Each Night at 8pm) in Mountjoy Hall, Omagh Speaker: Pastor John Shearer Thursday Ministry Meeting Friday Missionary meeting Saturday Family Barbecue Sunday Gospel Meeting For further details Tel: west.irish@faithmission.org IRISH MIDLANDS CONVENTION A weekend of Bible teaching and Christian fellowship at the Faith Mission Centre, Durrow, Co. Laois August Speakers: Very Rev Dr David McGaughey Rev Tom Shaw Meetings: Fri. 8pm Sat. 11am, 4pm, 7.30pm Sun. 4pm (Family Service), 7.30pm :: Kids Club during main meetings :: Youthmix Saturday 9.30pm Further details: Tel/Fax: (0) hq.roi@faithmission.org Background image istockphoto

33 The Magazine of The Faith Mission july/august 2013 Price $16 per year the other side finding the right bridge from this life to the next happiness, health and hope what the gospel can do for you steve mcqueen how the king of Cool met the king of kings god helped me! personal stories of god s intervention

34 In darkness, a student woke up to reality. MARGARET ROBERTS tells how God led her to work with the Faith Mission (in Canada). Image Samuel Kaylor, Creationswap.com Having Christian parents, even at the age of five I understood who Jesus is and that he died for me. It was then that I trusted him to save me. Throughout my childhood I continued to go to church, and a Bible verse which has been precious to me since then is John 3:16. When I was nine my grandmother, Margaret Quinn, introduced my cousin and me to the Faith Mission camps in Campbellville. I always thoroughly enjoyed camp the activities, the teaching and the leaders. I didn t want to leave once the week was finished! The gospel was powerfully shared during my time there and I learned what it meant to truly live for Christ. School life Growing up in the public school system, I was sometimes bullied because I refused to join in with activities which went against what the Bible taught, such as smoking and sexual immorality. But God enabled me to stand firm, and when I was twelve I was baptised. Sadly, my life and faith began to change when I began high school. There I was taught different perspectives on the world and religion, and was also influenced by the beliefs of new friends. I began entertaining thoughts on paganism and became interested in the dark supernatural. Having been ruled by my emotions, I questioned if God really did care. But the Lord is faithful and, around the age of fifteen, after great conflict with both my family and myself, I began to realize just how far off the path I was. I woke up to the reality of what I had been involved in and turned again to the teachings of my youth, back to Jesus. Slowly, I began living for him once more. Continued on page 31