ON REQUEST TO: FREE FOR YOU [email protected] 15 … · NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Two The book of Esther is surely a unique piece of literature. Xerxes, the King of Per‐

The UK and Australian Governments are seekingurgent clarity about how the Christian charity WorldVision has used government fuds amid claims £38million was given by the UK Government and $5 mil‐lion by the Astralian Government to an Islamist mili‐tant group, Antony Bushfield, Premier News reports.Israel's internal security agency has arrested a sen‐ior employee of the international aid group accusinghim of siphoning off millions of dollars of the charity'sfunds and transferring them to the Islamic militantgroup Hamas.According to the accusations by the security agency, Shin Bet, Mohammed el‐Halabi established a‘systematic and sophisticated mechanism’ to divert up to £38 million over the years to the militant group,which rules Gaza, creating fictitious humanitarian projects and doctoring inflated receipts in order toget the funds to Hamas. The agency said almost £70,000 of British money was wrongly spent on a Hamasmilitary base built in 2015. Premier understands this money did not come from the UK Government butinstead from charities and organisations within the UK.A spokesperson for the Department For International Development told Premier the departmenthad never given World Vision money to spend in Gaza or the Palestinian territory. But he confirmed DFIDhad supplied cash for other projects around the world run by World Vision. There was ‘no suggestion’that cash had been redirected to Gaza, he added. He confirmed the allegations were being taken seriouslyand the government was urgently seeking clarity on the accusations from Israel and World Vision.‘We are in touch with the Israeli authorities to establish the full details of the allegations against thisindividual and would not hesitate to act if wrongdoing involving UK government funding became appar‐ent and was proven,’ a statement from DFID said.Meanwhile Australia has become the first country to suspend its funding program for World Visionafter confirming it had invested $5 million in Gaza through the charity. A spokesperson for the AustralianDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the accusations were ‘deeply troubling’ and it was in con‐tact with World Vision and the Israeli authorities. ‘We are suspending further funding to World Visionfor programs in the Palestinian Territories until the investigation is complete,’ a statement said.According to Christianity Today, World Vision questions Israel’s accusations that Gaza branch man‐ager Mohammad El Halabi siphoned off tens of millions over the past decade, saying it still has not seenany evidence. ‘World Vision’s cumulative operating budget in Gaza for the past ten years was approxi‐mately $22.5 million, which makes the alleged amount of up to $50 million being diverted hard to rec‐oncile,’ it stated. ‘Mohammad El Halabi was the manager of our Gaza operations only since October 2014;before that time he managed only portions of the Gaza budget. World Vision’s accountability processescap the amount individuals in management positions at his level to a signing authority of $15,000.’ WorldVision has suspended operations in Gaza, the organization stated. ‘We are conducting a full review, in‐cluding an externally conducted forensic audit, and will remain fully engaged with the investigation thatis underway.’

15 August 2016 Vol 79 No 4 Free On Request: [email protected]

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Uk And Australian Governments Investigating Use Of Government MoneyBy World Vision Amid Israeli Claims Against Hamas

Mohammad El-Halabi working with childrenfor World Vision. Photo: Premier News

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page TwoNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Two

The book of Esther is surely a unique piece of literature. Xerxes, the King of Per‐sia, is named over 100 times; Mordecai, who was to become Xerxes' Prime Minister,is named 51 times and Esther is named 42 times. Yet, the central character in thebook is God Himself and He is never named. His hidden hand is never acknowledged.The book is full of co-incidences whereby God delivers His people from a Per‐sian edict of extermination. Natural explanations can always be made about such co‐incidences, eg. that Esther just happened to be available and be qualified to beXerxes' queen, when he was looking for someone to replace Queen Vashti. Naturalexplanations can be made and yet natural explanations never tell the whole story.The book of Esther is another reminder that God is in control of all things, notjust some things. God is well able to use peoples' evil intentions to bring about Hisgood purpose. Joseph's brothers; the evil Prime Minister of Persia, Haman; the weakRoman Governor of Palestine, Pontius Pilate; the able Jewish lobbyists, who de‐manded the death sentence for Jesus ; and later the deacon Stephen, are all examplesthat the Sovereign Lord 'rules the peoples justly and guides the nations of the Earth'(Psalm 67.4).The Early Church knew this. In response to the threats of the Sanhedrin theyprayed to the 'Sovereign Lord' (Acts 4.24) and recognised that Herod, Pilate and oth‐ers 'did what Your power and will decided beforehand should happen' (Acts 4.28).We don't know who will occupy the White House from next January, but who‐ever it is, 'The king's heart is in the hands of the Lord; He directs it like a watercoursewherever He pleases' (Proverbs 21.1). Presidents Xi and Putin, Chancellor Merkel,Prime Ministers May and Turnbull, are all pawns in the hands of the Sovereign Lord.‘There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.' (Proverbs21.30).I am not writing this column to justify a fatalistic attitude or any indolence onour part as we face the future. I am writing to combat pervasive fear arising fromthe latest conspiracy theory doing the rounds of the talk‐back radio stations of thenation. We have no need to fear. Our trust is in the Sovereign Lord who does all thingswell, and works always for the ultimate good of His people (Romans 8.28), that webecome more and more like the Lord Jesus (Romans 8.29). Scratch the surface of allhuman events, examine the so‐called coincidences, and not very deep beneath thesurface an omniscient, powerful, purposeful hand will be evident. Re‐read the bookof Esther and be reminded how Mordecai the Jew, at a precarious time in his people'shistory, becomes Prime Minister of the Persian empire, just as Joseph had done manycenturies before in Egypt.Pharaoh has a recurring dream; Xerxes can't sleep; God uses these everydayevents to elevate people to high office to be the means of deliverance for His peopleIsrael. Then remember that the greatest deliverance of all was from our greatestenemy, Satan, by a most unexpected means – the death, not of the tyrant, but of thedeliverer. This deliverance is so unusual that the world calls it foolishness (1Corinthians 1.23).Revelation 21 and 22 reminds us that the day is coming when God's hiddennesswill be no more! The Lamb of God will be enthroned and God and the Lamb will bethe Light and Lamp of the nations (Revelation 21.23). Hidden and unacknowledgedwill be the things of the past as God, His plan and purpose to unite all things underthe rule of Christ will be acknowledged by all who ever lived.'At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow ... and every tongue confess that JesusChrist is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' (Philippians 2.10,11).

– David Cook

VOLUME 79 NUMBER 4

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‘A Sovereign Protector I Have ...’

A key factor behind the popularity of Islamic State's Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi(also known as Caliph Ibrahim) is that he champions a whole new narrative. Al‐Qaeda has long fuelled its fighters on a narrative of victimhood. Baghdadi on theother hand fuels his fighters on a narrative of strength and victory. While al‐Qaedaoffers its fighters the prospect of a long war against oppressors, Islamic State offersits fighters what Allah promised: success!IS regularly publishes a glossy propaganda magazine called DABIQ, the prin‐cipal aim of which is to recruit jihadists from the West. It is sophisticated, slick,beautifully produced and printed in several languages, including English. The Clar-ion Project is one of several groups to maintain a DABIQ archive. In keeping withthe IS narrative, DABIQ magazine is filled with images of Islamic success. Imagesof sunny idyllic gardens hosting frolicking Muslim children and handsome youngjihadis in military fatigues petting fluffy kittens are juxtaposed with pictures ofthe 'enemy' – usually Western political and military figures – and graphic imagesof obscene violence: burning 'apostates', beheaded infidels, rotting corpses and scenes of carnage from the bat‐tlefield. The overall message is that true Muslims are not victims, they are winners! So, to quote the Islamic call toprayer, 'hasten to success'. By this means IS has recruited hundreds of thousands of global Muslims to its cause.Until now, DABIQ has always targeted Muslims and focused on politics (for Islam is primarily and inherentlypolitical). However, the latest issue published on 31 July, targets Christians and focuses on Christianity. First, itpresents Allah as Creator and Islam (submission to Allah) as the natural religion of humanity. It then delves intoa lengthy treatise on historic responses to Islam before asserting that the choice facing Christians remains thesame: they can convert to Islam, surrender and accept subjugation and humiliation under Islam, or resist Islamand face war/jihad. It attacks Western civilisation, crediting its decline, not to a rejection of Christianity, but toChristianity itself which it decries as deviant, blasphemous and essentially pagan, incapable of discerning rightfrom wrong. It also includes four articles by Muslim converts from Christianity, three of which are clearly aimedat drawing disillusioned nominal Christians and secular Westerners into Islam which, unlike Christianity, is pre‐sented as principled, pure and the path to peace.While one 'face' of this magazine is seductive, the other is as savage as its title: Break The Cross. The ChristianScriptures are denounced as corrupted, the Christian Church is slandered as pagan, and Christians are identifiedas those to be hated and fought. A four‐page article entitled Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You should be re‐quired reading for all the West's 'progressive' elite. 'We hate you,' it says, equating all disbelieving Westernerswith Christians, 'because you are unbelievers ... [and] because your secular, liberal societies permit the very thingsthat Allah has prohibited while banning many of the things He has permitted ... We hate you for your crimes againstIslam ... As long as your subjects continue to mock our faith, insult theprophets of Allah ... burn the Quran, and openly vilify the laws of theShari'ah, we will continue to retaliate, not with slogans and placards,but with bullets and knives ... The fact is, even if you were to stop bomb‐ing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands,we would continue to hate you because our primary reason for hatingyou will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam ... We fight you inorder to bring you out from the darkness of disbelief and into the lightof Islam ... [so] accept reality and recognise that we will never stop hat‐ing you until you embrace Islam.' The final article entitled By The Sword includes a shocking, ex-tremely graphic image. It affirms that Islam is to be spread by meansof the sword, by means of jihad, by means of fighting and that this is 'anobligation found in the Quran'.This issue of DABIQ, which also spends six glossy pages glorifyingIS's global terrorist operations, can be expected to trigger an es-calation in attacks on churches and Christians everywhere.

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page ThreeNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Three

MATTERS FOR PRAYER:MATTERS FOR PRAYER:

Islamic State Magazine Targets Christians And Christianity

PLEASE PRAY:• May evil be exposed, recognised asevil, and rejected. 'Beware of falseprophets, who come to you in sheep'sclothing but inwardly are ravenouswolves. ... You will recognise them bytheir fruits.' (Matthew 7.15‐20 ESV).• May minds be awakened to realityand truth and hearts made receptive tothe Gospel.• May the Church be revived and sancti‐fied: flooded with faith, bolstered withboldness and infused with urgency forprayer and mission. 'I will build mychurch, and the gates of hell shall notprevail against it.' (Matthew 16.18).

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of Turn Back The Battle: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today (Deror Books,Melbourne, Australia, Dec 2012) which offers a Biblical response to persecution and existential threat;and After Saturday Comes Sunday: Understanding The Christian Crisis In The Middle East (Wipf and Stock,Eugene, OR, USA, June 2016). See www.ElizabethKendal.com

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page FourNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Four

Olympic Athlete Eloise Wellings Looking Forward To RioEloise Wellings is competing in the Rio Olympics asa middle‐distance runner, but she has had a long roadto the Games, including three thwarted attempts to rep‐resent Australia at the Olympic Games.Eternity News reports that Eloise was just 16 yearsold when she first qualified for the SydneyOlympics, but her Olympic dream was cut short whenshe suffered a stress fracture to her hip just three weeksafter qualifying.At her school, a girl told Eloise she and her friendsat church were praying for her, so she went to churchwith her new friend, Lisa. ‘Hearing about Jesus and His unconditional love and grace for me,’ says Eloise, ‘I receivedChrist and have never looked back.’ She also missed out on the Athens and Beijing Olympics due to injury.In Rio to run the 10,000m and 5000m, the 33‐year‐old says she wants to be bold to share her faith with otherathletes. – Eternity News at biblesociety.org.au

FAITH NEWS FAITH NEWS ...... With Stan HuntWith Stan Hunt

Help For Kids Emerging From Foster CareSydney’s Wesley Mission is setting up a unique sup‐port program in north‐western Sydney for youngpeople leaving foster care. Wesley Herring Houseand Wesley Lynford Lodge are being renewed to ac‐commodate up to 22 young people. Young peoplein the program will be committed to a journey ofpersonal development and achievement. They willreceive 24‐hour support and ongoing case manage‐ment as they study or seek work, and learn lifeskills like cooking and budgeting. Builders, trades‐people and other industry supporters are donatingtheir time and resources to the project during therenovation which is expected to be completed nextyear. – Wesley MissionHow To Be Involved In Ending PovertyFood For The Hungry is sharing a new e‐book with10 ways people can help to end poverty around theworld. The free book, 10 Creative Ways To EndPoverty, features the stories of people using theirgifts and talents to support the ministry. This is thenewest addition to Food For The Hungry’s array of

free resources which are available on their websitehttps://fh.org/ – MNNSRE For The OutbackRemote schools across western NSW are being ap‐proached about the possibility of introducing Spe‐cial Religious Education classes by distanceeducation. Generate Ministries is teaming up withBush Church Aid to offer scripture lessons inschools where they are currently not offered. JamesFlavin, the general manager of Generate Ministriessays currently only 60‐70% of NSW school stu‐dents have access to SRE lessons, which ‘leavesopen a massive deficit of students who don’t havethe opportunity.’ Part of the plan is that the classeswould be taught from a school in Dubbo, andbroadcast to the schools via the NSW Departmentof Education intranet. Initially, the lessons will com‐prise short videos of teaching, interviews withChristians from the region and worksheets engag‐ing with the lesson material. Bibles have been sup‐plied by the Bible Society for the program.

– Eternity News at biblesociety.org.au

‘A Door, Open And Effectual’ Opens In ChinaChinese education is changing as more Christian schools open new locations in the Communistcountry. Despite government restrictions on religion, Western and Chinese Christians are work-ing together to provide students with education based on biblical truths. Sean Elgut, who wasthe headmaster at a Christian Academy in the USA, has moved to China with his wife, Maria, toreach out to the younger Chinese generation. Mr Elgut says although many Chinese are atheist,or Buddhist, most parents are open to Christianity. ‘Chinese parents start to realize Christian ed-ucation is beyond text books,’ he says. The parents want their children to live with faith, and theyare begging us to teach them about Jesus.’ Students are taught Christian values in the classroom,while the teachers spend quality time with them in the hope of leading them to Christ. As moreChinese students enrol in Christian schools, more parents are becoming involved with localChristians. – CBN Christian World News

David Boudia and Steele Johnson won a silver medal for theUnited States on 8 August – and then proclaimed the name of Christto a national television audience. Boudia and Johnson won silver inmen's synchronized 10‐metre platform, giving Boudia his third all‐time Olympic medal and Johnson his first.Boudia's faith has been well-known to the sports world – he co‐wrote a book, Greater Than Gold, about his faith – although manyviewers likely didn't know much about Johnson, who was in tearsafter the duo learned they were second. ‘There's been an enormousamount of pressure. I've felt it,’ Boudia told an NBC national audience.‘It's just an identity crisis. When my mind is on this [diving], and I'mthinking I'm defined by this, then my mind goes crazy. But we bothknow that our identity is in Christ, and we're thankful for this oppor‐tunity to be able to dive in front of Brazil and in front of the UnitedStates and the world. It's been an absolutely thrilling moment for us.’Johnson agreed. ‘The way David just described it was flawless – thefact that I was going into this event knowing that my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the resultof this competition is just gave me peace ... and it let me enjoy the contest,’ Johnson told NBC. ‘If somethingwent great, I was happy. If something didn't go great, I could still find joy because I'm at the Olympicscompeting with the best person, the best mentor – just one of the best people to be around. God's givenus a cool opportunity, and I'm glad I could come away with an Olympic silver medal in my first‐everevent.’Boudia's Twitter feed reads simply: ‘Follower of Christ, Psalm 115.1. Husband. Father. Olympic Cham‐pion Diver.’ He won a gold and bronze at his first Olympics in 2012.Johnson's feed reads: ‘Christ Follower. 2016 Olympian. Cinematographer.’

– Rio De Janeiro Christian Examiner

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page FiveNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Five

FAITH TO THE FORE ...FAITH TO THE FORE ...

Donvale (Vic) Presbyterian ChurchDonvale (Vic) Presbyterian ChurchVacancy For Assistant PastorVacancy For Assistant Pastor

Donvale Presbyterian Church is seeking to appoint an Assistant Pastor to its Pastoral team. DPC is part of the Presbyterian Church of Aus-tralia, holding to the reformed evangelical faith. DPC is situated in the heart of a growing cross-cultural demographic in the eastern suburbs ofMelbourne. The church has a fruitful outreach among migrants through its English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program.The Assistant Pastor will provide Christ-centered leadership to youth and young adults and will share responsibility for the development andconduct of effective cross-cultural outreach in bringing the Gospel of Salvation to these communities. The suitable candidate will have the ability to preach and teach the Scriptures; will have demonstrated effective ministry skills in youth andcross-cultural ministries and will seek wholeheartedly to engage in the outreach programs of the church. A dual English-Mandarin speakingbackground would be an advantage. Applicants with theological training will be given preference. Ability to communicate and work well withthe pastoral staff and ministry leaders is essential. The AP will work under the direct supervision of the Senior Pastor and will be responsibleto him in the discharge of their duties.Please send your resume with contact details for two referees to Rev Gerald Vanderwert ( [email protected] ) or mobile 0414407 404). All applications and enquiries will be treated in confidence. Applications close on 5 September 2016. Early indication of your interestby 25 August will be appreciated.

‘To know Christ and to make Him known.’‘To know Christ and to make Him known.’

Boudia And Johnson Proclaim Christ After Winning Olympic Silver

David Boudia (right) and Steele Johnson

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page SixNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Six

Concessions that mean Cairn’s MP Rob Pyne’s abortion ‘till birth’ bill is dead, has been welcomedby the Australian Christian Lobby. ACL spokesperson for human rights for the unborn, Wendy Francis,said it was good to see pro‐abortion members of the Queensland Parliament expressing their oppositionto late term abortion. ‘Judging by the mood of this week’s Parliamentary hearings and comments frompro‐abortion MPs, it is clear that abortion “till birth” is not supported,’ Ms Francis said.‘MPs still wishing to see changes to abortion law now need to explain to the community where theywould draw the line in determining whether an unborn baby lives or dies,’ she says. ‘After 40 years ofliberal abortion policy, we are now seeing public and political opinion acknowledge that late term abor‐tion is wrong. The dilemma now is where the line for life or death is drawn.’Ms Francis said pro-life groups in Queensland had done a tremendous job in heading off Mr Pyne’spush for Victorian‐style abortion laws which allow babies to be killed right up to birth for no medicalreason. ‘The Pyne bill process has revealed harrowing stories of babies born alive after botched abortionsgasping for air and being allowed to die,’ she said. ‘Things cannot be the same for the abortion industryin Queensland after what we have learned.’Ms Francis has written to the coroner seeking clarification on whether or not two cases of healthy ba‐bies born alive after failed abortions, had been investigated.

Death Of Pyne Bill Puts Onus On Pro-Abortion MPs To Say Where They Would Draw The LineCHURCH AND NATIONCHURCH AND NATION

We’re Encouraged!We’re Encouraged!One Of Australia’s Major Mission Agencies has advised us they send each edition of

New Life around to everyone in the office and the members of their National Council.

Who Can YOU Forward Who Can YOU Forward New LifeNew Life To?To?

Who Can YOU Forward Who Can YOU Forward New Life New Life To?To?

The Olympic Games has provided a rare opportunity for the Gospel, according to Tim Pritcher ofAthletes in Action. The Athletes in Action chaplain team has around 100 diverse and multilingual staffmembers in Rio engaging athletes and families, offering Bibles and being a spiritual encouragement.Mr Pritcher says it’s a very strategic opportunity to spread the Gospel. He says the role of a chaplainis to serve and meet the needs of the athletes and their families. Everything from chapel services to Biblestudy and prayer time to helping meet practical and social needs. The Olympics are such a unique op‐portunity, he says, because the athletes train for three or four years for this one moment in time. ‘There’sa lot of stress, a lot of emotion, a lot of anxiety. Chaplains help athletes process through that. They remindthem that through a personal relationship with Christ, their value and their identity is based on whatGod says about them, and not what their coaches say.Since the 2016 Summer Olympics kicked off their opening ceremonies, the world’s eyes have beenfixated on Rio de Janeiro to enjoy the competitive feats by 207 Olympic teams (representing 206 countriesplus the Refugee Olympic Team). And in the midst of this athletic competition that gathers people fromaround the globe is a unique evangelism opportunity that only comes once every other year — one thatAthletes in Action is fully engaged in.Athletes in Action is a partner ministry of The JESUS Film Project. The Athletes in Action team hasaround 100 diverse and multilingual staff members engaging athletes and families and being a spiritualencouragement. ‘They’re here to be able to minister to the athletes from their country or their languagegroup and really try through some initiative evangelism to be able to meet with them, resource them, soif they go back home, they’re going to have copies of God’s Word that they can get through security andcustoms that a normal missionary might not,’ shares Pitcher. ‘[When] Rio finishes and they all start goinghome, the Gospel seeds will be spread on all the various lives as they’re going home to their final desti‐nations. It’s a very strategic opportunity to equip and spread the Gospel.’ – Mission Network News

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page SevenNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Seven

A GOSPEL VISION AT THE OLYMPICSA GOSPEL VISION AT THE OLYMPICS

Christians – ‘Taking Every Opportunity’ – Providing Witness At Games

Elizabeth Kendal’s New Book ...War! Destruction! Violent Persecution!

Martyrdom! Forced Displacement!For hundreds of thousands of now destituteChristian families, this is the new reality.Yet contrary to all appearances, God is at workin the Middle East and you are invitedto join Him.‘Kendal’s book is a godsend to anyone who isat a loss to understand what lies behind thesuffering in the Middle East. Drawing on authoritativevoices from the region, her clear-eyed analysis untanglesthe conflicts with the heart and insight of a prophet. She gives a sober-ing account of the West’s complicity in the atrocities – and what we cando to bring healing in a crisis as appalling as is the indifference to it.’

– Jeff M. Sellers, Editor, Persecution News Service, Morning Star News.For more information, including purchasing options see:

www.ElizabethKendal.com

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page EightNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Eight

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Mission To Seafarers Unveils Historic Exhibition Celebrating 100 Years Of HistoryThe Mission to Seafarers Victoria has opened an entirely new exhibition, featuring historical itemsunseen by the public. Discovered ten years ago in the bowels of the site’s Flying Angel Club and painstak‐ingly put together by dedicated historians, Early Origins is a collection of undiscovered stories of Mel‐bourne’s maritime history.Open to the public from 28 July, Early Origins exhibition will be a permanent collection of historicalartefacts, photography and documents that uncover the untold tales of the Mission to Seafarers and thePort of Melbourne. The exhibition comes at a significant time for the Mission which will celebrate 160years of operation in Melbourne next year, responding to the unique circumstances of those who liveand work at sea.The exhibition spans the entire operational areas of Mission to Seafarers site, encouraging visitorsto explore the premises for themselves; discovering historical gems room‐to‐room, guided by wayfindingsignage. The exhibition features heritage interpretation panels and a number of display cases containinghistorical artefacts stretching beyond the Mission’s 100 years of operation from the now heritage listedbuilding complex at 717 Flinders Street, purpose built for seafarers in 1917. Early Origins representsthe largest and most complete collection of material relating to seafarers’ welfare in Australia, as well asthe largest and most complete collection of material relating to the international organisation ‘The Mis‐sions to Seafarers’ in the country.Mission to Seafarers CEO Andrea Fleming says the exhibition is the culmination of years of hard workfrom dedicated volunteers and provides unexpected insights into the depths of Melbourne’s maritimepast. ‘We discovered the items by pure coincidence,’ she says, ‘and when we started cataloguing them,we were captivated by the stories they told about the people who came here. Not just the seamen whowere welcomed from across the world, but also the hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life acrossVictoria.’ The exhibition is open from 11am to 6pm daily at 771 Flinders St, Melbourne.

VISITING MELBOURNE?You’re welcome at The Faith Factory:

ST KILDA: Cnr Alma Rd/Barkly St. Every Sunday 11am & 7pm;Living Stones Korean Presbyterian Church. Every Sunday 1pm;

BALACLAVA: Cnr Hotham St/Denman Rd. Every Sunday 9.30am.MINISTER: Rev Bob Thomas 0417 592 646

You’re Welcome At The Faith Factory– A Friendly, Caring, Bible-Believing Christian Fellowship –

For more than a decade, Michael Phelps’ has been inthe spotlight for not only his gift of swimming, but also hisunfortunate battle with substance abuse. Many are quickto label Phelps — the most decorated Olympic athlete of alltime, winning 22 medals — 18 of them gold in swimming— as another ‘punk’ athlete caught in a downward spiralof poor decisions. However, the 31‐year‐old swimmer re‐cently revealed how he almost committed suicide in Sep‐tember 2014 — but everything changed when God steppedinto his life in the most extraordinary way.‘I was a train wreck. I was like a time bomb, waiting togo off. I had no self‐esteem, no self‐worth. There weretimes where I didn’t want to be here. It was not good. I feltlost,’ Phelps revealed. Phelps ‘hit rock bottom’ after gettingarrested for drunk driving on 30 September 2014 — mark‐ing his second DUI arrest within 10 years. Shortly before his arrest, a controversial photo had also emerged show‐ing him smoking an illegal substance.In the days following the incident, Phelps isolated himself in his bedroom in his Baltimore home, consideringsuicide. At that time, Phelps claimed he was thinking, ‘This is the end of my life … How many times will I mess up?Maybe the world would be a better place without me.’ While isolating himself, Phelps didn’t eat, and hardly sleptfor at least a week as he continued pondering the idea of killing himself. That’s when God sent him a miracle inthe most heartwarming way …Phelps’ long-time friend, NFL star Ray Lewis, an outspoken Christian, came to his rescue. Before convincingPhelps to enter rehab, Lewis shared a few wise words with his brother in Christ. ‘This is when we fight. This iswhen real character shows up. Don’t shut down. If you shut down we all lose,’ Lewis told Phelps.Thankfully, Phelps heeded his Christian friend’s advice and entered the rehab facility. However, it was theshocking gift from Lewis that Phelps packed with him that had the most profound impact on him. When Phelpswent to rehab, he entered carrying The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren — his gift from Lewis. After readingThe Purpose Driven Life for a couple days at rehab, Phelps called Lewis. ‘Man this book is crazy! The thing that’sgoing on … oh my gosh … my brain, I can’t thank you enough, man. You saved my life,’ Phelps told Lewis with ex‐citement.In a recent interview with ESPN Magazine, Phelps explained that the Christian book ‘turned me into believingthere is a power greater than myself and there is a purpose for me on this planet. The Christian book also convincedPhelps to make amends with his estranged father, Fred, who divorced his wife when Phelps was just nine yearsold. For Phelps, Chapter 20 of The Purpose Driven Life weighed heavily on his heart. The chapter begins with 2Corinthians 5.18, which reads: ‘(God) has restored our relationship with Him through Christ, and has given us theministry of restoring relationships.’ When Phelps and his father saw each other for the first time in years, theyembraced in a big hug. ‘I didn’t want to have that “what if.” I didn’t want to go through life without having thechance to share emotions I wanted to share with him. That’s what I missed as a kid,’ Phelps said.Little did Phelps know then, God was about to change his life in even more extraordinary ways. After leavingrehab in November 2014, Phelps resumed training for the Rio Olympics. Three months later, Phelps asked hislong‐time girlfriend, Nicole Johnson, to be his wife. On 5 May 2015 the couple received their greatest blessingwhen Boomer Robert, their first child, was born.Phelps proved he still has what it takes to be a legend in multiple events, swimming the fastest 200 metreindividual medley, 100 metre butterfly and 200 metre butterfly at the 2015 US National Championships. Whilethe champion was celebrating his 31st birthday on 30 June, Phelps qualified in three individual distances, pluspossibly three relays for the US Olympic swimming team in Rio.Michael Phelps’ testimony illustrates the salvation and peace that can only be found in Jesus Christ. Whenthe devil tried to detour Phelps’ Olympic dreams with substance abuse and family problems, God sent him a miraclein the form of a Christian book given to him by his brother in Christ. Phelps’ restored Christian faith empoweredhim to persevere and reach heights most athletes will never see.Let’s keep Michael Phelps in our prayers as he competes in his final Olympics! His testimony is sharing themessage of Jesus Christ in the most healing and powerful way, at a time when the world needs it now more thanever. God bless him! – ASSIST News Service

‘THIS IS MY STORY ...’‘THIS IS MY STORY ...’

NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page NineNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Nine

Michael Phelps Takes A Turn – To Jesus

An international summit set to address Christian persecution is movingfrom Russia to America after the Kremlin passed a law banning evangelismoutside state‐monitored settings. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Associationwas due to hold its World Summit In Defence Of Persecuted Christians con‐ference in Moscow in May 2017 but has now moved it to Washington DC.The Russian legislation, which came in last month, bans religiouspreaching and teaching outside churches and other locations which are gov‐ernment‐approved. Russia says the law is designed to protect against terrorism, however some RussianChristians have said it paves the way for the mass persecution of believers.Critics have also likened it to communist Russia, where similar restrictions were placed on Christi‐anity and the state was officially atheist. Representatives of more than 100 countries are due at nextyear's BGEA summit with individuals giving testimonies of persecution they or others they know havefaced.Franklin Graham, President of BGEA, said on Facebook: ‘Earlier this year I announced that the BillyGraham Evangelistic Association would hold the World Summit in Defence of Persecuted Christians, thefirst event of its kind in Moscow. We were looking forward to this significant event being held in Russiabecause no‐one knows modern Christian persecution better than the church that suffered under com‐munist rule. However, just a few weeks ago Russia passed a law that severely limits Christians' freedoms.It seems that every week we learn of another example from a part of the globe that shows how criticallywe need to have this World Summit in Defence of Persecuted Christians, which will now take place 10‐13May , 2017 in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of Christian leaders, advocates, and persecution victimsfrom all around the world will come together to address the atrocities being done to those who professthe Name of Jesus Christ.’

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FROM ALL QUARTERS ...FROM ALL QUARTERS ...

TURN BACK THE BATTLE:TURN BACK THE BATTLE:Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today.Isaiah Speaks to Christians Today.With persecution escalating globally, Elizabeth Kendal calls us to revisit the prophecy of Isaiah, maintaining that Isaiah 1-39 provides an unambiguous treatise on how God's people are to respond to persecution, suffering and existential threat.

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Contact Mignon. Contact Mignon. Email: [email protected]: [email protected]

Glorious Things – A Protestant’s Guide To London

• Revised! • Updated! • Illustrated! • Now Available As An e-Book!Glorious Things will help visitors to London

arrive well prepared to make the most of their time there.The guided tours will take you to places like Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral,

but Glorious Things will take you to important sites linked to our Protestant heritage.COST: $10 for the PDF version, with the right to print two hard copies.

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BSB: 033-112; A/c No: 16-8239 (Please also notify us by email).

Anti-Persecution Summit Moves From Russia After Preaching Ban

Christian Solidarity Worldwide has expressed concern about thethreat posed by extremists to Pakistan’s legal community following thebombing of the Civil Hospital in Quetta on 8 August, which left 70 peo‐ple dead, mostly lawyers who had gathered there to mourn the deathof the president of the Balochistan Bar Association, Bilal Anwar Kasi.He had been assassinated on his way to court earlier the same day.Those killed in the blast included the former president of the BBA,Baaz Muhammad Khan Kakar, the former General Secretary of the BBA,Bashir Zehri, and Daud Kasi, the Chairman of the BBA Executive Com‐mittee. Several others killed in the blast were nominees for senior po‐sitions in the upcoming BBA elections on 13 August. The militant group,Jamaat‐ur‐Ahrar, which is a split from Tehreek‐e‐Taliban Pakistan, have admitted responsibility for theattack. The blast also claimed the lives of two journalists and several civilians.Mr Kasi had condemned the recent killings and had called for a boycott of the court proceedings.Lawyers in Balochistan have been the target of violent extremism in the past decade. A number of femaleand constitutional lawyers have been gunned down on account of their work. After a country visit in2012, the Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, noted thatmembers of the legal profession were at serious risk of threats, attacks and killings by militant groups.Stating that the State had not provided any protection to secure their lives and safety, she had emphasisedthat the protection of lawyers is of utmost importance. – Christian Solidarity Worldwide

SYRIA: Christians Gravely Imperilled In AleppoThe battle for Aleppo is about to escalate. In late JulySyrian government and loyalist forces severed the sup‐ply‐line into rebel‐held eastern Aleppo. They besiegedthe rebel stronghold while opening humanitarian cor‐ridors so that civilians and surrendering fighters mightleave. With rebels calling the escape routes a trap, mostchose to stay. On 31 July the rebels launched a counter‐offensive in south‐western Aleppo and by 6 August hadbroken through the siege. Western media are applaud‐ing what is actually a major victory for al Qaeda in Syria.The rebels are fighting with the al‐Qaeda‐led Jaysh al‐Fatah and are threatening to take their jihad into gov‐ernment‐held western Aleppo and to capture the wholecity. This is home to some 40,000 remnant Christians.Please pray for God's intervention in Aleppo.ALGERIA: Christian Gets Maximum Sentence For‘Blasphemy’A Christian in Algeria has been sentenced to five yearsin prison – the maximum term – and given a heavy finefor blasphemy against Islam and its prophet, for a socialmedia post. Slimane Bouhafs, 49, appeared before ajudge on 7 Augst in the eastern town of Setif (300kmfrom Algiers, the capital) in the Kabylie region. He wasarrested on 31 July for posting a message on socialmedia about the light of Jesus overcoming the ‘lie’ ofIslam and its prophet. He also published photos show‐ing the execution of a civilian by an Islamist terrorist.Such material is judged by the authorities to insultIslam, the state religion in Algeria, according to its Con‐stitution. The penal code provides for a penalty of threeto five years in prison, along with a heavy fine, against

anyone convicted of insulting Islam and Muhammad, itsprophet. The Vice‐President of the Algerian League forthe Defence of Human Rights, Said Salhi, denouncedwhat he called ‘this attack’ on the guarantees of freedomof conscience and worship enshrined in Algeria’s Con‐stitution. The news of his sentence was a shock for hisfamily, who denounced what they called a ‘sham’ trial ofthe man who became a Christian in 1997, and who wasbaptised in 2006. His daughter, Afaf, described her fa‐ther as a man who has always defended the interests ofhis country from a young age. She said he is known forhis commitment to democracy and religious freedom inall his writings published on his Facebook page. ThePresident of the Protestant Church of Algeria says itslawyer will appeal the verdict. – World Watch MonitorCONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC: Christians KilledIn Eastern RegionAccording to World Watch Monitor, on 5 July unknownmen armed with guns and machetes attacked threeChristian communities near Oicha in the predominantlyChristian eastern part of the DRC. They looted homesand stole livestock, killing at least nine people. WorldWatch Monitor adds that, according to local NGOs, over1,000 people have been killed in eastern DRC betweenOctober 2014 and May 2016. Nearly 1,500 people havebeen abducted and more than 34,000 forcibly displaced.Women and children have also been the target of sexualviolence. Pray that God will wrap His loving armsaround the family and friends of those who have lostloved ones in recent attacks on Christians in easternDRC. Pray that the Prince of Peace will change the heartsof the men of violence. – Barnabas Fund

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PERSECUTION WATCH

PAKISTAN: Lawyers Increasingly Threatened By Extremist Attacks

Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin falls into three sections:1. vv 2–16: the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.2. vv 17–43: Moses and the Law – in which he deals with the charge of blas‐pheming against Moses.3. vv 44–50: the Temple and the charge of blaspheming against God.Stephen provides a review of Israel’s history to show that Israel has alwaysrejected God’s messengers, culminating in the murder of God’s Righteous One(v 52). It is similar to Psalms 78 and 107:• vv 2–16 recount the golden age of Israel and yet even here there is rejectionof Joseph (vv 9,10).• vv 17–43 where Israel rejected Moses (vv 27–29) and turned their back on him, mak‐ing the golden calf (v 41). Stephen is being accused of blasphemy of Moses, yet Israel’s history is one ofrejection of Moses (v 49).• vv 44–50 relate to blasphemy against God. Solomon built God’s house (v 47) and yet the idea of Godbeing tied to a place is rejected (vv 49–50, cf. Isaiah 66.1–22), Solomon having said as much (2 Chronicles6.18ff).Stephen makes it clear that God cannot be localized. He was with Abraham in Mesopotamia (v 2),with Joseph in Egypt (v 9), and with Moses at Mt Sinai (v 30). He could not be limited to a calf, a taber‐nacle, or a temple—he is the pilgrim God.As to blasphemy against Moses, the nation has always been guilty of that. As to blasphemy against

God, Israel has not only localized God to the temple but, at the same time,has rejected God’s true temple, the Lord Jesus, for it is in Him that Godand people meet. In vv 51–53, Stephen describes Israel’s leaders withGentile descriptions. They have always been consistent in rejecting God’smessengers, despite the advantage of receiving God’s law (v 53).Here is a speech for the defence, but as in Peter and John’s appearancebefore the Sanhedrin in chapter 4, Stephen is on the attack. It is his ac‐cusers who are being accused.Why does Luke give so much space to the speech? Probably for tworeasons. First, because of its place in the wider context. The death ofStephen will be the event which causes a major advance of the Gospelto Gentile lands. Secondly, we see a model defence of pure Christianityin the face of Jewish antagonism.

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ACTS ACTS –– A JOURNEY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTHA JOURNEY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH –– DAVID COOKDAVID COOK

Stephen – Witnessing In The Face Of Death ACTS 7.1-53

FORREFLECTION:In what ways is the experi‐ence of Stephen, the church’sfirst martyr, like that ofChrist?Does God still deal with peo‐ple the way He dealt with Is‐rael in vv 39–43? Note v 42,God ‘gave them over’, andsee Romans

Content taken from 'ACTS –To The Ends Of The Earth' by David Cook, published by 10Publishing, used with permission.

John 14.27.John 14.27.Peace.Peace.

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NEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page ThirteenNEW LIFE – 15 August 2016 – Page Thirteen

LIGHT FROM OLD TIMES, J.C. Ryle, Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 2016.‘The more I read, the less I admire modern theology,’ wrote Bishop J.C. Ryle. ‘The more I study theproductions of the new schools of theological teachers, the more I marvel that men and women can besatisfied with such writing. In matters of theology, “the old is better”.’One of the most disconcerting features of contemporary western ‘Evangelicalism’ is the widespreadignorance among God’s people of the amazing history of Christ’s visible church. Among the most usefuland edifying decisions we ever undertook as a congregation in my first pastorate was to devote the min‐istry of our one, centralised, mid‐week Bible study to the subject of ‘Church History’. Our approach wassimple, we would work our way through, what is in essence ‘our’ history, from the time of the Apostlesto the then 20th Century, and do so ‘biographically’, that is by studying the lives of the men and womenwho proved to be the key figures, either good or bad, of each successive age.I had read very little of J.C. Ryle at that stage and was only just discoveringBanner of Truth and their publications. Since then Banner books have proveda ‘God‐send’ in my life and ministry, not least because of their capacity to bringalive for the reader the great works of Christ on behalf of His people in everyage, often in spite of the most spiritually difficult and dangerous of situations.2016 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of J.C. Ryle, one time An‐glican Bishop of Liverpool. Several new biographies have been published in‐cluding an edition of Ryle’s Autobiography – The Early Years edited by AndrewAtherstone. Several of Ryle’s classic titles have undergone reprints, one ofwhich is Light From Old Times, subtitled Protestant Facts And Men.This most valuable book is essentially a collection of lectures and papers de‐livered by Ryle to various groups in various situations over a period of about30 years.A major thrust of many of these is Ryle’s passionate desire to instil in hisreaders an appreciation for the doctrinal legacy of the Protestant Reforma‐tion. He does this by describing both the price paid and the fruit borne by itsapplication in the lives and teaching of many of her most faithful ministersand martyrs. Many of these men’s lives, deaths and intervening stories werenothing short of heroic when it came to faithfulness to Christ and His witness.Of particular concern to Ryle is the need to warn against any subtle accom‐modation of Roman Catholic theology within the Church of England of his day,but the principles highlighted are of constant relevance and may be appliedin a great many of our own situations and circumstances in the present day.Essentially this book is a tremendously challenging warning and stimulus tokeep the Gospel in the ascendancy in our corporate and personal lives and inevery church ministry in every age. ‘Take away the Gospel from the church and the church is not worth pre-serving, a well without water, a scabbard without a sword, a steam enginewithout a fire, a ship without a compass and rudder, a watch without a main‐spring, a stuffed carcase without life, all these are useless things. But there isnothing so useless as a church without the Gospel. And this is the very ques‐tion that stares us in the face.’ (Page 45.)This book need not and, probably, should not be read at one sitting, butrather chapter by chapter, allowing the implications of the truth and testi‐monies set before us to be mulled over, considered deeply, tested againstwhatever prevailing Christian culture we are part of, and the lessons dis‐cerned to seep into our consciousness and be applied in our private & publictestimony for Christ. I highly recommend it as superb source of supremelyrelevant yet, sadly, long neglected historical and spiritual facts.

– Julian Bull

‘Take awaythe Gospelfromthe churchand thechurchis notworthpreserving... there isnothingso uselessas a churchwithoutthe Gospel.’– J.C. Ryle

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EXTENDING THE GOSPEL UMBRELLA ...EXTENDING THE GOSPEL UMBRELLA ...

Ramon A Wi l l iamsRamon A Wi l l iams

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attributed to Worldwide Photos by contacting

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SAT-7’s channel for Turkish-speaking viewers is nowavailable to 4-5 million people via a private subscriptiontelevision service. SAT‐7 TÜRK, which became the first Chris‐tian channel on Turkey’s national satellite, Türksat, at the be‐ginning of 2015, is now also available on D‐Smart. The digitalsubscription service broadcasts its own channels, with SAT‐7 TÜRK becoming the 157th in its listings. It comes amidstheightened anxieties in Turkey following the failed coup by members of the military on 15 July. Broad‐casting Manager Gökhan Talas says, ‘This is an important new step for SAT‐7 TÜRK. It continues to be amiracle that our channel can broadcast. These are difficult days for our country, but this is one of thereasons we are here and serving the people. God is working.’A SAT 7 spokesperson says: ‘The beauty and mysteriousness of God gives us hope and joy. There is areason why SAT‐7 TÜRK is here. There are no other channels on Türksat that speak of the hope we have.No‐one else talks about love and joy. Other channels show tension and violence, which spreads fear. Weare the only alternative.’ Calling for prayer, SAT‐7’s CEO Dr Terence Ascott says: ‘Pray that the Christiansin Turkey will not only be protected but be salt and light to help bring healing to the country at this trou‐bled time. Pray also that broadcasts will go out uninterrupted. There were some hours when the channelwas off air on 15 July because the Türksat broadcast centre came under pressure from coup organisers.And thirdly, pray for Turkey.’• NETWORK 2017, SAT-7’s annual NETWORK conference, will be held from 29–31 March 2017 inBeirut, Lebanon. WSAT‐7 will share with you how God is continuing to use satellite television to bringhope and love into the homes of millions across the Middle East and North Africa. Terence Ascot says:‘We look forward to seeing you there!’ Go to [email protected] for more information.

New Audience For SAT-7 Türk

Websites Worth Watching: https://australia.thegospelcoalition.orgFull of helpful articles, including 7 Things I Wish People Knew About … Sermon Illustrations by Mike Raiter

‘At my first defence no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be chargedagainst them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me themessage might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescuedfrom the lion’s mouth.The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His Heavenly King-dom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.’ (2 Timothy 4.16-18)

Sometimes you just have to go it alone. The old spiritual teaches us to sing, ‘You gotta walk that lone‐some valley, you gotta walk it by yourself, oh, nobody else can walk it for you, you gotta walk it by your‐self ’.There are such times:• When you are in the MRI or CAT scan machine.• When you are the only Christian at the family gathering.• When you are the only believer in the office.• When you are in deepest distress and have no comforter.• When, as John Henry Jowett put it, ‘life tumbles in’.• When you are alone in the house on the first few nights after the death of a spouse.• When you walk the last steps through the valley of the shadow of death.Paul tells us his own experience of having to go it alone. From his account we can find help for ourown times of going it alone.I. THE REALITY: ‘At my first defence no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me.’Many make the mistake of thinking that Paul did not love people or need them in his life, perhaps be‐cause they consider he was a scholar and an intellectual, or a strong‐willed leader. But that is too simpleand superficial a reading of the apostle, as he shows here that he keenly felt it when he did not havehuman support and encouragement.Paul is describing his ‘first defence’, which was something like a ‘preliminary hearing’. Before the fulltrial a defendant was allowed to have supporters present and even to have people speak on his behalf.He was in Rome and in Rome there was a significant church that had received perhaps the greatest of allPaul’s letters and with which he had established a relationship during his first imprisonment. Wherewere the Christians who were members of the church in Rome when Paul needed them? Not there. Why?We don’t know. Perhaps it was nothing worse than fear. These were ‘Nero times’ and the Neronian per‐secutions had commenced. But for whatever reason they did not come to Paul’s defence.It is hard and painful to have to face trial alone. It is even harder when people could be there for youbut are not. It is even worse when the people who could be there for you, but aren’t, are Christians. Per‐haps you have experienced one or more times facing a trial when you longed for a defender, or at least acompanion, and you found yourself utterly alone. People said to you, as it were, or perhaps to your face,‘You’re on your own this time.’ But notice how Paul is not vindictive about their failure from fear. He asksthat the Lord may not hold it against them, and in this he shows the spirit of the Lord Jesus who prayedfor forgiveness for even His persecutors and showed understanding of His closest friends’ sleeping whenHis soul was troubled unto death and He was sweating as though the drops were blood from a headwound.When we have to go it alone we are not alone in that experience, for we know that Paul has beenthere. Moreover, Paul was not the first to go through it – Joseph in the pit; Elijah confronting the prophetsof Baal on Mt Carmel; Daniel in the lions’ den. But supremely the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane. ‘Jesus walkedthat lonesome valley, He had to walk it by Himself, nobody else could walk it for Him, he had to walk itby Himself.’2. THE RESOURCES: ‘The Lord stood with me.’That is a remarkable statement. No one was to be seen standing by Paul as the charges were read, andhe made his defence. But Paul was not alone, for, though unseen, the Lord Himself was standing there.

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Sometimes You Just Have To Go It Alone

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(Continued from p.15)The promise of the Lord to be with us is the fundamental promise and blessing of the Bible. Hewas with Adam and Eve in the Garden. But they forfeited his presence by their sin. Yet He was determinedto redeem them and to grant them His presence again. The distinguishing feature of Israel’s life was thatGod was with them. Ultimately God comes to be with us in Christ. He is Immanuel. When Paul speaks ofthe Lord being with him he means the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord is always with His people. Sometimesthey feel it and are comforted by the sense of it. Sometimes they do not feel it, but even then the Lord iswith them. Our fickle feelings are not a relaible gauge of the Lord’s presence. He says, ‘I will never leaveyou nor forsake you.’ Jesus’ last promise was: ‘I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’‘The Lord strengthened me.’ The Lord helped Paul. ‘The Lord is my helper. What can man do to me?’The Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. When my Dad was diagnosed with cancer, I wasconsidering a call to another church. There was turmoil in my soul from without and within. I talked tohim on Sunday morning before going to church and asked, ‘Do you feel the Lord is helping you?’ Hereplied, ‘There’s never been any doubt about that.’ The Lord was with Paul and strengthened him ‘sothat through (him) the message might fully be proclaimed and all the Gentiles hear.’ The ‘defence’ wasan occasion of preaching the Gospel for Paul. Your hard times and alone times can be for you an occasionof proclaiming the Gospel by life and word.3. THE RESCUE. ‘So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.’This was temporal deliverance. Paul felt as though at the hearing he had his head stuck in a lion’smouth and his head was about to be bitten off. But the Lord delivered him. No fellow Christian helped,but that did not hinder the Lord. The Lord acted to grant Paul deliverance, extension of life, and furtheropportunities for ministry. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – the Lord was with them in the fiery fur‐nace and he saved them from it. When you are facing hard times and you are alone the Lord can yet de‐liver you. ‘How oft in grief hath not He brought thee relief, spreading His wings to o’ershade thee?’4. THE REWARD. ‘The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenlykingdom.’The ‘health and wealth’ gospel can offer only temporal blessing. Only the ‘full Gospel’ can offer some‐thing when all, even life itself, fails. We will go through the valley of the shadow safely and arrive safelyin the heavenly kingdom. I pray at deathbeds sometimes, ‘Lord, grant a safe journey through the darkvalley and a happy arrival in the heavenly kingdom.’ At death we will enter the kingdom of God that,though hid from our eyes, is real and in Heaven. And there we shall await the final revelation of the king‐dom when even our bodies will be saved. ‘To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.’

– William Smith is a PCA Pastor in Mississippi. Reprinted from the Banner of Truth website,www.banneroftruth.org

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY KING CHRISTMAS BOOK, Penny Morrison and Lisa FlanaganGrowing Faith is delighted to announce the upcoming release of The Mighty Mighty King ChristmasBook by Penny Morrison and illustrated by Lisa Flanagan. Christmas is a time to celebrate … but why dowe celebrate a baby born in a manger more than 2000 years ago? The Mighty Mighty King ChristmasBook helps children to understand who this special baby was, how He grew up, what He has done for us,and why He is the mighty mighty King we celebrate at Christmas time.Beautifully illustrated, this book can be read with children aged 1–6 with actions to make learningabout Jesus even more fun! Mixing familiar Christmas scenes with those of the Nativity, children willdraw connections between the story of the baby born in a manger and why we celebrate His birth. Penny Morrison lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney with her husband and three creative kids.Penny is trained as an early childhood teacher and loves teaching children about Jesus! When she isn’tteaching Scripture in schools, kids’ church or running a music group, Penny squeezes in time for herother passion – writing picture books.Lisa Flanagan loves to see the story of Jesus told and has long held a passion for illustration, inparticular creating images for children. Lisa lives in the beautiful Blue Mountains with her husband andtheir four little artists.The Mighty Mighty King Christmas Book is available from cepstore.com.au or on (02) 8268 3344.RRP—$14.95 (AUD).

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‘Turn to Me and be saved,‘Turn to Me and be saved,all you ends of the Earth;all you ends of the Earth;

for I am God,for I am God,and there i s no other. ’and there i s no other. ’

–– Isaiah 45.22Isaiah 45.22