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Trumpet Call Thirty-ninth issue July 2003 Distribution 80,000 copies Free Newspaper
Trumpet Call 39 1
Trumpet Call Thirty-ninth issue July 2003 Distribution 80,000 copies Free Newspaper
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Trumpet Call 39 3
A s Shanahad recent-ly turned34, theyfelt that time was startingto run out, so they decid-ed to seek medical advice.They entered their nameson a list for fertility treat-ment and consulted adoctor at the NuffieldHospital. It was then thatShana was diagnosedwith Polycystic OvarySyndrome (PCOS), great-ly reducing any hopes of anatural conception.
Believing GodBelieving that God couldprovide by many differentmeans, including medi-cine, Shana was booked infor various investigations,and surgical procedures.To gain a second opinionon her condition she wentto see a fertility specialistin London. He only con-firmed she had PCOS.She was told that to giveher the best chance ofconceiving she wouldneed fertility treatment.Little knowing
God’s plan for her Shanabooked in for treatment.
Shortly after this Vinceand Shana went to seeBishop Reid. He simplytold them "Don’t worry,God is in control, you’ll befine. Trust God." In aMusic and MiraclesService shortly after thisPastor Meidre Cleminson
prayed that God wouldgrant the desires of theirheart.
Five WeeksPregnantShana was advised toembark on a strict PCOSdiet by her consultant andintended to supplementthis with vitamins. A fewweeks later, however, sheleft to visit her parents inAmerica and did not haveroom to pack the numer-ous pill pots. She thoughtshe would start the diet
on her return. Withinthree weeks of
returning from AmericaShana discovered she wasfive weeks pregnant!
Overjoyed at the news sherang to cancel her fertilitytreatment and was askedto attend the clinic for aroutine blood test. It wasthen that her low proges-terone levels were picked
up and she was pre-scribed treatment
before the babycould be affect-ed. If she hadnot beenbooked in forfertility treat-
ment thiscould have
gone unnoticed andresulted in a miscarriage.
God had hisperfect plan.Having recently seen theultrasound of their baby
at twelve weeks Vincesaid, "We are so excited.We thank God that Healways provides and can’twait for the big day inDecember"
By Katie Pring
After trying for a baby for over a year Shana and Vince Avery ’s dreams of becoming parentswere being threatened by a growing fear that they might never be able to have children.
‘Don’t worryGod is incontrol’
God’s Perfect Plan
‘We thank God that Healways provides’
Caption
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I recently signed upfor a module atPeniel College ofHigher Educationabout the apostle Paul’slife and ministry. It reallyappealed to me. After thefirst class I couldn’tbelieve how much I hadalready learned and itshocked me to realise howlittle I knew about my
Bible. During the weekthat followed, everythingI had heard went over andover in mind and the nextweek the same happenedagain. Although I hadthoroughly enjoyed bothweeks, the Word of Godand the example of howGod had changed Paul’slife was really getting tome. It was making mefeel very uncomfortable.
In the third week of lec-tures we were taughtabout the Thessalonianchurch. They were calledbabes in Christ and hadonly had three Sabbathsof teaching, yet they wit-nessed to everyonearound them. CarolynLinnecar, the lecturer,really challenged us to askourselves what we haddone with the years ofpreaching we had listenedto. She then went on togive her own testimony –
how she had beenbrought up as a Christianand thought she had beenliving the right way foryears. Then God showedher that she didn’t havereality at all.
It hit me like lightening.It was as if I had was theonly person sitting in theroom. After listening to16 years of preaching, Ihadn’t affected anyone. Ididn’t seem to have thislife that Paul the Apostle
had. I didn’t have the lifethat Carolyn now had. Isaid all the right things, Iknew all the right things,I believed the right things,but I didn’t know God.My life was just full ofreligion. I felt as if I hadbeen shot through theheart.
CompletelyChangedI managed to get out ofthe class without crying
"I Couldn’t ChangeMyself…"
4 Trumpet Call 39
Caption
Caption
‘It hit me likelightening’
By Becky Matta
Becky Matta had alreadyexperienced God’s miraculousintervention when He healed herears a few years ago. Little did sheknow that God had something muchmore wonderful in store for her.
Trumpet Call 39 5
but as I got into my car Ijust burst into tears. Thatnight and the followingmorning I still couldn’tbelieve what God was try-ing to show me. I knewmy life needed to change,but I also knew that Icouldn’t change myself.He would have to do it.
I never begged God orcried out to Him, but thatday I found I was com-pletely changed. Totalpeace came within me, asif part of me had been
wiped away.
Since then I feel so differ-ent inside, as though Ihave had a physicalchange within me. I feellike people should look atme differently because Ifeel so different. Mythinking is completely dif-ferent. I used to worryconstantly what peoplethought of me, and mylife was governed thatway. Now all that fear hasgone.
The Bible has become so
alive to me. I just cannotstop reading it. Initially I
only intended to do onemodule at PCHE but I’m
not going to stop nowuntil I get my degree.
"I Couldn’t Change Myself…"‘Total peace came
within me, as if partof me had been
wiped away’
Caption
www.whatgodcandoministries
Michael Reid Ministries
http://www.whatgodcandoministrieshttp://www.whatgodcandoministries
6 Trumpet Call 39
I was brought up ina Brethren Churchin Berkshire. Itwas a very religiousupbringing and I hadmany restrictionsimposed upon me. I wasforced to go to SundaySchool and other suchmeetings which I founddeadly boring. The mes-sage was not one of love,but of condemnation andfear. I made a confessionof faith in Jesus Christ atthe age of 16 to make sureI had a passport to heav-en, but this made nochange to me on theinside.
Going Home
When I was 21 I heardthat my grandfather hadbeen taken into hospitaland that he didn’t havelong to live. I had beenclose to him as a youngchild and he was one ofthe few people I knew
who seemed to have agenuine faith in God. Iwent to see him in thehospital in Swindon. Heread through Psalm 103and then took my handand said "Goodbye Peter, Iam going home to be withJesus now." He died soonafter that. His fearlessattitude to death had amarked effect on my life.It was then that I decidedto try to change my life.
Through my work Imoved to South Wales,where I joined a BrethrenChurch. I tried to live theright way by attending allthe meetings and becom-ing involved in theSunday school and youth
meetings. However, mythoughts were still farfrom the life of aChristian.
EverythingLooked FineWhen I moved toPembroke a few yearslater I was introduced to alady called Carole by somefriends. We later marriedand became involved with
Youth work in the BaptistChapel in our village andattended a Pentecostalchurch in Haverfordwest.On the outside, every-
thing looked fine – I had agood job, we had a bunga-low not far from the sea,we were financiallysecure, and had two chil-dren. But on the insidethings were still verywrong.
During this period a groupfrom the Ongar ChristianFellowship came to visitthe Church we attended.The preacher was PastorMichael Reid. At the end
of the service I went for-ward for prayer, expectingsome encouraging wordfrom God to boost my ego.What Michael said, look-ing me straight in theeyes, struck like an arrowdeep inside. I was angryand frightened that thisman could see what wason the inside. I decided tohave nothing to do withhim. Carole and her sisterChristine loved these peo-ple and spent a lot of timein Ongar.
Total ChangeOne evening Carole and Iwere sat together as shetold me how lucky wewere to have all that wehad. Tragically, a few dayslater, Carole, Christineand my daughter Rachelwere killed in a car acci-dent. This left me devas-tated for some time. Laterthat year I was asked bysome friends in America ifI would like to visit them
for Christmas. I had agood time and wasencouraged by the wordsof the song "Because Helives I can face tomorrow."When they asked me to goback for the conference inAugust, I was keen to doso. What I didn’t realisewas that the guest speak-er was Pastor MichaelReid! Although appre-hensive, I had a chat withMichael about my life andfrom that moment my lifetotally changed direction.Contrary to my formeropinion, I found him to bea person of compassionand understanding. Idecided to move toBrentwood with Andrew,my surviving son, to be apart of Peniel Church.
I have now attendedPeniel for nearly 20 years.I am married to Racheland have two more chil-dren, David and Abigail.It has taken a long time torid me of the mindset of
By Peter Embling
Brought up in a religious home, yet Iwas living far from the life of aChristian. After spending yearstrying to change myself I now knowthat He has saved me and put Hislife within me. I stand redeemed andHe loves me just as I am.
Caption
Just as I am
‘His fearless attitudeto death had amarked effect on my life.’
Caption
Trumpet Call 39 7
the Brethren Church.Through continual teach-ing and learning thingsare at long last changingon the inside.
God Loves meAs I AmI tried for years to changemyself but it did notwork. I felt condemnedabout the past and forfailures of the present. Atlast I am beginning torealise that God loves meas I am. He has not cometo condemn me but hassaved me and put His lifewithin me.
One thing that has reallyhelped me is doing thePeniel College of HigherEducation (PCHE) cours-es. Initially, I used excus-es about work and time toput it off but about a yearago I gave in. Studying atPCHE has been tremen-dous. It really helps me tofocus on the Word of Godand I get to socialise withpeople I would not nor-mally mix with.
As a result of studying forone of the courses atPCHE I recently decidedto volunteer to be part of ateam who are on hand tospeak to callers during tel-
evision broadcasts. It iswonderful to be able toshare with the callerswhat God can do forthem.
Through the teaching Ihave received at Peniel Ican now truly say that"Gone is the fear of tomor-row, gone is the guilt of
the past, I have traded myshackles for a glorioussong, I’m saved praise theLord, saved at last."
Just as I am
‘At last I ambeginning to realise
that God lovesme as I am’
Caption
http://www.whatgodcandoministries.comhttp://www.whatgodcandoministries.com
I In Acts 27 we readof how Paul, as aprisoner, is sent toRome by boat. Theprisoners are all under thecharge of a centurionnamed Julius. The jour-ney becomes dangerousbecause of bad weather,and the boat stops off atCrete. Here Paul warnsthat if they set sail again,the voyage will be disas-trous and bring great lossto the ship, cargo, as wellas to lives. However thecenturion chooses not tolisten to Paul and decidesinstead to sail on. Sureenough, the ship is caughtin a violent storm. Thecargo is thrown over-board. They are driven bythe storm for many days.Eventually, all hope ofbeing saved is lost.
Faith in GodAt this point, Paul speaksup, "Sirs, ye should havehearkened unto me, andnot have loosed fromCrete, and to have gainedthis harm and loss. Andnow, I exhort you to be ofgood cheer: for there shallno loss of any man’s lifeamong you, but of theship" (Acts 27:21-22). Heexplains how an angelhad appeared to him,telling him that he hadyet to stand trial beforeCaesar, and that God had
8 Trumpet Call 39
Faith to Stand in the Storm
A CTS 27
By Bishop Michael Reid
You may begoing through atrial in your life,but have yourealized that Godmakes us morethan conquerorsthrough Christwho loves us?Are you drivenby circumstancesthrough life’sstorms, or doesyour faith in Godcarry youthrough?
Illus
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196
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graciously given him thelives of all who sailed.With these words Paulencouraged them to havefaith in God. After a time,land was sighted and theship was run aground.Just as God had promised,every life on the ship wassaved.
God inControlPaul triumphed in theface of adversity. Paul hadtrue faith, faith whichoperates in the midst of astorm. He understoodGod’s word, and he knew
that no circumstancecould go against thatword. He knew thatGod’s promises alwayscome to pass. The realtest of a Christian is howthey respond in the face ofadversity. When thestorms of life come, doyou let circumstancesoverwhelm you? Do youhave faith which operatesonly when everything isgoing well? God wants usto have true faith. Hewants us to be able tostand in adversity andknow that He will deliverus. God is in control ofeverything. He is
almighty and supreme.We are more than con-querors through Christwho loves us. "For Godhath not given us the spir-it of fear; but of power,and of love, and of asound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7).Don’t fear a storm – knowto whom you can turn inthe midst of adversity."And call upon me in theday of trouble: I will deliv-er thee, and thou shaltglorify me" (Psalm 50:15).
Know YourGodFaith is a gift of God, Hewants you to have faith ofyour own. The soldiersaboard the ship relied onPaul’s faith. They hadgiven up every source ofhope, until Paul spoke andthey were cheered bywhat he said. The stormwas still raging around
them, but they saw thatPaul had faith. When yougo through life’s storms,you need to hear the Wordof God from a man offaith. This is why God hasbuilt His church, and whywe are told not to forsakethe gathering of ourselvestogether. God has builtthe church for us as ahaven where we can findfaith. You need to hearGod’s Word in your timeof trial. The Bible tells usthat "faith cometh byhearing, and hearing bythe word of God"(Romans 10:17). In themidst of opposition youhave to walk tall, to know
who you are and what youhave. When everythingelse seems to by contrary,you have to know yourGod.
Don’t let circumstancesdrive you. Have faith inGod in the midst of adver-sity. Make the right choic-es in life – don’t be drivenby desires, ambition andlusts. Whatever stormslife may throw at you,remember that God is incontrol and that "in allthese things we are morethan conquerors throughhim that loved us" (Rom.8:37).
Trumpet Call 39 9
Faith to Stand in the Storm
‘Paul had true faith,faith which operates
in the midst of astorm’
‘You need to hearGod’s Word in your
time of trial’
Trumpet Call 39 11
Heather received anymoney through their ownprivate letterbox but everypenny of the £28,000treatment bill camedirectly to their home.God faithfully providedfor them in what Dondescribes as a "giganticmiracle".
God is alwaysin controlJust 15 months afterDon’s operation, Heatherreceived the devastatingnews that she had breastcancer. She rememberedthe words God had givenher when Don had beenill: "Do you think I wouldtest you on something Ihaven’t taught you?" Safein the knowledge thatGod was with them, thiscarried them boththrough. They somehowboth knew that the endwould be positive.
Originally they were toldthe doctors could notoperate for three months.However, Heather hadtaken out a medical insur-ance policy when Don hadcancer and as a resultwent in for surgery, toremove the tumour, fivedays later. Although only
the size of a smartie, thecancer was the type thatgrew extremely quicklyand three months wouldhave been too late, butGod knew and He isalways in control.
Continue HisworkWith each setback cameanother opportunity forGod to show them howfaithful He is. At thebeginning of the 18-weekchemotherapy courseHeather had to undergo,she had a reaction to theprescribed medication.She was forced to stoptaking it and could donothing but pray to Godthat the chemotherapywould not harm her andonly go to the cells it wasmeant to. Miraculously,Heather had no sideeffects from thechemotherapy or thecourse of radiotherapythat followed. "I didn’tlose my hair or anything,"she told us, "and I took aLadies Conference in themiddle of it which reallywas a miracle!"
Both Don and Heather arenow in good health by thegrace of God and continue
to do His work. It is threeand a half years since Donhad his operation and arecent CAT scan showedall his organs to be clear ofcancer.
Don and Heather havetold many people thatGod could heal a cancerbecause He is bigger thana cancer. In the midst ofthe life-threatening cir-cumstances they faced,they found themselveshaving to believe exactlythat. "God is bigger than acancer", Don repeated tri-umphantly, "and I believe
I’m here today becauseGod is bigger than a can-cer".
Simply Obey"The thing that I wouldlike to say", Heatheradded, "is that Don and Iare not special people.What he has done for us,he can do for other people
but the key is knowingHim as your personal Lordand Saviour". In our lives,knowing God is the onlything that really mattersor counts for anything.He is the answer, if onlypeople will simply obeyHim, just as Don andHeather Double haveproved in their lives.
‘God knew and He isalways in control’
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He is the Answer
12 Trumpet Call 39
I had a plan. Aftergraduating fromuniversity I wouldfind myself the per-fect job. Simple as that.
I applied for countlessjobs but I kept hearing thesame answer: in differentcircumstances they wouldhave employed me. Theproblem was that in thecurrent economic envi-ronment very few peoplewere recruiting. I came
close so manytimes but thejobs I wantedjust seemed to
slip throughmy fingers.
I began to worry about thefuture and wonderedwhether I would get a jobat all. Friends and familykept my spirits up assur-ing me that God wouldprovide the right job forme, I just needed to bepatient.
After what seemed like anage, I managed to get aninterview with the com-pany that I really wantedto work for. I was thrilled.After weeks of not hear-ing back from them itseemed like yet anotherjob had evaded me.Looking back, I can seethat God was using thetime to show me that hewas in control.
Suddenly, weeks aftertheir final deadlines, I wasasked by that very same
company whether Iwould be interested injoining them inFebruary 2003 to starton their training pro-gram. Not only did I
have a job, but God hadfound me the best job!
The one I had wantedright from the start. I justhad to wait for it.
Joining the programmeant living in New Yorkfor just under fivemonths. I had never livedaway from home or thechurch before and thiswas my first large step onmy own. This was bothan exciting step and at thesame time slightly daunt-ing as I was going to one
of the largest cities in theworld and I did not reallyknow anyone there.
However, I soon foundthat I was not alone andthat God was with me inNew York. I began to seeGod at work in everyaspect of my new life.
I was keen to find achurch I could attend andasked God to help memeet some youngChristians. I needed a
sign: if the church thatI had found was theright one for me, Iasked God to help memeet some young peo-ple at the next service Iwent to without mehaving to go up tothem. At the nextservice the pastor sud-denly stopped thesinging and told peopleto greet someone nearto them. For the wholetime I attended thechurch, the pastor
never did that again.
A young man turned tome and in a very Britishaccent said, "You’reEnglish aren’t you?" towhich I replied "and youare English too, what areyou doing here?" I foundout that he had been inNew York for 6 monthsand although he wasgoing home in 2 weekstime he would introduceme to some of the youngChristians that he knew.Suddenly I was meetingmore friends than I couldremember names.
Throughout my stay inNew York, God continuedto show me just howmuch he cares for his chil-dren in the big things andin the little things:
With an exam loomingone Monday, I was frus-trated to fall ill over theprevious weekend and Ifound myself unable tostudy. I prayed for God’shelp and not only did I dowell in the exam but tomy astonishment I cametop, despite knowingthere were people therethat were better than me.
After intensive training,there were no real place-ments on offer that Iliked. I asked God to pro-vide the right placementand, sure enough, withina couple of days a newopportunity arose which Iwas selected for. Godeven ensured I was put onthe exact team that Iwanted as well as theproject I would have cho-sen.
During my stay there I didnot miss home because Ifelt such a presence ofGod there, looking out forme and wanting what wasbest for me. Before Iwent to New York Ibelieved that God wasable to meet all my needs.During my stay there Icame to know it’s true.
Most of us make plans. Have youever asked yourself why? Isn’t ittrue that life rarely goes according toplan? How does that make you feel?Do you panic? Or do you havesomeone to rely on that is greaterthan any plans you could ever make?
He’s Our Answer Too
Caption
Caption
By Tom Medland
Trumpet Call 39 13
W h e nw ef i r s tvisit-ed Peniel, my husband,Steve, was very ill. Hehad been incapacitatedfor over three years with
what the doctors calledChronic FatigueSyndrome. It seemed asthough nothing could bedone for him. The situa-tion was hopeless.
Over the years we hadheard about the testi-monies of others whohad come to thechurch in need ofhealing and maderemarkable
recoveries. So we decidedto visit Peniel for our-selves to see if God wouldbe able to do the same forus. Having tried everyother means, we were bythis time desperately inneed of God’s help and,difficult as it was, we
decided this was the timeto ask for it.
Confident ofHealingFrom our very first meet-ing we were both sur-prised by how confident
the church memberswere that Stevewould be healed.They had seen
so many people healedover the years that it wasnatural for them tobelieve that God would doit for us too.
We were both struck byhow joyful their livesseemed and encouragedthat their faith was so cer-tain and assured. AsChristians ourselves weimmediately identifiedwith this. The churchseemed to be a genuinecommunity. There was apalpable love and concernfor one another that weknew carried the hall-mark of Christ. We bothagreed to make Peniel ourhome. It was a simplechoice for us.
PrayerofFaithAfter a shortprayer offaith at the end of onemeeting, Steve was mirac-ulously healed of his ill-ness. He found, within amonth, that he was fit
enough to work full timeon his father’s farm. Thisreally was amazing, con-sidering the fact that hehad been off work forthree years, unable to domuch at all.
We are so grateful to Godfor healing Steve and the
repercussions for us bothhave been more incrediblethan we could have everimagined. There is nodoubt in my mind that
our visit to Peniel changedour lives for the better,strengthened our faithand surprised us in somany wonderful ways.
"Come andsee!"
I woulde n c o u r a g eanyone whoneeds God tointervene intheir life, andeven people
who are simply curious, tocome to Peniel and see forthemselves how faithfulGod is.
By Rachel Salthouse
Steve and Rachel Salthouse came toPeniel Church in need of a miracle.Steve had been too ill to work formore than three years and they feltas though there was nowhere left toturn. Read on as Rachel testifies tothe miraculous power of God andHis abundant blessing in their lives.
Caption‘desperately in need ofGod’s help’
Caption
‘Steve was miraculouslyhealed of his illness’
Caption
Changed for the Better!
And a great multitude fol-lowed him, because theysaw his miracles which hedid on them that werediseased. (John 6:2)
Every miracle of Jesusbelongs to Him alone, andthe reasons He performsthem are His to know.
Most of us spend our livesneedlessly struggling. Wetry to find the key thatwill unlock the door tothat faith we’re convincedwe should have, butwhich so often eludes us.People are told, “All you’vegot to do is this or that,then God has got tomove.’’ But the truth is,He hasn’t! God never hasto do anything becauseman demands it, norbecause he has met cer-tain criteria. There is noformula! God is God, andHe’ll do what He wills,
how He wills, when Hewills and through whomHe wills.
Man wants an explana-tion for everything: withhis finite mind he con-cocts great theories aboutthe infinite God and Hisways. But the simpletruth is that our God is aGod of mysteries, and thatdefies all human logic and
understanding.
For my thoughts are notyour thoughts, neither areyour ways my ways, saiththe LORD. For as the heavensare higher than the earth, soare my ways higher thanyour ways, and my thoughtsthan your thoughts. (Isaiah55:8-9)
Canst thou by searching findout God? canst thou
find out the Almighty untoperfection? It is high asheaven; what canst thou do?deeper than hell; what canstthou know? The measurethereof is longer than theearth, and broader than thesea. (Job 11:7-9)
Amy Carmichael oncewrote these words:-
A centipede was happy tillOne day a toad, in fun,said “Pray which leg goesafter which?’’ Whichstrained his mind to sucha pitch. He lay distractedin a ditch. Consideringhow to run.
I think that’s what sometheories on faith did forme - they left me con-
fused and totally immo-bilised!
Let’s just accept the factthat God will move as Hedesires, and that His mir-acles and His powerbelong to Him alone.
In John 6 we have thefamiliar story of the feed-ing of the five thousand.We read that Jesus cameto Philip and asked him,Whence shall we buy bread,that these may eat? (John6:5)
Jesus already knew whatHe was going to do, butHe asked the question toprove Philip. He was real-ly saying - “Philip, I wantto find out what is going
14 Trumpet Call 39
STOP! Struggling to exercise faith which isn’tthere? Being trapped by outward rules with noinward reality? Doing all the right things but stillexperiencing defeat? Being plagued by sin andbondage? “It’s so simple! It’s not faith in yourfaith, your healing, your deliverance, but Faith inHim”.
FAITH:It’s God Given
MiraclesBelong to Him
Chapter 2:
By Bishop Michael Reid
Praying for a sick infant in Lagos, Nigeria
‘His miracles and Hispower belong to Him alone’
Order your copy here
http://www.whatgodcandoministries.com/%23/books/faith-its-god-givenhttp://www.whatgodcandoministries.com/%23/books/faith-its-god-given
Trumpet Call 39 15
on inside you. Where arewe going to find food forall this multitude? Howwould you cope with theproblem? What are youthinking, Philip?’’
Philip’s answer was natu-ral enough -
Two hundred pennyworth ofbread is not sufficient forthem. (John 6:7)
But notice that he repliedto a question which Jesushad never even asked. TheMaster wanted to knowwhere bread could bebought, not how muchwas needed. Philip didn’teven consider the solu-tion, because he wasblinded by the immensityof the problem itself.
Very often when we cometo the Lord, we don’t con-sider the source of supply,the fount of all life. Ourhuman logic takes over,and all we see is the mag-nitude of the need.
Have you ever sat downbefore God and tried tosort out your life? Apreacher makes an appealand you really want to getyour heart right with God.You decide one day you’llmake a list of all thethings that need to bechanged. After you’vewritten 30 pages youthink, “I’m quitting! Lord,there’s just too muchwrong with me!’’ Yourheart is so overwhelmedwith the enormity of theproblems, that you losesight of the source of sup-ply.
Philip didn’t respond toJesus in faith and, usually,neither do we. God wantsto feed our souls, but we
come to Him with totalunbelief and tell Him howimpossible it is for Him tomeet our needs.
So if Philip showed nofaith, what of the others?
If anything Andrew waseven worse! He was goingto throw out the only littleprovision they had -
There is a lad here, whichhath five barley loaves, andtwo small fishes: but whatare they among so many?(John 6:9)
Have you ever thoughtabout that little lad?
The boy had perceivedthat in Jesus there wassomething beyond thenatural, so he offered allhe had, five loaves andtwo small fishes. Andrewwould have given themback and sent him away.The boy had faith, but notAndrew.
There were thousands ofpeople thronging thatmountainside, so how didAndrew know just whatthe boy carried in his bas-ket? There were other bas-kets there - later theywere able to fill twelve
with the fragments thatwere left over. But thisone was special because itwas offered.
Here was a lad who cameto Jesus with the onlything he had. It wasn’tmuch and he knew it. Buthe saw the great need andhe said, “Lord, You knowthis is all I have. Pleasetake it! It’s Yours.’’Somehow he realised thatif Jesus would only takehis small gift and bless it,so much could happen. Hecame and gave all he pos-sessed to the King ofKings. That was the heartof the lad.
Jesus took the loaves andfishes and commandedthe men to sit down. ThenHe looked up to Heaven ...and everything changed.
“Philip, this is where it allcomes from - it comesfrom heaven.”
He blessed the bread,broke it, and as the disci-ples gave it out, there wasmore than enough foreveryone. And sittingwatching the miracle wasone little boy who couldnever be the same again.He understood that hisinsignificant little gift wasthe very thing that hadcaused all the glory to berevealed. Five thousandmen, besides women andchildren, ate and werefilled that day, and they allacknowledged the King ofGlory.
The trouble with mostpeople is that what theyhave they won’t give. Thisboy gave all he had to bemultiplied by the sourceof life. His eyes were onJesus, not on the size ofthe problem. He under-stood a secret that very
few are able to see - Godtakes the things that arenot, the insignificantthings, the things that aregiven from the heart, andHe blesses those offeringsabundantly.
Andrew scoffed at thegift, considering it toosmall to be of any use andwhen the child heardAndrew speak his heartfell. Then suddenly Jesuswas telling everyone to sitdown and the boy fixedhis eyes again
on the face of the One heloved. He had followedHim to the mountainside,now he waited to seewhat the Lord would do.
Afterwards what a storyhe had to tell! I am sureAndrew gave him one ofthe baskets full of frag-ments to take home to hismother. But the real gifthe received that day wasthe gift of faith in Christfrom the fount of lifeHimself!
That lad was willing togive.
Could you believe theMaster, that He could takewhat you have into Hisown hands, bless it, breakit, and use it to feed mul-titudes? No, you won’tfeed them. No, you won’teven be noticed. We’renever told that the littleboy was even thanked. Hedidn’t get the glory,because that belongs toGod alone. But he wenthome a different person
because he had met withJehovah Jireh, the sourceof all supply.
I’ve often thought aboutthis miracle. If I had beenin the multitude, I would
have wanted some of thenewly created bread! Iwonder how it actuallymultiplied. I’m sure thedisciples walked aroundwith proud looks on theirfaces - “Of course, weknew He could do it allalong!”
But, if we’re honest, it’sonly afterwards that wefind it easy to believe.Until then we know thatHe’s able but we can’thelp wondering if He will!
I’ve learned a secret - it’sbetter not to ask ques-tions, but to wait for Him.Pray, yes, and wait untilHe comes. The miracle ofLife happens at the pointwhen the living reality ofHis presence is there.Then we can drink of thatSource - that heavenlySource - and that whichseems impossible is donein a moment.
I don’t come to God withdemands, I don’t comesaying, “Lord, You’ve gotto.” I come with a heart oftrust which declares,“Lord, I know You’re able,and I just bring myself toYou and put myself inYour hands.”
I don’t look at the prob-lem, I look at the wonder-ful source of all life - Jesus
Caption
Miracles Belong to Him
‘God is thesource ofsupply’
‘God takes the things thatare not and blesses
abundantly’
‘It’s not my believing, it’s His believingthat creates life’
my Lord! In simplicity Ilay myself at His feet andsay, “Lord, You are thesource who never fails!”
It’s not my believing, it’sHis believing that createslife.
When He died onCalvary’s tree and tookmy sin into his own body,I had nothing to do withit. I wasn’t there, I hadn’teven been born. But Hisfaith and love took my sininto Himself and He paidthe penalty for it twothousand years ago. I didnothing. He did it all.
God is coming to draw outa people for Himself whoare going to be totallygiven over to living anddying for Him. Those whowill put everything on thealtar unreservedly andsay, “Lord, I want You to
be Lord in truth. I wantYou to so captivate myheart and soul that myonly source is You - notmy own knowledge, notmy own strength, not myown ability, but You.”
Part of the ministry of thechurch of which I am apastor, is a school, widelyrecognised as one of thetop private academicinstitutions in England.We were visited on oneoccasion by another min-ister who wanted to knowhow it all functioned.After looking around hebombarded me with ques-tions - “Where does thiscome from? What do youdo about that? How doyou arrange that?”
I had no blueprint to offerhim. So I simply said,“You can have all the rightmethods, all the best ways
of doing things. You couldcopy that which God hasshown us but it wouldn’tnecessarily work for you.For we have found thatHe was the one whobrought it about and if Hedoesn’t do it, it won’t hap-pen.”
The truth is that Jesus isthe Source of whatever Hewants you to do. So youneed to find Him andalign yourself with Hiswill. As He lived, so weshould live. His only pur-pose and desire was tofulfil the will of HisFather. His was a life ofsimple obedience.
Then answered Jesus andsaid unto them, Verily, veri-ly, I say unto you, The Soncan do nothingof himself, butwhat he seeththe Father do:
for what things soever hedoeth, these also doeth theSon likewise. (John 5:19)
Then said I, Lo, I come (inthe volume of the book itis written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews10:7)
We find that way of livingso difficult to accomplish.Our human heartsdemand reasons, explana-tions; we want to knowhow it all works.
Jesus wants to be thesource of all for you. He
wants you to learn how tofeed on Him and drawfrom Him all that youneed. He wants you togive up trust in yourselfand see the only reality iswhat He does, the way Hedoes it. Remember, mira-cles belong to Him. In
your heart, it will be Hismiracle, if you make roomfor Him.
With men this is impossible;but with God all things arepossible. (Matthew 19:26)
“Faith: It’s God Given” is available to buy from Alive
UK - See Page 42 for details.
Miracles Belong to Him
‘The only reality is what Hedoes, the way He does it’
Order your copy here
http://www.whatgodcandoministries.com/%23/books/faith-its-god-givenhttp://www.whatgodcandoministries.com/%23/books/faith-its-god-given
I have always lovedsinging and whilston holiday inCornwall with fel-low church members Iasked someone if at 78years of age, I was too
ancient to be in the choir?"Why, No!" was the reply.
I auditioned and startedperforming with the choir.That was eight years ago,during which time I havetravelled with the choir to
Bulgaria and Oral RobertsUniversity in the US.What a privilege it is tosing out the truth of thegospel each Sunday!
I enjoy being involved inthe church. I also makebiscuits for the workersand do ironing for visitors.
Hiatus HerniaHowever, I began to fearthat my involvementwould have to diminishwhen I started experienc-ing physical difficulties.
After I was baptised in theSpirit many years ago, Iknew because of whatJesus did on the cross forus that He was able toheal today. We have beengiven the promise: "by Hisstripes we are healed".
Yet for around six years Ihad severe pain in mychest if I lifted anythingheavy. If I lay on a certain
side at night, the painsometimes lasted for sev-eral hours. An x-rayshowed that I had a hia-tus hernia.
Healed!I was sitting in a churchservice when Bishop Reidgave the opportunity to goforward for prayer. A lady,who had a hiatus hernia,went forward to be prayedfor. After praying, BishopReid asked anyone elsewith the same problem tocome forward. I did and I,too, was prayed for.
When I got back to myseat I felt a strange sensa-tion in my chest. WasGod doing a repair job Iasked myself? Yes Hesurely was! From that dayto this I have had no morepain in my chest! I amable to lift things and dogardening with no prob-lems at all.
I am so grateful to God.My life is now complete inways I never dreamt pos-sible. I know now, morethan ever, that God reallydoes have a part for me toplay.
At the age of 74, I joined Peniel Church. I couldimmediately see that the church was full of activity.The question was, what part was I to play as an "oldie"?
A Part to Play
By Doreen Hall
Caption
Caption
18 Trumpet Call 39
W h e nw a st h el a s ttime you went to bed inthe knowledge that youhad no food to put on thefamily table the next dayand no money with whichto buy any? In VictorianBritain, this was a com-mon occurrence and fam-ilies were larger than theywere today. But it was notcommon to have 2,000mouths to feed! Such wasthe awesome responsibili-ty that George Mullerfaced as he took theorphans of Bristol into hisheart and created a homefor them where he fed,clothed, educated andfound apprenticeships forevery one of them –123,000 in all.
God asProviderIn his story we see aremarkable example of aman who trusted God foreverything. From thesmallest detail to thelargest, George Mullernever failed to acknowl-edge God as his providerand his desire was thateveryone should do thesame. But can we live likethat? Is God really inter-
ested ine v e r yarea ofour lives?
Born inPrussia in1805, GeorgeMuller’s earlylife was far removedfrom God. It was an end-less cycle of idle drinking,card-playing and evenstealing, interspersedwith short, failedattempts to reform. Atthe age of 16 he foundhimself in prison for run-ning up hotel expensesand sneaking away with-out paying his bills. Still,his father had high hopesthat he would become aclergyman and to thatend, he enteredUniversity.
God had notgiven up!While his behaviour wors-
ened, God had not givenup! At the encourage-ment of a friend, he visit-ed the home of a localChristian and his life wascompletely transformed.He no longer had to try toreform, God had reformedhim. His desire was tobecome a missionary.
Rather than being
pleased, his father wasfurious and insisted thathe continue to pursue acareer as a clergyman.Muller could not makethat commitment anddecided not to accept hisfather’s financial supportany longer. That left himwith a problem. He stillhad two years of seminaryleft but now he had noincome. When his fatherno longer considered himas a son, God became hisfather, and Muller hadabsolute confidence thatGod would provide forhim. Indeed, he did.Three American gentle-men approached Mullerrequiring German lessonsand the generous incomehe received from them
exceeded his needs.Muller wrote:
"The Lord richly made upto me the little I had givenup for His sake"
Faith In GodA series of events led himto England and a pas-torate in Teignmouth,Devon. It was here thathe met his wife to be,Mary Groves and a merethree weeks into theirmarriage Muller’s faith inGod’s provision was put tothe test again. They bothfelt that it was not right toreceive a salary from themembers of their congre-gation because, amongother reasons, they feltmoney should be given
By Jennie Whealy
In part two of a seriescharting the inspirationallives of those who have made adifference in our nation, I look at thestory of George Muller and how hislife of faith presents a challenge toall of us.
Caption
Caption
Make a Difference: Start Today
‘God became his father, and Muller hadabsolute confidence that God would
provide for him’
Caption
Trumpet Call 39 19
voluntarily and not out ofobligation. They placed abox near the door at theback of the church wherepeople could donatewhatever they felt Godwas telling them to give.George and Mary alsodetermined never to incurany debt whatsoever andnever to direct requestsfor money to people butGod.
Muller never reneged onthese promises althoughat times his faith was test-ed to the limit. From thatday until his death in1898, he never took a col-lection.
Of this way of living hesaid:
"We never regretted takingthat step. God blessed usabundantly as He taught usto trust in Him alone. Whenwe were down to our lastfew shillings, we told Himabout our needs anddepended on Him to provide.He never failed us."
The FirstOrphanageIn the spring of 1832,George felt God wastelling him to move toBristol where he settledpermanently and in 1835he began the work forwhich he has becomemost famous.
He shared his vision toopen an orphanage inBristol at a public meet-ing. Not only did he wantto help these pitiful chil-dren, he wanted "visibleproof of the unchangeablefaithfulness of the Lord"for the world to see.Although he made norequest for money, at theend of the evening some-one offered him ten
shillings and a womanoffered to work for him.In answer to prayer, andstill without appealing toanyone, money started tocome in.
On April 11 1836, thedoors of the first orphan-age on Wilson Streetopened. It housed 26 chil-dren – all girls betweenseven and twelve yearsold. He soon found thathe could not ignore theplight of other childrenand the work grew untilin 1844 he ran four homeswith 130 boys and girlsaged between 0 and 12under his care.
Never hungryTimes were not alwayseasy. Sometimes theycompletely ran out ofmoney. George spentmany hours in prayer,bringing the daily needsof the orphanages beforeGod. The children neverwent hungry. SometimesGod waited until theeleventh hour but a dona-tion always came in time.God was increasing his
faith because he had aneven larger job for Mullerto do.
A complaint about thenoise from the orphan-ages provoked him tothink seriously about thefuture. Listing the prosand cons of staying orbuilding a purpose-buildorphanage he began topray in earnest that God’swill be done.
Money leftoverHe needed £11,000 tomeet the expenses of buy-ing the land and buildingthe house. Over twoyears, they trusted thatGod would provide andbit by bit, people began todonate so that when thebuilding was completethere was money left over.The owner of the land waseven compelled to sell it tothem for a reduced price.God had, once again, pro-vided beyond what theyneeded.
In the same way, Mullertrusted God to provide fora second house whichopened in 1857, a third in1862, and houses four andfive which opened in 1868and 1870 respectively.2,050 orphans were nowunder his care at any onetime. Now wonder he
said:
"I commit the whole work toHim…He will provide"
During his lifetime,George Muller cared for123,000 orphans, circulat-ed 275,000 Bibles in dif-ferent languages andalmost as many portionsof Scripture. He hadgiven £255,000 to mis-sions, supporting 189 mis-sionaries. He had trav-elled 200,000 miles in 42countries and hadpreached to 3 million peo-ple. He had never madedirect appeals for money
but had received £1.5 mil-lion (roughly the equiva-lent of £80 million today)in donations. How? Was
George Muller special?
A SecretGeorge Muller hadlearned a secret. One dayhe visited the home of aman who was workingfourteen to sixteen hoursa day to support his fami-ly. The man "ached, hissoul was lean, and he hadno joy in God". WhenMuller suggested cuttingdown his working hours,the man answered thatthey were absolutely nec-essary so that his familywould have enough foodto eat. Muller replied:
"my dear brother, it is notyour work which supportsyour family, but the Lord"
George Muller was spe-cial. But the faith he hadwas not reserved for him:
"My faith is the same faithwhich is found in everybeliever. It has beenincreasing little by little…"
God isinterestedWhatever God has givenyou to do can be achievedif you look to God as yoursource. Whether you are ateacher, a carpenter, a
businessman, a mother,he is interested in everypart of your life. Nothingis too small or big for him.
Make a Difference: Start Today
Caption
‘visible proof of theunchangeable faithfulness
of the Lord’
(unless otherwise stated, all quotations takenfrom The Autobiography of George Muller, 1984,Whitaker House, PA, USA. An inspiring tale ofhis life as told by George Muller himself, thisbook is available online at www.aliveuk.com.Alternatively, contact us on 01277 372996 toorder a copy. )
‘Whatever God has givenyou to do can be achieved if
you look to God as yoursource.’
Connect with us on
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More Than Just a GraduationPCHE Class of 2003
20 Trumpet Call 39
A Fortunately,my secondgraduationat OralRoberts University was acompletely different story.
Any fears that ORU’s cer-emony would be a repeatof the one I had experi-enced in England disap-peared on arrival. Theceremony was incredible!Far from being dull andtedious it was one of themost spectacular events Ihave ever been to. Eachuniversity departmentlined up outside OralRoberts University’sMaybee centre beforemarching into the arena
to the sound of Elgar’sPomp and Circumstance.As I walked into the stadi-um to "Land of Hope andGlory" I saw and heard
the cheering of around10,000 people waving atus from around the audi-torium. It was as if I hadwalked into a football
match. I felt triumphant!
PricelessAs we waited in anticipa-tion the noise was incred-ible, made somewhatlouder by our supportersfrom England equippedwith air horns and bicyclehooters. What a privilegeit was to take to the stage,shake hands with BishopReid of Peniel Church andstand knowing I was agraduate at ORU. Themoment was priceless anda memory I will hold ontofor a life time.
So why was it that myfirst graduation was sucha non-event compared tograduating second timeround?
You have to hand it to theAmericans. When itcomes to putting on aparty they are pretty goodat it.
But by far the main factorwhich made the occasionso special was the knowl-edge that, in Paul theApostle’s words, I hadstudied to show myselfapproved to God, a work-
For many people, graduation ceremonies are about tedious clapping andstuffy speeches. It is the final obstacle between finishing your exams andgetting your degree. Those students brave enough to attend are by and largeparticipating for their parents’ sake. Others just don’t believe it’s as boringas people make out so they turn up to see for themselves. When Igraduated for the first time, I was one of those people, yet sadly I sooncame to the realisation that graduation ceremonies really are mind-numbingevents.
by James Russell
Caption
‘The ceremony wasincredible!’
Trumpet Call 39 21
man that need not beashamed. All of us at thatceremony had workedhard to better understandGod’s Word to us throughthe Bible. We spent threeyears learning why faithin Jesus Christ is soimportant. This was whythe graduation ceremonywas such a momentousevent.
Yes, my first degree wasuseful. But academic suc-cess doesn’t change yourlife. In the grand schemeof things faith in Christ islife’s most importantprize.
Changed LifeWhen I stood on the stagein the ORU stadium andaccepted my degree it wasthe realisation that mystudy had lead not somuch to achieving a cer-tificate but to a changedlife in Christ.
Chris Whealy,GraduateNow that I have complet-ed the degree course, Ihave a solid foundationfor my Christian faith.That means I know what Ibelieve, why I believe it,and am able to articulateit coherently.
I would recommend toanyone wishing to under-stand Christianity to enrolon this course. From ityou will gain a sound andScriptural understandingof the redemptive work of
Jesus Christ, and gain aglimpse at the heart ofGod. You cannot help butbe changed by such aview.
Mike Whealy,SpectatorIt is impossible to visit
Oral Roberts Universitywithout it leaving animpression on you. Thereis such a thrill and won-der to see the universitythat God had built,against all the odds,through the vision anddogged, faithful determi-nation of Oral Roberts.There is the realisationthat the work of God weare privileged to see atPeniel is but a part of a fargreater work world-wide.There is the discovery thatwe too have a significantpart to play in this greaterwork. And then, there isthat sense of belonging toORU which only ourphysical presence therecould give us.
To top it off, we were pres-ent to witness (and tocheer!) the presentationof an honorary Doctorateof Divinity to our ownBishop Michael Reid infront of the entire OralRoberts University facultyand graduating body. Itwas wonderful to see theesteem in which he is heldfor the service his hasgiven to the Universityand to the body of Christ,and to have had even asmall part in his celebra-tion!
We came back so muchthe richer for the experi-ence!
Dave Green,graduatedwith his wife,Gill andcelebratedtheir RubyWeddingAnniversaryMy time at PCHE hasproved to be a valuableand most worthwhiletime. My only regret isthat I commenced theBible course at the age of59 and not as a youngman.
I left school without anyqualifications whatsoever.I, therefore, entered intothis course with a littleapprehension, but soonfound all the modules tobe challenging but defi-nitely within my graspand very rewarding.
During my lifetime I haveattended Christian semi-nars, conferences and lis-tened to countless ser-mons, not to mentionreading the Bible throughfrom cover to cover on anumber of occasions. Ihad a pretty good idea andreasonable knowledge ofthe Scriptures, but duringthis degree course I waslearning things about theBible that cannot betaught from the pulpit.
The result of the PCHEcourse has been toincrease my understand-ing of God’s Word, todraw me ever closer to mySaviour Jesus Christ and agreater desire to do what-soever He pleases. I wasthrilled to travel to Tulsa
with my wife to receiveour degrees.
One other small ceremonytook place at ORU by thesculpture of the PrayingHands. My wife, Gill, andI are celebrating our RubyWedding this year. Itmeant a great deal to usboth to we stood beneaththe sculpture remember-ing how God has kept andblessed us over the yearsbecause the year we weremarried was the same asthe year ORU was char-tered! A ruby ring is areminder to us both oftwo very special events.
WendyWhealyMost grandmotherswould view degrees as theprovince of young peopleor those adventurous oneswho have a purpose forenrolling in the OpenUniversity.
However, at PCHE, thingsare different. Any inter-ested adult, regardless of
age, is encouraged toenroll in the degree plan.What a privilege it hasbeen for me, an ordinarycongregation member, tobe able to take advantageof such an opportunity.
More Than Just a Graduation
Caption
‘Faith in Christ is life’smost important prize’
‘At PCHE, things aredifferent’
To apply to joinPCHE turn to
Page 19
26 Trumpet Call 39
A ddressing acrowd ofa r o u n d10,000 atthis year’s graduation cer-emony, President of theUniversity, Dr RichardRoberts, introducedBishop Reid by saying hefelt it was fitting that afterearning a masters degreein practical theology in
1998 and a doctor of min-istry degree in 2002,Bishop Reid be awardedthis honorary degree inrecognition of a lifetime ofservice to worldwideChristianity.
EnormousHonourBishop Reid replied that itwas an enormous honour
to receive the doctorateand dedicated it to thosewho have had an enor-mous impact on his lifeand ministry:
"In 1965 an airlift of 375Americans came over toEngland led by Demos
Shakarian. Demos spot-ted me in a congregationof some 4,000 and Godspoke to him and said "Goget that man. I have awork for him to do" andmy life in Christ began.
I owe this honorary
degree to him, in his obe-dience when he heard theword of God…I also owemuch to my good friendsArchbishop BensonIdahosa, Dr T L Osbornand the Chancellor, OralRoberts."
By Jennie Whealy
Bishop Michael Reid, pastor ofPeniel Pentecostal Church, wasawarded one of the highestaccolades a University can bestow inMay of this year: an honorary doctorof divinity degree from Oral RobertsUniversity. The University awardedonly three honorary degrees thisyear, compared to 765 earneddegrees.
Honorary Doctoratefor Bishop Reid
Caption
Caption
‘Awarded one of thehighest accolades a
University canbestow’
‘in recognition of a lifetime ofservice to worldwide Christianity’
Trumpet Call 39 39
The very first story that Godtells us about in the Bible is the story of how
the world was made is It describes how everything that liveswas made - from the land we walk on, to the fish in the sea and thebirds in the air. You can read the story in the Bible in Genesis 1 & 2.
Genesis is the first book in the Bible.
At the very beginning of time, there were no people, no animals and no plants, justdarkness and water. But God wanted to create something very beautiful. He decided to make
the world. It took him six days and on each day he made something different.
1) On the first day God began by making light so that everything could be seen. At thetimes it would be light He called it Day and at the times of darkness He called it Night.
2) On the second day God made the sky aboveand the planet Earth below where we live.
3) On the third day God created dry land andcommanded that water to surround the land.He called this water sea and the dry land wasnamed Earth. He then covered the earth withgrass, seeds to make corn, fruit trees andflowers. God was very pleased with what hehad done.
5) On the fifth day God made animals andcreatures to live onthe earth and in thesea. He created giantwhales, littlesparrows, eagles,lions and insects andall the animals that wesee today. God waspleased with his
creations. He told them to have families andspread out across the whole world.
6) On the sixth day God created thefirst man from the dust on theground. God called him Adam. Godtold Adam to look after the gardenand the animals that he had made.Adam gave each animal its name.
But God did not think it wasright for Adam to live all alone.God sent Adam to sleep andwhilst he was sleeping Godremoved one of Adams ribs. From Adam’s ribGod made the first woman, Eve, to be his wife.Adam and Eve were special friends and lived inthe Garden together.
4) On the fourth day God made the hot sun.He knew that this would help the plants togrow. By the sun we know when it is dayand when it is night. It tells us which seasonof the year it is: summer, winter, autumn andspring. God also made the moon and thestars to shine in the sky at night.
God was very happy with everything he had made. He said, “Itis good.” Finally, on the seventh day he had a rest from all Hiswork. It is because of this that we call Sunday the day of Restand give thanks to God for all the lovely things he has given tous to enjoy.
Adam and Eve enjoyed living in the Garden. They had deliciousfruits to eat and lots of different animals to play with. In theevenings the Spirit of the Lord walked and talked with them.Adam and Eve loved God very much. God was very happy withhis perfect creations and enjoyed spending time with them.
http://www.peniel.org/childrenscorner/
40 Trumpet Call 39
R oy first metB i s h o pReid, pastorof PenielChurch, in Liverpool in1969. Roy, his wife Beryl,have been members ofPeniel Church for manyyears. Through helpingnew Christians under-stand the Bible, Roy cameto realise that many peo-ple lack the overall con-text in which to placeindividual books.
Panorama ofBible History
We all know that the bookof Genesis tells how Godcreated the world andMan. From Genesis toDeuteronomy the eventsare recorded in the orderin which they happen.But other Old Testamentbooks are not orderedchronologically. Some arecategorised into subject
areas whether it beprophetic, poetic, wisdomor historical. In addition,events within these cate-
gories are not necessarilyordered sequentially. Forinstance the majorprophets (Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel andDaniel) are in date orderbut the minor prophetsare arranged according tosubject matter and length.The individual books willbe a lot more accessible ifpeople, events and storiesare placed in context,building a panorama ofbible history.
TremendousbenefitRoy first created thepanoramic chart inNovember 1999 as acoloured sketch. Feedbackfrom those who saw Roy’sinitial work was very pos-itive and he began toappreciate what a usefulstudy aid this chart couldbe. Two years later, dur-ing a church meeting, Royfelt a strong compulsionby God to develop thechart. From that morninghe knew that by expand-ing and building upon hisinitial idea the chart couldbe of tremendous benefitto all Christians world-wide. Roy set about creat-ing a better chart support-ed by linked geographicalmaps illustrating theplace names and geo-graphical data relevant toeach time period.
He realised that atlasesdepicting differing areasof the Middle East couldbe reduced to a handful ofmaps. He devised 16 mapswhich clearly convey thefacts of the 4 worldempires mentioned in thebook of Daniel, illustra-tions of Jerusalem, Paul’sjourneys, the 12 tribes ofIsrael, Herod’s kingdomand much more – all on 1side of A4 paper!
Have you everwondered howthe bible stories,characters andevents in the Oldand NewTestament fittogether? Lookno further thanRoy Hossack’schart "FromCreation toChristianity".Maps, dates,chronology,empires, people –it’s all containedon 3 sides of A4paper!
Caption
Dr Hayden, Professor of Old Testament, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA."Many charts dealing with Chronology and Bible history are available today. These include lists of the Kings ofIsrael and Judah, lists of the prophets, and charts of New Testament events. An advantage of "Creation toChristianity" is that all biblical events are displayed on a single sheet in an attractive format. Kings and prophetsare placed in their respective positions within the ancient powers of the Ancient Near-East. Visual markingsmake the Chart easy to use. The prophets are all indicated by horns, conflicts with thunderbolts, and the majorpowers appear as clouds around the timeline of Old Testament and New Testament events. The dynamicgraphics make the chart both interesting and informative; the eye is drawn to the material and the imaginationis challenged to see where each name or event has its place in the overall picture."
‘people, events and storiesare placed in context, ’
UnderstandTogether with the mapsthe chart breaks the myththat the bible is difficultto get into. The chart is agreat tool for those whowish to understand thehistorical and geographi-cal context of biblicalevents in sequential order.In the current political cli-mate, even people with-out church connectionswant to know more aboutthe Middle East and get asnapshot understandingof the history of Israel.The chart and maps hold atremendous value foreveryone. For childrenstudying the bible athome or at school, for newChristians and for thosewishing to learn moreabout the historical andgeographical context ofbiblical events.
Are you a confident biblescholar? When it comes tothe Old Testament, do youknow the lineage of theKings of Israel andJudah? Are you wellversed in the major andminor prophets, whatorder they come in and towhich Kings and nationsthey spoke Gods message?And are you familiar withMiddle Eastern geogra-
phy, coun-tries, placenames andcities? Whatabout theempires such asAssyria and Persiaand the era in whichthey shaped theregion of Israel andsurrounding nations?
To get hold of a profes-sionally produced Biblicuschart and map simplypost your order to BiblicusPublications at 215 HatchRoad, Brentwood, Essex,CM15 9QN. If you haveany enquiries please callBiblicus on 01277 260729or email your query [email protected]. A4 sizedcharts and maps are £6.99for 1 copy with discountsavailable for multipleprints. A0, A1 & A2 chartsare available on request.
Trumpet Call 39 41
From Creation to Christianity‘A great tool for those who wishto understand the historical andgeographical context of biblical
events in sequential order’
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42 Trumpet Call 39
T he schoolwas alsodelighted tow e l c o m e ,amongst others, RogerWatkins of the BrentwoodGazette, Sisters Jude andRosario from St Helen’sschool in Sawyers’ HallLane, representatives ofthe BATTS table tennis inHarlow and SamanthaLandy, a Regent of OralRoberts University inTulsa, USA.
Guided TourAfter the opening ceremo-ny, all of the guests weretaken on a guided tour ofthe school and were treat-ed to a display of GCSE artand a musical perform-ance by a group of stu-
dents from Oral RobertsUniversity who were visit-ing the church at thetime.
Mr Pickles also planted amagnolia galaxy tree andunveiled a plaque to com-memorate the occasion.
The new classroomsreplaced the draughty,leaking old portacabinsthat housed the pre-school, infant and juniorclasses. As with the firstwing that opened in Mayof 2002, much of the workwas undertaken by PenielChurch members.
ThrilledThe staff and pupils arethrilled with the newaccommodation and facil-ities. The provision of
purpose built classroomswhich are bright andcheerful enhances theteaching and learningthat the school under-
takes. In particular theprovision of a library andIT facilities has increasedthe opportunities for thechildren to learn and
develop using up to datetechnology. We now lookforward to greater thingsin the future as the schoolexpands and develops.
by Sue Brown, Headmistress of PenielAcademy Junior and Infant Schools
It was a great honour to have theMP for Brentwood and Ongar, EricPickles, officially open the secondnew wing to the Peniel Academyjunior school on 16 May 2003.
A School to be Proud of!
Caption
Caption
Caption
‘The facilities now available for these primary schoolchildren are superb, including specialist music and artrooms. I was honoured to be invited to officially openthe new classrooms and the outdoor learning areas. Itwas a pleasure to meet the staff, parents and most of
all the pupils who are rightly proud of their school andthe opportunities it offers.
‘My congratulations go to all involve in the project andI am confident the facilities will be put to god use so
that every pupil at the school achieves to the very bestof their ability.’ Eric Pickles MP
Trumpet Call 39 43
H a v i n gp l a y e df o o t b a l lthrough-out his school life atPeniel Academy JonathanWhitaker first took thesport seriously when hejoined Kelvedon Hatchfootball club at the age of16. At the end of his firstfull season he was award-ed the title "Best YoungPlayer" at the club. Nowaged twenty, and havingcompleted his fourth sea-son with Kelvedon Hatch,Jon has been namedKelvedon’s player of the
year after scoring thirtygoals in twenty ninegames and helping histeam to win the BillSpurgeon cup final. Hehas also representedEssex on six occasionsand is a firm fixture in thecounty team. During hismost successful season todate Jon was scouted bythe manager ofChelmsford City footballclub and looks set to moveup the divisions, from theEssex IntermediateLeague to the Dr MartensPremier Division.
Moving On?Jonathan told me; "I havereally enjoyed my time atKelvedon Hatch and I’mgrateful to the managerand my team-mates foreverything that I’velearnt here. Ihaven’t made myfinal decision yetbut theC h e l m s f o r doffer is verygood and Iwill seri-ously con-sider it. Iwant toimproveas a footballer sothe opportunity to play ina stronger division is veryattractive."
With an average ofmore than one goalper match Jon’srecord speaks foritself. If he can repeatthis success next sea-son then wherever hechooses to play his foot-ball he will certainly
make his manager veryhappy.
Thirty goals in twenty-nine games
By Chris Jamieson
Jonathan Whitaker, a former studentof Peniel Academy, was recentlyawarded Player of the Year atKelvedon Hatch Football Club.
Heading for Success
‘Thirty goalsin twenty-
nine games’
44 Trumpet Call 39
P e t e rC leminsonstamped hisauthority onthe table tennis scenewhen he won the under11 NationalChampionships. For thenext three years he stayedat the top of the game.But Peter was yet to fight
his fiercest opponent...hisown mind.
TheWildernessYearsOn becoming too old forthe under fourteen tour-naments Peter moved intothe under eighteen eventsand found that he was nolonger the best in his agegroup. He struggled tomake it past the earlyrounds in tournamentsand became despondent,losing all enthusiasm topractise. Peter’s coach,Nick Jarvis, told me thatPeter had never been ableto react well to defeat andthat losing always putenormous pressure onhim. From being a topcadet and well respectedinternational (having rep-resented England twentytimes as an under four-teen) Peter was no longer
seen as a threat by hispeers and had becomenothing better than anaverage junior.
For a period of two yearshe dabbled in other sportsand very nearly gave uptable tennis altogether."Not only did I expect tolose but I no longer caredif I did". When I spoke toNick Jarvis he told methat "there’s never been adoubt about Peter’s natu-ral ability and flair but healways found it difficult toaccept advice and con-structive criticism andwas at odds with himselfover whether he wantedto play table tennis ornot".
ChallengedIt was at this point thatBishop Reid stepped in totell Peter exactly what hethought of his attitude.He confronted him with
the stark truth that unlesshe dramatically changedhis mind-set he would failto fulfil his obvious poten-tial. He challenged him toshow his contemporariesthat he was not a spent
force. This took placeimmediately prior to theWorld SchoolsChampionships whichwas held in Slovakia.Seeing the world’s bestunder eighteens madePeter realise what he hadbeen missing out on. Hereturned to England withrenewed enthusiasm.Taking up the challengehe started by trebling hispractice time. "I worked
harder than I ever hadbefore and I even startedto listen to my coach whowas amazed with my newattitude." Nick Jarvis toldme that "Peter has made aremarkable change in hisattitude towards compet-ing. He has a strong willto win and in fact is train-ing much harder than anyother player in England."
BreakthroughAlthough Peter didn’t seethe rewards for his hardwork immediately he con-tinued to believe that hecould return to being thebest, despite the fact thatmany of his contempo-raries had written him offas a has-been. His firstbreakthrough as a juniorplayer came in 2002,when, ranked just 13 inEngland, he managed tofinish fourth in the topsixteen end of seasontournament. This wasclosely followed by a thirdplace in the NationalChampionships where helost closely in the semi-
final to the eventual win-ner and national numberone. In less than half ayear he moved from aranking of thirteenth tofifth in the under eigh-teens.
Peter: "My coach and myBritish League team cap-tain played a big part inimproving both the tech-nical and the mentalaspects of my game. Theywere both very patient
By Chris Jamieson
In sport howmuch of thebattle takes placein the arena?How much iswaged in themind? Theability of atalentedyoungster canearn short-termsuccess, but ittakes mentalstrength toremain achampion.
Caption
‘He returned to Englandwith renewedenthusiasm’
The Rise of aChampion
Caption
with me and believed inmy ability and potential tobecome number one. Iwas also very lucky thatPeniel Academy gave methe time off school that Ineeded to practice.
EnglandReturnFor the 2002/2003 seasonPeter set himself the tar-get of becoming ranked inthe top 25 of the seniormen, at that time beingranked sixty. It took himjust three months toachieve this but he wasstill only ranked fourth inthe junior boys, threeplaces below where hewanted to be. In Februaryof 2003, three years afterhis last England cap, Peterwas selected to representhis country in theSwedish Youth Open. Hewas delighted with hisinclusion in the nationalteam but was still deter-mined to prove that hewas the best under eight-een in England.
Number OneOn returning fromSweden Peter entered and
won a major domesticyouth tournament beat-ing the two top rankedjuniors along the way.Peter: "Soon after this thenew ranking list was pub-lished and I was verypleased when PenielAcademy’s headmistressinterrupted class to giveme the news that I hadgone to number one".Many people thought thatPeter would soon beknocked off the top spotbut he proved that he wasthe best by handling thepressure of being seeded1st and winning thechampionship for the topsixteen ranked juniors.Nick Jarvis told me thatwinning this competitionwas a significant mile-stone in Peter’s career; "itconfirmed his ability tocope with the pressure ofeleven extremely hardmatches over one week-end and it instilled a beliefin him that he can go onto greater things. He nowhas the determination toreach his short term goalof beating some of thebest players in Europe atthe European YouthChampionships in July2003".
U TurnPeter is now in serioustraining for the EuropeanYouth Championships tobe held in Yugoslavia.Currently ranked numberthirteen in the seniors,Peter’s next ambition is toplay for the Englandmen’s team when he istoo old for the under eigh-teens next year.
He acknowledges that hewould not have achievedwhat he has, nor have thehopes that he has, were itnot for the encourage-ment of Bishop Reid andhis coach Nick Jarvis.Nick told me; "it’s verypleasing to see someone
turn a corner in such adramatic way. Peteralways had the ability tobe one of the top seniorsin Europe but his previousmental state made thislook like extremelyunlikely. Now he is backon track and I am expect-ing great things from himin the future."
Your AttitudeDeterminesYour Altitude
For two and a half yearsPeter’s attitude was lead-ing him into sportingoblivion. But a remark-able u-turn has put himback on course to becomeone of the world’s best.With a determination totrain hard, coupled with adesire to succeed, he isnow beginning to fulfilhis potential. AsArchbishop BensonIdahosa used to say; "yourattitude determines youraltitude."
Caption
Trumpet Call 39 45
The Rise of a Champion‘he moved from a
ranking of thirteenth tofifth in the under
eighteens’
‘I was very pleased whenPeniel Academy’s
headmistress interruptedclass to give me the news
that I had gone tonumber one’
‘He is now beginning tofulfil his potential’
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