December 2011 Newsletter

Verse of the Month

"In HIM was LIFE and THE LIFE was the LIGHT OF MEN"

John 1:4

 

Focus
 

One of the unchangeable characteristics of God is that He is LIGHT.
“God is LIGHT and in Him is no darkness at all". (1 John 1:5)

So that the first recorded words spoken by God are found penetrating the darkness of the original creation - LET THERE BE LIGHT (Genesis 1:3) As for physical darkness so for moral darkness.  The prophet Isaiah says this: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great LIGHT; those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a LIGHT has shined .. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” (ch 9:2,6) So in John 1 “In the beginning was the Word ... All things were made by Him ..... In Him was life and the life was the LIGHT of Men.

Wuest makes v. 5 particularly clear: “And the LIGHT in the darkness is constantly shining.  And the darkness did not overwhelm it.”  This is a LIGHT that cannot be extinguished, it cannot be “switched off”.
John takes up this thought in 1 John 2 “..the darkness is passing away and the TRUE LIGHT is already shining”.

Every time a person receives Christ as Saviour they are called out of darkness into His marvellous LIGHT.(1 Peter 2:9)Satan, of course, hates souls being saved and will do everything in his power to prevent it.  “If our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing whose minds the god of this age has blinded” (2 Cor. 4:3,4a)  Why?  “Lest the LIGHT of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Cor. 4:4b)

There is also a natural resistance in the hearts of men - “And this is the condemnation that THE LIGHT has come into the World and men loved darkness rather than LIGHT because their deeds were evil.”By nature men prefer moral darkness to the LIGHT of the Gospel for this light reveals their sin and tells of future judgment. 

Remember however, if we feel the odds are against us, that the LIGHT OF CHRIST can never be extinguished and has and will continue to make inroads into the kingdom of darkness.

So at a time when we celebrate the coming into the world of THE LIGHT let us not forget our responsibility as Christians “that you may become blameless and harmless, the children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom YOU SHINE AS LIGHTS in the World, holding forth the word of Life” (Phil. 2:15,16a).  

 

For Your Information

SUNDAYS

18.30 - Evening Service 
4th:  N. Hamilton - Kilwinning                                       
11th:  D. Robertson - Dreghorn       
18th: G. Armstrong (TEA AFTER)                                                                                    
25th: NO SERVICE       
 
 

 

THURSDAYS

19.30 - Prayer +
1st: 1 Corinthians ch 4 (R. Neilly)
8th: 1 Corinthians ch 5 (J. Locke)
15th: 1 Corinthians ch 7 (A. Sinclair - Crosshouse)
22nd:  No Public Meeting
29th: (Prayer only)

FRIDAYS 

Anytime 10.30 - 12.00 - Coffee Morning 2nd, 9th & 16th only

 

Special Events This Month

SATURDAY 10th at 19:00
MINISTRY: J. Gamble - Burnbank

Wednesday 21st at 19:30
LADIES’ NIGHT CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Karen and the Girls
           
SATURDAY 24th: 19:00 - 21:00
Christmas Eve Carol Service (Light Refreshments Provided)

 

Other News This Month

Two of our Godly sisters, Mrs Louisa Gemmell (98 years old) and Mrs Mattie Reid (90 years old), passed into the presence of their Lord recently. Both faithfully served Him and we were the richer for knowing them.

We are delighted that Phil and Kirsty have joined the Fellowship after their recent marriage.