John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Jesus Christ Witness God’s Victorious Army
Charity No. 1081578 www.godpod.org.uk
Autumn 2022 NEWSLETTER
Charity No. 1081578 www.godpod.org.uk
Greetings
Greetings everyone,
In the book of Jonah when God told Jonah to go to Nineveh he shot off in the opposite direction.
The Assyrians were a powerful and wicked nation and Jonah hated them, but he could not run from God. He boarded a boat for Joppa and God sent a great wind on the sea. The mariners were in fear of their lives; Jonah wasn’t worried as he was asleep and he would sooner die than go to Nineveh.
God sovereign work is evident: –
Chapter 1v4 wind v17 fish; Chapter 2v10 release of Jonah; Chapter 4v6 the vine, v7 worm, v8
wind. In chapter 1v9 we see Jonah’s first of three confessions,2v9 and 4v2.
Jonah had concern for the seamen but not for Nineveh. He said throw me overboard but the men
were reluctant to shed innocent blood but Jonah persuaded them to do so.
Chapter 2 we see he was drowning but the Lord provided a great fish to swallow him up.
Chapter 2v1 he called to the Lord; v6 was brought up from the pit; v9 He gave a song of
thanksgiving and confession; salvation comes from the Lord. Chapter 3 as soon as Jonah went to
Nineveh and spoke the words God told him to and salvation did come to them after repenting.
Chapter 4v1 Jonah was angry because he knew that this would happen as he did not want them
to be saved. God even supplied shelter for Jonah yet he was more concerned about the shelter
from the vine than God showing kindness and mercy to more than hundred and twenty thousand
people and many livestock.
Psalm 36v6 & Eze 33v11 – God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Eze 18v21-23.
Jonah rejoiced in His mercies to Israel but only wrath to their enemies. Have a look at what Jonah
said to the Lord in Chapter 4v2.
Please read as there are only 4 chapters in Jonah and let us see where we stand. Do we weep
over lost items, animals or when we are swept away by sudden circumstances or, do we have no
compassion for the lost? Do we follow the Lord or run away from our commission?
God was glorified using one man to save a nation! Every blessing Mick.
Chale Show
What a great joy to have been at this year’s show. The show was well attended and so our face
painting team was extremely busy. To see a child’s face light up looking in a mirror after their face paint was such a joy. This was a great opportunity for Christian witness and many tracts were
given out and conversations made. We thank the organisers for enabling us to be there. We thank
the Lord for this great opportunity.
“You Must Be Born Again”
In John’s gospel chapter 3 verses 1-16. We have Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus at night time.
Jesus said to Nicodemus “you must be born again”. Being born again of the spirit is absolutely
essential for us to have a relationship with God. It is the Holy Spirit who brings to life the scriptures as we read them and He also enables us to live a godly life in this fallen world. Again, the Holy Spirit develops in our lives His fruit as described in Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-
control (NKJV). This is evidence that we have truly been born again! Of course, these very fruits
are the true nature of Jesus Christ our dear Lord and Saviour. May we each reflect our Saviour’s
nature in the way we speak, live and witness to His glory.
Every blessing to you and your families. Roy
The Journey of life
As we go through life, we can become disappointed as we do not always get what we want – the
job, promotion, house, the place where we live; our health which can deter us from doing the
things we want. When we look back, we can often see why God has not given us what we want.
There is a reason – the job he has put us in, the place where we live, the promotion we never got,
which could have meant not coping with the job. Even health wise it is difficult to understand why,
but we know God is always with us holding our hand as we go through life. Heather.
A Royal Throne and a Finished work
Our last newsletter coincided with the platinum jubilee of our Queen and this time also we find that we are in the midst of history being written as Her Majesty Elizabeth II has passed from this
earthly abode to the heavenly realms to stand before her Lord and king. In one week, we had a
change of prime minister and a royal accession as her son, the royal heir, has been crowned King
Charles III. It is certainly a pivotal point in history and the life of this nation and indeed the world.
For 70 years Queen Elizabeth carried out her duties with dedication and service. She confessed
her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and has now finished the work that was entrusted to her, so has
now passed on the baton. In this time of mourning, remembrance and celebration we may be
reminded that not everything stays the same. So many had grown up and lived as Elizabethans. It
seemed the dear Queens reign would go on and on. In the course of history, nations rise up and
are again laid low, dictators and conflicts come and go; monarchs have their allotted time and in
the case of her Majesty having such a central focus in history has now gone on from here and left
behind a changing world.
We must keep our eyes on the Lord of history who does not change and is not held up or subdued
by the things of time. As with the Queen, we His people are part of ‘His-story’. We remember the
Servant King who left His royal throne and dwelt among His creation, taking on our likeness and
identifying with humankind. He carried our sorrows and our iniquities and cried ‘It is Finished!’ He finished that work He came to do and He is our Lord, Saviour, High Priest, Coming King as well as the believer’s true friend. Has there ever been a monarch like Jesus who owned all yet laid aside His glory for his people and become a friend of sinners?
I love the words of the last verse of this great hymn, ‘I’ve found a friend, oh such a friend, so kind
and true and tender; so wise a counsellor and guide, so mighty a defender, from Him who loves
me now so well, what power my soul can sever? Shall life or death, shall earth or hell? No! I am
His forever.’ James G. Small 1866 – I’ve found a friend, oh such a friend (final verse). Amen.
Prayer: Father, help us to finish the race and to complete the work you have given us to do so
Jesus would be made known through the power of the Gospel, In His name, Amen. – N.V.
Every Blessing, the team & trustees.