Dear praying friends,

Since the issue of our last newsletter a lot of ground has been covered. For just over 3 weeks in July and August, Margaret and I travelled extensively in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada and also crossed into Washington State, USA. We drove some 2500 miles and as well as visiting relatives and sightseeing I also spoke at 7 meetings along the way on the work of ‘Take Heed’. We were much blessed as we met fellow believers who have a passion to “stand fast” in these dark days of rampant spiritual deception. Following our return home I was able, thanks to the response to our ‘Video Projector Appeal’, to purchase the necessary projector, video player and sound speaker. Sincere thanks to all who so generously responded. In our June newsletter I gave provisional details of the upcoming visit of Shaun Willcock. We do thank all who prayed for the provision of a car – the Lord through a brother in Christ has provided a vehicle so we praise Him for meeting this need. Enclosed with this newsletter is a leaflet giving final details of where Shaun will be speaking. Your prayers and presence where possible are earnestly coveted.

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Dear praying friends,

In this issue of NEWS FROM THE FRONT I think it is significant that the 3 main articles in it all deal with errors that have been publicly promoted by those who have professed to be Christian. It is clear that we are living in days when the threat to the truth of The Gospel is as great [if not greater] from within professing Christendom as it is from without the professing Christian domain. I have been reminded of the Apostle Paul’s warning to the elders at Ephesus as he took his leave from them when he said “I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them” [Acts 20:29-30]. His instruction to the elders on how to combat this threat was found in verse 28 when he said, “TAKE HEED therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers”. Please pray that our efforts may assist faithful elders to “Take Heed” and to “feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood”.

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Dear praying friends,

In recent years TV programmes looking at ‘natural disasters’ have become very popular and graphic footage of damage caused by tornadoes, avalanches, volcanic eruptions etc have vividly brought home to us the havoc that can be wreaked upon humanity by such happenings. One particular programme I saw speculated upon the potential for disaster should a large portion of one of the Canary Islands [off the North West coast of Africa] suddenly slip into the Atlantic Ocean. It would apparently trigger an almighty ‘Tsunami’ – a huge ocean tidal wave that would race westwards and devastate the East Coast of the USA. – It would literally bury and destroy life and light along that coast.

I believe the professing Christian Church faces an almighty ‘Tsunami’ of unprecedented apostasy. Large portions of biblical truth are, thanks to the departure from Biblical truth and separation-standards by so-called ‘evangelicals’, slipping into the ocean of ecumenical compromise and a swelling tidal wave of polluted so-called ‘unity’ is threatening to engulf and extinguish the light of The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, there is a barrier and defence against this swelling tide and it is called ‘truth’ and no ‘Tsunami’ orchestrated by Satan himself will succeed in burying and destroying “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” [2 Corinthians 4:4]. Let us all ‘take heed’ and ‘take heart’ from the words of Christ who said “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” [Matthew 16:18].

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Dear praying friends,

This is an unscheduled additional NEWS FROM THE FRONT that has been prompted by the sheer volume of information that I want to distribute to you. The ‘print size’ is perhaps a little smaller than usual – again it is to enable me to include as much information as possible. You will notice that at the foot of this page, details of a Council of Reference are no longer listed. There is nothing sinister in this; it is simply the result of changed circumstances. Since the formation of the Council a number of years ago, of the original 6 members, only one is still currently working in the same situation. As a result of the various changes of location and service, including of course our own move back in 2000, it has become increasingly difficult to arrange regular ‘get-togethers’ and so it has been decided to formally ‘disband’ the Council. Each of the ‘retiring’ members has assured me of their ongoing full support for “Take Heed” and will continue to offer me a ‘listening ear’ and advice in appropriate circumstances. Margaret and I wish to record our deep appreciation to all those who served on the Council. Their friendship, fellowship and encouragement have meant much to us over the years and we wish them God’s richest blessing as they continue to serve Him “in spirit and in truth”. A new year has unfolded and as we face “the wiles of the devil” we will need both strength and help, so let me conclude this letter with what was our own Church motto text for 2002 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped” [Psalm 28:7].

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Dear praying friends,

The ‘lead’ article in this newsletter focuses on the initiative that was known as Power To Change and lack of space has prevented me from saying all that I would have liked to have said so I want to share here with you an additional example of the worrying influence of this event. In Bangor, a Power To Change guest speaker was James Ryle who was for a time a board member of the ecumenical Promise Keepers and in 1990 stated ‘The Lord has appointed me a lookout and shown me things that I want to show you…The Lord spoke to me and said “What you saw in the Beatles, the gifting and the sound that they had, was from me…It was my purpose to bring forth through music a world-wide revival that would usher in the move of my Spirit in bringing men and women to Christ”’. Mr Ryle on another occasion claimed he had a vision of a Beatles concert where people were “screaming the name, Jesus”. In a bygone age, Mr Ryle would have been taken out and stoned to death! Commenting on Luke 5:4 “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught” C H Spurgeon wrote ‘In the saving of souls, God worketh by means; and while the present economy of grace shall stand, God will be pleased by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe’ and as my own Pastor often says ‘and all God’s people said – Amen’! Thank you so much for another year of support and encouragement, please pray on, and may He in 2003 continue to “perfect that which concerneth you” [Psalm 138:8]

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Dear praying friends,

From time to time I am asked about the need for the ministry of “Take Heed”. Earlier this year I was sent, by way of encouragement from a brother in Christ the following ‘daily devotional’ and I would like to share it with you and may it encourage us all to be on our guard and to “Take Heed”.

(Henry Morris – Institute for Creation Research – ‘Days of Praise’ – 7 June 2002)

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). This warning by Christ has special relevance in these latter days when there are multitudes of “false Christs, and false prophets” (Matthew 24:24), not only in the so-called “New Age” movement but also (in view of the fact that “Christ” means simply “anointed”) in all kinds of religious, political, and educational areas of influence, and are, as Jesus warned, deceiving many. Therefore His urgent warning: “Take heed!” This is a frequent emphasis in the New Testament. For example, Paul warned the Ephesian elders: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you” (Acts 20:28,29). Note also the warning to the Hebrew believers: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). To anyone who feels overconfident in his own ability to withstand such deceptions and temptations, Paul warns: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12). Many similar warnings exist, and therefore we do well to take heed also to the safeguards that God has provided. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (I Timothy 4:16). Continue in sound Biblical doctrine! For “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place” (II Peter 1:19).

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Dear praying friends,

In Psalm 92:1 we read, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” and as this newsletter unfolds I hope you will join with us as we “give thanks unto the Lord”. We want to thank Him for overseeing the visit of our brother Roger Oakland in March [see p2-6] and we want to thank Him also for the thrilling developments in Louisiana [see p13-14]. As a couple we want to thank Him for His gracious and merciful dealings with us and also for His faithful provision as He has moved in the hearts of His people to support us here at “Take Heed”. Then in Luke 18:1 we read these words of the Lord Himself “Men ought always to pray and not to faint”. As you will read in the enclosed special notice we have sent a ‘creation video’ to every Member of Parliament [659 in total] at Westminster – please pray with us that God would touch the hearts and minds of these men and women who hold the reins of power [humanly speaking] in our nation. In the newsletter itself you will read a number of ‘Prayer Points’ [see p12] and again we would ask you to pray with us and for us. These past months have been for us personally both difficult and demanding for a number of reasons but our hands are still firmly “to the plough” [Luke 9:62] and as together we give thanks and offer prayer may we all know “the peace of God which passeth all understanding keeping our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” [Philippians 4:7].

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Dear praying friends,

Virtually on a daily basis the most horrendous acts of wickedness, barbarity and evil are being reported on the television news broadcasts. Often these acts are being perpetrated by vicious thugs on the weakest of society that is, either the very young or the frail and elderly. Constantly commentators and ‘experts’ are offering reasons and excuses as to why these things are happening. Not once is the cause of these terrible deeds attributed to ‘the depravity of man’ because we now live in a world that has set itself in opposition to the Divine truth that mankind, having been created by the one true God of the Bible, then ‘fell’ because of ‘Adam’s sin’. The teaching of ‘original sin’ has been almost totally eliminated as the promotion of the lie of evolution has globally swept the education systems of the world. Mankind is now reaping the bitter fruit sown by its rejection of the truth of Genesis. Just how strident this opposition to God’s truth is will be seen when you read the quote from Ken Ham recorded on page 16 of this newsletter. As a ministry we are praying much for the March visit [DV] of Roger Oakland as he with God’s help seeks to alert people to the impact of evolution on society, morals and behaviour. May God be pleased to use this dear brother in Christ as a light in a very dark world. We covet your prayers.

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Dear praying friends,

Death has very visibly stalked humanity in recent months with no better examples than the terrible events of 11 September and 12 November. They bring into sharp focus the words recorded in Proverbs 27:1 “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth”. The world suffered those days, America suffered those days, New York suffered those days but the true reality of death is that it is supremely very personal. Those who suffer most as a consequence of it are the family and friends of those who die, not the world, not a country, and not a city. There was intense grief because of death in a small village called Nain some 2000 years ago, but into that scene of sorrow stepped One who made all the difference – His name was Jesus Christ [see Luke 7:11-16]. The cry went up “God hath visited his people” [v16]. As you will read shortly, death has intruded into our own family circle but in the midst of our great grief and sorrow we too can testify, “God hath visited his people” and with Job of old we raise our voices in thanksgiving saying “the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord” [Job 1:21].

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Dear praying friends,

Once more we are on the eve of another ‘winter’s work’ and of one thing we can be assured – there will be no respite or ‘hibernation’ from spiritual deception and error. Our enemy is one ‘lion’ who thrives on activity. As you read this newsletter you will see that God’s faithful people are swimming against an ever swelling, fast flowing river of error-ridden, false Christianity and professed spirituality. The false prophets of a soon coming ‘mighty revival’ continue to parade before the churches their latest sure-fire methods that will guarantee ‘success and growth’ whether these be ‘Alpha’, ‘Jabez’, ‘Relics’, ‘Transformations’, ‘User–friendliness’ or ‘Health and Wealth’. Sadly the reality is that large numbers are being attracted to these watered down, unscriptural, often pagan infiltrated ‘gospel’ presentations. Clearly “many” are indeed travelling “the broad way” and “few” have found “the narrow way”. However this is not a cause for despair but rather a motivating, wake-up call to action because the Saviour has promised, “I will build my church” and He has chosen to use the “weak and foolish” things to accomplish His purposes. In so doing the glory will be His alone. We covet your ongoing prayers that despite our perceived weakness and foolishness, His cause will prosper and His name will be glorified.

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