From the Radio Ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, we present Let the Bible Speak. Welcome to our monthly program of Bible teaching and fellowship. Here once again to introduce this month's program, the Reverend Leslie Curran. And welcome once more in the Savior's name to our monthly program. One old Puritan commentator, speaking on Psalm 31 verse 15, and the words, My times are in thy hand, made this comment. If our times were in our own hand, we would have deliverance too soon. If they were in our enemy's hand, We should have deliverance too late, but my times are in thy hand, and God's time is ever best. Everything is beautiful in its season. When the mercy is ripe, we'll have it. It's true that we're now between the hammer and the anvil, But don't cast away your anchor. God sees when the mercy will be in season, when His people are low enough and the enemy high enough. Then appears the church's morning star. Let God alone to His time. My soul waiteth for the Lord. brought me weary and sick with sin, and on his shoulders brought me back to his fold again. While angels in his presence sang until the courts of heaven, that sought me, O the blood that bought me, O the grace that brought me to the fold, wondrous grace that brought me to the fold. I'm sitting in His presence, the sunshine of His face, While with adoring wonder His blessings I retrace. It seems as if eternal days are far too short to sing His praise. Oh, the love that sought me! Oh, the blood that bought me! Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold, wondrous grace that brought me to the fold. In tenderness he sought me. On the program this month we have a report on a Romanian visit, learn about the deity of Christ, hear another hymn story, and letting the Bible speak is the Rev. John Woods. But we begin by introducing a new contributor to our program in the person of the Rev. Ian Brown, minister of our Londonderry congregation. and he's joining us to commence a short series of studies in the book of Esther. Esther is a book in which the name of God doesn't appear but the providential workings of the Lord fill the whole book and as we study its pages this will become more and more apparent. In our devotional journey through the book of Esther we're taking a brief look at chapter 1 verses 1 to 4 today. Now it came to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus, this is Ahasuerus, which reigned from India even on to Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces, that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him, when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and four score days." A number of years ago, a popular fad was to complete the phrase, happiness is. Some suggested that happiness is having good health, a comfortable home, money in the bank, a close family or loyal friends. Others defined happiness as being a cuddly, warm puppy. Had someone asked the Persian king Ahasuerus about happiness, he probably would have answered, oh, it's victory in battle. Ahasuerus was gearing up to wage war against Greece. It wasn't that he needed more land. At its height, his Persian empire controlled nearly 2 million square miles. Nor did Ahasuerus need more wealth. It took 180 days for Ahasuerus to display all of the possessions which he had. None of this, however, made him happy. Ahasuerus later failed in his attempt to conquer the Greeks. He was defeated at the Battle of Salamis and retreated home to lick his wounds. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. true happiness can no more be found in military victory than in material possessions instead as the children's chorus puts it happiness is to know the Savior living a life within his favor having a change in my behavior happiness is the Lord what are you looking to today for happiness? to family, friends, sufficient material possessions? well these things are important But knowing that your sins are forgiven and you're on the way to heaven is the essence of real happiness. If you haven't received Jesus Christ as your Savior, do so today. And if you already have a personal relationship with the Lord, take a few moments to meditate on all of your blessings. the Reverend Ian Brown. Many of you will have heard of Romanian pastor Eugene Grosa. Pastor Grosa has been greatly used of the Lord in Romania in the preaching of the gospel of Christ and in setting up care homes for the many orphaned children that are found there. Just recently two of our ministers and their wives visited Romania and the Reverend John Morrow, minister in our Oma congregation, filed us a brief report of the trip. Early on Saturday morning, the 3rd of September, Rev. Stanley Barnes, his wife, Ina, my wife, and I traveled out to Romania. The main purpose of our visit was to speak at the pastor's retreat organized by Pastor Eugene Grosa under the auspices of Mission Link International. The Lord's Day was spent in Senecioara preaching on Sunday morning and evening in Pastor Eugene Grosa's own church and in the afternoon in one of the village churches. Though it was still holiday time, a large congregation had gathered for all the services, and we rejoiced in the salvation of two precious souls. It was good to renew fellowship with Eugene, his wife and family, and with so many of God's people from the church there in Tunis. Monday morning we set out by minibus on a six-hour drive to Pantanus Mountain Retreat, close to the large city of Cebu. Quite a journey! considering the poor condition of many of the roads. Wherever the countryside was lovely, we had an opportunity to enjoy many breathtaking views. By 6 p.m. practically everyone had arrived, and after allocation of our rooms and a lovely dinner, the conference began. It was encouraging to see around 25 pastors and their wives at the conference. Each day during the two morning sessions Mr. Barnes and I ministered to the pastors, whilst Mrs. Barnes and my wife spoke to the pastor's wives. Everyone then joined together for the evening session. Though we had the responsibility of speaking at each meeting, the conference proved to be a very precious time to our own soul. It also gave many of the pastors who minister in village churches with very little encouragement the opportunity to get a little holiday to build up their spiritual resources. The untiring work of Pastor Groseff cannot be over-emphasized, whose need and love for God's work is beyond measure. One of the highlights of the event, which brought great joy to the pastor's wives and also to the girls from the Deborah home, was the number of gifts sent out by the ladies from both Hiddlestboro and Oma congregations. We would like to publicly express our gratitude and appreciation for their thoughtfulness and kindness. I am reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul to the Christians at Thessalonica, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love. On our return from the pastor's retreat, we visited the Debre Gerl's home. What an encouragement to see what God, through his servant, is doing. Soon the second home will be ready for opening. Romania is a land that lay for years under the tyranny of communism, and though that system has been crushed, Satan still holds sway over the lives of so many. The need is great, and God's servants are out sparing themselves and bringing the gospel to their nation. But they do need our support, both in prayer and in a practical way. We would like to thank our own congregations for making it possible for us to be helpers in the work of God and the meaning. Breathe almighty breath from heaven, On earth's dry and torched plains, Send the windswept clouds before us, Deluging the earth with rains. Breath of Kaluri, Breath of Kaluri, Let us feel thy quickening power Cleansing, energizing, filling Every moment, every hour Every Stand among us in my glory Conqueror of death and hell Till on fire in Him victorious We go forth, thy praise to tell. Breath of Calvary, Breath of Calvary, Let us feel thy quickening power Cleansing, energizing, filling Every moment, every hour Every breath of Calvary. In our Dealing with Doctrine series, the Reverend R.J. Beggs first drew our attention to the sole authority of the Word of God, and then in recent times he has focused on the supreme majesty of the Son of God. And he's here again to take up this glorious theme of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Having looked briefly at the eternity of Christ within the Holy Trinity, We now come to consider His Deity. By this we simply mean that Jesus Christ is God, very God of very God. Now this important subject of His Deity is clearly revealed and proved in many different ways within God's Word. First of all, it is directly revealed and confirmed in various verses of Scripture. To return again to John 1 and verse 1, it is expressly declared that the Word was God, that none of the cults tell you at your door that this verse does not teach the Godhead of Jesus Christ. The truth is, the original Greek construction makes it abundantly clear that the Holy Spirit is teaching that Jesus Christ is God. Paul again confirms the deity of Christ in Romans chapter 9 and verse 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom is concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all God blessed forever. Again, opponents try to argue that God blessed forever is a benediction and not related to Jesus Christ. Let it be firmly said that such is not the case. In Titus 2, verse 13, Paul again speaks of his deity, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Not only is He our Savior, but as our Savior, He is the great God, the one in whom the two natures, divine and human, come together in order that he might be the great mediator of the covenant and the savior of men. Thomas, speaking in John 20 and verse 28, declares the deity of Christ when he says, My Lord and My God. But his deity is also established by the fact that divine attributes are ascribed to Him. You see, God has certain characteristics which are unique to Him and are not shared by any other being but God. And yet these same characteristics are afforded to Jesus Christ, showing His oneness and equality with God, of being of the same divine substance. We can only deal with three of those attributes. First of all, we speak of God as omnipresent, meaning He is personally and entirely present at every point in space and time. But this attribute is likewise afforded to Christ when He said, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. He is omnipresent with them. He is God. We likewise speak of God as being omnipotent, and by this we mean He is the Almighty. He is irresistible in infinite power. But such power is also attributed to Jesus Christ. In Revelation 1, verses 8 through to 12, we read of the Almighty as being the Son of Man. The one who is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was and which is to come, the Almighty, is identified at the verse 13 as being the Son of Man, as being Christ. So the one who is omnipotent is God. And again we speak of God as being omniscient. This is the ability to know everything with a perfect knowledge. Jesus Christ is also in possession of this omniscience, as is clear from John chapter 2 and the verse 24. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and need it not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. He had a knowledge, an inward knowledge, of the state and condition of man. And this omniscience is one of the themes in the Gospel of John. It runs right throughout the Gospel, and it reaches its culmination in Peter's confession in John 21 and verse 17, where Peter said, Lord, thou knowest all things. This establishes, without doubt, the omniscience of Christ. And we say, he who possesses all knowledge, as God does, is indeed God manifest in the flesh. These things confirm the deity of Jesus Christ. the Rev. R. J. Beggs. Stories behind the writing of some familiar hymns have occupied the thoughts of the Rev. Noel Hughes in past programs, and he joins us again this month to reveal the setting for the hymn, Let the Lower Lights Be Burning. And then, after we hear the hymn sung, the Rev. John Woods, minister of our Bush Mills congregation, will be letting the Bible speak. On a dark and stormy night when the waves roll like mountains, and not a single star lit the darkness of the sky. A large passenger ship cautiously edged its way towards the harbor at Cleveland, Ohio. On board, the pilot knew that on such a night he could only find the safety of the harbor by keeping the two lower shore lights in line with the main beacon. Are you sure this is Cleveland?" asked the captain, who could see only one light in that of the lighthouse. "'Yes, I'm quite sure,' replied the pilot, peering into the darkness. "'But where are the lower lights?' asked the captain. "'They must have gone out, sir,' came the reply. "'Can you still make the harbor then?' inquired the now anxious captain. or we will perish," said the pilot solemnly, as he turned the wheel again. With a strong hand, the old pilot steered the vessel onward. But alas, in the darkness, in the mist, he missed the vital channel. The boat crashed upon the rocks, and many lives were lost. When D. L. Moody first told the story of the shipwreck at Cleveland, In one of his great gospel meetings, he concluded with these words, Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse. Let us keep the lower lights burning. One of Moody's associates, Philip Bliss, was greatly impressed with these concluding remarks. He was a songwriter and a composer, and with his imagination gripped by this sad scene, He soon composed the song, which later gained widespread recognition in Moody's campaign. Brightly beams our Father's mercy from His lighthouse evermore, but to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore. Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar. Eager eyes are watching, longing for the lights along the shore. Trim your feeble lamp, my brother, Some poor seaman tempest-tossed, Trying now to make the harbor In the darkness may be lost. Let the lower lights be burning, Send a gleam across the wave, Some poor fainting, struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save." The words of his hymn convey the truth which the Apostle Paul reminded the church at Philippi of, that they were lights, shining lights, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Christ himself is the light of the world, and he gives to his people the great and solemn responsibility of holding forth and reflecting that light of the gospel. It is our task to keep the lower lights burning, pointing men and women, young people, boys and girls, to the only Savior of sinners. In the faithful words of the old Pilate, miss and we perish. If sinners miss Christ, if they miss the cross, if they miss the redeeming blood, if they miss the saving grace of God, they will sail on to sure and certain perdition. It is our task to keep the lower lights burning. May the Lord give us grace and help that in whatever capacity He has placed us, and with whatever ability He has given us, that we will keep the lower lights burning in the midst of a dark and an evil world for Jesus' sake. lights be burning. Brightly beams our Father's mercy from His lighthouse evermore, but to us He gives the keeping of the lights of our shore. Let the lower lights be burning, send the gleam of crops away. Some poor fainting, struggling seaman, you may rescue, you may stay. Dark the night, lost in that sad tides' hole, Thou'lt be there, there's a whole score, Eager eyes are watching longing, For the lights along the shore, on the shore, Triggers evil at my brother, Some forsaith are his tempest's cause. Trying now to make the harbor In the darkness may be lost O let the Lord's lights be burning Send a gleam across the way Facing struggling seamen you may rescue, you may save, yes, you may save. In 2 Chronicles chapter 16 and the verse 7 we read, And at that time Hanani the seer came to Esau king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubins a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen, yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly, therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. The text of scripture which I want to draw your attention to is found in 2nd Chronicles 16 and the first part of the verse 9. where we read for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. These words are contained in the midst of words of Rebuke spoken to King Asa by the seer or the prophet Hanani. Asa was one of the kings of Judah without a doubt we can say that he was a child of God because in 2nd Chronicles 15 and verse 17 we read that the heart of Asa was perfect all his days as we read through the short record of his life in the scriptures the record of his reign over Judah we discover other evidences of grace in his life For the first ten years of his 41-year reign over Judah, God blessed him with rest from war. We read in those years that the land was quiet. During those ten years of rest from war, Asa was used as God's instrument to bring about a time of spiritual reformation in the land, using his influence as king Asa saw to it that the altars of the strange gods were removed, he saw to it that the images were broken down, and he commanded the children of Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers. After those ten years of rest from war, the Ethiopians came with an army against Judah, an army of one million soldiers, almost double to the size of the army, of Judah and Benjamin. Asa laid his army out to defend themselves against the Ethiopian army. They went out taking up their responsibility, yet relying on the Lord their God. Asa's famous prayer is found in 2 Chronicles 14 verse 11. The prayer which he uttered on that occasion, praying to the Lord and saying, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. Sadly, when we come to the verses of Scripture that we have read in 2 Chronicles 16, in the 36th year of his reign, when faced with another full, Basha king of Israel coming with his army against Judah. Asa on that occasion, instead of relying on the Lord as he had done so in the past, he relied rather on the king of Syria for deliverance. Instead of relying on the Lord, he turned to an arm of flesh. And in the words of Rupiuk, which Hanani was sent by God to bring to Asa, Hanani gave Asa some strong reasoning as to why he should have continued to rely on the Lord for deliverance. And that reasoning is found in our text, 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Child of God, as you listen to this message Surely you and I too have to confess at times that while God does use means to help us many times in life, yet many times we put more emphasis on the means than relying on the Lord. And how too we need to be rebuked at times, how too we need to learn to rely more and more upon the Lord. And as we think upon these words in 2 Chronicles 16 and 9, there are two reasons Two very strong reasons as to why we should always rely upon the Lord in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our difficulties in life. First of all, our God is the God who watches over his people. The text declares that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth. God is the one who sees all things. No one can hide from him. Nothing can be hidden from him. he is the omnipresent one, he is the omniscient one, knowing all things and our text declares that our God, his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth does not this remind us that he watches over us as his people what an encouragement to think upon these words when we realise that the scripture also declares that our arch enemy Satan that he goes to and fro in the earth he walks up and down in it He goes about as that roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. But we can rejoice that even Satan is seen by God. And of course he is also restrained by God. His actions are overruled by God. Though Satan would come and tempt us and desire that we fall into sin and failure. Peter reminds us in similar words in 1 Peter 3 and 12 that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. The watchful providence of God is exercised about us for our good. God sees when others would speak against us. God sees when others would physically harm us. God sees when trials come to overwhelm us. How then we have good reason to rely upon him at all times. In Psalm 121 we read that God who keeps Israel, he neither slumbers nor sleeps. the word keepeth and it can also be read he observes Israel he watches Israel how good to know that our God observes us watches over us 24 hours a day seven days a week 12 months in the year and every year indeed what a God we have take heart child of God maybe you're discouraged at this moment Remember, the Lord is the one who watches over his people. But there's another reason why we ought to always rely upon our God. Not only is he the God who watches over his people, he is also in the second place the God who works on behalf of his people. Listen to the text again. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Asa had proved this truth. God had already in the past showed himself strong in the behalf of Asa and the children of Judah when they went out against the Ethiopians relying on the Lord. God had showed himself strong in their behalf. God shows himself strong in our behalf. The word strong can mean that God shows himself as a help on our behalf. God shows himself as a conqueror on our behalf. God shows himself constant on our behalf. Remember when Samson, towards the end of his life, asked the Lord to strengthen him again. He knew that God shows himself strong on the behalf of his people. Nehemiah was able to pray, O God, strengthen my hands for the task which God had given him to do. Even in redeeming us from our God has shown Himself strong on our behalf. He's redeemed us by His great power and by His strong hand. Let's take encouragement. Let's rely on the Lord. And if you're not saved, realize you're not one whose heart is perfect toward Him. You need to come to the Lord for salvation. much we need thy tender care. In thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy foes prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought us, Thine we are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Thou hast brought us, Thine we are. Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Thou hast bought the world. Savior, like a shepherd, lead us. And that brings us to the end of our program for another time. There are just two announcements, and they concern two new stations. We hope to commence broadcasting in the month of November on 747 Country, which is just across the border in the Irish Republic. And then, in the new year, the Lord willing, we'll be commencing on a station down in Limerick, again in the south of Ireland. I ask you to pray that as we commence broadcasts on these two new stations, that we'll get many new listeners, and many, many more will hear the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do continue to pray for the work of the Radio Ministry as we spread abroad the Word of God across the airwaves. So, until next time, may the Lord's richest blessing be yours now and in the coming days.