All together in the final verse then. ♪ Near the cross I'll watch and wait ♪ ♪ Hoping, trusting never ♪ ♪ Till I reach the golden strand ♪ ♪ Just beyond the river ♪ ♪ In the cross, in the cross ♪ 203. I was singing deep in sin, singing to rise no more. Overwhelmed by guilt within, mercy I did implore. 203, the first two verses, please. I was sleeping deep and safe, sleeping to rise no more. Overwhelmed by guilt within, the mercy I did ignore. Oh When the One, One Christ fell down, the Lord lifted me. Alleluia! The Lord lifted me. The Lord lifted me. When the One, One Christ fell down, the Lord lifted me. Those in danger, look above, for Jesus completely saves. He will lift you by His love, out of the angry waves. ♪ He loves His fellow man ♪ ♪ He, our Savior, wants to be His Savior today ♪ ♪ To love Him can be, to love Him can be, to love Him can be ♪ Oh Number 300. My God, I have found the thrice-blessed ground where life and where joy and true comfort abound. When we come to the chorus, we'll ask the ladies to sing the hallelujah, and then the men will respond, thine the glory. Again, the ladies will sing the hallelujah, and the men will sing amen. The same in the next line, the ladies, the hallelujah, and line the glory. And then we'll all join in and resounding revive us again. So I hope you'll be able to follow that OK. So number 300, the first, the third, and the last verses, please. find the Christ-blessed bride, her life and her joy and her comfort alive. Alleluia! Find the glory! Alleluia! Amen! Alleluia! Find the glory! Rebind us again! Before all the tree, a sentence for me, that I, both the surging and sinner, are free. Alleluia! I'm not boring. Alleluia! Amen! Alleluia! I'm not boring, if I must again. for such is his might. He'll not be ignoring and leave me behind. Alleluia! Thine the glory! Alleluia! Amen! Alleluia! Thine the glory! Revive us again! Well done, that was lovely. 488, the hymn of challenge and consecration. All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give. Maybe this conference, this meeting, even tonight will be a time when you fully surrender yourself to the Lord's will and to service for Him. So just the first two verses, 488 please. All to Jesus I surrender, I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence believing, I surrender all. I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. All to Jesus I surrender. Humbly at His feet I bow. I surrender all. Hymn 165. Breathe on me, breath of God, and fill me with life in you, that I may love what thou dost love, and do what thou wouldst do. We'll sing this a little more softly, not just as loud. We'll sing it prayerfully, earnestly, before the Lord. We'll make this the cry of our hearts as we come to the commencement of these great Congress meetings. that the Lord might be pleased to come and breathe upon us by His Spirit. So, 1-6-5, verses 1, 3, and 5, please. Raise on me bread of God, fill me with life anew. And I may love what I must love, and you what I must love. May God be breath of God, till I am wholly Thine. ♪ Until this earthly heart of me ♪ ♪ Glows with thy heart divine ♪ ♪ We love thee, Brent, O God ♪ ♪ So shall thy name be glorified ♪ I'll live with thee the perfect life of thy eternity. Thank you for singing so well. The Reverend Raymond Robinson is the Chairman of the Congress Committee of the Ulster Presbytery that was responsible for arranging this great Congress. Our brother's the Minister of the Keshe Congregation down in County Fermanagh. He's going to preside at the first meeting of the Congress, so we're going to ask him if he'll come and lead us through the service tonight, please. I'd like to bid each one a warmly welcome to our Congress meeting this evening. And it has been a number of years since the Congress met here. I think it was 2014 was the last Congress meetings that were over here in Northern Ireland. And then since that, it was over in the US, over in Malvern, and that was in 2018. And then, of course, the plan was to have them every four years. COVID intervened, so we're back now in 2024. But we do bid each one warmly welcome this evening. It's good to see you here, and we trust the Lord will bless our fellowship together. And we do bid a special welcome to American folk, those from the North American Presbytery that have gathered with us, those from the churches in Canada and the U.S. We have representatives from Toronto, Cloverdale there in Canada, And then from Malvern and Phoenix, Winston-Salem, Greenville and Orlando, and we bid them each one welcome. in our Savior's precious name. And the ministerial brethren from there as well, we have the moderator of our North American Presbytery, Dr. Larry Saunders, and we do welcome him. And Reverend Wagner is also over as well, the deputy moderator. And then the president of the Geneva Seminary, our brother, Reverend Reggie Kimbrell. And we have one of our ministers from Orlando, the Reverend Logan Elder. So we do build each one welcome, and it's good to have them here with us this evening. And we had some fellowship with them today. We're into the month of July. We took them to the Orange Museum and whereabouts to take them in the month of July to give them a little insight into this country in which we live. They ask questions about what's happening. So they've got a little bit of insight into the history. Whether they will remember it all is another story. But we're glad to have them with us. And we've enjoyed fellowship with them today. And we trust the Lord will continue to bless us in fellowship as we continue through the week. We'd just like to say a word of thanks to each one for coming this evening. And also a word of thanks to the Martyrs' Church, the session and committee here, for the opportunity to use the building and for their help in the catering. And we're mindful of other churches that are helping out with those things as well. And we do express a word of thanks to those in the catering and in the car parking. And also appreciate the labours of the committee. There's a little bit of work presented, and we do thank the committee for their help in that. We're going to commence this evening with the worship, singing hymn number seven in our hymn book, To God Be the Glory. Great things he had done, so loved he the world that he gave us his Son. Hymn number seven. As we gather here, we rejoice in God's goodness, and let's stand together after the note and sing out unto the Lord, please. Stand together. ♪ To God be the glory, great things He hath done ♪ ♪ So loved be the world that He gave us His Son ♪ ♪ Who healed His life from atonement for sin ♪ ♪ And opened the life in that all may know Him ♪ Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things He hath done. O perfect redemption, the virtues of God, To every believer the promise of God, The mildest offender who truly believes, That moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. O come to the Father, bring Jesus the Son, and give him the glory. Great things He hath done. Great things He hath taught us. Great things He hath done. And great are rejoicing through Jesus the Son of God. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice. O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, all things he hath done. Amen. We are delighted this evening to have with us Dr. Stephen Pollock, the Minister for Malvern Congregation. Our brother is also the Clerk of the North American Presbytery, and we do welcome him here. He's also the one that we link up with in organizing these Congress meetings, and we do appreciate his labors and his help in all of these matters. We're going to ask our brother Stephen to come now and to open in prayer, please. Let's all pray. Eternal God and Father in heaven, our hearts are indeed filled with joy and gladness as you consider the great things you have done for us in the gospel of Christ Jesus. We thank you for the access we have even now to come to that throne of grace. Christ has done great things for us. We stand accepted and beloved, and we come before the heavenly throne with confidence and boldness because of all that Christ has done for our souls. We recognize, O Lord, again this evening our own inherent sinfulness. By nature we're strangers from your grace, dead in sin, and yet in your mercy, O God, you've quickened us together with Christ Jesus. You have indeed done great things for our souls. And so, eternal God, we come and ask for grace again this evening. Help us to worship your name in spirit and in truth. We pray, O God, for the grace that we need the help of the Spirit of God that our worship is not vain and empty, but indeed comes from hearts that are filled with gladness and thankfulness to You, our great God. And so, Heavenly Father, we do worship You again this evening. We praise Thee, O Lord, for all that You've been to us and done for us. We praise You, Lord, for Your perfection and Your glory. Truly, O Lord, there is none like Thee, our God, and we worship and praise Your name. We thank You, Father, for these meetings. We thank you, Lord, for the reason that they're convened. Thank you for the work in North America. We thank you, Lord, for the formation of the presbytery there in 2005 and your hand upon it over the years. And we thank you for the vision of those founding fathers to continue these Congress meetings to bring our presbyteries together and to worship our God in the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. So we thank you, dear Father, for these times spent together. We bless you, Lord, for your grace in allowing, again, And those from North America to come across the Atlantic and join with us here in Ulster, we praise You, O God, again for these tremendous blessings. Heavenly Father, we thank You for grace. We thank You for the Spirit of God. We thank You again for the blood of Christ and our unity in these things, and that we are part of the body of Christ, and Christ is indeed our head, the sole head and King of the church. And so may our hearts go out to Christ this week. May we all together with One heart and one mind exalt our Savior. May He be preeminent in these meetings. We pray, O God, for again the Spirit of God come down and power upon us. Breathe on us, O God. Bless our time together. May these be tremendously powerful meetings marked by the unction of God. O Lord, bless Your servant as he brings the word this evening. Pour out Your Spirit upon him. that he would know liberty and boldness and clarity as he brings the word of God to our souls, and may it be a word in season, a word fitly spoken to your hearts tonight, that we'd leave here, O God, with a very clear sense that you've spoken to our souls. Let's do bless in this matter. We thank you again for every effort made in the preparation for these meetings for Brother Robinson and all who serve within the committee. We thank you, Lord, for their labors, and we pray you'd honor and reward them richly for their diligence in this regard, that even they would know Your blessing. And so, Heavenly Father, speak to every soul, and we're mindful, dear God, for those in this meeting, perhaps, are watching on who are still strangers to Your grace. May this meeting stir their hearts. May they be aware of just the reality of life after death. May they be aware of the reality of sin and judgment. and the gospel of Christ Jesus, whereby we can indeed be saved. And so, Heavenly Father, we commit this week into your care. Put your hand upon us all. May we know your presence. May we hear your voice. And may we be glad to be in the presence of the saints of God. Bless our time together, in Jesus' name. Amen. I thank our brother for opening in prayer. And we're going to ask our brother, Reverend Donald Smiley, to come down to read the scriptures. And as we think of that, we're mindful the theme of the conference is to go forward, and based on the words that were spoken by Moses to the children of Israel, to go forward. And that is our prayer and desire that both here in the Ulster Presbytery and in the presbytery in North America, that the work of God would go forward and that the people of God would go forward and go forward with God and with His hand and with His blessing upon them. I'll ask our brother to read the Scriptures, please. If you have your Bible with you tonight, we're turning to the book of Exodus, chapter 14, beginning our reading at Verse 1, and reading the first 18 verses of this portion of God's infallible, inspired, and inerrant Word. Let us hear God's Word tonight. The Word of God says, And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihaiaroth, between Migdal and the Sea, over against Beelzephon, Before it ye shall encamp by the sea. For Pharaoh will save the children of Israel. They are entangled in the land. The wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them. And I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, that Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. And it was told the king of Egypt that a people fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people. And they said, why have we done this? And we have let Israel go from serving us. And he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. And he took 600 chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt and captains over every one of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And he pursued after the children of Israel. The children of Israel went out with an high hand. But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them in camping by the sea beside Pahiroth, before Beelzebub. And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. And they were sore afraid. And the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord, He said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For even better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. And Moses said unto the people, fear ye not, Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore cryest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward. Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go and drag round through the midst of the sea. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow after thee. And I will let get me honor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honor upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. Amen. And we know that God will bless the reading of his inspired, inerrant, infallible word to all our hearts. I'd like to thank the Reverend Smiley for reading the scriptures for us this evening. And we are delighted to have with us the Reverend Colin Mercer from Roma Congregation. And our brother is also the chairman of the Mission Board. And we're going to ask him to come and to give a report just on the Mission Board, give an update on what is happening amongst our missionary endeavors. Thank you. I greatly appreciate the opportunity that is given to us tonight to speak on behalf of the mission board, to bring a report on some of the work that our missionaries are engaged in, both at home and abroad. The psalmist reminds us in Psalm 92 that it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. And that is where we must begin tonight. This is our golden jubilee year. It is 50 years since the formation of the mission board. And the Lord has been pleased not only to establish the work off our hands, but to extend it to various nations around the world. Without Him, of course, nothing could ever be accomplished. And therefore, we gratefully acknowledge the mercies of God across our missionary endeavor. The Free Presbyterian Church is a small congregation, small denomination, and yet the Lord has been pleased to bless our missionary endeavor in so many different places. From small beginnings, he has enlarged our coasts and strengthened our stakes. He has raised up missionaries at home and also abroad. And as some have reached retirement age, the Lord has very graciously supplied others to fill their places. And to him we give our thanks. The Lord continues to raise prayerful and practical support as well for this work. It strikes me continually that the Free Presbyterian Church at home and abroad is a praying church and also a giving church. The prayers of God's people are invaluable. And I want to assure you tonight that God has and is answering your prayers for this work. I know there are people in North America who remember our mission board, our missionary work from there. And of course, there are many here who pray for the work as well. The Lord has also raised up financial support for us. And for that, we are grateful to, through large and small gifts, come in on a monthly basis, sometimes a daily basis. And he meets the financial need of his work. And your generosity enables our missionaries to stay in the field and to preach the unsearchable riches of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm firmly of the opinion, and I know this is the mind of the board as well, that our missionary cause could not continue without the prayerful and practical support of the Lord's people, the sacrificial and steadfast support of our various congregations. And therefore, tonight you are laborers with us in this most worthy cause of reaching the lost with the gospel. This anniversary year has been marked with very encouraging news and progress in the work. Our home missionaries continue to do a sterling job in schools, five-day clubs, holiday Bible clubs, gospel missions, youth camps, children's camps, and a ministry on a one-to-one to those who are addicted to alcohol and to drug abuse. To give you some idea of the reach of this work at home, our children's evangelists, Joyce and Robert and Christina, have opportunity to speak in over 60 schools across the province. They're involved in over 35 day clubs and holiday Bible clubs. And Eternity Alone will reveal the impact of their labors amongst the boys and girls. Children's camps are conducted. We have two children's camps each year. And boys and girls from our congregations mainly come and hear the Word of God and participate in various activities over that particular period of time. The publication this year of a daily devotional book directed at young teenagers we feel has filled a very important gap for our young people. We do want to thank those men who contributed to that. to churches who bought those books and distributed among their young people. And the first print of that book very quickly sold, and we had to go into a second print to meet the need across our churches. I know some of those went over to North America as well, and we certainly appreciate the interest that was shown in North America in that regard. Our home missionaries. Colin and Noel, our home evangelists, continue to conduct open air meetings in town centers all across the country, Dungannon and Omagh and Portadown and Lisburn, Kilkeel, many, many other places in between. And they have pressed on with gospel missions over the last number of months, doing 15 gospel missions this year alone, some already conducted, some planning in the stages for the autumn months of this year. And again, we thank God for answering prayer on their behalf, for souls that have been saved, for the encouragement of God's people, for the help that they have been to local congregations. They don't only preach the word in those missions. They go on outreach and evangelism before that, door-to-door work. And we find their labors invaluable across our many, many congregations. Remember our brother Chris, as well, as he works among the addicted. It's a very important aspect of our efforts to reach the lost with the gospel. He and his wife, Linda, face many challenging circumstances as they deal with an increasing number of young men and young women from every background, every political background also, as they seek to help families where drug abuse has come in. And I know they are very thankful for the support that they receive. This year, we are in the final stages of preparation, final weeks of preparation really, for a mission trip to Spain. This will be led by Mr. Colin Maxwell. He and 12 young people will work alongside our brother, Alejandro. And towards the end of July, just a few weeks time now, they will travel to our brother's area. involved in tract distribution. They'll do an open-air holiday Bible club in Spain, too. And they're arranging that right now, planning their Bible lessons, the craft projects, and preparing for their trip to Spain. Another mission trip is planned in the latter part of the year to Asia. And we're thankful for those young people. It'll be a much smaller trip, but we're thankful for those young people who have expressed an interest in that trip also. And we ask you to remember them, both trips, as they make their way to those various fields of service. Earlier this year, my wife and I had the privilege to visit our four congregations in Australia to see the progress of the work and to be involved. I had the opportunity while I was there to be involved in the ordination of two elders in two of those congregations. That was a huge encouragement. to the congregations there in Port Lincoln and in Lough. And do remember the work in Tasmania as well, the work in Perth, too. Pray for the Lord's servants. They are a long distance from home. And they're a long distance from each other, even in Australia. And I know they will appreciate very much your thoughts and prayers and the interest shown in them. You can drop them an email. You can drop them a text or on WhatsApp. You can make contact with them just to let them know that you're praying for them, that you haven't forgotten their work, although they are so far, far away. The board continues to help in various ways in Asia also. We don't always feel at liberty to mention names or places, especially if services are being broadcast live on the internet, because we are very conscious of the safety of the Lord's people. But we are grateful, extremely grateful, for the doors that are opened for us there in those various lands. We have made good progress on the registration front and are thrilled to hear of the planting and the progress of new congregations. The Lord is answering prayer And we pay tribute to our missionaries, past and present, who have labored and continue to labor in that region of the world. Do keep joy before the Lord in prayer, please. Many within our own congregations here at home will be very much aware of the exciting and, in some ways, thrilling developments within the work in Uganda and Kenya. This time last year, the Reverend Ray Kerskaven and his family left for Uganda. and they have settled well into life there in Emmanuel Church and the work of the school in Uganda. He's heavily involved in the church work, and labors alongside Miss Noreen McAfee in regard to the school. And God willing, they will be joined in the autumn months by Mr. Dave McCauley and his family. We trust that will be early autumn, and we're almost ready to finalize the details of their sending forth service. We're in the middle of a building program, as many of our own congregations know, in Uganda, with the additional missionaries' families going there. And already there, our missionary accommodation is not sufficient. And so we're in the middle of a very large project to build two missionary houses to facilitate the Macaulay family and also the Kerskaden family. I do want to express our deep appreciation for the congregations at home and abroad who have helped us so much with raising financial support for this. We have still some way to go in regard to the project. The building work is going on very well. The builders are making very good progress. And they assure us that by the middle of August or so, those homes should be finished. And it seems that they are on target. But building work always has its challenges. And so it has proved in Uganda too. So continue to pray for that. The Lord will continue to meet that need. And that as these missionaries prepare to go out In the autumn time, everything will be in place for them. Dave and his family is one of three new missionaries approved by our presbytery this year. Mr. Glenn Hamilton and his wife and family are preparing to move to Kenya in September also, early autumn. And God willing, they will make that move to take up the work that has been left there after the retirement of the Reverend Malcolm and Mrs. Patterson. We appreciate their labors for the Lord and others who have labored in Kenya too. The Hamiltons are going out, God willing, in the autumn of this year. We're waiting on visas and permits and that kind of thing being completed in good time. And then early next year, 2025, it is hoped that Miss Elizabeth Edwards will join the Hamiltons in Kenya. And these missionaries will pick up the work that's there. in the Glory Bible Church, and as they labor for the Lord in various places in Kenya. These developments with three new missionaries, missionary families going out at the one time, is a first for us as a mission board. It is the first time in the history of our mission board that we have had three new families, three new missionaries going out at the one time, all engaged in deputation meetings at the one time. And we take that to be a tremendous token for good. Several years ago, we prayed as a board, conscious of people coming towards retirement, conscious of various needs on various fields. We began to pray for five new missionaries or missionary families. And the Lord has answered that prayer. He has raised up the missionaries we were asking for, the number. But we have additional needs. We have continual needs. And so we want you to continue to pray. The Lord would touch young people and put his hand upon them, and they would say, here am I, send me. And so we ask you to keep that in prayer. We are thankful for the excellent support that has come in for those new missionaries over the last number of months and continues to come in by way of deputation meeting. At times, we are overwhelmed at the generosity of the Lord's people. and the provision God makes for his own work. As a mission board, of course, here in Northern Ireland, we keep a close interest on the work of the North American Mission Board also. And we're thankful for the Lord's mercies to them. And I have no doubt that some comments will be made later on in this week in regard to their work and their various mission fields too. Some time ago, the mission board developed a strategy paper. And one aspect of that was the development of additional missionary classes in the Whitefield College of the Bible. We have just completed the first year of those. They meet on a Thursday afternoon for three hours for the final year students, whether ministerial or missionary. And those outgoing missionaries came back. Having finished their course in the college, they came back this year and joined in those classes too. A huge thanks is due to all those who participated in lecturing and helping us with the practical aspects of that course. And we think it will be a tremendous help to missionaries and to ministers at home here as they think about the missionary work. As I come to a close tonight, it is with immense gratitude to God for all that he has enabled the mission board to do and our presbytery to do on the mission field. This is the Lord's work. And he has been pleased to give us a little part in that work. In some ways, we are just watching and observing and spectating at what God is doing. It is a tremendous blessing to see the work go forward. Prayers are answered. Souls are being saved. There are challenges, of course there are. There always will be in God's work, whether at home or abroad. But our God is greater than any challenge we can face. His grace is greater than all of our needs, and His grace is sufficient for us. So thank you for your ongoing interest. Thank you for your ongoing prayer support and your practical support. As I've mentioned, we feel that we are laborers together with God. And I say on behalf of the mission board tonight, a sincere word of thanks. I appreciate the opportunity on this opening night of the Congress to bring a brief report of what the Lord is doing, what the Lord has done, and we look to the Lord to continue to do in the days to come. As the psalmist says, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. And we thank him tonight for all his grace and goodness to us. Thank you. I'd like to thank the Reverend Mercer for giving that update, that report on the work of the missionaries. And at this point in our meeting, we'd just like to make a few words of announcements and do remind you to pray for the meetings as they continue throughout the week. Again, we do thank each one for coming tonight. And we are mindful that there are other things on, but we do appreciate you taking the time to come and to meet with us here in the Lord's house and to fellowship one with the other. But please do remember the meetings as they continue throughout the week. Tomorrow night, Tuesday night, Dr. Saunders, Dr. Larry Saunders, the moderator of our North American Presbytery will be speaking. And then on Wednesday night, Dr. Ian Brown will be speaking, and Reverend Wagner will be speaking then on Thursday night. And on Friday night, the Reverend Paul Foster. And it will be a youth focus. Our youth choir will be taking part as well. So please do remember that on the Friday night. And we do encourage each one to come along night by night. Come and bring others with you. And do pray for the work. And do pray for the Congress meetings here, that there might be that time of encouragement. and that time of refreshing. And do speak to the brethren from the North American Presbytery. Those that are visiting, take the opportunity when you're here to meet with them, to talk to them, to get a little bit to know them. And the whole idea of the Congress is to help fellowship between here and the churches in America and Canada. And so the best way to do that is to go and to speak to them and to get to know them. And you'll maybe meet them again at some other point and you'll remember them, they'll remember you, and their friendship's established. I plan to do that this evening. And do pray for the meetings as they continue night by night. And just for some of those churches here as well, there are magazines that are available. The current magazines are available tonight that keep you up to date on what's happening with the North American presbytery. And there are also copies of the Vision magazine for those churches here that are in the Belfast area. So if you're here, please do take the opportunity to pick those magazines up and to take them with you. We're going to sing together an offering hymn. It's a hymn number 304. Page 299. We are never, never weary of the grand old song. Glory to God. Hallelujah. We can sing it loud as ever, with our faith more strong. Glory to God. Hallelujah. And just keep your seats while we sing the opening verses of this hymn. The offering that is collected will be going towards the expenses for the Congress meeting. So please pray to remember that. We are never, never weary of the grand old song. Glory to God, alleluia. Ring and sing it loud as ever with our faithful song. Glory to God, alleluia. All the children of the Lord. We are going. of redeeming love. Glory to God. Hallelujah. We are rising on its pyramids to the hills above. Glory to God. Hallelujah. All the children of God have a right to shine and sing. For the way is growing wide, and our souls are on the way. We are going by and by to the palace of the King. Glory, glory, hallelujah. ♪ We are going to the palace that is built of gold ♪ ♪ Glory to God, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Where the king in all his splendor we shall soon behold ♪ ♪ Glory to God, hallelujah ♪ ♪ All the children of the Lord have the right to shine and sing ♪ We are going by and by to the palace of the King. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Sing it out well, let's stand together and sing for the final verse and the chorus. Where we'll shine, redeeming mercy, in a brand-new song. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Where we'll sing the praise of Jesus with the one voice strong. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Oh, the children of the Lord have a right to shine and sing, for the way is growing bright and our souls are all at ease. We are going by and by to the palace of the King. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Amen. That's good singing. We are delighted this evening to have our moderator, the Reverend Samuel Murray. I'm going to ask him to come now to bring God's Word to our hearts this evening. Would you turn with me, please, in your Bible to Exodus chapter 14? Exodus chapter 14, please. I would like to thank the Reverend Robinson, kind words of welcome and for the invitation to come tonight and to bring the Word of the Lord. It is a privilege. I have to really not just bring the message tonight, but introduce the week, lead into all of the other messages, and that's what I hope, with the help of the Lord, to be able to do, to speak on this subject and lead into all of the other subjects. I'd like to read to you once again from Exodus chapter 14. Please look with me at verse 13. And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore cryest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. Amen. May the Lord bless His Word to our hearts. Let's bow together in prayer, please. Father in heaven, we thank Thee this evening that we have this precious Word to turn to, the eternal Word, the living Word. We pray that Thou would speak to our hearts through it. Please, Lord, prepare our hearts, soften our hearts. We pray, Lord, that we will be ready to receive the Word of God, that the Word will find a resting place in our hearts and bring forth fruit. So, Lord, we look to Thee. Be our helper tonight. Help me, Lord. I need Thy help. I need it. We all do. speak through the Scriptures of truth to all of our hearts. We pray in the Savior's great name. Amen. Amen. The subject that I have been asked to speak upon tonight is this. Go forward in our work for God. based upon the words of Exodus 14 and 15. And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. The story of the Exodus changes dramatically when God, in Exodus 14 and verse 2, tells Moses that the children of Israel must make a turn. They must change their direction in their exodus from Goshen. Now this turn to the right redirected them away from what would have been a clearer, more obvious northerly route of escape. It directed them to a place where they were boxed in by mountains, a marsh, and the Red Sea. Now, humanly speaking, humanly speaking, this was a foolish change in direction. But, since God gave the instruction, there had to be a reason for it. He had to have a plan in place. He had to have a purpose behind telling them to change direction and go to where they went. You know, we don't always know the objective of the Lord, but we know that when he speaks, his word must be obeyed because he knows what he is doing, even if we don't know. Not only that, he knows how it's going to turn out. He knows what he's doing, and he knows how it's going to turn out. The Lord not only knew what he was doing and how it was going to turn out, but God even knew how this change in direction would play out in the mind of Pharaoh. Now that's amazing, but it's true. Look at verse three. The scripture says, for Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. Basically, Pharaoh, God says, is going to conclude these Israelites have got lost. Why else would they turn away from a direct line of escape and end up trapped? Pharaoh's going to say they've made a critical mistake. Pharaoh will see this as a sign of weakness, as a lack of leadership. They don't know what they're doing. They've walked up a cul-de-sac. God says this is what Pharaoh will think. because of the direction that the children of Israel will take. And Pharaoh will conclude, this is my opportunity to pounce. In other words, Moses' difficulty is Pharaoh's opportunity. I know you've been getting some history about Northern Ireland today, all our visitors. Well, if I was to take you back to 1916, there was an Easter uprising, when the Republicans sought to drive the establishment and the government out of Ireland completely. And the battle cry during the 1916 Easter Rising was this, the old Republican cry, England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity. Well, you know, it's a bit like that here. It's a bit like that. Moses' difficulty is Pharaoh's opportunity. So Pharaoh thinks. Pharaoh pursued the Israelites, not only because he saw this as a golden opportunity to strike, but because according to verse three, God will harden Pharaoh's heart. That's very important. It tells us very clearly that God would ensure that Pharaoh took this military decision. Now this proves the truth of the statement in Proverbs 21 and 1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will. God was in control, not only of his decision, the Israelites carrying it out, and what Pharaoh would think about it, and how Pharaoh would respond to it. God's in control of all of this, all of it. And what was accomplished through this act of God when God hardened his heart? Look at verse four. I will be honored upon Pharaoh and upon all his host, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. You see, God's wisdom, power, and justice would be demonstrated through the destruction of the Egyptians. Pharaoh had persecuted the Israelites. God would bring him to naught because of his wickedness. And this is all planned. So, God had a plan, as he always does. We see this plan starting to take shape when the Egyptians ask themselves, why did we let these Israelites go in the first place? Sure, they were an integral part of our economy. So the Egyptians assembled their chosen chariots, the Bible says. Their elite fighting force was gathered, mustered, and set out in pursuit of the Israelites. Now, of course, the terror of this was formidable. this force coming down to bear upon God's people. Initially, they took the proper course of action. They cried unto the Lord. Sadly, their cry unto the Lord was soon replaced with a complaint against Moses. Verse 12, is not this word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians. For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness." Now, a short time earlier, they were rejoicing at the prospect of escaping from Egypt. At the first sign of trouble, their rejoicing is replaced with recrimination. Suddenly, the whips, the beatings, the bricks are forgotten, and they wish that they were back in Egypt. It is such a disappointment when God's people repeat the mistakes of the Israelites here by blaming others for their predicaments, Instead of believing God has a plan, God has a purpose behind every circumstance, and trusting him to see them through, it's also interesting that when a crisis arises, some people always see the worst possible outcome and exaggerate it excessively. Because they said it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. They weren't going to die. God was going to take them across the Red Sea. But here they are saying, oh, we're going to die. They see the worst in it instead of seeing the Lord. They amplify the danger. In a sense, they hold a pity party. This is awful. This is terrible. Look at what's happened to us." In effect, they were leaving the Lord out of the situation. That's what they were doing. That's a grave mistake that God's people must avoid. How can we think like that? How can we leave the Lord out? The one who loved us, died for us, and has promised never to leave us, and yet so often we leave him out of our situations. That's what they're doing here. It is important to point out that when the children of the Lord keep God in remembrance, and they think upon the Lord and what Christ has done for them, they'll have no desire to return to Egypt. Let's always keep the Lord in remembrance in every circumstance, in every situation when things are going well, when things aren't going so well, when we're in blessing, or when we're under attack. Always keep God in remembrance. If our eyes are upon Christ, and we love him as we ought, then we will not be like Peter, who spoke about the fulfillment of the teaching of Proverbs 26 and 11, as a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Let's be careful never to start doubting God, lest we should turn away from him. In verses 13 and 14, Moses instructs the fearful people not to be afraid. He assures them that they have seen the Egyptian army for the last time, and he guarantees that God will fight for them. Tonight, I wish to take the words of the title given to me go forward in our work for God, and combine that with verse 15, speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward, and highlight four truths that have been impressed upon my soul about the children of Israel and the situation that they found themselves in at that time. The first point you might find quite strange. I hope you'll understand why I bring it in at this time. I've called it the rationale that must be considered. The words are go forward. All right? We know that. Go forward. Now, the word rationale means this. It's a set of reasons or a logical basis for a course of action. or a set of reasons that are given to explain a particular decision or action. So, when the Lord instructed Moses to command the children of Israel to go forward, three other options might have arisen in their minds. If they had decided to take any of these three, let's call them rational decisions, it would have been disastrous for them. For these actions would have carried them outside the will of God. So what are these options? And what is the rationale behind them? Well, for a start, they might have decided to redirect their advance. God had said, go forward. But the Israelites might have decided to go off at a tangent to the right or to the left. Some of them might have thought it possible to find an escape route some other way. Maybe a route to the left or a route to the right. Some might have said, let's send the Scouts out. Let's do something else. We need to come up with an alternative plan. We need a plan B because we don't think plan A is going to work. How are we to get across this sea? We would need to work on this and work on it very quickly and come up with something else. God has said, go forward. How can we? This is impossible. We must find another way. We must go another way. I'm sure there were some thinking about plan B. There must have been. That's the type of thinking that dominated the mind of King Saul. You'll know the story. The Word of the Lord came through Samuel to Saul. The Word of the Lord was clear. 1 Samuel 15 and 3, Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not. But slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. God said, Go smite them. Then we read in verse 9, but Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. God says, smite them. Saul says, spare them. When challenged by Samuel concerning altering God's instructions, Saul said this, oh, they have brought them from the Amalekites for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God. He said, oh, we've made a substitute. We've changed the plans a little. We think we've got a better idea. It's a good idea. Nothing wrong with it. Well, Samuel concludes, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. That's the sentence that was passed. He's told to smite them, he spares them. He comes up with his own substitute ideas and God says, I'm going to sentence you for that. That's wrong. Instead of coming up with his own ideas, Saul should have done what God told him to do. He didn't, and he paid for his disobedience with the loss of the kingdom. Therefore, I say to you, never redirect your steps and go off on some tangent away from the direct word of God. Don't do that. That will get you into trouble. So, The rationale to be considered is this, they might have decided to redirect the advance. Then the children of Israel could also have decided to remain where they were. Stand still. Go nowhere. Just don't move. Not off to the left, not off to the right. Now, if they had remained where they were, then apart from divine intervention, one thing is certain, the Egyptians would have swooped down and would have destroyed them. If they had remained where they were, they could not have had any expectation of divine intervention. How come? Because God had already told them what to do. Go forward. And if they don't do it, they'll be in disobedience, won't they? Yep. And if disobedient, they'll not experience God's blessing, and they'll not experience God's deliverance. You know, folks, there are times when it is proper to do what the Scripture says, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, but this was not one of those occasions. It wasn't. I wonder, is there anyone here tonight, and you're stuck in a spiritual traffic jam, moving forward very, very slowly. Possibly a more relevant question would be, are you stuck at a spiritual roadblock? You're just not moving forward at all. Standing still, and have been so for a considerable time, no growth in grace, no increase in prayer, standing there, not going forward with God at all. I read that when Pablo Casals, the celebrated cellist, reached 95 years of age, he was asked by someone who admired his gifts, why do you practice six hours a day? He answered, because I think I'm making progress. Well, folks, Sometimes those who are saved for many years think that they don't need to go forward anymore. This is incorrect. Like the 95-year-old cellist, there needs to be progress. Are you moving forward or just remaining where you are? If the Israelites didn't redirect their advance or remain where they were, they could have determined to return to Goshen. This, of course, could only have taken place if Pharaoh had so permitted. The mood that Pharaoh was in, it is most unlikely that he would have permitted that. But let's say for the sake of argument, the Israelites returned with Pharaoh's consent. What would that have amounted to? Well, for a start, being unwilling to follow God and obey his word. This would have been disobedience. Undermining and rejecting God's anointed leader, Moses. This would have been rebellion. Undoing and reversing the exodus from the land of Goshen. This would have amounted to returning to shame, suffering, slavery, and slaughter. Now, why would anyone want to do that? Why would anyone want to go back? The Lord urges us to go forward. Don't listen to all the rationale that says, let's do it differently and chop and change this and disobey and alter the Word. Just go forward. The rationale to be considered. The second point is this, the requirement to be carried out. We are not to contemplate the idea of failure in God's work. We are required to go forward. We are to go forward in obedience to God's word. We must realize that this is a command from the Lord, a command that must be obeyed. It's not always easy to go forward, but we have to do it. Maybe like some of you today, being conscious of it being the 1st of July, I was reading a little bit about the Battle of the Somme. And you know, it was some challenge for those men. It would make your heart well within you when you think of Ulster's finest and what they had to do on that occasion. And they waited in the trenches. And they waited for the whistle to blow and for their officers to give the command over the top and charge. Some of those men, by the time they climbed up those rickety old ladders and appeared just over the top, they were immediately cut down in a hail of bullets and fell back into the trenches. They did not get very far. But they still went forward. They went forward. We've got to go forward. To do this, we have to conquer our own weakness. That's for sure. And there were many in the camp of Israel who felt very weak and vulnerable at this time. There were those at the Somme who felt very weak. I was reading how that many of the men the night before were either crying or praying. That touched my heart. Crying or praying. And some did both, because they knew what was going to happen the next morning. They were conscious of their weakness. And you know, as Christians, we do have our weaknesses. We're not all heroes. The Bible says in Romans 14 and 1, him that is weak in the faith, receive ye. So it confirms there are those who are weak, not mature, not strong. But we have to overcome that. If God's calling you, one of the great arguments against the call of God, young people, I feel too weak, I couldn't do it, I couldn't go forward like that, I couldn't go to Whitefield, couldn't go to the seminary in Greenville. Hold on a minute. Yes, we're weak. But our God is strong. He says, we go forward. We obey his word. We follow him. Yes, we have to overcome our weakness. Also, we have to overcome our fears. There were those in Israel, they were afraid. They were afraid. Because they couldn't see a way ahead. It seemed as if they were finished. And what they were fully aware of was what was coming behind. And they were afraid. They knew what the Egyptians were capable of. They knew that if the Egyptians get their way, there will be a wholesale slaughter here. They were afraid. The Soam, there were those who were afraid. Oh, they were brave, had their fears. They knew when they put their heads above that trench. The machine guns would go off. The rifles would go off. When they made their way out of those trenches, the shells would land around them. Of course, they had their fears. But they went forward. They went forward. You know it says in Matthew 10, 26, fear them not therefore. Verse 28, and fear not them which kill the body. Verse 31, fear ye not therefore. Three times in the space of six verses, the Lord speaks to his disciples about their fears. And the devil would use our fears to prevent us from going forward in God's work. And yet the Lord says, fear thou not for I am with thee. Don't be afraid. God will go with you. Of course, to go forward, we have to overcome the obstacles, and there will be obstacles. When the children of Israel, they can see one pretty big obstacle. It's called the Red Sea. How are we going to get across this? It's a big obstacle. The psalm I read today about the barbed wire, I read the accounts of those who saw their friends cut down and caught up in those obstacles. And it was shocking. I couldn't repeat any of it to you, not in a public meeting like this. It was heartbreaking. The carnage, the injuries, people crying for help, No one able to get to them. Oh, there were many obstacles. You know, folks, we will face obstacles, too, in going forward. There always are obstacles. The devil makes sure of that. Obstacles so enormous that they will seem that they're going to prevent us from moving forward. How can we go forward with all of these obstacles to face and overcome? Well, we must follow the example of Christ. You want to overcome obstacles, you follow Him. He never deviated from the path that was set before him. No obstacle could stop him fulfilling the Father's will. He always obeyed the Word of God and did the will of God perfectly. He went forward even when the devil sought to prevent him. He still kept going forward. And as he went to Jerusalem, Satan stood in his way, seeking to prevent him. But unlike Balaam's ass that turned aside out of the way when it saw the angel of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ overcame the devil when he tried to stop him. And he's the one that we follow. He's the captain of our salvation. Follow him. Follow his example. He said, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work. That's what I want to do. Finish his work. I have to go forward to do that. I can't go sideways. I can't go back. I can't stand still. I have to go forward. He had to go forward to Calvary to purchase redemption. And we have to go forward in our service to fulfill His will. The rationale to be considered, the requirement to be carried out. The third thing is the responsibility to be conformed to. Our title is this, go forward in our work. There's where our responsibility lies, in our work. Our work, of course, speaks of that which is personal. Each Israelite had to step into the Red Sea seabed for him and herself. Great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, they all had to do it for themselves. They all had the responsibility to conform. They all had to play their part in obeying this command to go forward. They all had their work to do. This was a work that could not be done by proxy. No one could say, tell you what, you go down into the Red Sea and I'll stay at home and pray for you. That was not an option. They all had to do their bit. Salvation is personal. It involves a personal saving relationship with Christ. Service is personal. It involves our personal responsibility to the work of Christ. To do what he says and to go where he sends. Go forward in the work. Will you be like Isaiah and say, here am I, sent me? Reverend Mercer talked about those who are going to the mission field. And we as a church rejoice in that. But is there someone else here tonight? And you know deep down in your heart, deep down, there's a burden. There's a call. You've heard God speak. But maybe at home there's a career and there's everything else holding you back. Listen, you need to go. This is personal. Go forward. Here am I, sent me. And our work is also practical. It's practical. Children of Israel would have to put their feet to their prayers. They had prayed. They'd cried out unto the Lord in verse 10. The Lord's about to answer their prayers. But he's not going to magically whisk them over the Red Sea. He's not going to say, here you are, you've prayed, I've got an answer, close your eyes, and when you open them, you'll be on the other side. God could have done that. God didn't do that. He didn't. He said, there's a practical side to this service. You have something to do. I'll answer a prayer, but you have got to walk down and put your feet in that seabed. You've got to walk across that seabed. You will see the waters on the right hand and the left, and you're not to be one bit afraid. You're just to go and do it. You have to go and do it. The service of God is practical. It involves doing. What are you doing for God? I'm not asking you what meetings you go to. You know, most truly see if people go to meetings. I'm asking you, what are you doing? When God speaks and God challenges, what do you do about it? Do you practically carry out God's Word in your life? The rationale to be considered, the requirement to be carried out, the responsibility to be conformed to, and I'll just conclude with the reason for our compliance in all of this. What is our reason to comply in all of this? Our title says, go forward in our work for God. That's why we must do it. It's for God. For the Christ who died in Calvary and shed his blood to save us, it's for him. It's not for ourselves. It's not for our own glory. It's not for the name of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster or the Free Presbyterian Church of North America. That's part of it. We work under our presbyteries and through our presbyteries, and that's how we serve God. But we're doing it for God, in obedience to Him. Everything that we do should be for the Lord. I challenge you tonight. Are you going forward for God in your life right now? That's the challenge. Are you prepared to work for God right now? not just talk about it, but do it, to go. I trust that as the Congress continues, that God will continue to speak, because it would be wonderful, wonderful, if at the end of this Congress, some young person, some young people come forward and say, God has spoken to me. I'm going to go forward. Maybe some young person from the States, go home, go into the seminary, go serve God. Some of our own young people, go to the Whitefield, go serve God, go out onto the board, become a minister. Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward. Let's not be standing still and going off in some other direction. Let's not be going back. Maybe go forward. and finish the work that God has given us all to do. Whatever that work is, go forward and do it. Amen. May the Lord bless His word to all of our hearts tonight for Christ's sake. I'm going to hand back to the Reverend Robinson. I'd like to thank the Reverend Murray for that challenge to each of our hearts that we are in the work of God, that we know the Lord is Savior, and that we are going forward in that work. And we do thank him for bringing God's word to our hearts this evening. We're going to sing in closing the words of 523. It brings that challenge to our hearts. Work for the night is coming. Work through the morning hours. Work while the dew is sparkling. Work mid-spring in flowers. 523. And let's stand together as we sing this hymn, please. And at the end of the hymn, we're going to ask the Reverend John Woods if he'd come and close in prayer, please. ♪ Work through the morning hours ♪ ♪ Work while the dew is sparkling ♪ ♪ Work this radiant cause ♪ ♪ Work when the day grows brighter ♪ ♪ Under the glowing sun ♪ ♪ Work for the light is coming ♪ ♪ When one's work is done ♪ ♪ Work for the light is coming ♪ ♪ Work through the sunny moon ♪ Fill the bright hearts with flavor, rest come sure and soon. Vintage buying, baby, something to keep in store. Work for the night is coming, a brand not worth so poor. ♪ For the night is coming ♪ ♪ Under the sunset skies ♪ ♪ While their bright lips are glowing ♪ ♪ Work for daylight flies ♪ ♪ Work till the last being faded ♪ ♪ Faded to shine no more ♪ Let's just seek the Lord together in prayer. Father in heaven, we thank Thee tonight for Thy presence with us. As we've gathered here, even in this first service of the Congress meetings, we thank Thee for even the words we've been able to sing unto Thee. We thank Thee most of all for Thy Word, and we thank Thee for helping Thy servant even to bring Thy Word to us tonight. And we pray that we will not only have been good hearers of Thy Word, but we ask that Thou will enable us to be doers off thy word. And we pray that each of us personally and individually as your people will be enabled to go forward, to go forward in our work for thee. We thank thee there is a work for each of us to do, and we pray that day by day we will be enabled to go forward in that work, that we, even afresh tonight, will, as it were, rededicate our lives to thee and have that desire even to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness. And so, Lord, we just pray that you will hide your word in our hearts. We pray that you will separate us even in your blessing. And we pray, Lord, even as we even spend a little time with one another, that we will know that fellowship in the gospel. And we pray that you will take us our separate ways and safely that you'll continue to bless even throughout the rest of this week, for we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.