Living Word Bible Church

Testimony

2010-03-29T01:36:00.000-07:00

I was raised as a Roman Catholic and intended to become a priest after I left school, but the Lord had other plans for me. In 1973, at the age of 17, I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour at the headquarters of the Liverpool City Mission. This immediately caused problems regarding my family.

My mother and father were against what they called my "change of religion". The situation came to a climax when I arrive home one evening from a Christian friend's house only to be met by my father on the doorstep with the words, "You don't live here anymore". So at the age of 18 I would have been homeless but for the kindness of friends.

One cannot rely on the goodness of others for too long, so I decided to move into a local boarding house. What I saw and experienced there cannot be written here. Eventually, after spending time living rough and in the Salvation Army hostel, I found my own apartment. I had fallen away from the Lord for two years at this time. My thoughts went back to my childhood desire to become a Roman Catholic priest. I made enquiries and found that the only real option for me was to become a monk in the Franciscan Order. The Saturday before I was due to leave for the monastery in Guildford, Surrey, I pleaded with the Lord, asking, "Lord, is it your will that I should become a monk like St. Francis?" That evening I attended a tent meeting in a local park. A preacher from Northern Ireland, Derrick Bingham, was teaching from the book of Nehemiah. During the service the preacher turned to my direction (there were about 500 people present) and said, God does not want you to become a monk like St. Francis of Assisi." Here was my answer from the Lord. From that moment I made a complete break from the Catholic Church and have come to see it as the biggest cult that this world knows.

In 1979 I joined a church, The Mission, in the neighbourhood where I was living. From the moment I walked through the door of that small building I knew that I was home. The godly lifestyle and inspired teaching of Pastor Charles Bolton and his wife brought me back to my first love for Christ. The church had no young people, but I never once felt that I was out of place. These people obviously loved the Lord.

In my desire to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ I began to give leaflets out in Liverpool City Centre. Many a Saturday afternoon was spent witnessing to those willing to stop and listen. On one Saturday in late Autumn 1979 I was approached by a girl with an Irish accent. She asked if I was a Christian and where the church I attended was located. The next morning the same girl was found at The Mission. To cut a short story shorter, six months later on March 29 1980, we were married by Pastor Bolton at The Mission.

Margaret, my wife, also comes from a Catholic background, but was soundly converted to Christ and from the errors of Rome whilst visiting relatives in New York in the summer of 1979. (You may find her personal testimony one day on these pages.)

In 1986 Pastor Bolton retired from the ministry at The Mission. The leadership of the church was handed over to me. To be very honest I did not fully understand what this would entail, but the Lord has been good and has led me each step of the way. Through the Lord's power we have been used to reach many hundreds of people, though our fellowship is actually small in number. In 1988 we changed the name of the church to Living Word.

I am convinced that God is about to pour out His Spirit in revival one last time before the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ (see my article on Revival on this site). This revival will not come via the charismatic movement, it will not come from Toronto or Pensacola, it will not come from the ecumenical movement or the so-called Churches Together - these movements are bankrupt of the truth and the Spirit of God. This final revival will come as a result of the true believers in Christ Jesus getting right with Him. The revival will include a return to the Authorised King James Bible.

My great desire is to see people coming to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord, to see backsliders returning, and to see the church of Christ revived. Though I have many failings I love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of my heart. I am willing to serve Him wherever and whenever He sees fit. The word of God is the delight of my life for I'm still amazed after all these years just how fresh and new The Holy Bible is each day!

Gary Hall

Prayer Request

2010-03-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

Living Word Bible Church has been renting a church building since 1936 (it was built in 1886), and the Lord has blessed us there in many ways despite its limited facilities. Recently the organisation who actually owns the building have suggested that it might have to be closed due to its age and condition. Because of this we are in need of a new place to worship.

A miracle needed

Please pray for a miracle! We do not have the finances to purchase a building of our own and neither can we afford high rent, so we are looking to the Lord to work what seems to be impossible in the eyes of flesh. We would value your prayers in this matter.

"With men this is impossible;
but with God all things are possible"
Matthew 18:26

Fanning the Flame

2010-03-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

Whoever says that living for God is easy is either mistaken or telling lies. The devil will do all that he can to get us off track so that our passion for the things of God dies. Also, since we are living in a fallen world, life itself sometimes presents us with countless cares and worries, and as a result we no longer have time for spiritual matters. If we are like a fire ready to go out, then we need to fan the flame to get it blazing again.

We need the Lord

Too many backslidden or lukewarm Christians wait until tragedy strikes before they get right with God. They allowed the world to freeze the fire of God in their lives, and gradually they become more and more like the unsaved. They learn to live without His presence in their lives.
We need the Lord every moment of every day. We need Him in every one of life’s situations. Without Him we cannot be spiritually sustained, and soon enough this lack will affect our natural lives too. We need to remind ourselves of the rich blessings God has provided for us, especially the wonderful gift of salvation. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:1-7). This text not only teaches that Christ saved us, but that He changed our behaviour too. Salvation covers every aspect of our lives, spirit, soul and body.
We can continue to operate like the unsaved if we like, but in doing so we will lose out on the blessing of knowing the provision of our Heavenly Father. “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Luke 12:29-31).

The effects of sin

By allowing the flesh to dominate our lives we soon become enslaved to sin and grow cold towards God. Like it or not, we are, if we are in this condition, in rebellion against God’s will. Sin usually creeps in gradually. We may commend ourselves for going to church, reading the Bible, praying and tithing, but in reality our hearts are cold.
The greatest sin of all is the one that dethrones Christ in our lives. Unless it is swiftly and completely dealt with it will destroy our relationship with God. This can only be accomplished through heartfelt repentance. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:1-12).

Getting right with God

We can only get right with God if we truly desire to allow Christ to reign in our lives. This means that we must spend time in His presence and in His word. Remember that the Lord Jesus Christ found it necessary to commune with His Heavenly Father in prayer. “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray” (Matthew 14:23). This ought to be our number one desire. “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).
If we get right with the Lord then He will empower us through His Holy Spirit to maintain a consistent Christian life. Instead of being weak, we will have the strength and determination to persist on the road of eternal life no matter what hindrances may come. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).
Getting right with God includes getting along with other church members too. Therefore, if we want to serve the Lord then we must love His people. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another” (Galatians 5:13-15).

Conclusion

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). If we need direction for our lives, all we need to do is go to God in prayer. He will reignite the dying flame by pouring in the oil from off His altar, so once again we will know what it means to live a joyful, blessed and powerful Christian life.

The Highest Name of All

2010-03-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11).

In Scripture we find that names were very significant and were chosen with care, for they were meant to describe a person’s character and attributes. The name of our Saviour is exalted above all other names; therefore we should honour Him by using it correctly. We live in an age when His name is abused and used as a swear word rather than giving Him honour through it.

The precious name

The name “Jesus” was not uncommon in Biblical days, and we know it is a derivative of “Joshua” meaning “salvation.” But when we refer to the name we are concerning ourselves with the One, who as God’s only begotten Son came to this earth to be the Saviour by dying on the cross. Therefore Jesus is not one of many religious teachers that the world honours; instead He is so far above them that it appears that they cease to have existed at all. There has only ever been one Saviour who has died a sacrificial death to save sinners, and that is the Lord we call Jesus.
The Bible uses over one hundred names or titles to describe the Lord Jesus Christ, these include, “Son of God”, “Son of Man”, “Lamb of God”, “The Good Shepherd”, “Immanuel”, “The High Priest” and “King of kings and Lord of lords.” Each one reveals something of His ministry on earth, but Paul tells us that the name of “Jesus” surpasses them all.

The position of the name

The apostle emphasises the fact that everyone who has ever lived, or will ever live, must one day bow their knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. It does not matter if they rejected Him on earth, for they will acknowledge that He is truly the Saviour at the Judgement Seat of God. On earth they may have blasphemed and dragged His name through the gutter, but one day they will be eternally punished for taking His name in vain. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). “That name, by the exaltation, has become the name of the King of kings. It is supreme. Hence, every knee in all the universe bows to its majesty” (The People’s New Testament Commentary). If devils must acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, then it is certain that every human, believer or atheist, must do so too. We are stating that Jesus’ name is above all because He is God Almighty. “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear” (Isaiah 45:23).

The power of the name

On the Day of Pentecost the apostle Peter declared, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). That was a bold statement, and it remains so today. If we believe these words, as Peter obviously did, then we are saying that all other religions are meaningless and lead people to everlasting torment in Hell. Peter was not teaching anything more than Jesus taught about Himself, for He said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” It is impossible for anyone to be saved except through Jesus Christ, for no other paid the price to purchase our salvation.
His name is the highest of all because it is in God's word that we are taught to pray. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). We cannot even approach God the Father unless we come to Him through His Son. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). So it is through the power and authority of His name that we can come to God in prayer.

The preaching of the name

As Paul stated in Galatians, there are other gospels being taught in the world, and sadly in the church too (Galatians 1:4). The Lord Jesus prophesied that there would arise many false teachers heralding a gospel in their own name, culminating in the Antichrist. “I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43). But the true church of Christ must only preach the Gospel that upholds and glorifies His name. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:18-20) … “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). Only the true Gospel can save souls because it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If this is replaced with anything or anyone else then souls cannot be saved.

Conclusion

At the name of Jesus, not Buddha, Mohammed or Krishna every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He alone is Lord. It is Bible-believing Christianity, not Islam, Judaism, Hinduism or any other religion, that has the true message of salvation. Salvation is not found in Mary or the saints; in the pope or the Dalai Lama, instead it is found only in the name of Jesus.

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Hunger for the Word

2010-03-13T05:23:00.000-08:00

“Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness” (Psalm 119:36).

Psalm 119 can be said to be dedicated to those who love God’s word and desire to know all of its truths. Verse 36 reveals to us that we must apply ourselves to understanding the Scriptures if we are to be blessed by it and avoid the snares of the flesh.

We need to stretch

Apparently stretching exercises are good for our muscles and bones. Athletes perform these before engaging in whatever discipline they aim to take part in. The word “incline” can mean “to stretch out”, and carries the idea of adding strength to something. The same thought is found in Exodus 6:6, “Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments.” God will strengthen us if we incline our hearts to His word. It means that we must lay hold of the Scriptures and obey them.

We need to turn

The word “incline” can also refer to turning away from our own way to follow God’s path. This can be illustrated in the story of Balaam’s ass. “And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field” (Numbers 22:23). The psalmist is saying that we must turn to the Lord in our every day life, for we often allow the things of the world to distract us away from serving Him. He has given us His word so that we can focus our attention on spiritual things. Covetousness is highlighted for a reason, for as John Wesley says, “Because it is most opposite to God's testimonies, and does most commonly hinder men from receiving his word, and from profiting by it: and because it is most pernicious, as being the root of all evil.”

We need direction

The word “incline” suggests that we ought to “give attention” to God’s word. This demands our time and commitment. It is simply not natural for a person to want to find strength, salvation and succour in the pages of a book, but for those who follow Christ, the Holy Spirit encourages them to do so. If we fill our hearts with God’s holy word, then we will find it easier to stand firm against the onslaughts of temptation and sin. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11) … “Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties” (Psalm 141:4).

We need to be saturated

Throughout Psalm 119 we read of the need to be full of God’s word, but in verse 36 the writer shows that we can either be filled with the truth or be filled with the world. “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2). Basically, it is what ever we incline our hearts to that will fill our hearts. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). People, including Christians, are saturated by the world today, but how few know anything meaningful about God’s word. “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Romans 13:14).

Conclusion

This short verse invites us to examine our hearts. Do we have a heart after God? Do we delight in His word? “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). Are we influenced more by the world that Scripture?
The Lord is ever calling us to come unto Him and experience a truly spiritual relationship with Him. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30) … “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). What blessings we miss when we do not incline our hearts to the Lord. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18).