Limerick City Church
Facebook Page
  • Limerick City Church
    • Who We Are
    • Where we meet
    • Leadership >
      • The Task of Leadership
      • The Need for Leadership
    • When we meet
    • What We Believe
    • Testimonies >
      • What is Life all About?
      • Margaret
  • Sermons
    • Sermon Series >
      • Book of Acts
      • Choose Your Church
      • The Faith of Abraham
      • Fruit of the Spirit
      • Christian's Warfare
      • The Healthy Church
      • B.H. Clendennen
      • How to Judge
      • Grace in Jonah
      • The New Wineskin
      • The Uniqueness of the Bible
      • Strange Trials
      • The Prayer Closet
      • Mighty Conversions
      • Various 2013-14 Limerick sermons
      • Sanctification of the Spirit
      • Lot's Journey to Sodom
      • Wisdom for the Wise
      • 2015 Limerick Ireland
      • Redeeming the Time
      • Mary Limerick Malcomson
      • Salvation by Faith
      • The Ministry of Christ
      • Temptation
      • 2016 Sermons Limerick
      • Genesis 1-10
      • Rebuilding the Gates Nehemiah
      • The Shadow of the Cross
      • The Blood of Jesus
      • Unity in the Church
      • My Testimony
      • A Man Under Authority
      • Authority & Submission
      • Various 2017
      • Justification by Faith
      • Born Again
      • The Church
      • The Gifts of the Spirit
      • Various 2018
      • Jerusalem and Bible Prophecy
      • How to Store up Treasures in Heaven
      • How to Hear
      • Is this the Last Generation?
      • The Divine Exchange at the Cross
      • Water Baptism
      • School of Christ Convention 2018
      • The Latter Rain Covenant
      • The Marriage Covenant
      • Lost Things
      • Genesis 24
      • The Fight of Faith
      • 2019 Sermons LCC
      • Assurance of Salvation
      • Missing Links
      • Prayer
      • The Bible
      • Psalm 119
      • Grace Gifts
      • Various 2020
      • 2020 Vision
      • Battle for the Mind
      • Blood of Everlasting Covenant
      • Christ in the Crisis
      • The Corona Crisis
      • Czech Republic Page >
        • Czech 1
      • Biblical Teaching of Head Covering
      • Christ the Healer
      • Reaching Cults for Christ >
        • Candace healing testimonies
        • New Page 1
        • New Page
        • Ladies Meeting
        • Importance of church
        • Rest in the Lord
        • New Page
        • Birthday
        • Candace May 21
        • Shona test
      • Wise & Foolish Virgins
      • God's Message in an Evil Hour
      • Biblical Love
      • The Great Reset
      • Witchcraft in the Church
      • Joseph: A Vessel of Recovery
      • LCC sermons 2021
      • The Heaven's Rule
      • The Blood of Jesus & The Last Days
      • Spiritual Warfare
      • The Centrality of Christ
      • The Battle for the Mind Vol.2
      • SOC 2021
      • Raising Children Under Rising Tyranny
      • The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
      • London Conference
      • The 21st Century Church
      • The Advocate & the Accuser
      • Various 2022
      • Little Things of Scripture
      • Russia, Magog & Tarshish
      • A Heart for God
      • Social Justice & the Gospel
      • A Vessel of Revival
      • Ruin, Redemption & Regeneration
      • Candace Malcomson >
        • Candace Malcomson Funeral
        • Candace Testimonies
        • Candace Malcomson Bible Studies
        • Candace Worship & Songs
        • Candace Children's Talk
        • Candace Written Articles >
          • Christian Romance Novels
          • Christliche Romane. ROMANTISCHE ROMANE
          • Worship and Contemporary Christian Music
      • Sof
      • The Four Seasons of Life
      • Providence in the Book of Ruth
      • Daily Devotions
      • The God of the Valleys
      • Penal Substitution
    • Latest News
    • Articles >
      • Great Commission
      • Christ the Creator
      • Repentance
      • Jesus The Preacher
      • Missionary Churches
      • Leadership
      • Fasting
      • Unity in the Church
      • The Prayer Closet
      • GOD'S DWELLING PLACE IN EPHESUS
      • Things God Hates
      • CAN CHRISTIANS BE INDWELT BY DEMONS?
      • German
    • Books
  • Missions
    • Missionaries
    • Limerick Bible School
    • Encouraging Links
  • Blog
  • Contact LCC
    • Donate Page
    • LCC Events

THE VITALNESS OF VISION (Pt.1)

28/12/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish:
but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
"Where there is no vision…” This is a tragedy. No vision amongst God’s people is a serious ailment. But it is contrasted with “…he that keepeth the law...” This reveals that true spiritual vision is birthed out of obedience to God’s Word. In the midst of walking in the light of God’s Word we are given a heavenly vision. There is no one as blind as a man who strays from God’s written Word. A spiritual vision is a biblical vision. True vision comes from the clarity of God’s Word. Most in the church think of vision as a mystical vision or a dream received in a state of euphoria. In reality vision it is birthed out of the written scriptures. It is a revealing of the mind of God, heart of God, plan of God and the purpose of God through His Word. The Spirit of God leads you into true spiritual vision for your life by revealing the plan of God from God’s perspective through the written Word.

Men like Daniel and Paul who received and carried a God-given vision throughout their lives were men of the Book. Men of the Book do assuredly receive at appointed times supernatural visions. Neglect of the book kills vision. Disobedience to the law kills vision. Why would God give a prophetic vision to anyone who does not keep the law? You can never separate vision from obedience. In Jeremiah’s day the false prophets were filled with ecstatic vision but lacked biblical obedience. They perished but Jeremiah endured.

Obedience leads to a God-given vision. If you lack vision give yourself over to walk in the light of God’s Word and I promise you spiritual vision will be birthed in your heart. Men and woman of the Book have always been men and woman with vision. A vision (chazon) is a mental sight. It is something you can look at, gaze at or contemplate. A vision birthed by God in the heart is something we can look upon and meditate upon. It is conceived out of His character, His ways and His Word. An envisioned person is one caught up in a vision revealed from God. He gives them a vision of His divine and eternal purpose that will carry them through trials, temptations and troubles. It is the ability to see afar off. It is the ability to see beyond time. It is the ability to see from God’s perspective.

We are also told that “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” To “perish” (para) means to loosen, to dismiss, or to set at nought. A people without vision disintegrate, fall apart, or go to pieces. They lose the meaning of all they are doing. They lose focus. They lose the sense of divine purpose. To “perish” also means to expose, be naked, or to uncover. Where there is no Biblical vision the church ends up naked and ashamed like Laodicea. Blindness always goes hand in hand with nakedness which follows close on its heels. An obedient people have never lacked vision. The vision of the disobedient is mere smoke. The vision of the man who keeps God’s Word is eternal. A biblically inspired vision will make you stand through Hell and high water. Visions birthed out of the mind and heart of man always lead to spiritual demise and nakedness.
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
1 Comment

Sara Fatima Al-Mutairi - Christian Martyr, from Saudi Arabia, 2008

14/12/2014

14 Comments

 
Picture
“And by God, I am unto death a Christian – in truth!”

Fatima grew up in a Muslim family in Saudi Arabia. From a child her chief desire was to know and live for God. She belonged to a distinguished Bedouin tribe in the Province of Qassim. From her childhood she was a brilliant student who had the ability to learn off by heart all she heard at school. This led her mother to enrol her in a Koranic school which emphasised religious instruction. She soon became a devout Muslim who practised her faith meticulously. She dressed in the traditional black hijab and niquab, and she fasted every Monday and Thursday. She refused to join her family in watching television or listening to secular music. She isolated herself almost completely and had no friends her own age. She sought to find and serve God in this manner and to find satisfaction by it. Because of this her mother deeply regretted sending her to this school so placed her in a public school. As a result Fatima fell into a deep depression accompanied by headaches. Soon she returned to a normal life with her family and began to live life like other girls her own age but would still listen to strong Islamic teachings. She went through religious duties but found that her heart was far from God.

At 18 she entered university to study media and then began teaching at a nearby town. The Saudi government launched an essay contest on the theme of “Islam between fanaticism and moderation.” Fatima entered the competition with good hopes of winning. For research she went in search of a Muslim fundamentalist. While searching on the internet she came across a Saudi who had converted to Christianity. He shared his faith with her and pointed out the errors of Muhammad. Fatima reacted violently to such claims. She burned with religious zeal. She went in search of answers in order to challenge his many claims but the more she searched the Islamic scriptures and religious material the more she was disappointed with the contradictions. She said “The shock I felt when I studied Islam was enough to drive me to atheism and away from any other religion…I became an atheist, I no longer believed in anything.” She found her religion to be a deception. She again fell into depression and stopped eating for several days. She did however discover that the Koran testified of Christ, His death and His resurrection. With a desire to know more about Christianity she returned to communicate with her Christian friend on the internet. She began to cry out to the one true God to guide her to the truth. Under pseudonyms she entered many forums and talked with many Christians and Muslims. 

Finally she found and read the Holy Gospels. She wept as she read. The Lord was speaking to her heart. She cried out, “But you are my God! It’s you I’m looking for since my childhood…Where are you Lord?” She later wrote, “I was searching the Bible for Jesus. When I started reading the Bible, Jesus attracted me. I saw a huge difference between what I knew about Mohammad and what I was reading about Jesus…While I was reading the Bible, I felt that God was very near, that there were no barriers between us and that I had no fears…What really attracted me to the Bible was Jesus’ story; in my view, this is the greatest story in human history.” She read Matthew’s Gospel four times and what impacted her most and led to her conversion was the Sermon on the Mount. She downloaded a copy of Matthew and kept it in her purse at all times. She saw for the first time that God was good and merciful, that He loved her and sent His Son to die for her on the Cross. Her Christian friend warned her that she was in danger of the death penalty if she declared her conversion to Christianity openly in Saudi Arabia. In 2007 she arranged to travel to France where she was baptized in water as a Christian. Upon her return she continued as a secret Christian. She maintained contact with a Christian ministry called “The Voice of Martyrs” and read Christian books online.  

In July 2008, several days before her death, she found herself in a heated argument with her parents and two brothers who now were beginning to suspect something. Her brother called her to repent. After visiting her uncle’s house that night she returned home at one o’clock in the morning to find her room open and her laptop gone. She found it with her brother who had been reading her personal journal which revealed her journey from Islam to Christ. She took it off him, returned to her room, and emailed her friends concerning her fears. “Don’t worry as, the Lord is with me. He is my light and salvation so from whom do I fear?” This was her last communication. After this her brother tortured her and then beat her to death. It was several days before news got out of her martyrdom. She was only 26 years old but a faithful and fervent follower of Christ.

Shortly before her death she penned the following words in a poem in response to a militant Islamic poem written against Christians.
May the Lord Jesus guide you, O Muslims
And enlighten your hearts that you might love others
The forum does not revile the Master of the prophets
It is for the display of truth, and for you it was revealed
This is the truth that you do not know
What we say are the words of the Master of the prophets
We do not worship the cross, and we are not possessed
We worship the Lord Jesus, the Light of the worlds
We left Mohammed, and we do not follow in his path
We followed Jesus Christ, the Clear Truth
Truly, we love our homeland, and we are not traitors
We take pride that we are Saudi citizens
How could we betray our homeland, our dear people?
How could we, when for death – for Saudi Arabia – we stand ready?
The homeland of my grandfathers, their glories, and paths – for it I am writing
And we say, “We are proud, proud to be Saudis”
We chose our way, the way of the rightly guided

And every man is free to choose any religion
Be content to leave us to ourselves to be believers in Jesus
Let us live in grace before our time comes
There are tears on my cheek, and Oh! The heart is sad
To those who become Christians, how you are so cruel!
And the Messiah says, “Blessed are the persecuted”
And we for the sake of Christ all things bear
What is to you that we are infidels?
You do not enter our graves, as if with us buried
Enough – your swords do not concern me, not evil or disgrace
Your threats do not trouble me, and we are not afraid
And by God, I am unto death a Christian – in truth
I cry for what passed by, of a sad life
I was far from the Lord Jesus for many years
O history record! And bear witness, O witnesses!
We are Christians – in the path of Christ we walk on
Take from me this word, and note it well
You see, Jesus is my Lord, and He is the best of protectors
I advise you to pity yourself, to clap your hands in mourning
See your look of ugly hatred
Man is brother to man, O learned ones
Where is the humanity, the love, and where are you?

As to my last words, I pray to the Lord of the worlds
Jesus the Messiah, the Light of Clear Guidance
That He change beliefs, and set the scales of justice rightly
And that He spread love among you, O Muslims.

Sermons
Picture
Articles
Picture
Bible School
Picture
Evolution
Picture
Latest
Picture

14 Comments

NORA LAM - Pt.2

7/12/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
 The medical doctor dictated to the clerk, “The patient is twenty-six years old, sentenced to hard labour...loads coal (130 lbs per load) ten hours a day, seven days a week. Her baby’s vital signs appear normal. Yet this is the three hundred sixty-second day of her pregnancy.”

As Neng Yee fell off the back of the truck that evening, she rolled to protect the child as a guard yelled, “Get rid of that baby! By now it will be a mental case!” And normally he would be correct. No baby could be 82 days overdue and be normal, but God had made Neng Yee a promise that this child would not be born in Red China.

Neng Yee’s husband had been allowed to exit China to visit his family in Hong Kong, but in retaliation for this liberty, the authorities had thrown Neng Yee in to a labour camp, which she began in the fortieth week of her pregnancy. She weighed 200 pounds as both a liver and kidney infections bloated her organs, but her condition did not stop the authorities from pushing her to hand pick coal, from the top of the coal pile. Each step was agony. But the day came when she was miraculously granted leave to visit her husband. She was twelve months pregnant and had to carry her little son across one mile of a desert—the border patrol area. Many were shot dead on this bare strip of land, but again miraculously, Neng-Yee made it to Macao, though dehydrated. There family met her and she was reunited with her husband and daughter. She was shattered to see the debauchery and immorality of ‘free’ China.

Living with her affluent in-laws would have its great challenges, but there was a small reprieve when her third child—a healthy son, was born. The churches Neng Yes encountered in Hong Kong lacked the spark and reality she had found in the underground churches back home, but she faithfully attended, and for the first time, she encountered the gifts of the Holy Spirit, more specifically, she attended meetings where men and women were healed from life-long afflictions. Neng Yee was so careful to accept this that she looked for proof, and approached a man who had been healed from a tumour. To prove to her that the healing was true, he produced medical reports. Furthermore, a woman who rose out of her wheelchair told Neng Yee that she had not been able to walk for 20 years. Neng Yee wanted all that God had for her and  became hungry for the baptism in the Holy Ghost. The most beautiful fruit of this experience was that all fear, hatred and hurt from the time of her terrible torture and persecutions—even the terror of her wicked step-grandmother—was replaced by an overwhelming love for all who had mistreated her. Now she was ready to be used by God.

He showed her in a vision, that she would be used to minister to thousands of, ‘blue-eyed, round-eyed black and white people.’ Indeed, God took her to the USA where she told her testimony over and over to capacity crowds, and as she told her story, men and women were healed right where they were sitting. Nora (her American name) knew that this was power not  of her own but believed that the same God who had delivered her miraculously from a firing squad, who had kept her through a 12 month pregnancy in a labour camp, and had brought her to freedom, could save, deliver and heal. Nora returned to live in the USA where she held tent campaigns and ministered to countless thousands. But God did not allow her to remain in her comfort zone. He directed her to return to China to tell of Christ there. This was the biggest challenge of all, but where God calls He provides and as soon as she took the step to return to China through Taiwan, God opened doors for her to minister on a radio station which broadcast in to Red China. For many years, Nora met secret Chinese believers who had been saved and nourished through this ministry or who had received a Bible through the millions of Bibles she distributed in China.  Nora Lam(1932-2004) was a woman who  knew to lay up her treasure in Heaven.

0 Comments

    Limerick City Church

    We are a church that has a real burden for the city of Limerick. We are praying that many will experience true salvation in Christ and that the Lord will pour out His Holy Spirit in a genuine revival.

    Categories

    All
    B.h. Clendennen
    Faith
    Hymn
    Men Of Faith
    Shiloh
    The Church

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2022
    August 2020
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013