Gospel Hall Kings County Nova Scotia

I readily admit that I have no other reason for including this beautiful photograph than pure nostalgia. I have never been near this location, indeed I have never travelled further from the U.K. than Eastern Europe.

But this picture conjures up in my mind's eye my first movements among the Assemblies of God's believing people. The lovely simplicity of this Gospel Hall is almost the template for numerous halls in the U.K. in years gone by. it makes my heart ache for those halcyon days. What more can I say?

The Assembly there is holding Gospel tent meetings from July 13-25, if the Lord will, and I know they will value the prayers of the saints, that the Lord Jesus will be magnified and glorified in the salvation of souls, should it please the Lord.

                                             

  The above picture is of Avonport Gospel Hall  King's County Nova Scotia

Tattoos and Body Piercings: " What saith the Scriptures?"

The prevalence of tattoos and piercings of the face, and all over the body, has reached mammoth proportions at this present time here in the U.K. It has become the "norm," and has an attraction for both genders and just about every generation. Tragically even believers are not only happy to participate in these abominable practices, but are also prepared to display these unsightly marring's with impunity. I hasten to add that I am not condemning those believers who sought these things before they were saved, provided  they do their best to conceal them from public view; or preferably have them permanently removed.

Now this is not an unfounded accusation based on any individual loathing, although I personally find these things abhorrent. but my feelings and thoughts as to this matter are confined to the teaching found in the Word of God. Just to say "there is nothing new under the sun," and the Bible ever remains relevant in every generation. While I view these "body piercings" as an off-shoot of the "cuttings" frequently made in the flesh of demon-possessed idolaters. For example when the worshippers of Baal opposed Elijah on mount Carmel; these demoniacs in frantic desperation when their non-existent "god" failed to hear them, resorted to "cutting themselves after their manner," emphasis is mine.  It was the custom of the heathen nations that surrounded Israel. 1 Kings 18:28.

We have the same pattern of hopelessness clearly demonstrated in the time of our Lord Jesus in this scene. When He in infinite compassion healed physically, mentally and spiritually, the demon-possessed man who was titled "Legion." Legion had been "crying and cutting himself with stones" continually. Mark 5:5.

Under the "law of Moses" such cuttings, and tattoos were sternly prohibited: "And cuttings for a dead person shall ye not make in your flesh, nor put any tattoo writing upon you: I am Jehovah." Leviticus 19:28; 21:5. Furthermore, in Deuteronomy we read: "Ye shall not cut yourselves...for thou art a holy people unto Jehovah thy God." Deuteronomy 14:1; 

If we argue that these admonitions obtained under the law while presently we are under grace therefore it does not apply, then we infinitely lower the heavenly fellowship we enjoy with our God and the Son of His love, to earthly blessings and an inferior standard of walk and manner of life. The prohibition was to do with a divine separation of God's people from "all the peoples that are upon the face of the earth." Do we know nothing of such a separation from the world? A separation to our God? The "temple-nature" of our bodies, individually? The choice of each one of us to make up "a people for His own possession."

"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God ... And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:1,2.

Biblical references quoted from A New Translation  by J.N. Darby