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“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. . . . Then Peter said unto her (Sapphira), How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband,”  Acts 5:3-4, 9-10.

“And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question,” Acts 15:1-2.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple,” Romans 16:17-18.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you,” 1 Corinthians 1:10-11.

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed, . . . But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?” Galatians 1:6-9, 2:11-14. (more…)

An attempt to warn the Free Presbyterian Church against following a path that some appear anxious to lead it down.

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” 1 Corinthians 14:8.

The word translated ‘uncertain’ means ‘indistinct or obscure’!

It is possible to blow the Gospel Trumpet in such a manner as to obscure what it is the Lord would have sinners know and that in a most clear and explicit fashion!

All too many preach the Gospel but in such a fashion as to obscure important and vital truths, that the Lord would have men and women to know.

I suggest that such is the manner in which the ‘Gospel’ will be preached in a series of meetings, organised by the Orange Order under the title, ‘A Joyful Noise’.

A recent series was announced in the ‘Belfast Newsletter’, 17th Oct 2025, in this manner.

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Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland announces ‘A Joyful Noise’ 2025 night of worship and classic hymns at Assembly Buildings Conference Centre in Belfast

The Orange Order is holding another night of worship in the Assembly Buildings in Belfast, where choirs and musicians will lead the attendees with a range of classic hymns.

The event entitled ‘A Joyful Noise,’ is being promoted by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland, and like previous events in 2019, 2022 and 2024, the evening will feature some of the church’s best loved hymns.

The night is mainly centered (sic) around congregational singing led by a choir of Orangemen from across Northern Ireland, with special guest performers including Stewartstown Orange Ladies Choir and gospel group, Revelation.

Glenn Moore (Director of Music at St Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen) will be leading the praise from the pipe organ.

Compere Harry Baxter will bring the audience stories behind many of the hymns and hymn writers.

Orange Grand Chaplain Rev Ron Johnstone will bring the evening to a close.

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In such circumstances, it is impossible to so blow the ‘Gospel Trumpet’ so as to make a very CERTAIN sound, but rather, it is necessary for whoever is preaching, even if it is a former Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church, such as Rev Ron Johnstone, to LEAVE OFF sounding certain notes that are integral to the preaching of “all the counsel of God,” as Paul did while at Ephesus (Acts 20:26). (more…)

“Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? . . . Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee,” Job 22:5, 21

Our title, I suggest, is a good summary of the book of Job. The two verses I have quoted give us some idea of how the three companions of God saw his condition and that which would be the means of his deliverance if he but heeded them!

Eliphaz the Temanite, whose words these are, was one of the three companions of Job who had come to commiserate with him on hearing of the calamities that had overtaken him.

In Job chapters 1 and 2, we read of the catastrophic events that followed the Lord permitting the devil to test Job.

His livestock were stolen and those caring for them slaughtered (1:14-15); his sheep and their shepherds were destroyed by fire that fell down upon them (1:16); raiders stole his camels and killed his servants (1:17).

This was compounded by the fact that the tragic incidents happened on the same day.

It did not end there. We read in 2:7, “So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.”

As if that was not enough, his wife turned on him: “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die,” Job 2:9.

I. JOB’S RESPONSE WAS MOST COMMENDABLE.

When the terrible events were reported to him by his servants, he reacted thus: “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD,” Job 1:20-2:1.

When he became the direct subject of Satan’s cruelty, again he responded well to bodily afflictions and the taunts of his wife.

“But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips,” Job 2:10. (more…)