Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10)
In this issue:
The ‘real’ Alice Cooper Twenty years sober Fair justice Reality TV Miracle in the Mine Money management
Cross alk Reconciled to God through Jesus’ death on the cross (Hebrews 10:10)
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Issue 19
I drank to survive!
I suppose my life story mirrors that of so many people who live in West Belfast. I grew up during the conflict, married young, had a family and settled down. To an outsider looking in, my life wouldn’t have seemed remarkable in any way. And it wasn’t until into my twenties that I developed a very serious alcohol problem which only my family really knew about. My first drink had been taken at the age of thirteen. But because money was hard to come by then, it wasn’t really until I got my first job that I was able to drink as much and as often as I possibly could. Before long, it wasn’t enough to drink only on nights out, and I began drinking at home in the evenings. More often than not I couldn’t remember what I’d said or done, but the disgust lasted until the hangover wore off and the need for another drink kicked in. It was my first thought of the day and my last thought at night. No-one or nothing mattered, not even my family, except where my next drink would come from. I needed alcohol to live from day to day. I no longer drank to get drunk, I drank to survive. As a result my family suffered greatly. I neglected them, my home, and myself. So deep was my despair that I no longer cared if I lived or died. Indeed many times I thought my family would be better off without me, so damaging had my alcoholism been in their lives. The turning point came when, after a very heavy bout of weekend drinking at home followed by another bottle on Monday, I finally admitted to myself I was totally and utterly beaten. My life was a mess, my family was in disarray, and my sense of emptiness due to my alcoholism had left me beyond hope of ever changing my situation and circumstance. In my despair I
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cried to God to help me because I knew in that moment that I didn’t have the power or strength to do it myself. At that point I surrendered. From that moment my life slowly began to change. Not big spectacular change that blows you away, but a slower pace of change that my fragile mental and physical state could cope with. I spent six weeks in rehab, and I was given the strength to get through it. In time, my physical and mental strength returned. But the most important and biggest challenge remained dealing with the terrible hurt and pain I had inflicted upon my family. Incredibly, my family forgave me without any kind of bitterness or anger. And so, damaged relationships were healed and amends made to those I had hurt most. While sobriety and healing had indeed taken place, as time went by deep down inside I felt my relationship with God was also in need of healing and restoration. But I hadn’t a clue as to how to go about it. It was around this time that different people came into my life and though their guidance and experiences my own relationship with God began to change and develop. Over time, years in fact, I found myself being drawn to the person of Jesus Christ. Through reading about him I came to see that broken people mattered greatly to him. Reading about how he treated and helped
those who were so often looked down upon by others made me realise that in God’s eyes no-one is beyond help or forgiveness, if only we would ask for it. Twenty years ago and in utter despair and hopelessness I asked for God’s help. He heard me and changed my life immediately. Over time he has healed me, restored my marriage and family. He gave me peace and joy and contentment in sobriety that in my darkest days I would not have thought possible. But most of all, since that time, the person of Jesus Christ came into my life, and because he died on the cross I have forgiveness for all my sins. It is he who has made the most difference to me as a woman. Today, my life bears no resemblance to the one I had years ago. And while problems have occurred from time to time, I’ve now found that if I put my faith in God alone, remembering what he has taken me from, then no problem or circumstance will ever be totally overwhelming with fear of hopelessness. In sharing my story, I hope that someone reading it who is perhaps experiencing the same despair and hopelessness that I once did, will also cry out to God for help and be heard, helped and healed as I was and still am to this day. K.
Miracle in the mine
Do miracles happen, or do we invent them to explain what we don’t understand? José Henriquez, author of the book Miracle in the Mine, would certainly argue that they really do happen. On August 5th 2010, José, along with 32 other young men, began a normal day going to work in a mine in Chile. However, the day didn’t stay normal for long. At 2pm there was an explosion that changed the lives of not only the 33 men trapped in the mine, but their families, friends, and the millions of people who witnessed and eagerly awaited their rescue. The miners were trapped 2,300ft underground for 69 days in unbearably high temperatures. Above ground, the families of the miners did not know if they were dead or alive as 17 days passed. Below, the miners had no idea if anyone was even looking for them. Yet, on August 22nd they were finally discovered to be alive. A massive rescue operation was put in place, and through innovative engineering, endless planning, commitment and dedication, all 33 miners were rescued unharmed. Miracle or not? José, the other miners, and many of those who witnessed the rescue believe YES! All the odds were against them, yet they survived— they were in remarkably good health, physically, mentally and spiritually. Their prayers were answered through the work of the rescue team. The Lord has a habit of using the most terrible of circumstances to reveal himself and his greatness to us. Just like José, we are ordinary people doing ordinary things. Most of us go to work, visit family, look after our children, do the shopping etc. Most of us are presented with similar problems—we can all be trapped in our own ‘mines’. We can be faced with relationship difficulties. Our children might be taking the wrong path Photos: Hugo Infante/Government of Chile and we don’t know what to do about it. Our spouse might have lost his/ her job and we might be struggling to make ends meet. Somebody might have hurt us and we find it difficult to trust people. Someone we know might have committed suicide and we are struggling with their loss. We may be suffering from depression and feel like we have nowhere to turn. All of these situations are real and can suck the life from us. Yet, just like José and the other miners, the Lord can help us through. He can get us out of any situation, or as more often happens he can comfort us through them. José had a personal relationship with God and depended on Him to protect and provide for all of the miners whilst trapped. José pastored the other miners, leading prayer to God daily, and telling them of the great work, power, and strength of the Lord Jesus. He describes the Lord as the 34th miner, present with them throughout their ordeal. We too can turn to this same Lord God for power, strength and comfort through our own struggles. We can have the confidence that our ‘Miracle Worker’ is aware of our own personal situations and wants us to turn to him for help and deliverance, in more ways than one. G.
Prayer
The Apostles John and Paul tell us that whoever simply trusts or believes in Jesus alone will receive God’s forgiveness. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NLT). “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22 NLT). If you would like to ask for God’s forgiveness, you can use this prayer, praying sincerely and meaningfully:
Dear Father in heaven, you know all about me and my situation. I am truly sorry for my sins, where even my best efforts do not reach your standard of holiness. I accept that I deserve your judgment, and that on my own there is nothing that I can do to improve myself enough or make up for my sins. Please forgive me. I know that I can be forgiven because Jesus suffered and died on the cross in my place, for my sins. I know that you will accept me because of your great love for me. Please heal me from the brokenness of the past. From this moment on, please help me to trust in the risen Jesus, not only as Saviour, but also as Lord of my life. Thank you for the Holy Spirit in my heart to give me the strength and guidance I need to do your will, and to teach me from your Word, the Bible. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your great love and forgiveness, my new relationship with you, my new life in Christ, and for the certainty of eternal life with you for ever.
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Geraldine 07598 313573 capmoney@cgcf.ie
What is CAP Money?
CAP Money is a course devised by the award winning debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty. It is a money management course that teaches people budgeting skills and a simple cash-based system that really works. Over three sessions, participants learn to (i) build and live on a budget and get advice on cutting costs, (ii) simplify managing money into a regular payments account, a cash account and a savings account, and (iii) focus more on using cash than credit or debit cards. Our Trained CAP Money coach will not only guide you through the process, but is available to help you build your budget, and answer any questions. See www.cgcf.ie/capmoney for dates of courses, or www.capmoney.org for more information.
Pat’s Page Reality TV has been bombarding our screens since the 1950s when it often came in the form of wacky game shows where contestants often had to make complete fools of themselves in order to grab our attention and keep their eye on the prize. Programmes such as ‘Beat The Clock’ and ‘Truth Or Consequences’ had many viewers glued to the screens doubled over in laughter.
Many of today’s reality programmes are much the same in the sense that the contestants still subject themselves to the same humiliating competitions in order that they might win the prize. We have progressed, though, and today we seem to be delving more into the human side of reality shows. For instance, with ‘X-Factor’ or ‘Celebrity Big Brother’, we are almost certainly grabbed by a contestant that has a story to tell—and a sad one at that. While we may think these shows are harmless and fun to watch, there is almost always a serious side, where the person has opened up on live television. Where she/he has exposed their life, from then on the spotlight can remain on them for quite some time, leading to them living a very pressured lifestyle.
While we continue to be enthralled by these stories, and keep watching them, we are maybe unaware of the negative impact these shows can have on a person. In ejecting Elyse Sewell from ‘America’s Next Top Model’, the show’s host Tyra Banks admired her intelligence and said she had the right look to be a model. But she also felt that this intelligence could be misinterpreted in the model world as maybe putting others down. It’s comments like these that can harm a person. Media critic Jennifer Pozner asks “What would other young girls watching the show think of this, that intelligence was a terrible thing to use?” With a similar concern, the ‘Girl Scout Research Institute’ in the USA surveyed the views of girls who regularly watched reality shows compared to non-viewers. It found that gossiping, cattiness and lack of trust was on average 35% higher for regular viewers. Similarly, on self-image, 35% more thought that their value as a person was dependent on their looks, with 75% more feeling that dating makes them happier. On success, they scored over 50% higher when asked about the need to be mean or lie to get what they wanted.
This is just one perspective. This isn’t to say that it’s all harmful, as we have also witnessed the success of people who would otherwise not have had the opportunity, such as Leona Lewis or Susan Boyle. Negative or positive, I feel that participants’ emotions are fragile, and shouldn’t be messed with. As these shows gain momentum and become more popular, we may see many broken hearts along with the success stories. Whatever it happens to be, I do think that as we watch these shows we should be mindful of the impact not only on those taking part, but also to some extent on ourselves. P.P.
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Do you know the real Alice Cooper?
Rock shows featuring death scenes with fake blood, guillotine, electric chair and gallows gave Alice Cooper the reputation as ‘the most evil rock singer in the world.’ Alice Cooper has led the ‘shock rock’ metal genre for over four decades with hits such as ‘School’s Out.’ In 1975 lead singer Vincent Furnier adopted the band’s name for his solo career. In contrast to other ‘Peter Pan’ musicians, Cooper wanted to be the evil ‘Captain Hook’ of rock. His shows caused outrage, with politicians in America and the UK calling for them to be banned. Yet, on Radio 2 in 2007, Cooper defended them as “dark, funny, Vaudeville” with boundaries such as no swearing. Having been a functioning alcoholic, he told KNAC.com in 2001, “I never missed a show. I never stumbled. I never slurred a word.” He told the Sunday Times Magazine in 2011, “Before Cali came along I was living Alice’s life. Every day was just one big party, fuelled by a bottle of whisky and case of beer. As soon as my wife, Sheryl, told me she was pregnant, things changed. It was like a switch going on in my head. I
knew I was dying, and being blessed with Calico gave me a good excuse to sober up.” Offstage, Cooper is now known for his social and witty personality. He has done some film acting, owns a restaurant, is a radio DJ with his classic rock show, and is a keen golfer with a handicap of two. Aware of the need to separate reality and fiction, he told Australian TV host Andrew Denton in 2005 that in the past “Alice was supposed to be a character I played on stage, but Alice was taking over.” But now, “I live a full life. I’ve been married 29 years to the same girl, never cheated on her once. I’ve got three kids, who’ve never been in trouble. I live a real different life. But when I become Alice I get to be that guy, I get to be him. It’s like Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal Lechter.” Speaking to KNAC.com, “Sometimes, I run into fans that are all Goth-ed out. But you meet them and they’re like the sweetest, nicest characters on the planet and they’ve got this horrible black look, this white powder on their face and they look like they’ve just been dug up out of a grave. And they’re excited to meet me, you know, the dark figure they look up to and they feel a bit embarrassed that they’re in this Goth outfit offstage and I’m not. I’m in Levis and a t-shirt and I’m leading this normal life and they’re ready for trick or treat.” Cooper now shocks offstage as well, having revealed that he is a Christian, even helping teach children’s Bible-study class at his local church in Arizona. He told the Sunday Times Magazine, “You should see the look on people’s faces. ‘Alice Cooper teaching Bible class?’” To his vocal anti-Christian opponents he responds “Hey, I’m Christian, and I’m not going to denounce what I believe. I can be a rock n roll star, a Christian and Alice Cooper.”
He described himself on The Harvest Show as “the perfect example of the Prodigal Son.” He told KNAC.com “I was the poster boy for moral decay, you know. So yeah, I’ve got a lot to be forgiven for. But again, I did play a part in our society, that at the time I was very proud of. And out of ignorance, I thought I was doing the right thing. I was totally in agreement that every guy should sleep with every girl and drink as much as they can. I don’t believe that now. I don’t believe in it, because I see how destructive it is. When I was 18, 19, 20, 21 years old, yeah, everything went and I went with it. But I’m a man now, not a boy, and I look at sex differently. I look at love and romance as being sexier than sex. But that’s a mature perspective.” “Spiritual awakening is happening around the world. Even the addicts are saying, ‘It doesn’t matter how many drugs I take, I’m not fulfilled. This isn’t satisfying.’” “The Devil is a real character that’s trying his hardest to tear your life apart. If you believe that this is just mythology, you’re a prime target because you know that’s exactly what Satan wants: To be a myth. But he’s not a myth.” While some might want to see a similar transformation in the onstage character as well, it cannot be denied that the real-life Alice has changed radically. Cooper said about himself and his wife, “We come from religious families and those values are at the heart of our own family life. Yeah, that’s right… Alice Cooper goes to church! Surely people get it by now — Alice is just a character. Alice hates going to church, but I go every Sunday.” J.D.
Photo: ASU Art Museum
That just isn’t fair!?
“These bankers have created the biggest financial crisis in living memory, yet no-one seems to be being punished,” says former banker Geraint Anderson. A spokeswoman for campaign group MAMAA (set up after the murder of James Bulger) complained that if the system “allows a man who admits to a murder and leads police to the body to then walk away scot free, it needs to be looked at. That is not justice.” Of course, we only have to look closer to home to find serious injustices, miscarriages of justice, historical cases or inquiries being re-examined, or demands for some crimes to receive tougher sentences. Wherever it is, when justice is denied, delayed or diminished, our hearts cry out, “that’s just not fair!” Yet, alongside the demands for justice, there is also the desire for leniency, mercy, or even a complete pardon. We tend to want to see justice for what others do against us, while we look for forgiveness from those whom we hurt. While we often move on in life by forgiving, or just putting things behind us instead of letting them dominate our lives or make us bitter, we still often think that “it’s not fair!” As well as justice and restoration between people, there is God’s justice to consider. Particularly difficult to accept are situations where people have committed the worst of crimes, and then claim to have found forgiveness from God. We naturally think “How can God allow them to be forgiven, after they have done such terrible things?” Even if they have served their sentence through the justice system, how can a perfect God forgive people so apparently easily? Naturally, God should only accept perfectly good people. So, how can even the worst of people be forgiven by God who is the flawless judge? We might think “how could that be fair?” Part of the answer to this question is that, although some people are very good compared to others, no-one is good enough compared to Jesus. The Apostle Paul explains, “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT). Some trust that their good, yet imperfect, efforts will be good enough—that they won’t be on the wrong side of God’s justice. But, despite best efforts at times, that still wouldn’t be entirely just and fair. God wants everyone to accept his love and forgiveness. “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so
that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NLT). Paul writes about believers, “Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous.” But yet, if someone gets off the hook for what they have done, we might rightly think, “Is that fair?” However, God has his way of balancing the scales of justice. Paul continues, “He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.” Paul explains that God “is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-6, NLT). God doesn’t throw justice out of the window when he forgives even the worst of people—Jesus took our judgment and suffered our sentence on the cross, out of love for us. Still, if some of the most notorious of people are accepted by God in this way, while people who are naturally better aren’t, we might wonder “Where’s the fairness in that?” Jesus taught “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent” (Luke 5:31–32, NLT). God wants everyone to turn to him. He “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). But, if we don’t agree with his spiritual diagnosis, and don’t take his remedy of believing that Jesus died on the cross for us, can we still expect to escape God’s justice? Where would be the fairness in that? Thank God for his great love and forgiveness, offering us all mercy instead of justice. Jesus taught on the Sermon on the Mount that we should agree to an ‘out of court’ settlement before we get to trial (Matthew 5:25). We should therefore settle with God before we have to give an account of ourselves in his final court (Romans 14:1012). Thankfully, by doing so, everyone who takes up this offer can confidently and joyfully look forward to going to heaven when they die, standing before God with nothing to fear—not because of their own (imperfect) goodness, but instead because of his grace and mercy. That might go against the grain, or not seem fair, when we are used to seeking that everyone get what they justly deserve. But when balanced by what Jesus did for us on the cross, God’s wonderful love, grace and mercy is truly just! J.D.
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Who are we?
Led from within the Nationalist community, we are a mainly local group of people who have a love for, and desire to serve, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are an independent Christian Fellowship and have no formal ties to other organisations or churches. We describe ourselves as just Christians. Our source of truth and doctrine is ultimately only God’s Word, the Bible. Colin Glen Christian Fellowship is a charitable trust. Our name reflects where we are based, near the Colin Glen area of West Belfast. We have been around since 2001. We currently meet on Sunday mornings in the Andersonstown Leisure Centre, as well as in a number of home groups for Bible study and fellowship during the week. If you are just interested, or wondering if you might find us as a suitable fellowship to worship and serve God through, you are more than welcome to get in touch or come along to any of our events. See our website for a brief introductory video at www.cgcf.ie
Bible faith in practice
During the week, in various homes, we read and discuss the Bib le to learn about God, ourselves, and how living out the Christian faith can change our lives. It is Suited toward s anyone starting to get to know the Bible. Everyone is welcome to Joh n and Elaine’s house on Wednesd ay evenings 7:30-9:30 (42A Cloona Park, BT17 0HH).
Sunday services
We meet in the Andersonstown Leisure Centre on Sunday mornings at 11:00-12:20 except for bank holidays—see website calendar for more info and for other events). Everyone is welcome to come for praise, prayer, preaching... with tea/coffee afterwards.
Contact:
John Duffy: 42A Cloona Park, BT17 0HH Tel: 028 90600323 Email: johnduffy@cgcf.ie
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