LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” AUGUST 2025
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptist church.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Days Off Tues and Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
Dates for your Diary:
Sun Aug 3rd 10.45am Worship Service Val Hulme
Sun Aug 10th 10.45am Open Service
Sun Aug 17th 10:45 am Sunday Bible Study Revd Neil Brighton
Sun Aug 24th 10.45am Communion Service Deacons
Sun Aug 31st 10.45amOpen Service
Wednesdays 6th, 13th,20th & 27th 10-11am Prayer meeting. Drinks at 9.45am
Thursday 7th August 4.30pm Baptismal Class to be confirmed
Other users of the building
Thursdays throughout August 10:00am - 12:00pm: Atherton and Leigh Foodbank.
Our next Church and Congregation Meeting will be on Sunday 14th Sept after a shortened Open Service. Please put this date in your diary
A reminder that Val gave notice that she would be stepping down from all the "extra" duties that she has continued with since taking up the Pastoral Leader role by December 31st at the latest
These include : organising lettings, dealing with renewing contracts, completing B.U. Annual Returns; bookkeeping, issuing invoices, banking;
Designated Person for Safeguarding; D.B.S. Verifier; renewing church parking permits; ordering paper towels, sugar sticks, cleaning and other equipment from Nisbets; bringing milk for church use. She will continue as Pastoral Leader with a view to retire by June 2027. We also need to be aware that Jean comes to the end of her term of office as Deacon in December 2025.
We will discuss this further at the Church and Congregation Meeting. Someone has already heeded the call to step up and fill one of the gaps for BU annual returns. They all need to be covered. Are there any that you would be able to fill?
Our Pastoral Leader will be on annual leave from Monday11th August, back in on Wed 27th Aug
THE ARMOUR OF GOD
Recently the Church Bible Study was about the end of the Lord’s Prayer as in St Matthew 6:13, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” In the NIV it says, “but deliver us from the evil one.”
This reminds us that temptations come from Satan, the father of lies.” So how do we avoid being taken in by his cunning ways? We were reminded of 1 Peter 5:8, “The Devil, like a roaring lion, prowls around seeking whom he may devour.” John 8:32 says, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” But how can we be sure? As Christians we are not immune from being
deceived. In Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians he warned them in chapter 4:17-20 not to continue to live as the heathen, {or other Gentiles} were doing, but, as Christ’s followers who had been taught the truth in Jesus their hearts and minds must be made completely new. We too need to heed this warning. So how do we keep on the straight and narrow road which leads to Life? We can find the answer in Ephesians 6:10-18 where we are told to put on the whole armour of God. As I thought about this I felt that more people could benefit from studying about God’s armour.
Paul was writing that letter from prison and described himself as being “an ambassador in chains.” {Ephesians 6:20}. William Barclay reminds us in his commentary that Paul was chained to a Roman soldier. He could therefore see how complete was the armour for the protection of the whole body. So what is the protective armour for the Christian? Paul starts with the BELT OF TRUTH. The Scripture Union Bible Study Notes tell us that the Roman soldier’s belt would be used to keep his clothes from interfering with his movements. The Christian belt of Truth enables Christians to know which teaching is true so that they are not “blown about by every wind of teaching.” It is essential for us to “grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” “You were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.” {Ephesians 4:14, 15, 21}
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS is a gift from God for living a life of integrity, which is the only way to protect a Christian from accusations as it gives complete protection. It is a quote from Isaiah 59:16-17. “The Lord was displeased that there was no justice” for His people, the Israelites, “so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His breastplate.”
SHOES SHOD WITH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE suggests that the Christian is always ready to take the good news of the Gospel wherever God is leading, whether locally or further afield. THE SHIELD OF FAITH was a long shield, probably covered in hide so that real fiery darts could not penetrate it or set it alight. Faith offers total protection against the wiles of the Devil. It will protect the whole of the body from his fiery darts. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that “it is by grace you have been saved, through FAITH ---- not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. THE HELMET OF SALVATION is also a quote from Isaiah 59:17 “He put on --- the helmet of salvation on His head.” William Barclay reminds us that, as well as giving forgiveness for past sins, the assurance of salvation in Christ gives us strength to conquer future sins. That is because we are sure of the truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins and have put our trust in him.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the WORD OF GOD. It is so important to know the Scriptures and to be able to quote from them for, as a weapon of defence, it gives us strength to overcome temptation, to keep us going when things are difficult, and inspires us to remain faithful to our Lord, as well as enabling us to tell people what we believe. DO ALL THIS IN PRAYER. We should not forget to pray about everything. We are told to “pray in the Spirit.” This means that when we pray we need to be close to God and so find ourselves praying for the things He is prompting us to pray for. As well as for ourselves we need to remember to pray for all people and situations near and far away. We especially need to pray for persecuted Christians in all parts of the world.
Ephesians 6:10-18 is a helpful reading to show us how we can take the advice given in James 4:7 which says, “Submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.”
Kathie. Quotations from NIV and NKJV