Omagh FPC Youth Fellowship

Howard McFarland

I am very thankful for the privilege of being born into a Christian home. I was always taught my need of Salvation for the Word of God at home, Sunday School, Church and C.E.F children’s meetings. I realised that I needed to come personally and accept Jesus Christ as Saviour, but I kept putting off God’s offer of Salvation.

It was at the end of September 1982 during the preaching of the Rev. Harry Cairns in our church in Omagh that God spoke again to my heart. I realised I was stepping out into a new year without Christ, not knowing what that year would hold for my life. That night I simply asked Jesus Christ to take away my sins and come into my heart and be my Saviour.

Psalm 32 v 5 – "I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin".

I thank God that he accepted me into His family.

I know that during my life I have failed the Lord many times, but I thank God for the cleansing of the precious blood. It is good to have the Lord with us as our guide and help each day. This was especially a blessing to us as a family when little Matthew died in 13th March 2002. God gives special grace to cope with difficult situations and we thank God for His help and grace given at that time. God has taught me many things through little Matthew’s death. It’s good to be able to rely on the promises of God.

1 Peter 5 v 7 – "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you".

I trust if you are not Saved that you will accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and trust Him each day to lead and guide you.

Garth Wilson

As a child I always knew my need of salvation. I had Christian parents who sent me along each week to Sunday school, children's meeting and to church, where I always heard my need to be saved. It was at the age of 7 that I asked the Lord into my heart to be my Saviour. I know with assurance that although only a child, that the Lord had saved me. Many times I failed him especially at secondary school, but yet the Lord never left me. He led me through university, and then into employment and still me leads me each day.

If you are still unsaved, then I would encourage you to come to the Saviour, he is the best friend that you will ever know.

Paul Somerville

I had the privilege of being brought up in a Christian home and I was sent along week by week to Church, Sunday school and children’s meetings as well as to a Christian school so I had no excuse of not knowing the way of salvation!! And it was at the age of 5 in a children’s meeting that the Lord convicted me of my need of the saviour and I knew even at that age that I did not want to go hell, and that night I asked him into my heart and I thank the Lord that he saved me.

After leaving school and college I got more and more interested in the things of the world with all of it’s attractions, I really wanted to try out the world and its pleasures I wanted to see what it was like I wanted to go to the clubs, I wanted to try out drinking and on a few occasions I did. It wasn’t until I lost my job, we were all paid off that things changed. I then started to pray and ask the Lord for another job. And through prayer and reading my Bible I came to realise that I was not going on with the Lord in the way that I should be, I also came to realise and I believed that the Lord has let me loose my job because of the way that I was going in life.

Well I thank the Lord that he put me back on the right path and I received many blessings from his word and assurances of my salvation and I thank the Lord that he has kept me ever since. If your not saved think about the consequences of rejecting God's salvation, come to the Lord Jesus he will forgive your sins and you'll be on your way to heaven.

Jolene Keys

I had the great privilege of being born into a Christian home, where I was taught the things of God and sent faithfully along to church and children’s meetings, but that alone could never save me. I was saved at the age of 5 in Sunday school after I heard the story of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins. I didn’t want to be shut out of heaven like the 5 foolish virgins so I asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take away my sin.

I had Christian friends at primary school so I never came across much opposition there but secondary school was a totally different matter. I really wanted to fit in with my friends so I just acted like one of them and forgot about God. Things got progressively worse when I went to university. Living in Belfast I had no one watching what I was doing or where I was going, thinking I was happy because I was out clubbing and drinking just like everyone else. I was leading a double life because to my parents and people at church my Christian life seemed to be on track because I was hiding my sin, but my Christian life was in a backslidden state. I had fallen so far away from God and let him down so many times but thank God he never gave up on me. I started to feel under deep conviction of my sin, but I knew there were many things in my life, including my friends, which I would have to change if, I was going to walk right with God.

I came back to the Lord on 15th December 2002 and I have never looked back. I asked the Lord to create a clean heart within me and take away the sin from my life (Psalm 51v10&12). Praise God that he answered my prayer. Being a Christian is not always easy, my faith was tested during the remainder of my University course and my long search for a job. Through prayer and reading God’s word the Lord has given me guidance for my life. Luke 1v37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible". God has provided me with 100’s of Christian friends which I have met through various church and youth organisations throughout NI. I cannot stress the importance of Fellowship with other Christians. I feel it is an essential part of your walk with God as it keeps your eyes upon the saviour and away from the temptations of the world and most of all, keeps you HAPPY in the Lord!

If you are not a Christian I would encourage you to think of your life without Jesus, the pleasures of this world only last for a season. Sin will take you further than you ever want to go. Don’t leave to too late to be ready for God, Matthew 25v13 warns "Watch ye therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh". Life with Jesus is fullness and joy with everlasting, eternal life. Psalm 34 v 4 and 8.

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Youth Committee

Howard McFarland

Garth Wilson

Paul Somerville

Jolene Keys