BITS and PIECES
286th Edition – March 15, 2026
A random collection of news and views compiled by Frank McClelland for the Toronto Free Presbyterian Church.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
It was seventy-five years ago, on March 17, 1951, that the Free Presbyterian Church was born. It was in Crossgar, Northern Ireland, and the writer is old enough to remember the occasion.
Permission was granted earlier by the local Presbyterian church that its elders could hold a Gospel mission in their Church Hall with Rev. Ian Paisley as the preacher. At the last minute, the Down Presbytery overrode the elders, suspended them, and withdrew the permission on the very day the mission was due to start.
The mission did start, in another venue, and about ninety souls came to Christ. As a result, it was decided to form a new church. Some of the opponents jeered that it would not last long. Well, it has been seventy-five years thus far with outreaches across the world. “The Lord has done great things for us whereof we are glad.”
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
The persecution of Christians is increasing world-wide. We, in the western world, because we don’t see so much of it, tend to overlook the seriousness of the matter, but it is a real concern.
Open Doors, an organization that gathers statistics on Christian persecution, in its latest 2026 report, states that in the last year, 4,849 Christians were murdered, 4,712 were detained, and 3,632 churches and related properties were attacked.
It also lists the top 10 worst persecutors as: 1. North Korea, 2.Somalia, 3. Yemen, 4. Sudan, 5.Eritrea, 6.Syria, 7.Nigeria, 8. Pakistan, 9. Libya, 10.Iran.
What can we do? Little practically, but we must pray for our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. [Taken from Redeeming the Time].
KNOWING GOD
“The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits” [Daniel 11:32].
“The Lord is a man of war, Jehovah is His name” [Exodus 15:3]. Those who enlist under His banner shall have a Commander who will train them for the conflict and give them both vigour and valour.
The times of which Daniel wrote were of the very worst kind, and then it was promised that the people of God would come out in their best colours: they would be strong and stout to confront the powerful enemy.
Oh, that we may know our God; His power, His faithfulness, His immutable love, and so may we be ready to risk everything on His behalf. He is one whose character excites our enthusiasm and makes us willing to live and to die for Him.
Oh, that we may know our God by familiar fellowship with Him; for then we shall become like Him and shall be prepared to stand up for truth and righteousness.
He who comes forth fresh from beholding the face of God will never fear the face of man. If we dwell with Him, we shall catch the heroic spirit, and to us a world of enemies will be but as the drop of a bucket.
A countless array of men, or even devils, will seem as little to us as the nations are to God, and He counts them only as grasshoppers. Oh, to be valiant for truth in this day of falsehood. [C.H. Spurgeon].
THE INFALLIBLE WORD
The Christian’s whole life, past, present, and future, is dependent on the Bible – the Word of God. There are millions of books in the world, but only one Bible. We base what we believe for this life and the next on what the Bible says.
The origin of the Word is given, “out of heaven He made thee to hear his voice, that He might instruct thee” [Deuteronomy 4:36]. We are not to “add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it” [Deut. 4:2].
The Lord told Jeremiah to “diminish not a word” from it [26:2]. And in Revelation, there is a stern warning not to add or take away from the Word lest the judgment of God fall upon us [Rev. 22:18,19]. The Bible is the inspired Word of God.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [II Timothy 3:16].
All Writers are inspired by God [II Peter 1:21].
Every Word is inspired [Proverbs 30:5].
“Thy Word is Truth” [John 17::17].
