Palm Springs Pentecostal Church in Malta

The Seychell family served on the MV Doulos for 2 years between 2005 and 2007. Apart from the normal daily jobs on the ship, they went out with teams in the various ports that they visited. The teams reached out to the needs of the people; from practical work in tsunami stricken countries to comforting the sick in hospitals; help building an orphanage in Africa; providing shower facilities in a prison in Sri Lanka; they assisted in building a school in Cambodia and the list goes on. They did this one day a week, sometimes more, for the two years in 27 countries and 40 ports serving alongside 53 other nationalities onboard; bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations of the world.

1 – https://www.om.org/ships/doulos

Most of the crew and staff, reaching up to 350 members and from over 50 different nationalities, were young adults and teenagers all dedicated to serve the Lord and the nations.

2- During our time on the ship we visited 27 nations and 40 ports in 3 continents. As we approached berth we were welcomed traditionally on most occasions.

3- We received thousands of visitors every time; sometimes queuing for hours to visit the bookshop or to have a tour around the ship. Each one having a multi-national experience onboard and a message of hope.

4- Making friends from all over the world was one of the great privileges we enjoyed.

5- In each port, onboard programs were organised for every aspect of society – church leaders; prisoners; school children; wives etc. An ‘International Night’ was an event held in every port at a venue ashore or onboard. This was a show depicting the diverse cultures working together and something of their tradition always ending with the ‘Parade of Nations’. The Gospel message was always presented during this occasion.

6- Programs and outreaches were also organised ashore. These included church visits, practical projects, hospital and prison visits and much more. Many of these were performed in remote areas, sometimes very far from the ship.

7- When we joined, the MV Doulos was 94 years old. It was by far the oldest active ocean-faring passenger ship, but in need of constant maintenance to stay sea-worthy. A yearly drydocks was also required for major works.

8- Work was not only onboard, but we were involved regularly in diverse practical projects to serve the community.

The fundamental teachings of this congregation are reflected in the following clear statements of faith:

1. We believe in the absolute verbal inspiration of the accepted canon of Scriptures as originally given. The Scriptures are the revelation of God to man, being infallible, without error, and the only and final authority for all matters of faith and conduct (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13).
2. We believe in the Eternal Godhead who has revealed Himself as One God existing in Three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, being distinct but inseparable (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
3. We believe in the creation, temptation and fall of man as recorded in Genesis; his total spiritual corruption and inability to achieve Divine righteousness (Romans 5:12, 18).
4. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of men, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, truly God and truly Man (Luke 1:26-35; John 1:14-18; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6).
5. We believe Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day, and personally appeared to His disciples (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 4:25).
6. We believe in the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven, His exaltation, and personal, literal and bodily coming again the second time for His Church (John 14:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
7. We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace, through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission (the sending away) of sins (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 9:12; Romans 5:11).
8. We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the Name of the Eternal Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in order to fulfil the command of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 19:4-5).
9. We believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit as a real experience at or following salvation, with the Scriptural evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance (Acts 2:1- 4; 8:14-17; Galatians 3:14).
10. We believe in the operation of the Gifts of the Spirit as specified in 1 Corinthians 12-14 and manifested in the early church.
11. We believe in the Spirit-filled life, a life of separation from the world and perfecting of holiness in the fear of God as expressing the true Christian faith (Ephesians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1).
12. We believe in the healing of the body by Divine power, or divine healing in its varied aspects as practised in the early church (Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14).
13. We believe in obeying the Lord’s command to partake of the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper, for believers (1 Corinthians 11:28-32; Matthew 26:26-28).
14. We believe in the reality and personality of the Devil and eternal judgement in the Lake of Fire for the Devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:14-15).
15. We believe in eternal life for believers (John 3:16; 5:24), and eternal punishment for the unbelievers (Mark 9:43-48; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:14-15).
16. We believe that there is one true universal Church, made up of genuine believers, but this one universal church is also composed of many local churches in given localities. These Churches are under the sovereign Headship of the Lord Jesus Christ, exercising the right of self-government under Him, administering all its local affairs and ministry, as well as the propagation of the gospel (Acts 15:22; Matthew 16:18; 18:15-20).
17. We believe that Government is ordained of God, and the powers that be are ordained as ministers of God to us for good. To resist the powers and the ordinances is to resist the ordinance of God. We are subject not only for wrath’s sake but for conscience sake, rendering to all their dues, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. We declare our loyalty to our Government and its leaders and will assist in every way possible consistent with our faith in the Scriptures as Christian citizens (Romans 13). 

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)

How often do you hear people say the Lord caused this earthquake, or He sent that tsunami and killed all those people, or that He is responsible for all the natural disasters the earth experiences?

The impression is clear that most people blame God for all the bad that is happening. Even the insurance companies cover themselves against, what they call, an act of God! I have heard at funerals people say to the bereaved, “God needed your little one with Him”, or “God needed a little angel” so He allowed your little one to die so as to satisfy His need!

When it comes to sickness like cancer, it has been said to those suffering, “God is using this to draw you closer to Him”, or to help you become more holy! This confounds me totally and certainly does not reflect the God of the scriptures!

The impression people have of God is that He is terribly cruel, selfish and has little regard for the suffering of mankind! How little they know of God! It certainly isn’t the God Jesus represented! He healed the sick! He cast out demons! He raised the dead! He healed that dear leper! He calmed the treacherous storm!

These were all acts that Jesus did only because He saw His Father do them! That is God! That is the heart of God! God is good! He is so very good! He is not the One responsible for natural disasters! He is not the One responsible for the sick-plagued planet! He is not responsible for the tragedies that rage around us! God is good! He is so good, so precious, so loving towards mankind, that He sent His Son to die in our place in order to rescue us from ourselves, from sin, from sickness and disease and from the curse!

He is so good, that He has done all He can and could do in order to bring man back to Himself and to give them an inheritance that is far more wonderful and glorious than any inheritance one could ever have on the earth! He is so good that he forgave us of all our sins!

Every sin mankind has ever committed He bore in His own body on the cross! Even the sins of Hitler, Stalin, Genghis Khan! He bore them and forgave them, but tragically it would appear that they never repented and turned to Christ!

He has given man every opportunity to know He exists. In the conscience man knows, or should know what is right and what is wrong. The heavens and all that He created proclaim the existence of a good God! Man is without excuse!

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20) On the cross, Jesus made total and complete provision for mankind. In Him we have redemption.

By His stripes, we are healed! We have been delivered from the curse of the law. God is so good! The next time you feel angry at God or are tempted to blame Him, think for a moment and remind yourself that God is good and that He is never the One responsible for all the pain and suffering on this earth.

He is good and He came to seek and to save those who are lost. His mercy is everlasting and His truth, His word, endures to all generations! You are blessed!