Author: Life Focus Ministries

Who are we? Dr Robert McQuillan is recognised as an inspiring encourager, counsellor, mentor to ministries and Bible teacher ministering meaningfully on the prophetic edge. Robert and Maureen, a gifted communicator with an uncanny insight into knowing 'where people are at', delight to bless and encourage God's people and ministries... and touch the hearts of the unchurched in the marketplace. Contact: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com

A ROAD UNTRAVELLED

(January 07, 2024) Dr Jim McClure encourages Christians to confidently follow the Lord this new year… 

Welcome to 2024! Where did last year go?

I was reflecting on how much the world has changed in my lifetime. I was born when German bombs were being dropped on Belfast. But following the end of the war, despite various hardships, life was pretty good. I have come to the conclusion that I have been privileged to live in a time of unparalleled discovery and achievement in the world.

Following the Second World War who would have guessed that someone would walk on the moon? Who would have speculated that our old radio would be largely replaced by a colour television? Who would have considered that one day you could carry a phone in your pocket without trailing a telephone wire? Who would have anticipated that something called a computer would be invented that would give you instant answers to many of your questions on many subjects? Who would have predicted the amazing advances in medicine and surgery?

Of course, not everything over the years has been good or positive – I do not need to list some of the negatives and tragedies that have also been part of those years… although the Covid pandemic which, directly or indirectly, wreaked havoc in the lives of countless millions of people throughout the world, was one of those stressful times.

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HULK HOGAN CALLS BAPTISM ‘GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE’

(January 6, 2024) Movieguide® Contributor reports good news that Hulk is ‘Living for Christ’…

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan recently shared his baptism online, and many have expressed support for the 70-year-old superstar.

‘Total surrender and dedication to Jesus’
His video, which received over six million views, shows Hogan and his wife, Sky Daily, as they are submerged in water by their pastor. The baptism ceremony took place at Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Florida.

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SEE 2024 THROUGH SPIRITUAL EYESIGHT

(January 03, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…

I (Norman) had reached the time of life when reading the lower lines of the optician’s chart involved a few hopeful guesses!

So it was no surprise when the optician ruled that it was time for a cataract operation. I am happy to report that I finished last year with better sight than at the beginning. And now I can really ‘look’ ahead to 2024!

Exciting spiritual eyesight
But… seriously, how exciting it is to know that Jesus offers us more than mere physical eyesight! He offers spiritual eyesight.

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FINDING HOPE IN THE NEW YEAR

(January 03, 2024) Carol Round shares encouragement for 2024…

Isaiah 40:31 – ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint’ – is one of my favourite scriptures. When I close my eyes, I can picture an eagle soaring overhead as I look up toward the heavens where I find my hope.

The scripture also renews my strength and keeps me moving forward in a world often filled with hopelessness. 

We’ve just come out of a season of hope and joy – a season filled with goodwill toward men. But after the gifts are unwrapped and the decorations are stowed, we often feel empty.

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THE DEBT TRAP!

(January 02, 2024) Richard Winter challenges…

So… it’s January 2, and the first week of the new year soon gone already!

We’ve celebrated Christmas, we’ve welcomed and celebrated the new year’s arrival. Families have come together, eaten together, celebrated together and most of us have made a new year resolution.

Actually the latter sounds like an appropriate activity for us all as we embrace 2024. However… on reflection every resolution, not just New Year’s, that I’ve ever made though has been attacked by –

  • My personal lethargy.
  • Other options leading me astray.
  • Running out of commitment!

The reality is that we need God’s help to stay involved in any resolution we make! And… perhaps the last thing we remember to think about in respect to following through on any resolution is – prayer.

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UNKNOWN GOD PROTECTED FAMILY ESCAPING NORTH KOREA

(December 23, 2023) Peter Kim shares a great testimony…

‘Mother, I can’t live here… I have to go to South Korea.’ The moment Young-Ae heard her son’s words, her heart sank.

A short time later, Young-Ae and her brother-in-law’s family decided to cross the river from North Korea into China. To their consternation, it was a night with a bright full moon. To make the situation worse, she could see the guard post along the riverside. Young-Ae caught her breath in fear.

Calling on the unknown God
Without knowing who God is, she began to call on His mighty power in heaven, ‘If you exist, please Supreme Power in Heaven, save me!’

Suddenly dark clouds covered the moon, making it pitch-black. It seemed like an answer to her prayer! Was heaven really listening?

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‘SHOW ME THE WAY, GOD’

(December 20, 2023) Robert McQuillan shares a Christmas/2024-centred encouragement.

It seems no time at all when back in July people were half-jokingly saying, ‘Gosh, how time flies, it’ll soon be Christmas!’

Suddenly it was late October and some folk were exclaiming, ‘Golly gosh, soon be Christmas! Where has the year gone?’ Then it was November and, as Alan Higgins mentions in his article, extremely early Christmas sales adverts and a mad ‘charging-about-like-eejits’ time unknown to the real Christmas story of Joseph and Mary (Joseph the Dreamer).

Perspective
And right now Christmas is really just round the corner… merely a few days away! And some people are talking about 2024! In fact we’ve just received an Easter article… already!

Responding to some people who have asked me about 2024, I felt led to share the perspective that I sense – that it will be a ‘venturous year for those wanting to follow the Lord.’

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2024 – A NEW (LEAP) YEAR

(December 20, 2023) Brian Bell looks ahead…

Across the world there will be large crowds of people ‘watching and revelling in’ the New Year. Perhaps you might not wish to be reminded another year is almost gone, or could it be you may be glad to leave 2023 behind you!

I was among those people to have been born on the first day of January and that makes it a little difficult to forget a new year has begun!

Whatever your personal view about this time of the year, we cannot change the reality, with each day, time is passing and soon we will be in 2024.

So whether you love the New Year celebrations or loath them here are a few simple thoughts about ‘NEW’ (NLT scriptures).

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MARY – HEART OF AN UNLIKELY HERO!

(December 20, 2023) Richard Winter challenges…

You can be anywhere in the world and know the essentials of the Christmas story. The basics are –

  • Mary, merely a young girl engaged to be married to Joseph, is pregnant.
  • Her explanation? It’s a miracle from God.
  • Trouble explodes! Joseph wants out and plans a quiet divorce.
  • God sends an angel to Joseph revealing it’s all OK – so go ahead with the marriage.
  • This baby is His and will be the Saviour of Israel and the world!

Thought: Aren’t you impressed with those ‘Christmas-centred’ angelic messengers? Boy, were they busy! There was Mary, visited by the archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-35), Joseph (Matthew 1:20), and the astounded shepherds (Luke 2:8-15).

But let’s think about Mary… though she has always been considered one of the heroes of the Christian faith, I think it’s safe to say she was an unlikely hero. She just doesn’t exactly fit a hero profile. Why unlikely? you might ask.

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JOSEPH THE DREAMER

(December 18, 2023), Alan Higgins shares… and challenges.

It’ll soon be Christmas Eve and we’ll all be looking forward to Christmas Day and all the joy that it brings. I don’t know about you but I love Christmas Day… except I can’t stand all the build-up to it.  Christmas songs are played on the radio from mid-November and Christmas adverts seem to get on our TV screens and in stores earlier each year, indeed so many weeks before the great day. 

To me it gets a bit tiresome at times.  And people on Facebook remind me that there’s only so many days to go until Christmas!  Ah well – call me a grumpy old man, but I’ll be glad when Christmas Day comes and all the charging-about-like-‘eejits’ comes to an end and we can relax, open our presents, have a nice meal and fall asleep in front of the TV.

But that’s not what Christmas is – it’s about the arrival of the Saviour of the world, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).  It’s about Jesus – Immanuel – God with us (Matthew 1:23)!

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