Encouragement

THAT DREADED ‘D’ WORD — DEPRESSION

(March 19, 2021) Charles Schwab shares very openly, very personally from his heart and life experience…

The ‘D’ word – Depression – is extremely relevant to Christians today! Depression is real, and the church needs to face that reality appropriately.

‘Mental illness and Christians’ is in the news fairly regularly.  In 2013 Matthew Warren, the youngest son of high-profile mega-church pastors Rick and Kay Warren (Saddleback Community Church, California), took his own life after a long struggle with unrelenting depressive illness.  Reports are that he had received the best medical, counselling and pastoral support available. And there have been others before and after that.

Later, Matthew’s grieving father tweeted caring supporters, ‘Grieving is hard.  Grieving as public figures, harder. Grieving while haters celebrate your pain, hardest.  Your notes sustained us.’

Failing to understand
The church and Christians have often failed to understand depression and how to deal with it.  Consequently, there are some shocking and demeaning views held by people who ideally should be able to show positive care, understanding and help towards the mentally afflicted.  So often, for various reasons, this has not been the case.

Depressive illness has a special meaning for me, not the least reason being that in 1998, at age 53, I had to leave my pastoral role because of it.  I had been diagnosed by a psychiatrist as suffering from chronic anxiety and depressive illness that rendered me unemployable. Unemployable in any field!

Some years later I asked him again for his professional view about my situation and the future. His reply was in words I could understand, and I received them kindly in the spirit in which they were given.  They were not offensive, but illustrative of the truth as it is medically understood.  My psychiatrist is exceptionally good at his profession, someone I respect and admire who has helped me a lot.

His words were, ‘You can’t unscramble an egg.’  So, medically speaking, I’m stuck with it. (more…)

GOD HAD OTHER PLANS FOR COVID-19 ‘LOST CAUSE’

(March 12, 2020) Cece Hang’andu from Africa, studying at the Los Angeles-based Lighthouse Christian Academy, brings a good news testimony…

Lisa Martin was induced into a coma to save her life, a risky procedure that she woke up from luckily at the last minute.

Just when doctors asked her family members if they could take her off life support and let the ‘lost cause’ die, Lisa Martin woke up from a 40-day Covid coma.

Hospital acknowledges God’s miracle
‘God had other plans,’ a December 31 hospital statement says. ‘On the 11th day, Lisa broke out of the sedatives and began following Jeff with her eyes and she even moved her hand.’

Now Lisa, a 49-year-old mother of four, is being called a ‘miracle patient.’ In all, she spent 59 days on a ventilator at Memorial Satillo Health in Georgia, including the induced Covid coma. She suffered a frontal lobe stroke during the health ordeal.

When Lisa didn’t come out of the coma (her eyes were fixed), hospital staff approached the family October 20 and asked them to make the hardest decision of their lives: Take Lisa off life support. (more…)

DARK NIGHTS OF THE SOUL

(March 10, 2021) Robert and Maureen McQuillan touch on something not many are open about…

The poem Dark Night of the Soul begins with ‘In an obscure night…’ and the third line mentions ‘a hapless plight.’

Written by the 16th-century Spanish mystic and poet St John of the Cross (although he didn’t actually title it himself), it has been regarded by many as some deep spiritual, painful depression.

Depression, as Geraldine Brandt points out (The-Too-Hard-Basket) indicates, among other things that a person is low in their spirit, ‘pressed down.’

In modern terms… hampered by what we term a downer!

Reality
As we’ve ministered to church people at the altar prayer line sometimes someone – wrongly feeling ashamed and not wanting anyone else to hear – would whisper that he (or she) was suffering from depression, experiencing dark nights of the soul.

And, not just what’s badly termed as ‘ordinary Christians’ but as it happens, we’ve had to encourage a number of leaders to look beyond troubling dark nights of the soul experiences that have (are) hindering them in their ministry.

Geraldine Brandt writes about hampered ministers needing our prayers. And theologian Dr Jim McClure points out that ‘Depression – or any aspect of mental illness – is not something of which we should be ashamed. Nor should it be kept hidden’ (Mental-Illness-Realites).

We would add this – If depression were to hit, it’s definitely not something to be quiet about in case someone accuses us of having lost our faith. If they do, that’s their problem, not ours!

The reality is that anyone – church attender or leader – could become afflicted with depression. (more…)

THE DAY JESUS WAS DISAPPOINTED

(February 19, 2021) Robert and Maureen McQuillan zero in on an attitude problem…

December’s article Time-of-Confusion-and-Uncertainty highlighted how so many are touched on getting a smiling ‘Thank you.’

Often, it’s someone with problems blessed on hearing such expressions of gratitude… their mind being distracted from issues heavy on the heart.

Gratefulness
The reality is that we humans really do expect to hear a thank you when we help someone (we even make a point of teaching our kids to say thank you).

After all, it’s kind, thoughtful and courteous to honour whoever has touched our life in some way, small or nor not so small.

With that thought in mind, have you ever considered how Jesus must have felt when after he touched lives in a big way, he wasn’t immediately thanked? Such as that occasion when he miraculously helped ten lepers and they chuffed off thanklessly (Luke 17:12-19).

But wait… one did come back, expressing gratefulness with thanks and praising God!

This thankful outcast had such a grateful heart that he…

  • Returned ‘…shouting his gratitude, glorifying God’ (v15Mge).
  • Was ‘so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough’ (v16Mge).
  • Unreservedly ‘…threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him’ (v16NIV).

Gratefulness is a matter of attitude! Being grateful, saying thanks indicates a right attitude, a characteristic Christians are supposed to have – and demonstrate! (more…)

MOVING OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES IN 2021

(February 08, 2021) Maureen McQuillan shares …

Carol Round shares this month how important it is to drop hindering baggage in following the Lord’s leadings and moving ahead (See Recover-Your-Life-With-Jesus-Help).

Spot on, Carol!

Yielding to God
I believe that in this new year of 2021, God is wanting to move many of us out of our comfort zones – and I would encourage us not to hesitate.

Let’s be bold and allow the Lord to stretch us further and not be afraid of taking hold of opportunites ahead (whatever they may be!). You’ll be amazed at the results as well as the joy and satisfaction your ‘leap of faith’ will bring.

Now, I know, I know… we’re very human when it comes to change – we don’t generally like it! But life is all about change! Now we don’t change from fundamental biblical Christianity principles but we may need to change our attitude regarding yeilding to God’s directions!

Comfort zones and change
Comfort zones… Admit it: We all know what these are – and how we love feeling comfortably
safe and at ease because they require little effort. But, sadly, comfort zones don’t always yield results that God wants.

Change… now this requires determination, a turnaround in our thinking. Dictionaries tell us that change basically means to alter; it’s likewise in scripture!

So… if we’re going to move on, move ahead this year, change can mean altering our attitudes when we’re called on to move out of our comfort zone(s)! (more…)

THE BRAIN LIZARD’S BIG LIES

(January 29, 2021) Robert McQuillan shares on Satan’s reptilian lies…

Don’t you feel very disturbed within when you discover someone, especially someone you’ve always trusted, someone you’ve believed in, has lied to you?

Whether it’s a work colleague, business associate, salesperson or worst a best friend or child, our ‘little boat’ gets rocked as if in a storm!

Lying indicates trickery and deception – no one likes lies and being lied to. Hence, we teach children to value truth (and set personal examples by never lying!) and that one’s word is to be regarded as a person’s bond.

Unfortunately, because of sin, lying and lies are part of the human nature resulting in broken or unfulfilled promises (Something else we must warn their kids about).

Lying is not of God!
Lying is not in God’s character. The Bible is the word of the God who never lies (Psalm 33:4; John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 John 2:27; Hebrews 6:18) and has several warnings and important things to say about lies and lying. For example, the Bible speaks against lying –

  • Vanities (Jonah 2:8)
  • Lips (Psalm31:18)
  • Ways (Psalm 119:29)
  • Words (Jeremiah 7:4)
  • Divination (words, witchcraft – Ezekiel 13:6)
  • Hearts (Acts 5:3,9)
  • Wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Note this one well, gullible Pentecostal/charismatic-oriented Christians. Test everything!

God detests lies!
‘Lying’ – that’s shehkar in the OT Hebrew – indicating falseness, sham, untruth, wrong, deceit, feigning. The NT Greek pseudos says it all in one word – falsehood! (more…)

DETERMINED DECEPTION

(January 20), 2021) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share…

Lately we watched reports inferring that aftereffects/possible side effects of certain proposed medicines aren’t always fully explained. That it’s yet another case of ‘Following the Money’ as so many more millions are spent of advertising medicines than on the actual research! Ie: An inferred sort of deception due to insufficient information.

Something similar happened yesterday when we tried paying a utility account by phone. Despite several calls to different supposedly ‘helpful consultants’ none would accept payment, each insisting we use an automated service. This auto-service we tried repeatedly but it (no ‘real person’) kept refusing our data. On complaining by email finally an authority figure explained that as all operators are working from home due to covid-19 and couldn’t be accept phone payments. Not one ‘consultant had explained this!

  • Disinformation was a Nazi WW2 deception weapon – today it’s Satan’s big trick! Let’s talk about spiritual disinformation…

(more…)

WHAT A SHEPHERD, WHAT A TABLE!

(January 16, 2021) Maureen McQuillan shares…

In these trying days of the worldwide covid-19 pandemic, its associated troubles, and regular TV bad news, it’s great to relax. Even to take a short break away from home driving around the refreshing open countryside minutes from where we live and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Often, I spot sheep relaxing round the paddocks, those fleecy animals that cause me to reminisce about them, about shepherds and David’s refreshing Psalm 23.

Reassurance
Some folks have wrongly associated Psalm 23 with death … often Robert has its reading requested by non-churchgoers at funerals. But I see it as an encouraging psalm about life – a good life here and now not just in eternity, filled with the love and kindness of God!

David had been a shepherd in his youth. Although he’s talking about God removing doubts and fears, I see verses two to four of this psalm as reflecting on his own responsibility to ensure the flock under his care would be at rest, need of food and water supplied and, when frightening disturbing threats came along, his promptness to defend using shepherd’s weapons (and muscles as in 1Samuel 17:34-36a).

A thoughtful and fearless shepherd, David knew to care for these emotional animals (Yes, not only are humans emotional… a 2009 report published in Animal Welfare describes sheep are capable of experiencing a whole range of emotional feelings from fear to anger, despair, boredom and happiness). (more…)

REJOICING: ‘SHOW ME THE WAY, GOD…’

(December 14, 2020) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share a Christmas-centred challenge:

Christmas in in the air and we just had to watch it yet again… It’s a Wonderful Life, that 1947 classic Jimmy Stewart movie, commended by Movieguide® as ‘arguably the most beloved movie of all time.’

A Christmas story about (as Jimmy Stewart put it in a recent Movieguide® report) ‘… an ordinary man who discovers that living each ordinary day honourably, with faith in God and a selfless concern for others, can make for a truly wonderful life.’

Recognising… God carries
After serving for four years during WWII flying B-24 bombers over Germany, having been appointed Chief of Staff of the 2nd Combat wing, 2nd Air Division of the 8th Air Force, the actor, now Major James Stewart, ended the war after 20 combat missions, receiving recognition and medals.

This splendid movie was his first after returning from England – but he was war effected, sickly-looking, couldn’t sleep or focus and depressed.  Jimmy Stewart has told how a little book that his dad gave him before he was shipped out brought him through those tense years of leading men into bombing raids. Called The Secret Place—A Key to the 91st Psalm, he would read it before every raid over Europe – and carry it with him. He has said, ‘And I was borne up. Dad had committed me to God, but I felt the presence of both throughout the war.’

Realising… God cares
Jimmy Stewart is known to have relied on his faith both during the war and in life in general. In It’s a Wonderful Life, the character he plays is George Bailey, a humble businessman who turns nastily ungrateful, worried sick due to an unexpected seemingly unsolvable crisis and wanting to end his life.

But faith in Jesus drives the man behind the character. Jimmy Stewart recalls his own feelings during that lowest point in George Bailey’s life when he is faced with unjust criminal charges and, not knowing where to turn, ends up slumped in despair in a little roadside restaurant, unaware that most of the township’s people are arduously praying for him because they care: (more…)

A TIME OF CONFUSION AND UNCERTAINTY

(December 6, 2020) Dr Robert McQuillan, drawing on his current article in Counselling Australia journal, encourages taking windows of opportunity (Note: Although the article was aimed at encouraging professional counsellors, it’s full of Bible-based principles that every Christian should employ)…

Seems that newscasts share more bad news daily about the worldwide pandemic, increasing crime, rebellion against authorities, government opposition groanings instead of encouraging support… it’s rare to hear good news that makes you laugh, even smile.
So I’m urged to begin this article with a simple, good-news story that a friend shared with me (whether true or not, the point comes home)…

Courtesy
Evidently, a 93-year-old Italian wept when told his hospital ventilator one-day usage bill was 5,000Euro (approx. $8100AUD).
A doctor kindly advised him, ‘Don’t cry over it.’ To his surprise the old man responded, ‘I’m not crying because I have to pay. I cry because I’ve been breathing God’s air every day for 93 years and never had to pay anything. But for one day’s use of your ventilator, I must pay EU5000! I realise now how much I owe God… I’ve never courteously thanked him before for his free air!’
Doesn’t that makes you smile – and think? (more…)