(August 30, 2024) Robert McQuillan shares a memory… and encouragingly challenges.
Out-of-the-blue the Holy Spirit recently enabled me to lead a young person to Christ… in an office! He’d mentioned having back pain and, not mentioning that I was a minister, I simply said that I’d like to pray about the discomfort… and was asked to do so.
So I laid hands on that sore back and prayed in Jesus’ name. A short simple prayer resulting in a big smile and acknowledgement that the pain was going, then ‘It’s gone!’
No, I didn’t work a wonder, the Spirit did! I just stood on scriptures such as Psalm 30:2 and my personal favourite, 1Peter 2:24! Praise God that my follow-up challenge about acknowledging Jesus as Saviour was accepted and another soul is in the kingdom!
(October 08, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari encourages knowing what God thinks of us and how we should think about ourselves…
Benjamin Franklin, regarded as a founding father of the United States, once stated, ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.’ Profoundly impactful words! Planning is a crucial aspect of our lives.
Some individuals excel at both planning and execution.
Others may plan but struggle to implement their strategies.
Sadly there’s another group that doesn’t plan at all, just chooses to go with the flow.
I wonder, dear reader, which category do you belong to?
Reality The Bible reminds us that ‘Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails’(Proverbs 19:21); Proverbs 16:9 states: ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’
(September 22, 2024) Dr Robert McQuillan happily shares a recent woe to encourage.
Yes, I know, I know… even quote Psalm 27:1b to troubled people: ‘The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid?’
So I’m human, and was now sort of fearing not the ‘whom’ but the ‘what’… yes me! Me who is forever telling Christians not to fear, was now fearing! Well… maybe not fear as in frightening fear, but was a little apprehensive!
Pain And why shouldn’t I be anxious? I was having great hallux unguis incarnatusonychocryptosispain — left big toe ingrown nail pain! And… I knew from previous experience with my right big toe that just before my doctor would give me several ‘relaxing’ needle injection shots into my toe and surrounding area, he’d be saying, ‘Robert, this is going to hurt!’ And that my response would be ‘I know, doctor, and I’ll try not to scream but I will.’ And scream I would!
Great subject to be sharing, huh! Told my darling wife Maureen what would happen: Her comforting word? ‘Oh you wimp.’ Great too, eh? So off to the doc’s I go with Maureen’s farewelling ‘You’ll be okay. I’ll be praying for you.’ Yes, I think… but not suffering. Help, Lord!
Checking in with the clinic’s new receptionist I jokingly said, ‘Well, here I am for the torture chamber’ to which she suppressed a giggle 😊. She’s from northern India and I asked, ‘Oh, by the way, do you know what your name means?’ She answered ‘No’ and I really surprised her by saying, ‘It means “Lucky” so I going to think of you as my lucky charm and avoid the torture pain.’ Now she really giggled 😊. Me? Knowing what was ahead, I was weakly half-smiling ☹!
Pearl Hey… bear with me: I do have a good testimony here. Mama Lava shares great insights this month about pearls — Precious Pearls of Prudence — particularly sharing that‘prudenceis theability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters.’ I recommend Mama Lava’s excellent article… and now share about ‘my surgery pearl of great price’ experience.
Come the ‘operation’ time, I was not smiling! I confess that I did scream a few times and gripped the operation table so tightly as my doctor injected several shots into my big toe area. The pain was not his fault! Just me whinging! The receptionist was definitely not ‘my lucky charm’ and yes, it’s easy to be funny, to joke now that it’s all over!
I apologised to the doctor if I was disturbing patients in the adjoining waiting area! After a moment or two I felt all right and he inserted the blade into my toe to cut the ingrowth, but I screamed again, biting my lower lip!
The doc warned me that there was only a little antiseptic left in the needle and if that didn’t work, well… When he jabbed me once more, I ‘aaahed’ again biting my lower lip. Yeah… Doctor Wimpy, that was me… and I don’t mean Doctor WimpyIce-cream!
Preciousness Then suddenly I remembered Mama Lava’s article andrecalledmy precious prudence pearl — the blessed Holy Spirit, my best friend! Why hadn’t I called on Him before? After all, I’m always telling people that He’s there to help us in everything.
I started asking the Spirit to help me… and also to guide the good doc, a friend who so loves it when I lay hands on him and pray for him as I leave his clinic.
And by asking I mean calling out quietly in the gift of tongues, unconcerned that the practice nurse and the doctor were hearing me speak in an unknown language!
It worked — the blessed Holy Spirit helped me and I didn’t feel any more pain as the needle went further in, not even when the sharp knife was used. I was as quiet as a mouse, no more loud ‘aaahs.’ And in no time it was all over including a huge bandage wrap-up. Time to relax after thank-you to the doc and nurse.
Plentiness I would add that scriptures, even ones I often give to troubled individuals had come to mind about God’s comforting promise to not fear! I haven’t space here to list the hundreds of scriptures indicating to ‘Fear not’ but it’s been said that there are plenty of scriptures about this most repeated command in the Bible. Lloyd Ogilvie in Facing the Future Without Fear even said there are 366 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year!
In this troubled and sinful world, none of us, even Christians can avoid painful encounters of various kinds that can even paralyse with fear! But God is powerful and we His children can claim the protection of our heavenly Father!
The Holy Spirit quickly reminded me to claim my pearl and pray Psalm 46:1-2a, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear…’ Also my Saviour’s comforting John 14:27 command: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’
I lay there not screaming but quietly resting in the Spirit’s arms and praising God in tongues. And then it was all over! Was I one happy chappy!
Later at home I found Isaiah 41:13NASB, ‘For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand [big toe, I thought] and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you!”’(Message Bible: ‘That’s right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I’m not letting go. I’m telling you, “Don’t panic. I’m right here to help you”’).
Pleasure Sure I had to rest up when I came home but to my delight my grandson-in-law Matthew brought three-year-old great-granddaughter AvaleighGrace round to cheer me up. And was she the fun-of-the- party!
Hopping off her first-ever bycycle, with her coy ‘What’s up, Poppa?’ look, Avaleigh was my second pearl of great price!
Something bothering you, that’s upsetting and causing some dreading, some edgy anticipation health-wise? Thank God for the medical profession, but do remember that you can also ask His help.
Or is something else bugging you? Know that you know that you know you can give every trouble over to the Lord!
Check out Romans 5:5, ‘… we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary — we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!’
Mama Lava’s icon comes to mind —
_________________________________________ Dr Robert and Pastor Maureen McQuillan’s links are OnlinerConnect@gmail.com and Facebook _________________________________________
When you were born, you started your journey wherever your parents were. Life happens and you move around experiencing ups and downs… good times, bad times, sad times — and learning times. Life can be described as the geography of moments of TIME.
Kairos Moments There are two ancient Greek words used in scripture regarding time — chronosbeing about quantitative or exact minutes, such as Matthew 2:7 querying Jesus’ birth, and kairos about qualitative moments.
Regarding kairos, Ephesians 5:15-17ESV reads, ‘Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.’
(August 28, 2024) Richard Winter gently and cooly shares ‘food for serious thought’…
Who is this man to the right?
A tough guy.
Distinctive hair style.
Famous saying – ‘I pity the fool.’
Mr T, of course… from The A-Team TV series, known for his ‘toughness.’
Christians also have to be tough — spiritually tough — in this world because we are involved in a spiritual war!So I’m going to share about five T’s every Christians should be awake to and delevop, noting that we must —
(August 07, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to discover God’s barrier shattering power…
Greetings to all my Echo of His Call extended family. It is always a great joy to connect with you all.
The Bible teaches us that God makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This includes our seasons which around the world season are changing… and every season possesses its unique beauty. We require both the heat and the rain for growth.
As Solomon said, there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. Now I’m unsure of the season you have experienced thus far this year— but remember, the best is yet to come! The crucial aspect is learning to embrace God’s promises. Often, we are aware of God’s promises but struggle to make them ours.
1. Achievement With God It may take weeks, months, years, or even decades to witness God’s promises manifest in our lives. David waited more than 15 to 20 years to see the prophecy over his life fulfilled, from Samuel anointing him to becoming the king of Israel.
(July 31, 2024) Robert McQuillan shares ‘post Calvary’ thoughts…
Ever recall Luke 24:28-29, those two interesting but often overlooked verses? Let me remind you of the scenario…
Two disciples were so disheartened and discouraged when they began their Emmaus road journey but had been greatly encouraged by a mysterious stranger who seemed to know everything. And they hadn’t recognised Him as the risen Christ!
Now on approaching the village this mysterious stranger had ‘… continued on as if He were going farther’ (porrhotero… a greater distance).
And they strongly urged Him not to travel on but to ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’ Over versions tell they constrained Him… (parabiazomia… to force contrary to one’s wishes, to compel).
Where was Jesus going to go on to share good news about His messianic reality, His resurrection and His power over death? Perhaps Jappa, where He hadn’t been before?
I believe we all can say that we are living in fascinating times — some may say interesting times, others deceptive times.
Recognition The apostle Paul was concerned about times… dangerous, perilous timesin the church before the return of Christ.He observed examples in his day — non-Christian characteristics — andwrote a warning to young Timothyabout such.
‘There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power’ (2Timothy 3:3-5a).
Paul saw such unChristian-like, self-seeking characteristics back then as a sign of living in the last days and advised ‘Have nothing to do with such people’ (v5b).
We may be looking at the same biblical scenario today!It appears such times and the same kind of church people are even more obvious in our day!
(July 10, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari in love warns against being diverted from God’s divine plan for our lives…
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to all members of our Echo of His Call family worldwide who faithfully read our magazine printed in 16 different languages every month. Grace and peace be yours from our eternal God, who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:4).
This verse provides me with great assurance in every circumstance, knowing that I have a God who understands my past, present, and future, and walks alongside me as a friend and companion. With this assurance, I can face the uncertainties of tomorrow with inner peace, confidentin God’s plan and purpose for me — which was ordained even before the creation of the world (Ephesians 2:10).
Reflecting on how intricately God has designed each one of us, I realise that our existence is not accidental but part of a divine plan. Even if one might believe they were unwanted or unexpected by their earthly parents, God has carefully crafted each individual, as stated in Psalms 139:13, ‘You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.’
Therefore, it is our responsibility to seek out and fulfill the purpose for which we were created, with the guidance of the author and finisher of our faith.
Connecting with You! 