Encouragement

GATE OF THE YEAR

(January 11, 2024) Robert McQuillan shares 2024-centred encouragement.

Odd title isn’t it. Picked it up the other night from an old James Stewart movie, 1940’s Mortal Storm. Set in South Germany’s Alps, it tells of the change that sweeps a particular town so quickly and dramatically when Hitler’s coming to power in January 1933 is announced. Contentment between families and friends vanishes when most of the town embraces the Nazi creed, and only a few don’t. It is indeed the beginning of a mortal storm.

As this classic movie concludes, some lines from a poem are narrated over celestial music –
‘I said to a man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God.
That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.”’

(more…)

GOD’S GOODNESS, OUR JOY, SATAN’S MANIPULATIONS  

(January 11, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari shares important facts… and warnings.

Yes I’m going to share about Satan’s trickery… but first, some good news! I wish you all, dear readers, a  very happy and blessed New Year!

Know that despite ongoing troubles around the world, God has graciously blessed us with another year to express gratitude for all His goodness. He will surely bless not only you but also your future generations for investing your time and tearful prayers in spreading the good news to the world. Let’s be determined to continue this great work!

I pray that the good Lord will continue to grant you wisdom to navigate this world with Godly wisdom, knowledge, good health, strength, and peace of mind. Above all, may He satisfy you with His goodness.

(i) God’s Goodness
God says, ‘My people shall be satisfied with my goodness…’ (Jeremiah 31:14NKJV).What a beautiful promise to hold onto this year – God satisfying us with His goodness! To me this means that –

(more…)

‘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.’

(more…)

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)!

(more…)

GIFT OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE!

(December 08, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari shares good points…

Ever since I was a child, Christmas has always held a special place in my heart. It brings indescribable joy. When I was young, we didn’t have enough money to buy new clothes or gifts, or to decorate the house with fancy colored paper or lights. We lived in a small one-bedroom house with limited food, but… my parents always found ways to make our childhood beautiful and meaningful.

My brother and I are forever grateful for their efforts. It was an amazing time! Visiting grandparents, meeting cousins, going to church early in the morning with sleepy eyes, eagerly waiting to eat a delicious lunch with the whole family gathered around, playing games, and even the occasional sibling squabble – all these things made those days truly beautiful.

Even now, every year, the scent of candles, aroma of cookies, twinkling decorative lights, and the chilly wind, along with heartwarming carols, bring back great memories.

(more…)

‘THANK YOU’ GOES  A LONG WAY

(November 27, 2023) Maureen McQuillan shares…

Robert needs to ‘raise’ his study cabinet – a small unit in a corner behind the door that gives him additional work space beyond his desk. But… it’s not tall enough and stooping over it to work on for any length of time causes his back to ache.

So when I say raise it, I mean make it higher. Thinking that he could make a frame himself that he can put under the cabinet and give the unit some extra height, my husband bought some wood.

As he was about to search for some carpentry tools last night Robert heard neighbour Matt using an electric saw in his garage and thought, ‘I know what… I’ll rush next door and ask Matt to kindly saw this wood into the lengths I need and that’ll save me time… and fiddling around.’

And he did… with no hassles and came back a happy chappy. But… later last night he was thinking ‘Umm. Did I thank Matt? I can’t remember. Duh!’

(more…)

RECOGNISE YOUR BATTLEFIELD!

(November 19, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari shares important points…

Going to visit a friend recently I was relying on Google Maps for directions but ended up getting lost! Admittedly GM was trying to guide me on the best route, but it was not ideal and I found myself going in circles and beginning to lose patience.

While waiting unsure at a traffic light, I asked a cyclist in front of me for directions. To my relief, he offered to lead the way. I decided to completely ignore my navigation system because I had confidence in the person I was following. He knew the way very well having been there before.

It was such a relief to have someone to rely on for guidance!

  • Have you ever wished that you had someone like this to navigate your life?
  • Someone who could make tough, complex decisions on your behalf, and all you had to do was follow?
  • Christians have someone like that— Jesus. He knows our past, present, and even our future.

Jesus has been to our tomorrows already. He knows everything even before it happens to us. This is because He chose us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and has a beautiful plan for each of us.

(more…)

APPLES OF GOD’S EYE

(October 28, 2023) Robert McQuillan shares most sincerely…

Currently the eyes of the world are on the Middle East, especially Israel. There are fears that has happened, is happening, will spread involving several countries in war. Even nations endeavouring to support disadvantaged trapped victims with supply of badly needed food, water and medical supplies – or to fly people home – could become entrapped in whatever happens next.

The unfolding crisis has affected nations globally – for example here in Australia we’ve had protest rallies, a ‘significant contingent’ of troops and two aircraft being dispatched to the Middle East, increased fuel prices, cost of living threatened. In short, many people are looking for answers.

More importantly, souls everywhere need to discover Jesus, the coming king of peace and comfort who has all the answers, primarily salvation!

God can be trusted
Without sounding superspiritual, some weeks back I was reminded of David’s Psalm 122:6 that calls for prayer regarding Jerusalem… and I did so, including all Israel, in my general daily prayers. Now, like so many others, I too am deeply saddened by what has been happening in the Middle East.

(more…)

EXTRAORDINARY FAITH ACCOMPLISHES EXTRAORDINARY DEEDS!

(October 20, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to achieve great accomplishments for God…

Jesus knew that attaining extraordinary faith is not possible through ordinary means – that’s why He promised the Holy Spirit, who will empower us to display our strength (faith).

Acts 1:8 states, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.’ This gift of God gives you strength to be His witness, displaying your faith in every situation! On examining the lives of Jesus’ disciples, we observe a significant difference before and after they experienced the Holy Spirit. Peter, for example, had denied Jesus three times before a small number of people, but was enabled to boldly preach the good news to thousands.

Courageous faith
Where did Peter find this courage? The Holy Spirit’s enabling power as he moved in faith!

(more…)

FEARFUL… OR BOLDLY TRUSTING GOD?

(September 30, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan challenge…

It’s great to learn that many folk have moved on from the darkness that began hitting the world a few years ago (and still around)! People are joyfully holidaying, planning ahead, contemplating the future wisely and making decisions in respect of the like of travelling, jobs, careers, homes, suburbs, states, vehicles (electric, petrol or hybrid), schooling, churches, marriage…

One top decision is a major change of thinking – from fear to courage… ‘Flipping the Switch’ to use an old phrase, the sense of having a change of heart about many things.

We Christians can praise God for so much… salvation through His son, Jesus. And the gift of life – new life in Him. We have so much to look forward each new day because of Jesus…  God is our protector, provider and friend. It’s always great to zero in on prayer each morning, Bible reading, worshipping Him and committing the new day to our Lord.

Fearfulness
But… life is life and things can go wrong!

(more…)