Encouragement

THE GOD OF THE ‘FEAR NOT!’

(September 17, 2023) S. Sam Selva Raj encourages troubled hearts.

Heard individuals say something along the lines of  ‘Every morning I wake up only to be confronted with indescribable problems.’

They talk of burdensome problems – physical, emotional, career, financial, or family-related – constant worries that weigh them down. Frequently, they express their feelings saying, ‘This is all too overwhelming for me to handle. My problems continue to pile up and defeat me! I don’t have the strength to fight them any longer. How will I ever make it?’

What about you, dear reader?
Are you facing such experiences? Our ministry receives letters from troubled souls (even some saints) undergoing extremely difficult circumstances and asking for help. I highlight a couple –

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BLOW ME DOWN! ONE NEVER KNOWS WHO THINKS WHAT ABOUT US

(August 30, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share…

‘One never knows who thinks what about us’ was a longish title… then we felt to add spinach-loving Popeye’s famous exclamation, ‘Blow me down!’  

This article is really about that initial title, but some events came about that had us add the exclamation.

First ‘Blow me down’
We’ve always had confidence in our daughter Wendy’s ability to achieve in life, and to encourage others, whether friends or business  associates. She has a good heart, common sense, cares for others and has the right attitude.

Naturally we encouraged Wendy to trust the Lord to help her in all this. And she has achieved much, and been an encouragement to others. But… she never talks about her accomplishments, no bragging.

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DISCOVER A DOOR OF HOPE!

(August 26, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages troubled hearts…

2023! So far, for some this has been the worst year of their lives; for others, it has been the most productive!

We need to remember that in every situation God is good! That He can make all things (the good, the bad, and the ugly) work for good– if we keep our hope, trust, and confidence in Him. In His timing, everything will turn out to be a blessing because He is a faithful God and a good heavenly Father.

I would remind readers of the Joshua 7:25-26 incident that happened in a particular valley – a very sad story. A whole family was stoned to death, remains burned in fire and the Israelites called it the Valley of Achor – ‘trouble’ or ‘affliction.’ It was known for failure, curse, death, destruction, and disappointment.

Are you are in some kind of sad valley right now, where everything is dead or lost and nothing is working for you? Are you on the verge of giving up, that there’s no point in persevering, no way forward?

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FULL STEAM AHEAD FOLLOWING THE FATHER!

(August 17, 2023) Robert McQuillan reflects on a lifestyle choice…

It’ll soon be Father’s Day and I’m reminded of my dad and my childhood. Let me share something personal here… since childhood I’ve had a thing about steam trains!

Many a Sunday afternoon my parents would take me for a walk in the country (few people had cars back then and walking was the in-thing). Sometimes we’d cross a railway line. If I heard train whistles from down the track, and realised a steam locomotive was coming, I would insist we stop and wait until little wide-eyed me would watch it come by!

Growing older I’d be off with mates to the Saturday afternoon flicks. John Wayne was soon my hero and the first movie I saw him in he jumped onto the rear carriage of a big steam loco.

Following one’s heart
But more than the Duke was on my heart. Locos were certainly were! Especially as dad was an engineer – the official title for locomotive drivers in those yesterdays of steam trains, and I was proud of him.

Came the day which I will never forget when Dad took me – just a ‘little fellow’ in short pants – down to the local, large city rail station and explained about the (to me) ‘huge monster’ that was technically called the engine. And then being lifted up onto the platform, his working domain. What a thrill, such excitement for a small boy… my heart was beating: this was like a dream come true.

The loco had been prestarted and Dad explained the controls, how the engine operated. It was a cold morning but the heat from the blazing firebox quickly warmed me physically – my heart was already on fire with curiosity. I had stared at the huge wheels, and now I gazed at the control levers that looked so heavy to little me, and then back at the tons of coal in the tender. I was elated to be on that platform, especially when Dad permitted me to pull the whistle!

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ANAPAUŌ – CHILL OUT!

(July 31, 2023) Robert McQuillan encourages…

Odd name for the title of an article, isn’t it? Let me explain…

An old friend called recently and happened to ask how I wrote articles, how I got my inspiration and so on. My answer was twofold… like sermon preparations where I’d have an idea of what I wanted to preach/teach, it would come together as I typed.

The second way is similar… and I say this humbly, not spookily – I’d start to type and find that I’m immediately being led by the Spirit and ‘words just come about through my fingers.’ It’s called ‘Being Spirit led.’ And that’s what’s happening here, even as I type this!

Now I’d already researched so many scriptures in respect of something I thought I’d be writing about… but now I find the blessed Holy Spirit taking me in a different direction – even an embarrassing one!

And that okay… I’m His to be directed and used as He wishes… as we all should be! And that’s a threefold principle all Christians should remember every day…

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TRUSTING GOD – TODAY’S MAJOR CHALLENGE

(June 30, 2023) With concern Robert and Maureen McQuillan ask…

Question: ‘Which four words should be remembered if we’re doubting God’s word?’ Genesis 3:1!

Here’s how various Bible versions read about Eve being deceived about God’s word… and that fruit (whatever kind it was!)–

  • GNB – ‘Did God really tell you…?’
  • Mge – ‘Do I understand that God told you…?’
  • NET – ‘Is it really true that God said…?’
  • NIV – ‘Did God really say…?’
  • TLB expands a little – ‘Really?… None of the fruit…? God says you mustn’t eat any of it?’ 

Subtle challenge
Eden’s wily serpent represents that most cunning, subtle Satan. ‘Serpent’ is nachash, hissingly pronounced naw-khawash after a snake’s ‘hiss.’

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MOVING ON IN GOD – ATTRACTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS

(June 25, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to be attracted, not distracted.

Joshua chapter one marks the beginning of a new season the freed Israelites. Following Moses’ death, Joshua was ordained his successor – but had he big shoes to fit!

One cannot imagine what must have gone through his mind, even though he had been mentored by Moses.

Although Israel’s great leader had ordained him to carry the leadership baton (Deuteronomy 34:9), God repeatedly reminded Joshua to be bold, strong, courageous (Joshua 1:6-7), that ‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you’ (v5).

Embrace your 2023 ‘big shoes’! 
Today God is encouraging some of us into a new season of our lives. Yes, the old is good, and we must embrace whatever God’s new season, new ministry, may be.

I highlight some words from Joshua 1:2 – ‘Moses… is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them…’

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TRUSTING THE HOLY SPIRIT’S GENTLE WHISPER!

(May 30, 2023) Maureen McQuillan, by special request, shares her last article again, with a new intro…

On  Sunday past many churches, both Pentecostal and mainstream, celebrated Acts 2 Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit fell with holy fire on those first believers and the church was born!

From that amazing day in Christian history, every born again Christian has been filled with the Holy Spirit and able to boldly reach out to the lost, and be a blessing to many. To move in the anointing, and to receive guidance from this blessed helper of Christians (John 14:16ESV). No wonder Jesus promised He’d be our Friend (John 14:16NIRV).

One thing we need to realise is that helping us sometimes can mean directing us, especially in building confidence in us to fully trust this great friend. And that sometimes He does this through secular experiences, even unusual ones, and by a simple whisper.

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JOHN – THE PENTECOSTAL BAPTIST

(May 28, 2023) Stuart Reynolds shares a revelation…

From the presumed monopoly by denominations to the limits of our clever labelling, the Holy Spirit has been hijacked and sabotaged!

The sharp-sighted evangelist Vance Havner described the result of this misunderstanding, mishandling and misapplication: ‘Satan has scored a point in making us so afraid of extremism about the Holy Spirit… that we may miss the true in our fear of the false. We can be so wary of getting out on a limb that we never go up the tree!’

We need to let the Holy Spirit be Himself, and that we may become and do all we were intended to.

May I introduce you to ‘The Pentecostal Baptist’ – someone the Bible records having these Holy Spirit credentials: ‘Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.’ And in that place many believed in Jesus’ (John 10:41-42).

1) An inviting clarification
We believe in ‘full salvation.’ The reality of God in the gospel of Christ is radical – God’s book teaches it… truly knowing Jesus demands it… the presence of the Holy Spirit enables it.

Sadly, we have long since lived in a church-day when and where the focus is not so much on being radical for God as on being ridiculous for God! In some church circles the mentality is that the more bizarre something is, then the more it must be God. It is this that has caused the fear-filled fall-out Havner described.

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GOD’S BREAK OF DAWN!

(May 26, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to discover God’s dawn light…

Great is God’s faithfulness!

He has led us thus far and will continue to carry us through! Psalm 46:5 is one of His great promises of protection – ‘God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.’

This scripture refers to ‘the city of God’ (v4). In Matthew 5:14, our Saviour, Jesus, referred to His followers as an important city: ‘You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.’ 

As such in these troubled times we need our faithful God’s protection! And we can relate to Psalm 46:2 which depicts why the verse five promise is so significant. It’s our assurance of God’s faithfulness, to be grasped in dark times that cause fear… even when if the –

  • Earth moved,
  • Mountains are carried into the midst of the sea,
  • Waters are troubled and roar and
  • Mountains shake!

When everything is moving, shaking and we are very troubled, the Bible confirms that our God is there for us! Even if everything around us ‘moves’ we will not. God is in the midst of every storm and will help us at the break of dawn.

Our God is a good God! Whatever He does is good! He’s the God of impossibilities, the God of the new dawn.

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