Features

SOWING AND REAPING FOR GOD – SEVEN LAWS OF HARVESTING

 

(February 15, 2024) Richard Winter challenges…

Many times you will hear preachers begin some point with ‘Jesus said…’

The truth is that Jesus said a lot of things!

  • Some were direct commandments, such as ‘Leave your boats and follow me’ (Matthew 4:18–22).
  • Some were instructions, such as ‘Worship God only and serve people’ (Matthew 22:37-39).
  • Some were easy to understand… and some were hard.

To help His hearers understand things, Jesus often took an event from life that everyone should be able to comprehend and see the spiritual application. These have been recorded as short teaching parables… earthly lessons with a heavenly application.

But… did listeners always comprehend?  
Take Matthew 13:3 for example – ‘… He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.”’ Then He tells the parable of seed sowing concluding with this challenge, ‘Are you listening to this? Really listening?’ (Matthew 13:9Mge).

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HOW FLEXIBLE ARE YOU?

(February 12, 2024) Mama Lava calls for an honest answer (and shares openly from her own heart)…

Come on, then… How flexible are you? 

I’m not asking if you can do the splits or itch your own back, although if you can, I hope you say so in a Comment! 

I’m referring here to your schedule. And while I’m asking, do you have a favourite day of the week to relax? (If so, what makes it your favourite?).

Mine is Saturday
Personally, I really enjoy the flexibility of Saturday. I wake up naturally and enjoy a slow morning. I’m free to lean in to my family’s ideas of things to do. If someone asks for my help with something, I jump in. Interruptions don’t feel inconvenient. I don’t pay attention to the clock. 

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WARMTH IN WINTER

(February 02, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss reflect…

At our ‘advanced age’ we have just discovered a new word! It is ‘apricity.’

Apricity comes from the Latin apricitas, and it’s a good word to employ in January and February because it means the warmth of the sunshine in winter.

So we hope you will enjoy some acpricity if you’re in winter now… or when your winter comes round!

This month we want to share two scriptures that we were meditating on. One is Exodus 6:7 and the other is Matthew 11:2.

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AN UNANSWERED PRAYER ISN’T THE LAST WORD

(February 01, 2024) Carol Round encourages…

‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God’ encouraged Paul in Philippians 4:6.

As I’ve grown spiritually, I find myself praying more often. Throughout my day, when someone or something comes to mind, I lift them in prayer. However, before I leave the house, I start the morning with prayer and my favourite hot drink – Earl Grey tea.
 
I’ve created a special place to meet with my Abba Father each morning. In the corner of my spare bedroom are several devotionals, a notebook for jotting down my thoughts and prayers, pens, pencils, highlighters, and – most importantly – my Bible. I have 11 Bibles, but my favourite is The Prayer Bible.

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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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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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HAVE YOU LOST YOUR CHRISTMAS JOY?

(December 14, 2023) Carol Round encourages to be joyful this Christmas…

Christmas is a special time when  we should by joyful. Matthew 2:10ESV speaks of exuberant joy that the wise men had – ‘When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.’

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