PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE!

(January  23, 2025) Dr Richard Winter encouragingly hits home…

If I told you that you were going to have the opportunity to talk with Jesus for fifteen minutes today and could make one request of Him, what would be your request? If you could ask Him anything, would you ask for protection, a new job, money… or just what would you ask?

The disciples got this opportunity one time. Luke 11:1 tells of them caming to Jesus with a specific request— ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ 

Desire
Why, of all the things they could have asked of Jesus, did they ask that?

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A FRIEND IN THE DARKNESS

(January 18, 2025) A blessed believer humbly recalls a meaningful search discovering the Father…

How can I be a true friend of the Lord and how can I know the Father better, I wondered? What can I do to show the Lord that I love Him, and want to make Him smile, delight His heart? How can I walk in His invisible footsteps?

Such thoughts were heavy on my heart!

Designation
Some paths were only meant for Him, but He has shown us one way to commune with the Father that any of us can follow— if, of course, you too feel led as I was. Allow me to share my journey—

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FOCUS ON JESUS IN 2025!

(January 18, 2025) Carol Round shares some more thoughts re 2025…

In sixth grade, an eye exam revealed the need for glasses. As a pre-teen, I knew my classmates would tease me when I showed up at school with bottle-thick lenses in my frames.

Donning my new glasses at home, one of the first things I noticed was our kitchen tile. I’d always thought it was solid green until my eyeglasses helped me focus on the subtle black-and-white dots of various sizes sprinkled across each tile.

Despite my classmate’s teasing, a whole new world opened up to me when I could focus on the things I’d been missing. Though I eventually switched to contact lenses, I’ll never forget the change in my eyesight with the help of glasses.

Focus on Spiritual Growth
After reading a Christian article several years ago, I began choosing a word for the New Year. While there’s nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions, the author pointed out most people find them restrictive and ultimately ditched after a few months.

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HOW MANY TWEAKS BEFORE A RECIPE IS MINE?

(January 15, 2025) Mama Lava challenges…

Can a recipe be tweaked and still considered authentic?

How many tweaks do you think I need to make to a recipe before I call it mine? If I change a few things, is it still the originator’s creation, or is it now my own? Have you ever thought about this?

Tweaking Online Recipes
When I read online recipes, I often read the comments also. Most of them say something along the lines of ‘Great recipe! I substituted this for that, or used this other kind of pan, or adjusted the cooking time this way.’ And I often think those comments are unfair to the author, who was gifting the community with their original recipe.

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GOD WILL REMEMBER HIS PROMISES TO YOU!

(January 13, 2025) Angeline Selvakumari encourages…

I pray that this year you will discover that God cares for you and remembers you, your family and the good work you do for Him. And that the Bible assures us that our God is a promise keeper. For example, He promised Jacob that ‘I will not leave you or forsake you until I have done what I promised you’ (Genesis 28:15).

God’s Timing
When God makes a promise to you, He is faithful to fulfil it— in His perfect time. Now His timing may unfold in a day, a week, a month, a year or even across generations! However, His promise will always come to pass; remain steadfast in prayer, claiming it in faith until it comes to fruition.

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WHY PRAY WHEN YOU CAN CONSULT WITH AN AI-GENERATED JESUS?

(January 11, 2025) Michael Ashcraft’s article is deliberately entitled eye-catchingly above to introduce an important warning—

Maybe Jesus should starting using ‘The Real Jesus’ to distinguish Himself from the bunch of ‘AI Jesuses’ who are dispensing advice over the Internet.

Example: ‘Ask Jesus’ on Twitch recommended that marijuana users practise moderation and stay within the limits of the law.

‘I’ve got a bone to pick with this new trend of AI-powered Jesus chatbots,’ writes Tonye Brown on FaithGPT. ‘I know some of you think you’re being innovative or helpful, but as a Christian software engineer neck-deep in AI myself, I’m here to tell you that it’s a terrible idea!’

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FAITHFUL MINISTRY IS NEVER WASTED!

(January 10, 2025) Brian Bell reflects, shares… and encourages—

I’d like to share some thoughts relative to faithfully serving God and witnessing as a whole, and in doing so honour a friend who was a spirited follower of Christ whose example influenced others —

In my late teens I spent some summer weeks serving with a Beach Mission Team in the UK. Each day concluded with an evening open-air witness with some team members singing, others testifying, and the leader sharing a gospel message.

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DARE TO BE IN THE POTTER’S HANDS IN 2025!

(January 08, 2025) Dr Richard Winter challengingly encourages…

So it’s 2025— a year that’ll be full of opportunity!

But… even now in some people’s minds there’s the question of ‘What will this new year bring? I failed so much last year.’ And… some people, even Christians, have already begun this new year full of regret regarding last year!

Is that you? Had bad experiences in 2024… earlier? Let’s remember that despite past failures God cares for us, wants the best for us, bless and use us!

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LEMONS IN 2025? TRUST GOD’S PROMISES!

(January 04, 2025) Carol Round reflects on 2025…

As we move ahead in 2025 trusting our God, what a wonderful, comforting and strengthening scripture is Deuteronomy 7:9 TLB, ‘Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is the faithful God who for a thousand generations keeps His promises and constantly loves those who love Him and who obey His commands.’

I also draw attention to John 16:33, one of my favourite Bible promises, one that Jesus gave His disciples… and we can believe that it applies to us to as we follow Him! Jesus had pointed out that ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble‘ and added encouragingly ‘But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

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PUT YOUR HAND IN GOD’S IN 2025

(January 02, 2025) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

‘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.”’

Significant Words
I vividly remember my parents back in 1939 talking about King George VI’s Christmas speech. At the time when he quoted the above lines from Minnie Louise Haskins’ 1908 poem God Knows, I was eight years old, and my imagination was captured by ‘the man standing at the gate…’

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