2025 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

(January 01, 2025) Dr Jim McClure challenges…

When Cyrus, the king of Persia in 538 BC, permitted the exiled Jews to return to Judah, they discovered that Jerusalem had been totally destroyed. 48 years earlier the invading army of Nebuchadnezzar’s army had left behind a nightmare! The walls had been torn down and the magnificent temple that had been built when Solomon was king now lay in ruins.

Confrontation
Can you imagine the anguish that confronted the returned exiles as they tearfully walked among the ruins. What a challenge lay before them!

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MANDATE MINISTRIES UPDATE

(December 24, 2024) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share regarding their Chiang Mai, northern Thailand and Myanmar ministry, and an update regarding Ross’ health…

Hi friends, we are back in Chiang Mai now and loving it!

We’ve had the opportunity to catch up with many of our ministry partners, as well as preaching in some of the great churches in this city.

Ross achieved a significant milestone last week as he submitted his research thesis to the examiners on Leadership Development Programs in Northern Thailand, after four years of research, blood, sweat, and tears. Woo hoo!

Christmas Programs for Karen People
We were able to provide much needed food, supplies, as well as Bibles for the Karen people at two special events last week. Our team organised Christmas programs where food parcels and gifts were distributed.

The gospel was preached and the Karen people received the word and the Christmas gifts with great appreciation.


Ross’s Health Update
Ross recently underwent a CT scan and X-ray to determine the progression of the cancer in his body. It appears that the cancerous lesion in the liver has doubled in sizeover the last 2.5 months.

In the natural this is obviously not a good sign, fortunately we are not living in the natural and believing God for divine intervention to reverse this accursed cancer. Please pray with us for the total eradication of every cancer cell in Ross’s body, for total restoration of health and wholeness, and for overflowing strength and energy levels.

Christmas Camp
Ross was invited to be the speaker at a three-day church Christmas camp recently. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and ministry. It was very much an international camp with two church members not only from Thailand but also from Argentina, Nigeria, Malaysia, Philippines, Brazil, USA, and Karen people from Myanmar.

Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry to Asia.

Special Prayer Requests

  • Quick and total healing for Ross. ‘Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases’ (Psalm 103:2-3).
  • Peace and reconciliation in Myanmar.
  • For the Karen believers to rise up and declare the kingdom of God is here and expect to see the signs and wonders that will accompany it.
  • Finances for provisions for the Karen people and to print more Bibles: Sponsorship is code FW061; printing of Karen Bibles, relief and general ministry to the Karen people is code FW061D, and can be designated via this link https://donate.acci.org.au/form-6504140/fw061-ross-donna. Know that you can make a difference

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they have worked with local pastors and church-planters, developing in-service leadership training programs that address challenges and issues unique to this area of Thailand. Link rossw@investeternal.com
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CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS IN A DANGER ZONE

(December 24, 2024) David McGuire, Missionary With The Camera, reports from Romania and Ukraine with his camera!

Once again our team headed north for Kharkov area near the Ukraine/Russian border— a dangerous spot as bombing is still happening there.

Our hearts were warm toward individuals that we’d meet and help, but weather-wise it was a cold missions trip… as you’ll see from this photo of our team preparing to leave Romania. And colder when snow fell where we went to!

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OVERCOMING EVEN WONDERFUL DISTRACTIONS

(December 19, 2024) Mama Lava shares another precious insight…

Have you noticed your attention span getting shorter?

Whether it’s the constant scrolling we do from one topic to another on social media, or the short-format videos and stories we’re bombarded with, general consensus suggests the human mind is losing its ability to focus on one thing for long. Is it becoming more difficult for you to overcome distractions?

Recently when taking a walk, I was chatting with the Lord as I went, and He gave me valuable Encouragement from the Tangled Mess of a web-encased fruit tree. But I would like to tell you about another tale, this one less victorious, which played out that same morning.

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EMBRACING THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

(December 19, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari shares transforming truths…

As the holiday season unfolds, the world is adorned with vibrant displays of festivities, twinkling lights, and joyful carols. Yet, amid these celebrations, a profound yearning for peace, healing, and hope lingers in the human heart.

Christmas— the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth— delivers a transformative message of peace that transcends traditional festivities. Through Christ, we find not only the joy of the season but also a deep, enduring peace that brings healing and liberation from sin, shame, and the anxieties of a fractured world.

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MARY’S MAGNIFICENT MAGNIFICAT

December 18, 2024) Dr Richard Winter shares and challenges…

Why I love the Virgin Mary is a sermon I have preached before, raising some quizzical eyebrows! For example, someone asked me, ‘Is this Catholic theology.’

One time when I mentioned I loved the Virgin Mary to a friend who was training to be a Catholic priest it made him smile. But I added that I don’t pray to her, neither do I think of Mary as a co-redemptionist with Jesus. His eyes opened wide when I explained that I think of Mary as a wonderful example of a faithful servant of God.

Mary’s Magnificat
Ever heard this term?

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THREE CHRISTMAS ‘FEAR NOTS’

(December 15, 2024) Robert and Maureen McQuillan encourage…

Believe it or not, 2024 is drawing to a close… yes, it will soon be Christmas, then New Year’s Eve and 2025 will be here!

We have a question for our readers (for ourselves too) based on the biblical Christmas story. But let’s start this way…

Fear
The most repeated command in the Bible is ‘Fear not!’ In fact, it’s been said that there are 365 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible — one for every day of the year! In Facing the Future, author Lloyd Ogilvie even said that there are 366, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year! (Reference: SoulShepherding author Bill Gaultiere).

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TINY TOWN — STUNNING SIGNIFICANCE

(December 10, 2024) Dr Jim McClure shares enlightening truths…

I know that there are some Christians who hold Christmas celebrations in contempt, but I am not one of them.  While I do not appreciate many of the secular and commercial exploitation of the event, I like to celebrate this Christian festival.  And I appreciate the fact that we have the freedom to honour the birth of Jesus Christ and be thankful for His coming to us.

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THE POWER OF PRAYER

(December 08, 2024) Sam Selva Raj shares early experiences of the wonder-working God he has served devotedly for over 50 years..

From the very inception of Echo of His Call, our ministry has placed great emphasis on prayer— personal prayer, group prayer, fasting, and night prayers.

God’s Challenge
This ministry was not built on the strength of human power nor financial power, but on the power of prayer!

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LET LOVE COME DOWN EVERY DAY

(December 08, 2024) Carol Round reflects on Christmastime…

Love Came Down at Christmas, one of my favourite hymns, was written by Christina Rossetti in 1885. The lyrics capture the very heart of Christmas in one word— love.

And love is highlighted in one of the most well-known scriptures: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).

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