HOLY SPIRIT FORCED MUSLIM TO THE GROUND AFTER HE LEFT CHURCH

(September 13, 2024) Steve Rees shares a great GodReports testimony…

It took nine years for Muslim Abdu Murray to realise that God’s greatest ethic, love, was demonstrated by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for sin.

Along his journey out of Islam and during his study of the Bible, Murray nearly surrendered to Jesus two times when the Holy Spirit and the word of God deeply stirred him.

Studying comparative religions at a secular university in a liberal city, Murray was an evangelist for Islam when two Christians gave him a Gideon’s Bible. The words of John the Baptist in Luke 3:7-8 cut Murray like a spiritual knife!

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TURN CURSES INTO BLESSINGS!

(September 12, 2024) Sam Selva Raj shares concerns and strongly challenges readers…

Deuteronomy 30:19-20a is a very clear declaration by God: ‘I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days!’

  • ‘Set before you’ indicates the choice is ours regarding enjoying the blessings of God. Blessing is Hebrew berakah — ‘valley of blessings.’
  • Even the Oxford Dictionary defines ‘blessing’ as God’s favour and protection. And ‘curse’ as something that causes harm or evil. In other words a cause of trouble and unhappiness.
  • Verse 19 clearly presents the challenge of two ways in which to live — the right way and the wrong.
  • Going God’s way brings blessings; the wrong way disaster… curses!
  • In Matthew 7:13-14 Jesus issued this warning: ‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’
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MANDATE MINISTRIES UPDATE

(September 06, 2024) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, including news regarding Ross’ health…

Myanmar’s Karen People’s Smiles
We will never cease to be amazed at the tremendous resilience of the Karen people who have been forced to flee their villages and live in the dense jungle and in caves.

We are blessed to be able to provide food and supplies, and see their smiling faces in the midst of adversity in Myanmar.

Ross’ Health Update
Ross has a CT scan this week followed by discussion with his oncology doctor. The results showed the cancer in the liver has grown substantially, so she is discontinuing his treatment since it isn’t working.

However, it looks like Ross will be accepted into a clinical trial testing a new form of immunotherapy. The approval could be as soon as next week which the doctor thought was quite incredible.

So although we are thankful for this opportunity, at the end of the day our trust and hope are in the Lord, who is our Jehovah Rapha. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the miracle needed! Thanks for your prayers!

Land of Oz Ministry
Ross will continue his ministry to churches in Australia until we can get back to Thailand. We are grateful for the opportunities that God has given us to share in some amazing churches,

Motorcycle Project
Our Karen project manager, who identifies the most needy areas and arranges deliveries of provisions for the Karen people, is in desperate need of a good off-road motorcycle.

The roads are very dangerous for riding a street bike, particularly in the rainy season.

We have located a low mileage, Kawasaki KLX for $2,300 (new price $4,600). If you would like to donate towards this need, or to our Karen ministry in general, please use the link in the prayer request section below. Thank you!

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

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they work 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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SEIZING KAIROS MOMENTS: NAVIGATING LIFE’S HILLS AND VALLEYS

(September 06, 2024) Richard Winter encourages…

Life is a journey — you will go somewhere!

When you were born, you started your journey wherever your parents were. Life happens and you move around experiencing ups and downs… good times, bad times, sad times —  and learning times. Life can be described as the geography of moments of TIME.

Kairos Moments
There are two ancient Greek words used in scripture regarding time — chronos being about quantitative or exact minutes, such as Matthew 2:7 querying Jesus’ birth, and kairos about qualitative moments.

Regarding kairos, Ephesians 5:15-17ESV reads, ‘Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.’

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SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE!

(September 04, 2024) Carol Round encourages us to be at peace in God…

Isaiah 40:31 is one of my favourite Bible verses: ‘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.’

When I read or recall this scripture, my heart soars as I imagine a magnificent eagle gliding in the wind. My hope is renewed and whatever negative thoughts are plaguing me scatter with Isaiah’s words

Allowing our negative thoughts to lead us down a path of hopelessness is easy when we are overwhelmed with life’s trials. But God never promised His children an easy life.

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OASES IN LIFE’S DESERTS

(September 3, 2024) Norman and Margaret Moss share another precious meditation…

If you reside in Rowley Green please excuse my reference to where you live. Of course I think the majority of those who read this meditation will not have heard of Rowley Green.

It was well known to my family because it was there that my grandparents picked blackberries each year. Consequently it was to Rowley Green that my mother and my cousins and myself went each year to pick blackberries.

In those days it was I guess at least an hour including a bus ride to get there from where we lived. But the point was that once we had gone down a country lane and entered the Green, we could find blackberries in abundance and such large, beautiful refreshing blackberries! The taste remains as a memory in my mouth even after all these years.

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THE GREATEST STORY: Chapter 2 – The Middle

(September 02, 2024) Dr Jim McClure shares more about The Greatest Story…

Following the prophet Malachi’s death there were no further prophetic revelations about Israel. For over 400 years the nation went into spiritual decline, and lost its independence first to the Greeks and then to the Romans. 

Throughout the centuries the prophets consistently challenged the moral and social corruption which the Bible describes as ‘darkness’ — but also revealed that God had not turned His back on humankind. While they had strongly denounced humanity’s rejection of God, they also affirmed that this had not resulted in God’s rejection of humankind!  They also revealed that the message of the Old Testament was not the whole story but just the beginning of a much bigger story.

They further indicated that a new chapter would begin when God Himself would personally get involved on planet earth — a chapter revealing God’s loving plan to reach out to a fallen, broken world by becoming personally involved!

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ELDERLY NORTH KOREAN WOMAN EVANGELIST HAS NO FEAR OF AUTHORITIES

(August 30, 2024) Mark Ellis shares good news…

Jung-Shim (*name changed) first heard the gospel from her younger sister. Initially, she did not fully understand or appreciate the message and replied, ‘So?’

At this time, she had been making plans to escape from North Korea and felt she needed help from a Higher Power, and prayed to a God she still did not know, according to a report by Cornerstone International Ministries.

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DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL TOUGHNESS

(August 28, 2024) Richard Winter gently and cooly shares ‘food for serious thought’…

Who is this man to the right?

  • A tough guy.
  • Distinctive hair style.
  • Famous saying – ‘I pity the fool.’

Mr T, of course… from The A-Team TV series, known for his ‘toughness.’

Christians also have to be tough — spiritually tough — in this world because we are involved in a spiritual war! So I’m going to share about five T’s every Christians should be awake to and delevop, noting that we must —

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THE GREATEST STORY: Chapter 1 – The Beginning

(August 28, 2024) Dr Jim McClure succinctly shares some great truths…

I love reading.

And recently I was reading a book by one of my favourite authors and was quite enjoying it until I got to the end when I felt quite frustrated for the ending was so abrupt. It seemed that the author had run out of ideas about how to conclude his story.

A great story has a beginning which sets the scene, a middle that centres on the main theme, and an end which draws it all together.

This article is the first ‘Chapter’ of three in a series which I am calling The Greatest Story and  it is based on a book on that was written over a few thousands of years by around 40 writers. It contains history, philosophy, poetry and religion. It is a story of love and hatred, humility and pride, heroism and cowardice, generosity and greed. It reveals some of the best characteristics of people and some of the worst. All the various parts of the story blend together to uncover truly the greatest story ever told.

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