THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

(October 22, 2022) Neil Brightbard shares about feeling helpless…

Whenever we consider the sovereignty of God, we acknowledge God’s complete authority, His supreme rulership over everything.

He is sovereign over not only this world but the whole universe! Sovereignty of God means there are no limits to His rule. He is Almighty God! Take our troubled world for example, and everything that happens in it. We can feel helpless and frustrated, but He is never! He is God!

And whereas we can feel at a loss at times, He is never!

  • Jeremiah declared, ‘Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you’ (Jeremiah 32:17).
  • Paul wrote about Jesus in 1 Timothy 6:15NASB, ‘He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.’

Still… the sovereignty of God can be a difficult subject to share about for two reasons.

1. God cannot be fully explained to the satisfaction of our curious mind!
2. We cannot ‘see’ God.

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FIVE ‘Ts’ OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

(October 18, 2022) Richard Winter shares comfort and a challenge…

Do you know who this is?

I’m sure you have seen him on an old TV show… it’s Mr T.

Mr T is known for his distinctive hairstyle inspired by Mandinka warriors in West Africa, his gold jewelry, and his tough-guy image. He is also known for his catchphrase, ‘I pity the fool!’

Today Mr T is a Christian who stopped wearing the gold jewelry and acting tough because it’s a contradiction to what he believes.

As we grow in Christ we begin to realise that our Christian maturity has many facets, just like  beautiful diamond and I want to make mention of five of them today that all start with T so that we can become a Mr T in Christ!

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WELL, WELL, WELL

(October 17, 2022)Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, challenges…

In 2008, Australian singing group, The Seekers, produced a gospel song called, Well, Well, Well, which was about God’s coming judgment.

Those three words are sometimes used when we unexpectedly meet someone – ‘Well, well, well. Look who it is!’ Or we might use the expression to express surprise when something unpredictable occurs – ‘Well, well, well. I can’t believe that happened!’

But that’s not how I am using the phrase. We are going to look at actual wells referred to in the Bible, some of which have great significance.

A well is normally considered to be a hole in the ground that has been dug to access a water source. We probably consider them quaint relics of a bygone age when people would go to them with a bucket to get some water to bring back to their house. Today all we have to do is go to the sink and turn on the tap to get all the water we need.

Wells really have little relevance today, but in biblical days they were of central importance.

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‘… AND A KIND WORD’

(October 17, 2022) Robert and Maureen McQuillan drop a hint…

In the midst of all that’s bad in our world or on the local scene, our everyday living, our seeking to achieve whatever we’re led to aim for – despite sicknesses, heartbreaks – or whatever is bugging us, hindering us, strife  that causes us to feel low, there’s one thing that always perks us up!

What, you wonder, could that be? Just three little words… so meaning and powerful – A kind word.

Thankyous
Such  encouragement may only be a simple thank you… which we were parent-taught to say when someone gave us something, or did something for us.

Acts of kindness and thankyous and encouragements are often missing today! For example, on purchasing a very inexpensive 2023 dairy this morning we said a meaningful thankyou at checkout. The young clerk had been smiling but stopped in surprise. ‘Too many customers forget to say that’ he nodded sheepishly.

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T’WAS A COLD WINTRY NIGHT, NERE A SOUND WAS HEARD…

(October 15, 2022) Maureen McQuillan recalls a childhood experience of the goodness of our miracle-working God…

Now that title may sound like the beginning of a ghost story, but it’s not. Although I could say the beginning of a Holy Ghost tale.

Background
My husband, Robert, had been sharing my childhood miraculous healing experience with some friends recently, and felt I should write about it as an encouragement to others. Especially as over the past couple of years we’ve been hearing of several committed Christians, particularly ministries, becoming seriously unwell.

As regular readers know, we strongly believe that our loving heavenly Father is the healing and miracle-working God; that in times of illness we pray to Him, asking with confidence for His help; reflect on scriptures such as 1 Peter 2:24 – ‘By His stripes you were healed’; leave it with Him, trusting Him; and then do the sensible thing – see a medical professional.

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IRRITATING ROOMMATE WOULDN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT JESUS

(October 13, 2022) Michael Ashcraft shares…

The roommate of Tom Payne annoyed the hell out of him! Quite literally.

‘Just shut up!’ he said in his mind, frustrated that Jeff would argue with Louie, who had got saved, and that he had to listen to it in their one-bedroom apartment.

Fears become a reality
So when Louie got cornered by a Christian and acceded to go with him to church one day, Tom offered to provide the alibi when the Christian called to accompany him to service. ‘Just hide in the bathroom, and we’ll tell him you’re not in,’ Tom told him.

Tom, then 19, had come from New York to Prescott, Arizona, because it was famous as a college party town. ‘Getting saved wasn’t part of the plan. We were in a prolonged adolescence with the feigned attempt at getting an education,’ Tom said on a Don’t Sell the Farm podcast.

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WISE PARENTS – WAYWARD CHILDREN

(October 13, 2022) Maureen McQuillan shares good advice…

Wayward children!

I know, I know… Psalm 127:3 says children are the blessing of God in that they are an inheritance from Him. ‘Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him’ (NLT). But… how they can cause parents trouble at times!

Worries
Some heartbroken parents shared with me recently that their child is an adult and, naturally, they have no control over them. Now they don’t want to tyrannically control their child… but, being good parents, want the best for their ‘inheritance’ regarding certain situations. Unfortunately the ‘child’ won’t be counselled by them!

I won’t go into a long list of things that are troubling these particular parents. However, some of you will relate to the following short list –

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THANK GOD HE DOESN’T GIVE US EVERYTHING WE ASK FOR!

(October 10, 2022) Mama Lava shares from her heart about something we all need to accept…

Last week, I read a headline about accepting life as it is, especially when it isn’t what you expected. Since then, I’ve found myself thinking back to many things I’ve wanted, and for which I fervently prayed, that never came to be.

And my reaction has been – ‘Thank God that He doesn’t give us everything we ask for!’

Something I asked for…
I roller skated all around my neighbourhood as a kid  and I have a memory etched deeply into my mind. I was 11 or 12 and on my roller skates in the street in front of my parent’s house. And I was in love. It was puppy love, but at the time, I didn’t know the difference.

There was a boy. He was new to my world, popular, and intriguing. I wanted to be his girl.

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ROCK ON!

(October 10, 2022) Richard Winter highlights what’s never optional for any Christian…

One of the most famous landmarks in the world is Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. My wife Wendy and I had the privilege of seeing it a few years ago.

It’s not famous because of its height – only 179 feet tall – nor its architecture… there’s plenty of examples of Romanesque buildings around the Tuscany area. But it’s famous for one reason – because it leans!

Building began in 1173, so it’s been around 840 years. And it leans one-twentieth of an inch every year.

Although they’re predicting that it’s going to fall at some time in the future, they have done a great job of fixing the foundations that should stop a complete tumble.

Strong foundations are vital!
incidentally, the word Pisa means ‘marsh’ or ‘marshy ground.’ So if there’s any indication as to why the tower has been leaning, it’s got very unstable foundations.

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SEHNSUCHT! YEARNING FOR SOMETHING DEEPER?

(October 07, 2022) Carol Round reminds us that life’s detours are survivable…

A family in our church has had their life upended by an unexpected health issue affecting their youngest son. The health issue is rare, and most don’t survive. Colton has! However, it has left him and his family struggling to overcome the obstacles along the path of recovery.

Because I attend a large church with two campuses, I don’t personally know this family from the other campus. But we’ve connected on social media, and I follow their updates as they share Colton’s journey of recovery, including physical and speech therapy. The youngster is a fighter, and his parents are fighting along with him so he can hopefully return to a normal life someday.

Life has its detours!
Reading about the struggles they face each day. I can’t fully imagine the impact this has had on their family, including Colton’s twin sister and an older brother. But I continue to pray daily for them. And I know this… this young family’s faith in God keeps them going.

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