HEART-ROCK LIFE IN A HARD-KNOCK WORLD

(June 10, 2022) Mama Lava again shares personally and deeply from her heart…

‘It’s the hard-knock life!’

I’m sure you’ve heard the sentiment, made famous by the popular Broadway musical Annie. It is relatable as it focuses on the difficulties of living…

  • Empty belly life
  • Rotten smelly life
  • Full of sorrow life
  • No tomorrow life (Excerpted from the lyrics of It’s the Hard-Knock Life by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin)

Hard knocks focus
I went to the store last night and found the price of eggs has tripled in the last couple of weeks. So much for inexpensive protein! Empty belly life? Not quite. But I briefly considered a chicken coop in my small space, which could make for a more rotten smelly life for sure!

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SHINING A LIGHT IN A BROKEN WORLD

(June 10, 2022) Carol Round challenges us to be relevant in these dark times …

Jesus’ invitation in John 12:44-46 is very relevant today: ‘Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”’

Darkness and evil are rampant in our broken world! Mass shootings. Countries at war. Fractured families. Political division. Without hope, we find it difficult to find our way into the light.

But, if we truly believe Jesus is the answer, then why are we allowing the darkness to lead us to wring our hands in despair? Why do we point fingers and blame others for the ills of this world? Maybe we need to be pointing the finger at ourselves.

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DEADEND, DETOUR, DRYHOLE DILEMMAS

(June 9, 2022) Richard Winter reminds us that God has purposes for such dilemmas…

Do you identify with the following? You believe God is in charge of everything and that He’s leading you to heaven. But… just when you think life is going to be easy, it seems as though you’ve hit a dead end, or you seem to be taking a detour when you wanted to go right from your problem to your blessing!

You hit a dryhole, a dilemma.

Ring a bell? If so, remember that the Israelites had this problem too and they came through.

Israel was captive in Egypt and God was going to deliver them to the promised land. Oh they had the promise… but God’s deliverance was not the way they expected things to happen (Exodus 14:8-12)! They hit a dead end, encountered a detour! The reality is that God’s dead ends, detours and dryholes are not mistakes but –

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MERCY PROJECTS UK DIRECTOR LAUNCHES APPEAL FOR MISSION TRIP TO HELP UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

(June 6, 2022) A Mercy Projects report shares an urgent need…

Peter Wooding, who has been ministering to Ukraine with Christian charity Mercy Projects for the past 14 years will be travelling to Budapest in Hungary on Thursday June 10 to help serve at a youth camp for Ukrainian refugees.

Following the camp, he’ll also be part of a team taking vital supplies and bringing encouragement to their partners on the ground throughout Ukraine.

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PENTECOST’S FIVE ‘C’S

(June 3, 2022) Robert and Maureen McQuillan bring a challenge to both Christian leaders… and so-called ‘ordinary’ Christians.

Shavuot or Pentecost, the Hebrew celebration of the Festival of the Weeks, is here. As mentioned in Christian Pentecost-the Feast That Never Ended  it was initially a special time of remembrance and celebration for Israel.

We Christians celebrate (or should) our Pentecost this Sunday! Our celebration is the good news that God’s love continued beyond that extraordinary Passover event we call Easter.

Our thoughtful God had a further free gift to giveto all who believe in His Son Jesus – the outpouring of His Holy Spirit! That powerful Acts 2 infilling of God’s Spirit as promised by Jesus meant (and still means)…

  • Enablement – praising God in that special prayer language called tongues.
  • Empowerment – serving Jesus in powerful ways and touch the world.
  • Enthusiasm – caring for/generously sharing with fellow Christians, ministries and missionaries needs (See Pentecost Sunday-Shavuot).
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CHRISTIAN PENTECOST – THE FEAST THAT NEVER ENDED

(June 1, 2022) Ed. Note: Honouring the late George Forbes, highly respected former missionary statesman, we rerun one of his special messages on Pentecost …

This weekend many churches and indeed countless Christians around the world will be celebrating Pentecost Sunday!

The Feast of Pentecost (also known as the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks) was observed by Israel over many centuries. It was an important time each year to celebrate the beginning of the early weeks of harvest with thanksgiving to God. Also a time to celebrate God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt.

After His resurrection from the grave, Jesus had given His followers a command to not depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father. He told them: ‘John truly baptised with water; but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’ (See Acts 1:4-5).

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‘UPPER ROOM’ GATHERINGS

(June 1, 2022) Brian Bell shares some precious and pertinent points regarding that first  Pentecost Sunday prayer gathering…

This short meditation is drawn from my recent re-reading of Luke’s Holy Spirit-inspired record in Acts chapters 1-2.

For those from a Jewish background, prayer was a regular and disciplined practice – often using ‘standard’ or written prayers – and this is a practice with which I would not disagree, while often we tend towards ‘spontaneous’ prayers.

Many years ago, I worked with a colleague from the Anglican tradition (Church of Ireland, based in Willowfield Parish, Belfast). In conversation one day he explained the ‘rationale’ for their prayer book, which among other things was to try and prevent error. I could not argue or disagree with anything he shared and indeed, having attended several Anglican services, I’ve found the practice of reciting or even using responsive prayers, quite refreshing.

I believe Luke, guided by the Holy Spirit, recorded for us the first prayer meeting of believers following the ascension of the Lord Jesus; and I share five pertinent reflections relative to ‘Upper Room’ Gatherings…

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PENTECOST SUNDAY… SHAVUOT

(May 29, 2022) Dr Robert McQuillan responds to a young man enquiring about Pentecost Sunday…

Dear Dr Robert

You’ve helped me before when I asked questions about the Holy Spirit and Pentecostal matters. I’ve heard that not all Pentecostal churches celebrate next Sunday as it was done years ago. What do you consider the most thing to remember about what is regarded as Pentecostal Sunday? Jonno.

Dear Jonno

Wish we were having a Bible study hour or so ! However as I share some truths, I’ll particularly direct your attention to something very important that even some Pentecostal churches omit to share.

But first, let me point out the two usually highlighted consequences of that first Pentecost Sunday when the Holy Spirit fell on the 120 Christians gathered in the upper room… as we read in Acts 2 –

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PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY… MEETING NEEDS IN LOVE

May 27, 2022) David McGuire missionary to Romania, shares… 

Yet again I find myself thanking Jesus for life itself – and for the honour of serving Him. And for the strength of His grace enabling Rodica and I and friends, real teamwork, help the hurting and needy, not only here in Romania but also in Ukraine when we venture up there to reach distressed Ukrainians.

And I thank you all, both personal contacts and charities contacts within the body of Christ, who pray and back us in our evangelistic ministry.

We continue to witness many great things that only God can do through the Holy Spirit as He uses us here and our ventures to Ukraine.   

The reality is that He works through all of us. Do keep praying for us, please… but remember the principle is that God wants every Christian to be available to serve Him. May we all be working together for our king Jesus!

Following are some recent photos in respect of the team we work with to spread the gospel message, not only spiritually but practically with Christian love…

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NEHEMIAH – GOD’S CALL TO BUILD THE WALL (Part 3)

(May 26, 2022) Hope Flinchbaugh continues her Nehemiah series, challenging us to know that God has a plan for us…

Nehemiah is different from leaders in the 21st century in one very important way. He did not have fresh news reports from five different sources humming in his ears or reflecting in his mind on a daily basis like you and me. A good leader will prayerfully limit his or her exposure to news reports.

Look for ‘God’s report,’ not news reports
During the early twentieth century, a young man named Lester Sumrall used to visit the well-known evangelist, Smith Wigglesworth.

Wigglesworth was known for miracles, wonders, and the power of God in his ministry. Sumrall was dedicated to serving Jesus, to respond to the call of God on his life and there was a season when both men were in England and Wigglesworth would mentor the younger man.

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