challenges

EXTRAORDINARY FAITH ACCOMPLISHES EXTRAORDINARY DEEDS!

(October 20, 2023) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to achieve great accomplishments for God…

Jesus knew that attaining extraordinary faith is not possible through ordinary means – that’s why He promised the Holy Spirit, who will empower us to display our strength (faith).

Acts 1:8 states, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.’ This gift of God gives you strength to be His witness, displaying your faith in every situation! On examining the lives of Jesus’ disciples, we observe a significant difference before and after they experienced the Holy Spirit. Peter, for example, had denied Jesus three times before a small number of people, but was enabled to boldly preach the good news to thousands.

Courageous faith
Where did Peter find this courage? The Holy Spirit’s enabling power as he moved in faith!

(more…)

YOUR SORROW WILL BE TURNED INTO JOY!

(March 23, 2023) S. Sam Selva Raj encourages… and strongly challenges.

‘Your sorrow will be turned into joy!
Your sorrows and tears will pass away, 
Do not be dismayed son, nor be dismayed daughter,
Our Jesus will not forsake you.

‘Don’t be disheartened thinking of the past; forget the past that happened,
God will do a new thing; you will see even today, today itself!
Do not be disheartened; yes, do not be disheartened,
Our Lord God will not forsake you.

‘God heals the broken hearted; He supports the bruised;
Binds all the wounds, wipes our tears; yes, He wipes your tears.
Do not be disheartened, do not be dismayed;
God will not forsake you.

‘He will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength;
Gives you the needed strength; He will show you a way out, yes, a way out!
Do not be disheartened, do not be dismayed; 
He will not forsake you.’

What divine truths in the above song by Fr. S.J. Berchmans, song evangelist of Jebathottam Ministries.

Sorrow can be turned to joy!
This truth links with the promise that God will never forsake us, whatever our sorrow may be (Hebrews 13:5). In trusting Him, they will be turned into joy! (John 16:20bNKJV).

(more…)

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA… WHERE?

(February 15, 2019) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, considers Australia’s future…

Recently Australia Day, January 28, resounded with the singing of our national anthem, the last line of which the first verse is ‘Advance Australia fair.’

However, in reflecting on Australia – its past and present, and thinking about its future – I sense that a more appropriate final line is not a statement but would be a question – ‘Advance Australia where?’

So the question is… As a nation where are we going? In what direction are we heading?

Before Australia had been put on maps, for over 1500 years many people had speculated that there was a large continent in the southern hemisphere for which there was no documentary evidence. Then, just over 400 years ago in 1606, the Portuguese explorer Fernández de Quirós sailed into the southern waters and, discovering that large landmass, called it La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo which means ‘The Southland of the Holy Spirit.’

The Southland of the Holy Spirit
What a great name for a country!  How wonderful it would be if the Spirit of God really had sovereign authority over this nation! (more…)

KEEP GOING!

(November 26, 2017) Brian Bell encourages keeping on track …

 We live in a world where in sport of every kind athletics enjoy a high profile.  The apostle Paul says ‘bodily exercise is of some benefit, but godliness with contentment is of greater gain’ (1 Timothy 4:8).

Paul’s words remind us about priority, if you are able to exercise, it is good to do so, within your limitations.

At the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City, Tanzania was represented in the marathon by John Stephen Akhwari. Part way through the race, Akhwari fell and was injured. He decided to get bandaged up and continue, which he did, finishing in last place over an hour behind the other runners.

When interviewed later Akhwari was asked, ‘Why did you bother to get up and finish the race’ to which his reply was: ‘My country didn’t send me 5000 miles to start the race, they sent me 5000 miles to finish it.’

What a lovely perspective. You see, Akhwari could have stopped running; he was injured, he could not have won a medal position, so no one would have faulted him, but he decided to keep going.

As we approach another new year has there been an experience in the last year when you felt you couldn’t keep going? (more…)

21st CENTURY CHALLENGES

(August 11, 2017) Missionary statesman George Forbes issues a relevant challenge…

Last century a group of sixty one Charismatic /Pentecostal leaders met in the United States to seek the face of God for the future. At the conclusion of this time in prayer, repentance and seeking the face of God, they made a statement about eight things they felt God was calling them to do.

I have chosen five for this article – believing they are even more relevant today in this 21st century!

1. God is calling us to transform society
I will attempt here to open the challenge they placed last on their list.

They agreed that western culture was becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. That they must not run from their calling to transform culture but engage in a kingdom mission to effect change. They agreed that Christians for too long have viewed politics, education and the financial realm as evil, when we must see those arenas as mountains to claim for Christ. (more…)