choices

MAKING WISE CHOICES: THE KEY TO LIFE

(August 08, 2024) Carol Round encourages us to make wise choices…

The choices I made sometimes led me down the wrong path. It was like tripping over a small pebble that eventually led to a rock slide down a mountain. I didn’t always learn my lesson, either.
 
There were times I’d find myself in the same situation, making the same wrong choices. However— once I chose to follow Jesus, reading scripture and praying, my stumbling feet remained on solid ground.
 
Standing on Solid Ground
In Psalm 26:12NLT, David writes, ‘Now I stand on solid ground, and I will publicly praise the Lord.’

In a recent daily devotional at The High Calling website, the author states the following about Psalm 26: ‘David proclaims that he stands on the “solid ground” of righteousness, the result of God’s mercy in his life and that which is demonstrated in his rejection of evil and his love for worshipping the Lord. Thus, in the final line of the psalm, David proclaims, “I will publicly praise the Lord.”’

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THE LORD NEEDS ‘IT’ (YOU, ME)!

(June 12, 2024) Angeline Selvakumari encourages us to be available to the Lord, to ‘be donkeys’ for Him…

I can’t believe we are already completing the first half of 2024 so quickly. Time flies so fast. I think that is why the Bible teaches us to use our time wisely: ‘Making the very most of your time’ (Ephesians 5:16Amp). Message Bible emphasises ‘Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!’ 

Purpose
No one can know time better than Jesus. He knew when to keep His purpose for coming to the world a secret, and when to declare it openly.

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INNER LEADINGS

(September 14, 2021) Dr Robert McQuillan responds to this query about trusting the Spirit …

Dear Dr Robert
I know you assured me that the Holy Spirit is within me and can lead me and help me be an achiever. Here’s the thing at the moment… I have to make a major decision about taking on a new staff member. She seems to be the right person; says she can introduce new profitable clients and so on. But I have this feeling – that’s the only way I can describe it, a strange feeling – that although everything seems okay, I should not take her on. Could this be the Holy Spirit warning me… just like you’ve said that there’ll be times when one feels to either do something or not? Am I making sense? Simon (not real name).

Dear ‘Simon’

Of course you’re making sense. Yes, as we commit everything, including our business life to the Holy Spirit each day, there will be times when he will warn us not to down a certain road, to reject something… just as easily as we can feel it’s okay to accept something or do something new.

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CHANGES, CHOICES, CHALLENGES… CLINGING TO JESUS!

(May 09, 2021) Carol Round reminds us of…

If we need a reminder of the changes that have occurred in our world, we only need to study history. One can also read newspaper headlines or listen to the daily news. Nothing stays the same. If it did, there would be no news to report.

Change
A post on Facebook reminded me of how times have changed since I was born… and maybe since your birth.

The list was long, but here are a few of the mind-boggling changes mentioned:

  • Did you ever think in 1998 that three years later, you would never take pictures on film again? With today’s smart phones, who even has a camera these days? While I still do, I take more photos with my iPhone than with a camera.
  • In 2018 the first self-driving cars appeared on the road. Talk about changes.
  • Technology has invaded our world creating unimaginable changes in every area of our lives. If you’re old enough, you can recall a world before colour television, computers, microwave ovens, and computerised medicine.
  • I had my second knee replacement recently (Thanks to all who’ve been praying for me! I’m continuing in my recuperation and appreciate your prayers). Four years ago, I had the first one done. During the time span, technology has brought improvements to the procedure, and my latest surgery involved the use of a robotic device.
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CHOICES

(August 7, 2018) Robert and Maureen McQuillan ask a question that leads to a serious challenge…

It’s a simple question really: What does the word ‘choice’ mean, either in a dictionary or in the Bible? Well, it’s an act of choosing between two or more possibilities.

The reality of life is that every day we make choices. We have to! Begins each new morning… arising from slumber, deciding what to wear, what to have for brekkie. And that’s before we hit the street!

One thing is for certain… every day decisions have to be made in respect of our job, marriage, family, holidays, movie to see, TV program to watch, the home, purchases, clothing, meals… then along comes new car or home. The list goes on!

In reality very day we’ll all be making choices, hopefully good ones!

Let’s share a choice that I (Robert) made recently that proved a bad one… although there was a funny side to it! (more…)

‘LAUREL OR YANNI’ – A THEOLOGICAL CHALLENGE?

(June 10, 2018) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, brings a topical wake-up challenge…

Imagine that you are returning home late one night. As you pass your neighbour’s house, you see that it is on fire. You are really very fond of those neighbours whom you consider as very close friends. They have two bright, friendly little children who are like family to you. Obviously those neighbours are fast asleep in their comfortable beds and are unaware that they are in such danger.

You are confronted with a problem – what do you do? You have two choices. Should you let them sleep and not disturb their comfort, or should you race towards the house yelling to awaken them and warning them of their danger even though their comfort will be disturbed?

What is the loving thing to do? What is the right thing to do?

Laurel v Yanni
Over the past few weeks there has been an audio clip on the internet that we could describe as the ‘Laurel v Yanni’ argument. Apparently while listening to this audio clip some people clearly hear the word ‘Laurel’ while others clearly hear the word ‘Yanni.’ (more…)

STANDING IN THE GAP

(October 17, 2017) Tim Edwards brings another timely challenge …

Sometimes in church services we can end up creating an environment which can appear to be a little insincere if we are not careful.

‘How?’ you ask.

Because although it can be a moment in time where we see people with smiles on their faces and even singing happy up-tempo songs, many may not feeling that way at all in their hearts. Some may be truly feeling really flat, miserable or unloved and need encouragement!

Life’s reality
The reality of life is that we all walk through difficulties in our lives at various times – and we must recognise this, acknowledge it and be honest about it. But not give in to it.

Despite how we may feel on any given Sunday when we gather together we do so to worship, sing and celebrate God, pray, learn – and be encouraged.

But it is also a time for us to help each other to look to God! Our togetherness can, if we will allow it, be an opportunity to serve by reminding those we sense are troubled to keep their eyes fixed on him and not on the challenges.

Stay focused no matter what!
We see this focus as we read the prophet Jeremiah’s heart-breaking, sorrow-filled writings in his book of Lamentations.
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RESPONSIBILITY: FREE WILL AND CHOICES

Dr Robert & Maureen (2)Robert and Maureen McQuillan share:

One of our ways of relaxing is to watch old movies and selected engaging TV series. Every now and then we hear an actor profoundly share a (whether the script writer realised it or not) great biblical principle or life principle. Such as one we heard recently in a Person of Interest episode.

Without going into details regarding this hit TV mystery action series, let’s just say that repeatedly the dialogue carried some great life truths, such as this one.

‘We all have free will – and with that comes great responsibility’ explains billionaire software genius Harold Finch (Michael Emerson), creator of ‘the machine’ (a secret government Big Brother surveillance system that watches everyone, everywhere) to his top operative, former CIA agent John Reese (Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in The Passion). He adds, ‘Sometimes great loss.’ (more…)

WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU WANT TO BECOME THIS YEAR?

Carol RoundInspirational author Carol Round writes encouragingly for 2015…

In her 1908 classic, Anne of Green Gables, author Lucy Maude Montgomery said, ‘Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?’

Although each day is full of promise and expectation, New Year’s is the only day we celebrate with fanfare and excitement. Then, as the days pass, we often find ourselves forgetting January 1 isn’t the only day we can start anew. (more…)