confidence in God

LOOKING BACK… OR AHEAD?

(March 26, 2023) Maureen McQuillan brings great encouragement … 

It’s almost April and in a couple of weeks with joy and thanksgiving we’ll remember all that our Saviour Jesus did for us to assure our salvation.

April 2023 already!
And still the world is one of uncertainty for many! Crime increases, Ukraine is still suffering from Russian attacks, speculation about China’s intentions, covid is still here, scams, hacking, life savings losses, higher interest rates, more earthquakes… and other bad news that we hear about daily!

For many life has had its disappointments: even today some tragedy could befall even a Christian. It’s a time when so many people need encouragement, even a simple but meaningful thank you!

Are you perchance looking back with regrets? Wondering what’s next, or what to do about some issue? Today’s scripture was Hebrews 11:2 and good news – ‘Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’

Now there’s a different way to spell faith! C-o-n-f-i-d-e-n-c-e! It’s the key to getting through each day, whatever comes along.

Shattered dreams
Currently Robert and I are re-watching that brilliantly produced Foyle’s War series set in England during the terrifying days of WW2. We were only babies quickly becoming children back then, but we can recall the sirens warning of German bombers, of being hurried by our parents to shelters. (Would you believe that my family’s hidey hole was the cupboard under the stairs! Not that that would have protected us!).

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DAVID’S SIXTH SYMPHONY

(January 27, 2023) Brian Bell reminds us that in anxious times the Christian’s confidence is in our God…

I am taking a little poetic licence here in describing Psalm six by using this musical term, but it is also one of those psalms in which David mentions the name of stringed instruments to which the psalm should be accompanied.

Movement #1 (v1-5)
What often encourages me as I read the psalms is their honesty – I remind myself the words are spoken/written not in private prayer but for public worship in their context as songs, so they make honest references –

  • To weakness, pain (agony), sickness, helplessness (verses 2 and 3).
  • To help… ‘rescue me, save me’ (verse 4NLT).

Movement #2 (v 6-7)
David says, ‘I am worn out by sobbing, every night tears drench my bed, my pillow is wet from weeping….’

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DAVID’S ‘ON THE RUN’ PSALM

(November 05, 2022) Brian Bell shares about King David’s handling of despair while ‘on the run’…

Since his days as a shepherd the wilderness of Judea was a place known to David because he had spent much time there with his father’s flocks.

If you are familiar with the life of David before and after he became king of Israel, you will remember he also spent time in the wilderness ‘on the run.’

For David this was a literal experience as he first sought to stay away from the murderous intentions of jealous King Saul, and later in his life and reign when he ran from the rebellion of his wayward son Absalom.

Here I share a few encouraging thoughts from Psalm 3 NLT, which I believe give us a look into David’s heart experience as he was on the run from Absalom.

David’s despair
Verses 1-2 tell of David’s concerns – ‘I have so many enemies…so many are against me… so many are saying…’

Recalling David’s attitude as he faced Goliath – running towards the enemy – we may find despair a strange place for him to be and yet it is echoed in these words, particularly the use of the word ‘many.’

Despair is a very real emotion for us in our human experience, even for God’s children. It is not a place any of us plan to be, it is not where we would wish to be, and certainly not a place in which we would choose to stay.

I believe despair it is not a lack of faith on our part but rather a reflection of how our natural weaknesses may be exploited by the circumstances of life or the enemy of souls so that we may be brought to a place where we feel overwhelmed.

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2020: 24 ACROSS – ANTICIPATES (7)

(January 17, 2020) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share 2020-centred inspirational thoughts…

Wondering what on earth that title 2020: 24 Across – Anticipates (7) is all about?

As our articles’ themes this month are encouragements to move ahead boldly in God this new year the ‘2020’ bit is obvious… but what about the rest?  Well, we’re crossword (not Sudoku or other puzzles) addicts and our title comes from today’s puzzle.

The answer? Why ‘expects’… of course. But then, you knew that of course – didn’t you?

A prime meaning of this transitive verb ‘expect’ is to ‘think or believe something will happen’ (Cambridge Dictionary). We like that! Merriam-Webster Dictionary explains it this way – ‘consider probable or certain.’

‘Expect’ is regarded as a word that ‘implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of envisioning.’ It’s a verb we need to consider in regard to 2020 – and in relation to the supernatural movings of the Holy Spirit as we call on him to enable us to build/expand our local churches!

Envisioning in 2020!
For some time now we’ve been saying that 2020 is going to be a year of 20/20 vision for those hearing from God and daring to be of kingdom service, expecting and seeing great things happen such as souls saved, miracles and healings and more of the (genuine) prophetic word!

Now don’t misunderstand us – 20/20 vision isn’t, as some think, perfect vision. Rather it refers to our visual acuity, which is the clarity or sharpness of our vision.

So then, think spiritually, clearly regarding 2020 and your consideration of your church and its future/vision this year, thinking also about your own vision of what you want to achieve for yourself this year… and what God wants of you.

We encourage everyone to be perfectly clear, keenly sharp in respect to God’s vision for ourselves in 2020. Know it, live it! Believe in your destiny, the calling of God on your life – and don’t let anything, any ‘thinking small’ or even ‘gigantic towers’ (see Norman and Margaret Moss’ Ignoring Gigantic Towers) hold you back. (more…)

GOD THE FATHER OR FAIRY GODMOTHER

(January 15, 2019) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, challenges us to think outside the proverbial box…

‘Happy New Year!’

How often have we said that this year? And we truly hope that all the people to whom we have given this greeting will indeed have a happy year. However we know that for some this year will not be happy. Regardless of how committed to God we may be, the vagaries of life often present us with unwelcome problems, unrelenting sickness, unexpected sorrow or overwhelming disaster and no one is immune from such events.

The reality is that some quite evil people in the world prosper and some truly godly people suffer. So there is no correlation between Godliness and a trouble-free life.

Yet some Christians try to give the impression that everything is always well in their world – and they maintain this façade until some problem is encountered which often causes them to fall apart.  As we live in a fallen world, inevitably we all struggle at some stage with disturbing and destructive experiences regardless committed we may be in our discipleship or how pious we may present ourselves.   Only self-delusion can maintain the myth that all is always well in our world.

Fairy Godmothers aren’t real!
Recently I have been reflecting on two alternative ideas that Christians have concerning God – God the Father or God the Fairy Godmother.  If we think of God as some kind of ‘fairy godmother’ our conception of God will be one in which he always acts by solving all our problems and ensuring that good things always happen to us.

This is not, however, the character of Lord God Almighty who is revealed in the Bible. We know that fairy godmothers are not real! Nor is such a God real!

The book of Job gives us some telling pointers on which we should reflect. (more…)