Dr Luke

LUKE’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

(December 05, 2024) Brian Bell shares… and encourages—

As we are now in the season of Advent, I share a few thoughts taken from Luke’s gospel. Chapter 1:1-4NLT shows that Luke is very specific about his purpose: ‘to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.’

Now Luke was not one of the first early disciples called by Jesus, he was not writing from a personal meeting with the Lord Jesus. And he wrote his gospel for the benefit of a person named in verse 1 as ‘the most honourable’ Theophilus who also didn’t have a personal meeting with Jesus… and that makes Luke’s message very relevant for you and me today.

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BURDENED ABOUT SICKNESS? TRUST GOD!

(October 31, 2024) Robert McQuillan shares sincerely…

Since I shared back in June (COMPASSIONATE GOD AND DIVINE HEALING | Connecting with You!) about trusting God for divine healing and acknowledging that He is the healing, miracle-working God, several folk have thanked me, others have asked to learn more. Some have mentioned about illnesses and some about how sicknesses and growing older (that dreaded aging thing!) have restricted their ministry and effectiveness in serving God.

I simply tell people to trust God implicitly, not to be concerned about age (David was a kid whereas Moses is regarded as an old man when commissioned by God. Many ‘old’ Christians have continued to effectively serve the Lord… for example David Hathaway 92-year-old Evangelist to Hold Ukraine Rally).

But I also suggest relaxing and pulling back from some aspects of ministry and other matters if necessary. I’ve personally had to do so, yet the Lord keeps opening doors to witness and pray for people including strangers. Most importantly I tell people, especially Christians, not to neglect the advice of the medical profession.

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BARNABAS – ‘SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT’

(September 4, 2022) Brian Bell reflects on Barnabas’example…

‘Son of encouragement’ is a tremendous accolade for anyone to receive from their contemporaries. Not that it means a person is without imperfections, but it says something special about how other people find them to be in the general demeanour of their character and daily living.

As with other biblical characters, the life and witness of Barnabas has profitable lessons for us all to consider, and I share with you those which have spoken to me.

The disciple
We are introduced to Barnabas by Luke the writer of Acts, who tells us that the early believers were of one heart and mind. They freely shared their material possessions not considering what they each owned to be their own! Some even sold land or houses and gave the proceeds to the apostles to give to others in need (Acts 2:44-45).

Among those who sold land was a disciple named Joseph nicknamed Barnabas which means the Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36-37). Luke also tells us Barnabas was a Jew from the tribe of Levi and came from Cyprus. Clearly the Holy Spirit had done a wonderful work in the life of Barnabas since he had come to faith whether it was before or even among one of those 3,000 who responded to Peter’s message (Acts 2:41).

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