Holy Spirit

FULL STEAM AHEAD FOLLOWING THE FATHER!

(August 17, 2023) Robert McQuillan reflects on a lifestyle choice…

It’ll soon be Father’s Day and I’m reminded of my dad and my childhood. Let me share something personal here… since childhood I’ve had a thing about steam trains!

Many a Sunday afternoon my parents would take me for a walk in the country (few people had cars back then and walking was the in-thing). Sometimes we’d cross a railway line. If I heard train whistles from down the track, and realised a steam locomotive was coming, I would insist we stop and wait until little wide-eyed me would watch it come by!

Growing older I’d be off with mates to the Saturday afternoon flicks. John Wayne was soon my hero and the first movie I saw him in he jumped onto the rear carriage of a big steam loco.

Following one’s heart
But more than the Duke was on my heart. Locos were certainly were! Especially as dad was an engineer – the official title for locomotive drivers in those yesterdays of steam trains, and I was proud of him.

Came the day which I will never forget when Dad took me – just a ‘little fellow’ in short pants – down to the local, large city rail station and explained about the (to me) ‘huge monster’ that was technically called the engine. And then being lifted up onto the platform, his working domain. What a thrill, such excitement for a small boy… my heart was beating: this was like a dream come true.

The loco had been prestarted and Dad explained the controls, how the engine operated. It was a cold morning but the heat from the blazing firebox quickly warmed me physically – my heart was already on fire with curiosity. I had stared at the huge wheels, and now I gazed at the control levers that looked so heavy to little me, and then back at the tons of coal in the tender. I was elated to be on that platform, especially when Dad permitted me to pull the whistle!

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AMOS THE LORD’S MESSENGER (Part 2)

(June 29, 2023) Brian Bell continues sharing his mediation in Amos… 

What lessons we can learn from the prophet Amos!

In this article I turn our attention to Amos 7:10-17. As I read these verses I see three ‘lessons’ from which we may profit.

1) The challenge Amos faced
In verse 10 we find the challenge to Amos comes from Amaziah who is identified as the priest of Bethel. At this time in Israel’s divided history Bethel in the northern kingdom was a ‘false’ centre of worship, as distinct from Jerusalem which was situated in the southern kingdom of Judah.

 Amaziah brought false accusations against Amos, including –

  • Plotting against king Jeroboam, then ruler of the northern kingdom
  • Inciting rebellion
  • Speaking for personal or financial gain

It is never easy to face accusations or allegations against us and it can be particularly difficult when they come from people who like Amaziah claim to have a ‘spiritual standing.’

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GET CLOSE TO GOD — NOW!

(May 31, 2023) The late Dr Andrew Evans’ 1997 Heart to Heart challenge is still very relevant today! [See footnote]

Where are you in relation to God? James 4:8NKJV is a powerful scripture: ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’

Not even close? If you’re not a Christian, Ephesians 2:1-3 describes you well –

  • Doomed forever for your sins,
  • Going along with the crowd,
  • Obeying Satan,
  • A heart against God, and
  • Doing wicked things stemming from evil thoughts.

Strong words from the apostle Paul, yet that’s how you stand in your relation to God! The good news is in verses 4-6. In His mercy God loves you and wants to bring you into His family so that you can be close to Him.

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PENTECOST SUNDAY REFLECTIONS

(May 22, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan recalls Pentecostal memories…

May 28 is Pentecost Sunday when it’s expected Pentecostal and charismatic churches will celebrate that Acts 2 occasion when the Holy Spirit fell powerfully on those first Christians.

Pentecost (pentēkostē – fifty) is the Jewish holiday festival of Shavu`ot.Originally firstfruits of the wheat harvest were presented to God 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread (See Leviticus 23:16-17), celebrating the expectation of a great agricultural season ahead. Its theme became one of revelation – of God Himself, His power and His Torah (teaching, direction, guidance, law).

Reverberating
Traditionally where Jesus followers gathered in Jerusalem has been known as ‘the upper room.’ Acts 2:1 calls it a ‘place’, but interestingly this word is a reflexive pronoun linked with ‘a baffling wind.’ Little did those faithful believers image the roaring wind ahead!

That windstorm (NLT) blew through on that first Pentecost Sunday! Acts 2:2CJB records the ‘place’ as a home – ‘Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house…’ 

Act 2:3-4 records, ‘They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues…’ They were a changed, charged and challenged people!

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TRUST THAT GENTLE WHISPER!

(April 30, 2023) Maureen McQuillan shares…

Well, Robert has mentioned that experience I had of sensing the Holy Spirit was preparing me to be on TV (Dare to say-Yes Lord). I’ve written about this before, but thought I’d share again to encourage you to trust the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

Although I’d been in sales for many years and regarded as top sales consultant in respect of the products my company handled, I’d never been on TV!

A shock surprise
The incident goes back to the ’70s when ‘somehow’ I was given an unexpected ‘grand tour’ of an interstate country television station while over there on a business trip. Passing by a live daytime talk show being televised, I paused to observe the proceedings.

Suddenly I heard that ‘quiet, still voice’ of the Spirit whisper to me, ‘One of these days you’ll be doing that.’

It was a classic situation where you immediately shake your head and feel that it was nothing more than your imagination or wishful thinking. I should have known better! Twice more I was to hear that same quiet voice repeating those scary words to my spirit.

No way, I immediately thought! After all, I had neither the experience nor the desire to be on TV, especially to be watched by countless thousands.

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‘MORE’ ABOUT MY FOREVER FRIEND

(April 29, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan shares some more thoughts on the Holy Spirit…

Dr Robert
You said you’d share more about ministering the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Someone has said we should learn… know… about the Holy Spirit first. Kelvin.

Hi Kelvin

Yes, you’re right! It’s vital to know the giver of these ministry gifts! As you know, the giver is the blessed Holy Spirit, the third person of the godhead and as He’s done from early church days, more than ever it seems He seeks to guide the church, not just leaders but all Christians in these dark times.

Of interest, Kelvin, in our article this month (Dare-to-say-yes-lord), Maureen and I share some of our personal experiences with the Holy Spirit, especially the importance of hearing His soft, gentle voice within.

I’ll share a few more things about Him below…

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DARE TO SAY, ‘YES, LORD!’

(April 28, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share…

Over the years you’ve probably heard how certain Christians heard the Holy Spirit’s whisper and responded to some calling from God. How the Lord has used their response for His kingdom, let alone a local church.

Like C.T. Studd the great British cricketer who gave up everything to become a pioneering missionary to China, Africa and India… because he’d heard from God he responded, ‘If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.’

Maybe you also heard about someone who didn’t respond and missed out.

We would dare you to believe that the Holy Spirit is ‘for real’ and wants to use you in different ways to share God’s goodness with needy folk.

Now we won’t hear God thundering from heaven these days (well… probably not until we meet our Lord in glory – Revelation 12:10, 14:2). Rather we can learn to discern the Holy Spirit’s gentle leading, like a whisper in our ear, in our inner being.

Dare be listening
Heard experienced servants of Jesus speak about ‘that quiet voice’, directing about something current or soon to be? Prompting some decision-making?

Our own experience has been that it is always wise to respond to that ‘still small voice’ heard by Elijah (1Kings 19:12), that ‘gentle whisper’(NIV), ‘quiet, subdued voice’(CJB).

Yes, there are times when that sacred voice seems a mere whisper from heaven, but you can know that you know that you know it’s God. But note: This ‘knowing’ comes about through having developed a close relationship with the blessed Holy Spirit – that great friend whom Jesus promised in John 14:16NRiV.

As we discover more about the Spirit in scripture, how He spoke to and guided the early church, and we commit to kingdom service, we will know in our heart that He’s there for us! Jesus promised this when He talked about this great friend: ‘He will guide you into all the truth… and He will tell you what is yet to come’ (John 16:14), that ‘the Spirit will receive from me what He will make known to you’(v15). 

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GOD ON THE MOVE SUPERNATURALLY

(March 31, 2023) Steve Rees reports for GodReports…

A fourth-generation pastor, Scott Pearson echoes the Lord Jesus in saying that –

  • The fields are ripe for harvest.
  • To reap lost souls.
  • The church should look to the Book of Acts for inspiration and power!

Co-founder of a school of supernatural ministry, Pastor Pearson believes it’s time for the church to wake up and perform the works described in Acts. For 20 years, he has carried the presence of God outside the four walls of his church performing signs, wonders and miracles in the lives of thousands of people at restaurants and malls, on city streets, and even in a biker bar.

God is on the move
‘It’s time to do more than just sit in a church service and watch others or hear about what others are doing. It’s time for us to take God outside the four walls of the church and bring the kingdom everywhere we go,’ Pastor Pearson says.

His recently published first book, God on the Move, is like a modern-day sequel to Acts. Pearson practices what he preaches. Subtitled Encountering the Love of God, this book is filled with testimonies of salvation, healing and deliverance. A half-dozen significant testimonies of God’s healing power will fill the pages of his second book.

Once a week, Scott Pearson (right) prays for the sick at a healing room where many people report complete recoveries from cancer and other illnesses. For many years, he taught courses on evangelism and supernatural encounters to Youth With A Mission (YWAM) students preparing for ministry during what’s called Holy Spirit Week. He hopes more opportunities arise to share testimonies of God’s miraculous acts.

Supernational encounters
Four months into 2023, God continues to supernaturally save, heal, restore and deliver people through Pearson’s dependence on the Holy Spirit who, he says, will move through anybody.

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SHEKINAH GLORY

(March 21, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan shares…

‘Shekinah Glory’ has been often thought of as the remarkable change in Moses that the Israelites beheld when he came down from Mount Sinai, after having been up there so long in the presence of God. Exodus 34:29ESV reads, ‘… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.’

NIV says, ‘… he was not aware that his face was radiant…’ Verse 30 tells that all the Israelites ‘were afraid to come near him.’

Remember Charlton Heston playing Moses in the 1956 The Ten Commandments? He looked so different after being in God’s presence when he started down ‘God’s mountain’ to find ungrateful, sinning Israelites.

Moviegoers, including myself, an impressionable teenager, were immediately struck by the change in his face, his hair and beard.

But ‘Shekinah Glory’ is more than that! The presence of God highlighted above is the key!

May we know God’s presence
Now the Bible doesn’t mention the term ‘Shekinah Glory’ at all in either the Old or New Testament… it was introduced by rabbis in their writings in the period between the two testaments. Their reasoning? To explain the very presence of God in certain contexts and associated with a visible manifestation more evidently apparent at certain times.

‘Shekinah’ is from the Hebrew word shākan, which means ‘to reside or permanently stay.’ And so literature by rabbis used the term shekinah to descriptively explain the following scriptures to the Jewish people:

  • God’s presence among His people (Exodus 19:16-18; Exodus 40:34-38; I Kings 6:13).
  • God’s glory dwelling in the temple (2 Chronicles 7:1).
  • God’s dwelling in the mountain (Psalm 68.16-18; Joel 3:17).
  • God’s divine appearance on earth!

This last ‘description’ was depicted in the following seven ways as a…

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JESUS – LORD HIGH ABOVE ALL ELSE!

(February 20, 2023) Robert and Maureen McQuillan bring a timely challenge …

Happened to watch a recent Abbots Cross Congregational Church service (our ‘old’ church back in Northern Ireland) and heard an outstanding sermon by Reverend Philip Campbell. What a message! So well…

  • Structured perfectly,
  • Strongly principled,  
  • Sensitively preached.

Under an obvious Holy Spirit anointing, Philip clearly spoke convincingly from his heart on Philippians 3.

There was a sense of destiny as Philip – known for his easy-to-listen-to-and-absorb style – reminded his audience of God’s incredible goodness, the Christian’s need to take opportunities to share one’s faith and the gospel of Jesus and, forgetting past hindrances, move on this year under God’s directions into His plans for His spiritual children and church.

It triggered off the heart of this particular article!

Jesus highest
Philip Campbell knows the cost of the challenge of moving on as God declares!

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