Isaiah 41:10

DEVASTATED UKRAINE – MEETING SOME PRACTICAL NEEDS

(February 5, 2023) David McGuire, ‘the missionary with a camera’ to Romania again uses his camera to ‘write’ reports on his latest trip to Ukraine…  

Once again I and other concerned Christians ventured going up into Ukraine to share the love of Jesus with  heartbroken and needy Ukrainians.

Many Ukrainians have practical needs! Sharing the gospel message of love doesn’t mean preaching only – it begins with fulfilling Jesus’ command to ‘love thy neighbour’ (Mark 12:31)!

As I reported last year – Sharing the Gospel With Words and Deeds with other photos – on a number of times caring Romanian Christians have made several dangerous trips up there to bring groceries, practical supplies and other goods to dear, distressed people who have seen their homes and towns destroyed by Russia. And to pray about needs!

Just recently, some Ukrainians were blessed by yet another such venture up there by a Romanian team… despite dangers.

Firstly
Groceries were purchased that could be distributed freely to needy Ukrainians. Here’s Chris and me loading up bread and other grocery items.

Then practical provisions were obtained, such as desperately needed woodburning stoves and generators as there is no electric or gas where we were daring to travel. And not only no heat but no water!

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GOD IS THE TRUE PROMISE KEEPER

(February 02, 2023) Carol Round encourages us to know The Promise Keeper…

We all know people who have broken their promises. If you follow politics, you know it happens more times than we can count. But we all fall short because we, too, are promise breakers.

Just like Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan in the garden, we all fall prey to our human condition (‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’ – Genesis 3:5).

Knowing we’ve given in to our selfish desires, we lose the peace that comes from obeying God. In Adam and Eve’s case, they lost a close fellowship with God.

Humans repeatedly break their promises. But God, who is the one true Promise Keeper, will never let us down. If we cling to Him, knowing He will never disappoint us with false promises, we’ll find peace.

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MY ‘HEART’ MAY FAIL… BUT GOD IS MY STRENGTH!

(August 6, 2022) Brian Bell reflects on the ‘heart’ …

My thoughts turned recently to Asaph’s Psalm 73:26 which says, ‘My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart…’ 

Just as we also may do today, the psalmist was struggling with what we might call apparent ‘injustices’ of life.

My flesh
‘Fail’ seems to be in the sense ‘to falter in weakness’ and this suggests to me not simply a failing as in a sudden moment of pressure, or by reason of sustained pressure – think of an elastic band – but a weakness which is a tendency, having always been there and always will be.

‘Flesh’ in its literal sense refers to our physical bodies. I’ve known many people familiar with weaknesses of their physical body to a greater or lesser degree; some who were born with or acquired a disability, and more recently those with cancers which have destroyed their formerly healthy bodies.

Even those of us who may not presently be affected by a specific disability or illness and are fortunate to enjoy general good health, realise the experience of others is a sufficient testimony to the fact that our physical bodies can falter in weakness!

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STILL MUCH TO DO!

(January 25, 2022) Maureen McQuillan encourages all who feel unsure about the future… 

A lot of good folks at this time of worldwide troubles have been experiencing disappointments… not being able to do certain things, go places, catch up with family and old friends, getting hit unexpectedly with covid-19 (but, praise God, had been vaccinated and are getting through), job losses, short of ready finance, suicides, troubled minds… and so on.

And so it’s a joy when one hears good news stories, especially of God answering prayer and blessing in various ways. Mark Ellis’ GodReports regularly shares such testimonies, eg… Muslim Woman Dreams About Man in White With Bleeding Feet. And we ran missionary to Romania David McGuire’s excellent report Grateful for 2021 Successful Outreaching but Moving Ahead Into 2022 With Vision.

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However, one also hears of Christians who have had bad life experiences and my ‘heart goes out to them.’Some are so troubled that as they hear negative news reports from around the world, wonder what’s next, or think ‘the end is near: Is Christ coming back very soon?’

Encouragements from God’s word
To troubled saints, I would say this: Be encouraged! Be blessed by scriptures such as the following…

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