Jeremiah 29:11

SAINT PATRICK – HERO OF THE FAITH!

(March 8, 2023), Alan Higgins challenges us to be like Patrick – a radical disciple and missionary!

Next week, March 17, will be Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. Personally, I’ll be remembering what Ireland’s patron saint achieved in respect of discipleship and mission… and I share some thoughts here.

The main scriptures – familiar to many – that I have chosen for this article are Jeremiah 29:11 and Matthew 28:16-20 … scriptures, I believe, that must have been on Patrick’s heart.

What can we learn from them… and what do they tell us about Saint Patrick, the Irish legend?

1. Patrick’s life… 
Exemplifies Jesus’ command to reach the lost. The gospels give us the following messages from the heartbeat of Jesus, not just Patrick, on the importance of fulfilling the great commission.

Matthew 28:16-20 is what Patrick set out to do in Ireland – to make disciples in this nation. His life and ministry teach us to be open to the call of God in our lives.

  • His beginning in Ireland did not dictate his future, but drew him into a love relationship with Jesus.
  • His relationship with Jesus helped him to overcome adverse circumstances in both his teen and later years.
  • His ability to draw close to God and forgive had a dramatic impact on the Irish people.
  • His willingness to follow God’s call makes him a hero of the faith.

Let’s learn from this man of God and ask ourselves a few questions. Such as: ‘Am I willing to draw closer to God in turbulent times? Am I willing and able to forgive those who have caused pain in my life? Am I willing to follow the call of God and even give my life to those who enslaved me?’

If you do, you too could become a hero of the faith just like Patrick!

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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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PRESSING AHEAD IN 2023!

(December 17, 2022) Brian Bell encourages leaving the past behind and moving ahead in 2023…

As we come towards the end of 2022, I encourage you with Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13, ‘I am still not all I should be… forgetting the past… and looking forward to what lies ahead.’

The apostle speaks about his past which he wants to forget, his present as he recognises he is a work in progress, and his future based on Christ’s accomplishment and provision.

I believe Paul’s encouragement in this verse is not related to employing techniques to help us forget, but about that good old topic of perspective.

Paul wasn’t saying he had discovered a way to eradicate past memories (in his case the many believers he had persecuted prior to his conversion). It was not that Paul could or had actually forgotten, but that he would not allow those memories to hold him back. So, I suggest that is the context for Paul then saying he was ‘… looking forward…’

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BRRR! BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

(August 24, 2022) Maureen McQuillan shares some ‘wintery’ thoughts…

Each new morning the sun shines brightly and it looks so summery outside… trees and other plantings growing so well. But as I step outside to do some trimming, I shiver and rush back indoors!

Why? Because, like that old 1944 song popular with Dean Martin fans goes: ‘But, Baby, it’s cold outside!’ I haven’t been singing it but I’ve certainly been feeling it. Some mornings it’s even zero degrees or less. Brrr!

Roll on next Thursday, September 1! Why? It’s the first day of spring here! Then December 1, officially the first day of summer.

Not just the weather!
But it’s not just me looking for change… lot of people are, and I don’t mean just the weather. People are still concerned about covid and other ‘bugs’ around at this time (wise folk wear masks when mixing with others); TV news usually has more bad news than good…

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NEHEMIAH – GOD’S CALL TO BUILD THE WALL (Part 4)

(June 22, 2022) Hope Flinchbaugh shares some more thoughts about Nehemiah’s wall building journey, challenging us to know that God has a plan for us…’

It’s hard to leave our comfort zone! And that was the initial challenge Nehemiah faced in moving on from his comfort zone to fulfilling God’s plan for his life.

Being cupbearer to the king – a  noted position – meant Nehemiah was in and out of the king’s presence several times a day. He had money, a position that clothed him well and gave him personal honour, a position where he enjoyed a small realm of trust and influence before the king.

When he learned that the exiled survivors of Israel were living in appalling conditions, that the walls of Jerusalem were rubble and the gates of the city were in cinders and ashes, Nehemiah was deeply touched. He immediately fasted, prayed, wept, and was willing to move…  but what was the next step?

Waiting patiently
That must have felt so anticlimactic!

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ST PATRICK – RADICAL DISCIPLE AND MISSIONARY

(March 17, 2022), Alan Higgins brings a timely challenge…

It’s St Patrick’s Day today and I recall what our patron saint did with discipleship and mission.

The main scriptures – familiar to many – that I have chosen are Jeremiah 29:11 and Matthew 28:16-20 … scriptures, I believe, that must have been on Patrick’s heart.

What can we learn from them… and what do they tell us about Saint Patrick, the Irish legend?

1. Patrick’s life exemplifies Jesus’ command to reach the lost     
The gospels give us the following messages from the heartbeat of Jesus, not just Patrick, on the importance of fulfilling the great commission.

Matthew 28:16-20 is what Patrick set out to do in Ireland – to make disciples in this nation. His life and ministry teach us to be open to the call of God in our lives.

(more…)

MR BEAN – AND GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WAYS

Robert and Maureen McQuillan remind us that we don’t know everything … but that God does! 

Experienced those moments when we want to ask God, ‘Why?’ or ‘What’s going on?’ or ‘How come You answered my prayer as You did, not how I had prayed and expected?’ 

Did you get an answer to certain prayers? Or did you conclude that it’s better to appreciate and enjoy the benefits than to query God about His ways? 

We forget that God is God! 
The reality is that often we get so caught up with asking (in faith and trust which is good and necessary, of course!) and expecting God to bring about the answer exactly how we asked. And we forget that He is God who sees everything outside the box and knows what the best course of action should be! 

Yes… He is God – almighty God! God full stop! As such He doesn’t have to explain anything – we’re merely His creation. 

But, hallelujah … He’s also the heavenly Father who loves us so much that He does sometimes kindly  explain things – as in (Genesis 18:17NLT, ‘”Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked’). 

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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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STRUGGLING WITH DISAPPOINTMENT?

(October 14, 2021) Mama Lava shares great hope…

This post is going to write itself because I write it with tears running down my cheeks!

I had awakened with happy expectation. This was the day I had been looking forward to for quite a while because it had been entirely set aside for the enjoyment of a long-awaited opportunity. It had been circled on the calendar of my heart and anticipated with a child-like giddiness.

But… it quickly became apparent that the day wasn’t going to happen according to plan. Disappointment surged in, uninvited and unruly.

God could also change the circumstance… but I didn’t want to be further disappointed if he chose not to. I wanted him to change my attitude. Quite frankly, that day was simply the most recent in a string of struggles with disappointment. I wanted God to show me the lesson I had been needing to learn so that these kinds of situations would not hinder me anymore.

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GOD WILL DIRECT YOUR STEPS

(June 14, 2021) Carol Round shares some good advice…

Proverbs 16:9 (AMP) gives wise advice… ‘A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], But the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.’

Since my 30-year teaching career ended in 2005, I’ve discovered this truth: We can make plans, but God directs our steps. I love telling others, who are retired or nearing retirement, ‘You won’t find those words in the Bible. Retirement is a manmade concept.’

My post-career plans included expanding my professional photography business and writing news stories for area publications. The first one was not part of God’s plans for my life. At the time, I lived in a small lake community. Who wouldn’t want to spend their autumn and winter years near the lake?

But God had a better plan for me. Nine months after he planted the seed, I obeyed, and he directed my steps to a community with a larger population.

When we let God direct our steps, you never know where it will lead. Look at the disciples. I’m sure their plans didn’t include dropping their fishing nets or leaving other jobs behind to follow Jesus.

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