(December 10, 2024) Dr Jim McClure shares enlightening truths…
I know that there are some Christians who hold Christmas celebrations in contempt, but I am not one of them. While I do not appreciate many of the secular and commercial exploitation of the event, I like to celebrate this Christian festival. And I appreciate the fact that we have the freedom to honour the birth of Jesus Christ and be thankful for His coming to us.
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(November 06, 2024) Dr Jim McClure shares…
The Old Testament has a collection 12 books called the ‘Minor Prophets.’ They are named ‘Minor’ not because they are unimportant but because they are short, the shortest of all being ‘Obadiah,’ also the shortest book in the Old Testament. Consisting of only one chapter of 21 verses it is easily ignored as not being particularly important.
However, rather than being ‘unimportant’ it is, in fact, a hidden gem but admittedly it can be difficult to follow without knowing the following underlying facts.
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(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 –
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….’
(January 15, 2023) Richard Winter ‘cuts to the chase’!
Many people like to get straight to the chase… I’m sure you have heard the following:
Talk about cutting to the chase. Well here’s another one that does just that – somewhat longer, and of all things a prayer, a very dangerous prayer! It’s a fact… and there’s no waffling, no beating around the bush. I’m giving it to you straight!
It’s my personal prayer – and it could become yours. Goes like this…
‘Heavenly Father, as hard as this is for me, I am asking you to search asking you to search me. Search me, God, and know my heart. God, test my motives. Reveal to me my anxious thoughts. Show me anything in me that offends you. God, I want to see in me what you see in me, so I can become more like Jesus. God, I ask you to search me.’
A dangerous prayer
In fact, if you ask my opinion, most people’s prayers are way too safe!
(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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Connecting with You! 