Luke 9:23

WINNING THE BATTLE OF EVIL WITHIN

(March 30, 2025) Robert McQuillan challenges…

Albert Einstein said, ‘I do not fear the explosive power of the atom bomb. What I fear is the explosive power in the human heart.’

Interesting observation from the famous scientist who revered Almighty God. Einstein was saying that while the atom bomb has the capacity to destroy, the human heart can hold a greater destructive power!

Sadly we‘re living in days when evil hearts can be devastating unfriendly; and our enemy Satan continues to destroy faith in God and righteous living.

Someone even more perceptive than Einstein commented on more than one occasion about the evil in the human heart… Jesus. Boy, did He have a lot to say!

Jesus’ Wise Teachings
What He taught still stands! Here’s just some of the things Jesus had to say to those—

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PAUL’S GREAT CONCERN

(September 26, 2023) Brian Bell shares some thoughts on Paul’s concern about non-Christian behaviour…  

The apostle Paul had spent about 18 months with the believers in the Roman city of Corinth before he moved on. During the next three years that church grew in number but, unfortunately, also encountered a range of problems. And now a disquieted Paul writes them a letter expressing some concerns.

In many senses Paul’s 1 Corinthians’ letter may be considered unpleasant reading, since he addresses some exceedingly difficult issues – what we in our generation would call – ‘non-Christian behaviours.’

Among other things he talks about is rival factions within this gathering of early believers. I would draw our attention to the following…

Paul’s Plea
In verse 1:10bNLT, a troubled Paul writes pleadingly about divisions in the church – ‘Let there be real harmony so there won’t be divisions within the church, I plead with you…’

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DARK SHADOWS – GOD’S SHADOW OF LIGHT

(February 28, 2023) Brian Bell shares a timely meditation…

Standing Somewhere in the Shadows (that 1943 once very popular number by E J Rollings) came to me afresh recently…

Are your crosses too heavy to carry,
And burdens too heavy to bear;
Are there heartaches and tears and anguish
And there’s no one who seems to care?

Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus,
He’s the friend who always cares and understands.
Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Him,
And you’ll know Him by the nail prints in His hands.

Overshadowing darkness
Christians are called to carry crosses (Matthew 10:38, Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23) and as we do so, life can be shades of shadows at times! Praise God that our Saviour is there for us!

The reality is that it is not Jesus who is standing in the shadows, it is us – men and women ‘lost’ in the dark shadows of life.

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ROCK ON!

(October 10, 2022) Richard Winter highlights what’s never optional for any Christian…

One of the most famous landmarks in the world is Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. My wife Wendy and I had the privilege of seeing it a few years ago.

It’s not famous because of its height – only 179 feet tall – nor its architecture… there’s plenty of examples of Romanesque buildings around the Tuscany area. But it’s famous for one reason – because it leans!

Building began in 1173, so it’s been around 840 years. And it leans one-twentieth of an inch every year.

Although they’re predicting that it’s going to fall at some time in the future, they have done a great job of fixing the foundations that should stop a complete tumble.

Strong foundations are vital!
incidentally, the word Pisa means ‘marsh’ or ‘marshy ground.’ So if there’s any indication as to why the tower has been leaning, it’s got very unstable foundations.

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THE ‘OTHERS CAN BUT YOU CAN’T’ CHALLENGE!

(May 6, 2021) Robert and Maureen McQuillan reflect…

Sunday May 23 this year is regarded by many churches as Pentecost Sunday, especially Holy Spirit-filled ones, celebrating the outpouring of God’s Spirit on those humble first disciples.

Since that Acts 2 experience the church has grown – about 2.6 billion adherents globally in early 2020. Testimonies, Christian books, even secular encyclopedic history, record demonstrations of Holy Spirit assistance, miracles, emboldened men and women anointed by him to move in the Spirit and speak forth genuine prophecy, words of knowledge and wisdom, cast out demons… and more!

Praise God for churches that have been open to the Holy Spirit… and for individuals who have been bold in allowing the Spirt to use them to brighten darkened lives. But… sadly, many churches, many bold Christians have not been regarded or respected for their service (See Erica Grace’s heart-touching April article True Fruit – From Unsung Heroes).

The reality is that it isn’t always been easy to be bold for Jesus and allow the Spirit to take one down a different road to others… yet remaining humble and down-to-earth!  Indeed, for all of us, there is the constant challenge to allow the Holy Spirit to keep us under control so that we don’t get bigheaded and move beyond our station – unless of course it’s God directed, and he gets the glory in all that’s achieved for the kingdom.

The challenge
Such recollecting reminds us that some 40 years we came across the following challenge by the late Bill Britton, entitled Others May, You Cannot)… still fresh, challenging, and meaningful, especially if you’re sold out to the ministry call of Christ on your life.

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BE A LIGHT IN A BROKEN WORLD

(August 27, 2019) Carol Round encourages us to let our Christianity shine forth in a needy world round us…

In one of the ‘civil’ social media posts, I responded with the challenge that we need more Christ-followers who reach out to the –

  • Hurting
  • Disenfranchised
  • Lost
  • Lonely
  • Angry
  • Mentally ill.

Warming a pew each Sunday doesn’t make you a Christian
Jesus left the building (the church) and spent time with the very people mentioned above. If we claim to be a Christian, we need to be following in his footsteps. Kindness begets kindness. Apathy breeds apathy. Hate breeds hate.

Each one of us can make a difference, one person at a time.

 

 

Reach out – make a difference (more…)

OTHERS AND YOU – THE CHALLENGING VESTIBULE

(August 25, 2019) Robert and Maureen McQuillan bring some challenging reflections…

Vestibule – now there’s a word that indicates a chamber or channel opening into another. Hmm.

As we follow Jesus many times doors open that lead into new discoveries and adventures in God as we hear and yield to the Holy Spirit’s soft whispers to our heart. In this connection we recall the following challenge that speaks of discovering an important vestibule leading to heaven’s riches…

Others May, You Cannot … over the years there have been a number of items, tracts or articles based on this challenging thought and its relating issues.

Some 40 years we were handed the following thought-provoking piece that we were told was written by Bill Britton – one that’s still fresh, challenging and meaningful, especially if you’re sold out to the ministry call of Christ on your life. 

‘If God has called you to be really like Jesus, he will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians.

‘And, in many ways, he will seem to let other good people do things that he will not let you.

‘Other Christians (and ministers), who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull strings and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot, and if you attempt you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

‘Others may boast of themselves, their work, success and writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. And if you begin to, he will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

‘Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or have a legacy left them, but it is likely that God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold, namely a helpless dependence on him that he may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury. (more…)