Romans 12:2

TROUBLED HEARTS, MINDS AND CHARACTERS

(February 22, 2023) Dr Robert McQuillan encourages those with troubled hearts …

The following is in response to some recent questions, and requests for help and prayer, from some troubled Christians, and other conversations from yesteryear, where I’ve endeavoured to put some minds at rest.

There are times when something comes up, something is said or done that hurts so much that it stings our very hearts. Maybe something completely out of line, something nasty, accusative (maybe through misunderstanding), or even something simple, that burrows hurtfully deep in our thinking.

Do note something here: If we talk about our ‘upset heart’ we’re meaning that our emotions are upset! However, when the Bible talks about the heart, it is referring to our character… and many times it’s our character that’s been hurt, even slandered!

Jesus was cool
The first time Jesus mentioned the heart was on the sermon on the mount: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart’ (Matthew 5:8a). And what would be the outcome? ‘They shall see God’ (v8b)! And how do we see God? In the character of Jesus of course… John 14:8-11! How pure, how wise, how loving and forgiving He was – and is.

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EXCUSES THAT COULD KEEP YOU OUT OF HEAVEN 

(November 05, 2022) Richard Winter highlights that there is no excuse for concealing wrong actions!

On the spur of the moment one day, my good friend Ray and I decided to ditch school and play golf. It was an easy decision; the golf course was behind a pine forest right that was itself behind our high school and we wouldn’t be seen from the school.

So Ray and I rode our bikes through the pines, retrieved some old clubs and balls from the golf shed, and took off our school blazers and ties that identified our school – and away we went.

We had only played five holes when conscious struck us, and we decided we’d better go to school. So, ties and jackets back on, we cycled down the hill and joined others who were going into the next class, hoping that no one had missed us.

What we didn’t know was we were seen ditching school by a passing driver who went to our school office and reported us! Suddenly an announcement came through: ‘The two boys seen riding through the pine forest this morning – come to the office.’

Well, Ray and I stood up and off we marched. But not bravely, we were really scared and everyone was watching us. What could we say, as we were ushered into the principal’s office – we were completely rumbled.

‘Excuses’ don’t excuse!
There it got scarier. The principal kept doing whatever he was doing, writing apparently. Occasionally he would look up, glare and start writing again. Minutes went by and soon we were perspiring!

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THE CHURCH AT WAR Part 1 – The Early Days

(January 26, 2020) Dr Jim McClure, straight shooting theologian, shares a sobering reminder…

Around 67 AD the Apostle Paul was in a Roman prison awaiting execution under the order of the Roman emperor Nero who intensely hated Christians. As Paul waited for the sentence to be carried out, he wrote to Timothy, ‘The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith’ (2 Timothy 4:6-7).

About ten years earlier Paul had written a letter to the Christians living in Rome. In it he wrote, ‘First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world’ (Romans 1:8).

How amazing it is that within about 25 years from the resurrection of Jesus the ‘Good News’ of his saving love and his gifts of forgiveness and eternal life had spread ‘all over the world.’ There were Christians even in Rome!

 

Without the help of mass evangelistic rallies and without the modern aids of radio, television and Facebook or Gmail the Christian gospel spread like a fire by ordinary Christian men and women by the simple and effective method of personal witnessing. (more…)