warnings

SOME THINGS I ‘ADMIRE’ ABOUT THE DEVIL

(August 20, 2022) Richard Winter really grabs our attention with this title!

Well, with that title I better get straight to the point before some reader thinks I’ve lost the plot!

Firstly there are two things the devil and I have in common:

(i) He hates me!
(ii) I hate him!

That said, kindly bear with me and hear me out (noting that I’ve used quotes around that verb ‘admire’). There are some things that the devil consistently does that I can only wish God’s children would do in their testimony and service for the Lord.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to glorify the devil! But I’m going to use him as an example to challenge Christians.

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THE MAJOR OFFENCE OF MOVING GOD’S BOUNDARIES

(November 30, 2021) Dr Jim McClure, noted theologian, shares a warning …

Can you imagine what your attitude would be if you went on a short holiday and returned to find that your next-door neighbour had expanded his block of land by moving the fence separating his property from yours?

You would not be at all pleased! Your relationship with your neighbour would become hostile and significant personal and legal argument would begin!

Fences are ‘landmarks’ that determine limitations and if they are ignored the consequences can be quite severe at many levels.

When the Israelites entered the Promised Land following their wandering in the wilderness, God assigned particular areas to each tribe and an allocation of land was made to each family. The boundaries of the land were marked by stones that were required to be recognised and respected. To move or remove those stones was a major offence.

In the Old Testament we are told that such boundaries established by God were definitely not to be violated. This was such a serious injunction and it is mentioned in a number of passages in the Old Testament (for example, Deuteronomy 19:14, Deuteronomy 27:17, Proverbs 23:10, Hosea 5:10).

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MEMORIES…

(October 17, 2021) Maureen McQuillan recalls some fond life memories…

‘Oh no. Not that “Memories are made of this: The sweet, sweet memories you’ve given me” song again! Not Perry Como again, Bonnie!’

How many times, so long ago, Robert or I would jokingly exclaim this to our precious granddaughter, Bonnie-Jane when she was so little. And not only when she was so very young and tiny, but for many years to come. Of course we really liked Perry Como and his excellent music and delightful, clean-cut TV shows, especially the Christmas ones where he’d go to different parts of the world.

But let me share what would happen regarding our collection of CDs…

At some point little Bonnie had really taken to Perry Como and worked out how to get into our CDs drawer, and locate our Perry Como disc – and had cleverly worked put it on the player and would listen to it as she played with her toys. Every time she visited us, especially when she stayed over, all we would hear was Perry Como! And this would go on for some years! To our delight of course! And she would giggle when we exclaimed, ‘Not Perry Como again, Bonnie!’

Yes, Bonnie-Jane has given us many, many sweet, sweet memories, in various ways (as did Wendy her mother and now her own daughter, Avaleigh Grace, our cute little great-grandaughter).

Location memories
Sweet, sweet memories are precious, such as those of places one has been and enjoyed. And memories not only of places but of people and incidents. No doubt you can recall many yourself.

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WELL-INTENTIONED DRAGONS – THE CHURCH’S REAL BEAUTIES AND BEASTS

stuasrt-reynolds(February 17, 2017) Stuart Reynolds brings a timely warning and challenge to newly appointed shepherds of the flock …

The 2017 version of Disney’s popular romantic fantasy Beauty and the Beast is released next month. But – hey churches, and newly appointed pastors, are you aware of a beauty and beast in your church, maybe even more than one? They’re real, not a fantasy or so romantic, in many a church!

We train pastors to look after the people in the church – absolutely right! – but when are churches ever trained in how to look after their pastors, to help guard them, especially from dangers within their very own congregation?

The apostle John expressed a concern in his third letter about something that still occurs in some churches today, one that newly appointed pastors must be aware of!

‘Diotrephes, who loves being in charge, denigrates my counsel. If I come to you, you can be sure I’ll hold him to account for spreading vicious rumours about us. As if that weren’t bad enough, he not only refuses hospitality to travelling Christians but tries to stop others from welcoming them. Worse yet, instead of inviting them in he throws them out’ (3 John 1: 9-10 Message).

Diotrephes types today
Churches, and especially newly appointed pastors, need to be aware that there are Diotrephes types – well-intentioned dragons in their midst! (more…)

BEHIND EVERY MAN, THERE’S A SMART WOMAN!

Dr Robert & Maureen (2)(January 26, 2017) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share a timely reminder…

Several years before the Afghan conflict, 20/20’s Barbara Walters did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan. She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands. On a later revisit she observed that women still walked behind their husbands.

Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, Afghani women still maintained the old custom. Approaching one she asked, ‘Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?’

The woman looked her straight in the eye, and without hesitation said, ‘Land mines.’

Moral (no matter what language you speak or where you go): Behind every man, there’s a smart woman!

A great wife is still a man’s greatest asset!
Every guy should know this and fully appreciate his wife, give God thanks for her and pray for her regularly. Proverbs 31:10-31 Mge is still a great read! (more…)

LIVING THE SPIRIT-CENTRED CREATIVE LIFE (May 9, 2016)

Brian Bell 2016Brian Bell considers Paul’s guidance in Galatians …

Perhaps one of the more difficult issues in life to deal with is that of relationships. Just not human ones but what about our Jesus-centred relationship?

In Galatians 5 Paul highlighted the differences between the ‘fruit’ of living in the flesh and the Spirit. So in chapter 6 he continues that theme in terms of application.

A life of new traits
These first three verses of Galatians 6 relate to our speech and attitude. We need to remind ourselves that Paul is not speaking to people who don’t know the Lord; rather to fellow believers – even though we may regard the ‘church’ as being in its infancy at the time. (more…)

CARNAL CHRISTIANITY

Jim McClureDr Jim McClure, noted theologian, shares concernedly about counterfeit Christianity …

In using the phrase ‘carnal Christianity’ I am not here referring to the life-style practices of those Christians who flout biblical moral principles, but to the behaviour of many Christians who, while apparently reflecting a depth of spirituality, in reality express a carnal form of Christianity!

Let’s explore this further. (more…)