DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY– PERSEVERANCE.

Theologian John Calvin was afflicted with rheumatism and migraine headaches. Yet he preached, wrote books, and governed Geneva, Switzerland, for 25 years. - Source Unknown.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Heb 12:1-2.

Imagine that you are a world-class concert pianist at the peak of your career, someone who has spent years studying and practicing to develop your art. Your fingers respond instantly to your mental commands, flitting along the keyboard with grace and speed. Then one day you feel a stiffness that wasn't there before. You go to a doctor, tests are done, and the diagnosis comes back: Arthritis. Your fingers are destined to become wooden and crippled. From the heights of success and acclaim you will plunge to oblivion.

It happened to Byron Janis. Within a short time this concert pianist saw arthritis quickly spread to all his fingers, and the joints of nine of them fused. Some people would have never recovered from such a blow, but Janis decided to fight back. He kept his ailment a secret from all but his wife and two close friends. He worked long hours to change his technique. He learned how to use what strengths he had instead of concentrating on his weaknesses. He also used a regimen of medications, acupuncture, ultrasound, and even hypnosis to deal with the pain. His wife learned how to give him therapeutic massages to loosen his stiff joints.

Through hard work and sheer determination, Janis was able to continue his career. He maintained a full concert schedule for 12 years without anyone suspecting. Finally, he told the world at a White House concert in 1985. These days, he is active in fund-raising for the Arthritis Foundation and still plays the piano. He credits faith, and hope, and will for his success and says, "I have arthritis, but it doesn't have me." - Bits and Pieces.

On March 6, 1987, Eamon Coughlan, the Irish world record holder at 1500 meters, was running in a qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. With two and a half laps left, he was tripped. He fell, but he got up and with great effort managed to catch the leaders. With only 20 yards left in the race, he was in third place -- good enough to qualify for the finals. He looked over his shoulder to the inside, and, seeing no one, he let up. But another runner, charging hard on the outside, passed Coughlan a yard before the finish, thus eliminating him from the finals.

Coughlan's great comeback effort was rendered worthless by taking his eyes off the finish line. It's tempting to let up when the sights around us look favorable. But we finish well in the Christian race only when we fix our eyes on the goal: Jesus Christ. - Source Unknown.

During the Vietnam War the Texas Computer millionaire, H. Ross Perot decided he would give a Christmas present to every American prisoner of war in Vietnam. According to David Frost, who tells the story, Perot had thousands of packages wrapped and prepared for shipping. He chartered a fleet of Boeing 707s to deliver them to Hanoi, but the war was at its height, and the Hanoi government said it would refuse to cooperate. No charity was possible, officials explained, while American bombers were devastating Vietnamese villages.

The wealthy Perot offered to hire an American construction firm to help rebuild what Americans had knocked down. The government still wouldn't cooperate. Christmas drew near, and the packages were unsent. Refusing to give up, Perot finally took off in his chartered fleet and flew to Moscow, where his aides mailed the packages, one at a time, at the Moscow central post office. They were delivered intact. - Source Unknown.

Have you ever worked to get better at something? If so, you soon realized that the cliché "practice makes perfect" is true.

Olympic Athletes seem to succeed with effortless grace, but their performances aren't as easy as they look. The average Olympian trains four hours a day at least 310 days a year for six years before succeeding. Getting better begins with working out every day. By 7:a.m. most athletes have done more than many people do all day.

How well an athlete performs is often attributed to mental toughness. But performance really depends on physical capacity to do work. That capacity is based on two factors--genetic talent and the quality of the training program.

Good training makes up for some limitations, but most of us will never be Olympians no matter how hard we work. We haven't inherited the right combination of endurance, potential, speed and muscle. But given equal talent, the better-trained athlete can generally outperform the one who did not give a serious effort, and is usually more confident at the starting block.

The four years before an Olympics, Greg Louganis probably practiced each of his dives 3,000 times.
Kim Zmeskal has probably done every flip in her gymnastics routine at least 20,000 times.
Janet Evans has completed more than 240,000 laps.

Training works, but it isn't easy or simple. Swimmers train an average of 10 miles a day, at speeds of 5 mph in the pool. That might not sound fast, but their heart rates average 160 the entire time. Try running up a flight of stairs, then check your heart rate. Then imagine having to do that for four hours! Marathon runners average 160 miles a week at 10 mph.

Two important training principles must be followed: Progressively increase the amount and intensity of the work. Train specifically. Weightlifters don't run sprints, and basketball players don't swim. - John Troup

How much more, we as Christians, should train and persevere for the sake of the gospel?

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a follower of Christ, who trains and perseveres. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY - OBSTACLES.

Track star Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics, but to get there she had to overcome enormous hurdles. Stricken with scarlet fever at the age of 4, she lost the use of her left leg and had to learn to walk again when she was 7. - Source Unknown.

And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." - Isa 57:14.

Michael A. Guido of Metter, Georgia, columnist of several newspapers writes:
"An artist in Mexico lost his right hand while working on a statue. But he did not give up his work. He learned to carve with his left hand. His beautifully finished masterpiece was called 'In Spite Of.' "

A sound body, a brilliant mind, a cultural background, a huge amount of money, a wonderful education, none of these guarantee success.

Booker T. Washington was born in slavery.
Thomas Edison was deaf. Abraham Lincoln was born of illiterate parents.
Lord Byron had a club foot.
Robert Louis Stevenson had tuberculosis.
Alexander Pope was a hunchback.
Admiral Nelson had only one eye.
Julius Caesar was an epileptic.

But these men made history in spite of their handicaps. And there was Louis Pasteur, so near-sighted that he had a difficult time finding his way in his laboratory without glasses. There was Helen Keller, who could not hear or see, but who graduated with honors from a famous college.

"Got a handicap? Call on the Lord. No problem is too big for Him, or too small. He will make everything 'work together for good' -- if you trust Him."

Surely, Guido understands the nature of the human spirit to overcome all obstacles, and that by the power of God! - Source Unknown.

Johnny Fulton was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It did not look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half- mile in less than two minutes.

Walt Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he did not give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.

Shelly Mann was paralyzed by polio when she was five years old, but she would not give up. She eventually claimed eight different swimming records for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

In 1938, Karoly Takacs, a member of Hungary's world-champion pistol shooting team and sergeant in the army, lost his right hand when a grenade he was holding exploded. But Takacs did not give. up. He learned to shoot left-handed and won gold medals in the 1948 and 1952 Olympics.

Lou Gehrig was such a clumsy ball player that the boys in his neighborhood would not let him play on their team. But he was committed. He did not give up. Eventually, his name was entered into baseball's Hall of Fame.

Woodrow Wilson could not read until he was ten years old. But he was a committed person. He became the twenty-eighth President of the United States.
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At the age of seven, he had to go to work to help support his family. At nine, his mother died. At twenty-two, he lost his job as a store clerk. At twenty-three, he went into debt and became a partner in a small store. At twenty-six, his partner died leaving him a huge debt. By the age of thirty-five, he had been defeated twice when running for a seat in Congress.

At the age of thirty-seven, he won the election. At thirty-nine, he lost his reelection bid. At forty- one, his four-year-old son died. At forty-two, he was rejected for a land officer role. At forty-five, he ran for the Senate and lost. At forty-seven, he was defeated for the nomination for Vice President. At forty-nine, he ran for Senate again and lost again. At the age of fifty-one, he was elected President of the United States. During his second term of office, he was assassinated.

But Abraham Lincoln's name lives on among the greats in U.S. history - Knofel Stanton.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to overcome any obstacle that lies in my path, which would hinder my walk with you, so that I may bring glory to your name. In the wonderful Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – REGENERATION.

If I had a car with the engine that was ready for the grave, I'd have a new engine put in. I'd take the car into a mechanic who would put it in for me. If when I got that car back, it ran just as poorly, I'd begin to wonder if the old really had been replaced or just cleaned up. It is not different with our new lives in Christ. - Henry Eerdmans.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. - Titus 3:4-7.

The new birth or regeneration is an inner recreating of fallen human nature by the Holy Spirit. It changes the disposition from lawless, godless self-seeking into one of trust and love, of repentance for past rebelliousness and unbelief, and loving compliance with God's law henceforth. It enlightens the blinded mind to discern spiritual realities and liberates and energizes the enslaved will for free obedience to God.

The use of the figure of new birth to describe this change emphasizes two facts about it. The first is its decisiveness. The regenerate man has forever ceased to be the man he was; his old life is over and a new life has begun; he is a new creature in Christ, buried with him out of reach of condemnation and raised with him into a new life of righteousness.

The second fact emphasized is that regeneration is due to the free, and to us, mysterious, exercise of divine power. Infants do not induce or cooperate in their own procreation and birth; no more can those who are dead in trespasses and sins prompt the quickening operation of God's Spirit within them. - James Packer.

Rebirth or regeneration is monergistic, not synergistic. It is done by God and by God alone. A dead man cannot cooperate with his resurrection. Lazarus did not cooperate in his resurrection.

Regeneration is a sovereign act of God in which man plays no role. After God brings us to life, of course, we certainly are involved in "cooperating" with Him. We are to believe, trust, obey, and work for him. But unless God acts first, we will never be reborn in the first place.

We must also realize it is not as if dead people have faith, and because of their faith God agrees to regenerate them. Rather, it is because God has regenerated us and given us new life that we have faith. - R.C. Sproul.

Once there was a brier growing in a ditch and there came along a gardener with his spade. As he dug around it and lifted it up the brier said to itself, "What is he doing? Doesn't he know I am a worthless brier?"

But the gardener took it into his garden and planted it amid his flowers, while the brier said, "What a mistake he has made planting me among these beautiful roses."

Then the gardener came once more and made a slit in the brier with his sharp knife. He grafted it with a rose and when summer came lovely roses were blooming on that old brier. Then the gardener said, "Your beauty is not due to what came out but to what I put in." - Source Unknown.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, mould me and shape me that I may reflect Christ in my life at all times. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY - AVAILABLE.

I used to ask God if He would come and help me. Then I asked if I could come and help Him. Finally I ended by asking God to do His own work through me. - J. Hudson Taylor.

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good - Titus 3:1.

While waiting in a cemetery to conduct a funeral service, Charles Simeon walked among the graves, looking at the epitaphs. He found one that arrested him.

When from the dust of death I rise,
To claim my mansion in the skies,
E'en then shall this be all my plea
"Jesus hath lived and died for me."

He was so impressed with that gospel message that he looked for someone in the cemetery with whom he might share it. He saw a young woman, obviously distressed, and called her over to read the epitaph. He took her address and visited her the next day.

The home was a scene of poverty and squalor. The woman's old mother was dying of asthma, and two little children, very dirty, were trying to warm themselves by a small fire. Simeon prayed with the family, visited them again, and found assistance for them.

Later, the young woman told Simeon that she had been in the cemetery five hours and was contemplating suicide when he called her to read the epitaph. Because of his concern she trusted Christ and the family situation was changed. - W. Wiersbe.

Five Loaves and Two Fishes

God uses
what you have
to fill a need which
you never could have filled.

God uses
where you are
to take you where
you never could have gone.

God uses
what you can do
to accomplish what
you never could have done.

God uses
who you are
to let you become who
you never could have been.
- Philip Clarke Brewer

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be available to you at all times, in every way, in every place, that I may share the love of Jesus with everyone I come in contact with, and to bring glory to your name. I ask this in the wonderful and mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – THE LIVING WORD.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. - Hebrews 1:1-2. TNIV

Our God is a speaking God. He loves us and has chosen to get His message to us in words. First there were the patriarchs and great prophets, and then there was the written record in the Scriptures.

But God's greatest message, His most powerful words, were not really words at all, but a person named Jesus of Nazareth, who is Christ and Lord of all. For us, His Church, to be what He wants us to be, we must not just look at Scripture, but we must also look at Him.

He is the key to understanding what Scripture means, and how it is to be lived.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to see the work and purpose of Jesus more clearly. And as I open your word to seek and understand your will, guide me by your Spirit, so that I may know… "What Jesus would do?" In His wonderful and mighty name I pray.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY – A CHEERFUL HEART #35.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

Reverse Polygamy…
A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?"
"Sixteen," the boy responded.
His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly. "How do you know that?"
"Easy," the little boy said. "All you have to do is add it up, like the Bishop said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer"
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Get Your Own…
One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost?"

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the scientist replied, "Okay, great!"

But, God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt."
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Finding Jesus…
A drunk stumbles along a baptismal service on Sunday afternoon down by the river.

He proceeds to walk down into the water and stand next to the preacher. The minister turns and notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?"

The drunk looks back and says, "Yes, Preacher, I sure am."

The minister then dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up. "Have you found Jesus?" the preacher asked. "Nooo, I didn't!" said the drunk.

The preacher then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up and says, "Now, brother, have you found Jesus?" "Noooo, I have not, Reverend."

The preacher in disgust holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him out of the water and says in a harsh tone, "My God, man, have you found Jesus yet?"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"
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SALVATION…
Lord Kenneth Clark, internationally know for his television series Civilization, lived and died without faith in Jesus Christ. He admitted in his autobiography that while visiting a beautiful church he had what he believed to be an overwhelming religious experience.

"My whole being," Clark wrote, "was irradiated by a kind of heavenly joy far more intense than anything I had known before." But the "gloom of grace," as he described it, created a problem. If he allowed himself to be influenced by it, he knew he would have to change, his family might think he had lost his mind, and maybe that intense joy would prove to be an illusion.

So he concluded, "I was too deeply embedded in the world to change course." - Our Daily Bread.
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Professional Painter…
A church congregation sent out requests to all the professional painters listed in their local Yellow Pages, requesting a bid on a price to repaint their church building. Almost all of the painters were within a few dollars of their competition, as expected, with the exception of one well-known, well-established, local company, which had been in business for years and had an excellent reputation in the community. This particular painter's bid was about half of what his competitions had bid, and naturally, was selected by the congregation to do the job.

On the morning the job began, the painter realized that he had underbid the job by 50%! Not wanting to lose the job, he decided to thin the paint out with water, so he would be able to complete the job for the price quoted.

One week later, he received a call from the priest, explaining that after the first rain, half of the paint had washed off the church. The painter returned, looked at the building, and sure enough, the job was ruined. He went inside to pray about the situation, knowing that his business' reputation was on the line. "What can I possibly do, Lord?" prayed the discouraged businessman.

Suddenly, God, in a loud voice from the altar replied, "Repaint, and thin no more!"
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WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – A TRUE SERVANT HEART. The conclusion.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

If you haven’t read Part 5, you can find it here. We conclude with more excerpts from the story of Pastor Tom Whiting who passed away two weeks ago aged 90, and his adventures in Australia…

GOD'S PRESENCE
A leading authority on the Christian workings in China, came to Australia and we had a rally for him on the Gold Coast in the R.S.L. Hall. There were 600 people there. He said to me, "You know brother Whiting, this is the greatest meeting of all the meetings I've had in Australia. There's a sense of the presence of God here." Other A.O.G. Pastors who have paid a visit here, and to the other Pentecostal Churches, have said to me, "You've got a presence in your meetings that's not in other meetings". Individuals of various ages from children upward have had visions of Jesus while other have seen visions of angels.

DRUNK - BUT GOD SOBERED HIM UP
Another feature of the work was the operation of the supernatural. Young criminals and drug addicts were instantly converted and delivered from drugs. I have seen a retired police officer who had been drinking all day fully drunk at quarter to ten at night when I met him. He was blind drunk; his wife had left him and had taken half the furniture so I said to him, "It's a waste of my time talking to you. You're so drunk you wouldn't understand and anything - what you need is a miracle". "Yes", he said, "What I need is a miracle", and he fell on his knees.

That surprised me so I fell on my knees beside him and I said, "Give me your hand" and I began to pray for him. As I began to pray I knew something was happening and so I opened my eyes and he was looking around the room. God had sobered him, and he said to me, "I'm sober". I said, "Yes, you are", and he stood up amazed that he was sober. I got up and he crushed me almost to death with gratitude. God healed him. The next day he was mowing the grass and the neighbours said to him, "What are you doing mowing the grass?" Because he couldn't use the mower. "Oh!", he said "Pastor Whiting prayed for me and I got healed."

FRONT PAGE HEADLINES - FACE HEALED
Another healing involved a man's face being straightened. This appeared on the front page of the Gold Coast Bulletin. He was a drug addict and he was liable to drop dead any time because he had a bullet in his head and it was moving around. He left the specialist who said that the bullet was nearing his brain which frightened him. A converted drug addict suggested that he see me so she rang me and I saw him. A photograph proves that God healed his face once twisted, and now straight. That was on the front page of the Bulletin.

DRUGGIES HAVE VISION OF JESUS
Two drug addicts claim they've had a vision of Jesus when I prayed for them. Drug addicts, young criminals, they said, "When you laid your hand on my head and prayed for I was hit with a brilliant light", "A darkness rolled away", and, "A light shone within me". That was a characteristic of the church.

REST AND RENEWAL CENTRE FOR MISSIONARIES, PASTORS, AND CHRISTIAN WORKERS
I was the Director of a company with Mrs. Rosa MacDonald and she had some money and she was looking for a place to build as holiday home for pastors, missionaries, families and under-privileged individuals. We got in touch with the Gold Coast City Council. The Mayor knew me personally because he used to be our church solicitor and I had worked with him in Court cases.

We were allocated a lease on three acres of land. So the holiday home went up. A house and a set of units were built on this property and missionaries from many countries come for rest and renewal. Many pastors and families enjoy holidaying at this centre which is called Bethel Haven.

GIFT OF A MILLION DOLLAR BUILDING
We wanted a hall and chapel at Bethel Haven. I read in the newspaper that a high rise building had built a replica of a unit on Council land without permission and that it had to be moved. It was being offered free. I went down to have a look at it, and it was a nice building 90 x 70 - too big I thought. I thought and I meditated.

I laid my hands on it and I said, "Heavenly Father subject to no problem, impediment or your intervention, if it's possible you can do it and if it's possible let us have this property in Jesus' name". It cost $1.2 million to erect that building and 24 or 26 organizations applied for it. It was given to us at no cost. It cost us $31,000 to move it.

PIONEERING IN MY EIGHTIES
I said, "I'll go out there and pioneer a new church." I handed over the Southport Church to my eldest son Stephen who was the Co-founder. When I decided to do this my other son, Phillip came and joined me in establishing a new Assembly of God in the Chapel at Bethel Haven, Arundel. We have named this new church, New Life Centre Arundel.

In New Life Centre at Arundel the new Assembly of God Church I am pioneering in my 80’s, we had claims that people have seen Jesus and angles. A lady said that she heard an angel singing. She wanted to know who that woman who was singing in the congregation was. It was a quiet time when she heard this singing and of course everyone told her, “But nobody was singing”. Then she came to the conclusion that it must have been an angel because she had never heard singing like that before.

Another lady who was sent to me because of evil spirits in her life, was set free, and she claimed that at ten o’clock one night she heard the heavenly choir singing in her house.

The congregation is growing and amongst them are the sick who have been healed and those with problems set free. At least 12 individuals troubled with evil spirits have been set free. Amen.

I have really enjoyed posting these excerpts from Pastor Tom’s booklet. What a wonderful servant of God that he was, and there is no denying that he was a ‘man of the Spirit.’ Again, it just brings home to us the message, that we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, and not on our own power.

Should you wish to order a copy of the booklet and a 2 CD set of Pastor Tom’s interview with Don Gillespie, where most of the material for the booklet came from, then please send an email to… admin@newlifeworshipcentre.com

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY – A TRUE SERVANT HEART. Part 5.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

If you haven’t read Part 4, you can find it here. We continue with more excerpts from the story of Pastor Tom Whiting who passed away two weeks ago aged 90, and his adventures in Australia…

CAST REMOVED - HEALED
We experienced many interesting events during the time we were using the CWA Hall. Many people were saved and/or healed in that place. One of the earliest members of the church was miraculously healed in one of our meetings. She was suffering from a progressive disease which had already affected her left arm, at that time in a plaster cast. I prayed for the healing of the disease. She was so convinced that she had been healed that she had the cast removed, contrary to the doctor's advice. When she was examined it proved that she had in fact had a complete healing, which has lasted more than 30 years.

THE MASONIC HALL - CONSECRATED TO GOD
During the 1960's it was evident that we had outgrown the CWA Hall and we needed to find a bigger building, preferably nearby. I heard of the Masonic Hall, also in Nerang Street, part of which had become empty, and I investigated the possibility of that becoming our new venue. The place was quite shabby but I felt it would serve the purpose for a while at least. We rented it on a weekly basis and moved in.

Each week I had to go in early to sweep out and deodorize the rooms, which smelt strongly of beer and tobacco smoke. In spite of its shabbiness God moved powerfully in that building during the meetings. Many people have asked me over the years if I had any spiritual problems with establishing a church in a Masonic Hall, but my answer was that each time I went into the building I took over, and all evil spirits had to leave, as it was consecrated to God.

GOD IS IN THE HOUSE
Not long after we moved in, after the morning service, a lady stopped me to ask if she may talk with me. She told me that she had been a Christian for many years and had been a member of a church for 20 years in one of the cleanest, most fashionable church buildings. She continued, "Then I came into this dilapidated place, look at the state of the walls. But do you know, I have felt the presence of God here in this building, amongst all the beer bottles, for the first time in my life!"

MINISTRY TO DRUG USERS
During these times in the Masonic Hall, a young man call John Dunmore came to me, he was a heroin addict and a drug pusher heavily involved in the criminal scene in Melbourne. He had been to both the morning and evening services in the Masonic Hall, but left the building in a hurry afterwards. He then came back to speak with me. He said that he wanted to become a Christian but something was stopping him. I asked him if he was prepared to accept that the Holy Bible was of God, that Jesus was God's Son, that He had died on the Cross for him and rose again.

I told him that I did not expect him to understand the Bible or how or why Jesus rose again. I asked him if he was prepared to accept these things? He replied that he was. He followed me out into the rear yard where the empty barrels and bottles were stored, and I led him in the sinners prayer. John Dunmore went on to become a preacher of the Word, and is still in the Ministry. An account of his deliverance was published in the Gold Coast Bulletin, on 22nd June 1977.

RETARDED CHILD HEALED
Another God moment which is worth recording concerned the healing of a young girl whom I prayed for at the Church. A mother brought her forward for prayer, her little girl who was retarded and went to a special school for similarly afflicted children. I laid my hands on her head and prayed that, "the organ of her reasoning would be opened".

Four days later the Principal of the school rang the child's mother to say, "she and the staff could not understand and what had happened to the child. Last week she was considered mentally retarded whereas now she appeared to be perfectly normal". The mother replied that she knew what had happened, and explained to the Principal that the Pastor of her church had prayed for her healing. Hallelujah!

SET FREE FROM GAMBLING
Another prominent man, this time an underworld gambler, came to one evening service, gave his heart to the Lord Jesus and was immediately set free from gambling. The following week his gambling friends contacted him to tell him of a big card game that was being held somewhere, and he was invited to attend. The man told his friend that he was sorry that he could not come because he had given his life to Jesus. Even though they pleaded with him he refused.

THE EVANGELISTIC CENTRE
The work was growing - the church group was growing, and the camp was growing. An area was needed to build the church, so I went to the leading estate agents on the Gold Coast and enquired about an acre of ground. You'll never get your acre of ground around here". I told them, "Sir, my Father is in charge of business and I'll get my acre of ground. Good day". With my son Phillip's help we found an acre of ground which Glad Tidings Tabernacle Church purchased on our behalf. Phillip was asked to build the church. We had a number of donations and grants and the building was paid off in a very short time.

NEWSPAPERS
Having favour with reporters in Christchurch I learnt the technique of reporting and so on, and so I followed that through here and had a lot of publicity on the Gold Coast. One staff member of the Gold Coast heard a reporter say that he couldn't understand what I said about people speaking in languages they had never learned. He was writing an article on the churches on the Gold Coast, and he said, "I can't believe that". The chairman and the editor and the sub-editor said if Pastor Whiting says it we publish it. I used to supply them with important items, events and with stories of human interest and one was "A Magpie Paying for its Meals."

I was asked to visit an alcoholic who was a professing Christian, her husband was a greyhound dog owner and racer, and he said to me one day, "You know Pastor Whiting, it is commonly recognised you are the only man that can solve certain problems on the Gold Coast". If there was anything dealing with the occult the newspaper would appoint a reporter who would contact me for my views on it, and so the publicity we had helped the church along, and the publicity would deal with healings, conversions and stories of human interest.

As we reach our conclusion tomorrow, there are more great adventures stories from Pastor Tom, and how he experienced the supernatural power of God on the Gold Coast, and his planting of a new church in his eighties. Don’t miss it!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – A TRUE SERVANT HEART. Part 4.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

If you haven’t read Part 3, you can find it here. We continue with more excerpts from of the story of Pastor Tom Whiting who passed away last week aged 90, and his adventures in Australia…

GOLD COAST
In June 1965, we arrived from the Toowoomba Assembly of God to follow the leading of the Lord to bring the Pentecostal Message to the Gold Coast. It was a bold step of faith, leaving a large established church, with a salary and manse to come to a new area as a Pioneer-Evangelist.

GOD'S PROMISE OF "A WIDOW WOMAN"
When we came to the Gold Coast to pioneer, God promised "that a widow woman would sustain us". Within days of coming to the coast Sister Dorothy O'Dowd and I made contact with each other. This sister in whose home was held the first cottage meeting literally fulfilled that promise to us.

C.W.A. HALL
In August 1965, I hired the CWA Hall in Nerang Street where five souls gathered for the first official meeting of the Southport A.O.G. and five children attended the first Sunday School of the church.

OUTREACH
I formed a Boy's Club at Burleigh, a Youth Club at Gilston, a club for girls at Burleigh, all of which were serviced and run from the Convention Centre. My son, Stephen, formed a group of musicians who performed on the beach at Burleigh Heads which proved a very popular and effective outreach. I was also able to obtain the free use of a bar in the Chevron Hotel in Surfers Paradise in which we held Christian outreach meetings during the Christmas holidays. On other occasions we held meetings in the Southport Cinema in Nerang Street where Gerald Rowlands and I preached evangelistic messages resulting in several people becoming saved.

Another method which I used to try to reach the people with the message of salvation was by teaming up with a young Dutchman, John Pasterkamp, who had a portable generator and a film projector with which we showed Christian films in the streets of Southport and Coolangatta.

I branched out into Mudgeeraba, by using a "door knock" with the youth to invite people to come to meetings. We extended over the border into New South Wales, beyond Byron Bay, preaching the Gospel each Wednesday night until eventually we were able to form a church of 30 members which I later handed over to another pastor. All these areas had hitherto been untouched by the A.O.G. church, and most of the population had never had any experience of the Pentecostal style of service.

EXECUTIVE POSITIONS
At that time not only was the Convention Centre becoming very busy, but my work in the local area with outreaches was growing considerably. In addition to that I held the offices of Superintendent of Queensland A.O.G., Vice-Chairman of the A.O.G. in Australia, a lecturer at the Commonwealth Bible College, Chairman of the College Directorate, Secretary for Home Missions and on the Overseas Missions Board, all of which resulted in a very heavy work load.

I was going to be invited to stand as the next Superintendent of the AOG in Australia, and I sought God to know what I should do about this and the correct direction for my work. He spoke very clearly to me and told me that it was not His will that I should be the Superintendent of the A.O.G. I thanked Him and took steps immediately to resign from that office.

GOD SPEAKS TO ME - "I WILL DO SOMETHING FOR YOU"
One day while working with a pick and shovel repairing one of the roads within the camp I stopped, straightened up to ease my back, when I thought I sensed the presence of Jesus near a big tree close by. I looked over, but did not see anyone, although I was confident He was there. I felt a little disappointed, but four or five minutes later I heard a voice. It said very clearly, "There was a time that you did something for Me, now I am going to do something for you".

Immediately, I thought back to London to the time when God told me to go to New Zealand twenty-one years earlier, how we sold our furniture and trusted Him totally all the way. We had no money, all I could do was look, and find out what house prices were at that time.

One day as Violet was doing the laundry I told her not to do any more washing as we were going out to look for a house. Within four hours of the Lord telling me to go and look for a house we had signed the contract to purchase it. A brother had offered $1,000 for a deposit. We had no money for solicitors fees, but we received gifts from various individuals which covered all the legal expenses thereby incurred. The purchase of that house enabled us to move out of the camp, where we had lived for five years or so, into the centre of Southport, which seemed to be the new focal point of our ministry.

COVERING THE GOLD COAST
During the period we lived at the Burleigh Convention Centre I was running the church at the C.W.A. Hall in Nerang Street in Southport, I also had other halls hired on a weekly basis for very low rentals. At one stage I have five halls in various places, so that if we needed a venue for any particular reason we always had somewhere to go, for at that time it was often difficult to hire suitable accommodation at short notice. In December 1965 my son Stephen and his wife Jeanette joined us at the church.

In Part 5 tomorrow, there is more adventures stories from Pastor Tom, and how he experiences the power of God on the Gold Coast, and much more. Don’t miss it!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY – A TRUE SERVANT HEART. Part 3.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

If you haven’t read Part 1 & Part 2, you can find them here, and here. We continue with more excerpts from the story of Pastor Tom Whiting who passed away last week aged 90, and his adventures in Australia…

AUSTRALIA
I felt a burden to leave New Zealand while I was still the Pastor of the Christchurch A.O.G. At that time, I was also the National Superintendent, the Foreign Missions Promoter and Home Missions Promoter. After much prayer I gave three months notice to resign my Pastorate of the church, but continued with all the other work. My resignation from the church at Christchurch also meant that we would have to move out of the manse, therefore all our personal effects were packed to be forwarded to Auckland where we expected we should live.

THE LAND IS BEFORE YOU
In the meantime, I had been invited by the late James Wallace to be the guest speaker together with Pastor Gerald Rowlands at the Christmas Camp held at the Burleigh Convention Centre on the Gold Coast in Australia. Violet and I flew over to Brisbane and arrived later at the Convention Centre. After one of the services, being troubled in my spirit, I went into my chalet to pray. While I was there, I felt that the Lord said to me, "The land is before you". As I began to consider these words I felt that someone would be seeking me out with some kind of invitation to stay in Australia.

After waiting two or three days, a minister came up to me and said that he had been appointed by the Assembly of God in Toowoomba in Queensland to invite me to become its Pastor. I took note of various events as a signal from God that my time in New Zealand was over. Our boxes of personal effects were by this time in Auckland; therefore all that had to be done was to change the labels to direct them to Toowoomba. It was then necessary to find a successor to me at my old church. At my request the name Pastor Ralph Reed from Australia was presented and he was subsequently appointed and installed as Pastor of Christchurch A.O.G.

TRANS-TASMAN MINISTRY INTERCHANGE
That move opened the way for a regular interchange of Australian pastors into New Zealand and vice versa, which led to many well-known names including Lloyd Averill, Frank Houston, Trevor Chandler, Bob Midgley and others to make the trans-Tasman journey.

BRITISH MINISTRIES COME TO AUSTRALIA
As well as James Wallace, other British preachers have contributed to the Australian AOG. Tom Wilson, Vernon Kinkad, Gerald Rowlands, Bryn Barratt, Aaeron Morgan, etc.

FULFILLED EIGHTEEN YEARS LATER
As I was considering the move from one country I was reminded of something I mentioned to Violet one day soon after our marriage in 1941, as we were having a meal together. Turning to her at the table I said, "There is something in my spirit conflicting with something in my mind. I feel the pull towards Australia". It was eighteen years later that I remembered that incident.

RADIO MINISTRY
The church in Toowoomba ventured into radio and we were running two programs each Sunday. In the morning we had a children's program on which my daughter-in-law, Jeanette spoke to the young people. Then in the evening I would speak on a current topic relating it to the Bible.

HOLY GHOST CONVENTIONS
We have incredible camp meetings at our camp site at the foot of the Toowoomba Range. Hundreds of children, youth and adults were blessed in these Holy Spirit conventions.

STIRRING TO PIONEER
While I was in Toowoomba, I had a feeling in my spirit to pioneer a new area, completely without any Pentecostal churches or witnesses. On Wednesday night at 10.00 pm while I was in bed I said to Violet, "I wonder if the Gold Coast Burleigh Convention Centre is available as a base for home missions". On Saturday afternoon of that same week I was ministering to the Pastors and Leaders of the Glad Tidings Tabernacle Church in Brisbane.

Glad Tidings owned the Burleigh Convention Centre, and after the service, the Pastor of the Church, Lloyd Averill, came to me to .tell me of a decision made by the committee which ran the Burleigh Centre. He said, "They have made a revolutionary decision which has amazed us, they have agreed to open the camp as a base for home missions, and that they were looking for someone to run it". He invited me to think about it, which I agreed to do, eventually deciding to investigate the offer further.

I met with the Camp Committee to find out the details of what was involved. The grounds had to be cared for, I would have to provide the meals for the people, run the whole campus, attend to the maintenance of the buildings and equipment, in fact anything that was required to be done. For this I would be paid a weekly salary of £12 pounds.

In Part 4 tomorrow, there is more adventures stories from Pastor Tom, and how he eventually ended up on the Gold Coast and much more, don’t miss it!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – AS CHRISTIANS, OUR BEST DAYS ARE UP AHEAD!

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. - Romans 8:22-23.

Life can be very difficult at times. Anyone who has lived long knows this.

At the same time, even our worst nightmares are staging periods for our great redemption. Our loneliest moments are the waiting room for our final adoption into the very presence and family of the King of Ages. With the Spirit living inside us, we are assured of the ultimate destination of our lives, no matter where the current scene in life's drama places us.

So let's live as those who are assured of their final destination but have not yet finally arrived, and not as those who have made their home, and placed their hope in what is present. Our best days lie ahead!

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, bless me with courage today so that I can face whatever obstacle may lie in my path, and give me the spirituality to do so with grace, dignity, and integrity, so that others may see my character and bring you glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY – A CHEERFUL HEART #34.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

Sudden Death …
A Bible study group was discussing the unforeseen possibility of sudden death. "We will all die some day," the leader of the discussion said, "and none of us really knows when, but if we did we would all do a better job of preparing ourselves for that inevitable event." Everybody nodded their heads in agreement with this comment.

"What would you do if you knew you only had 4 weeks of life remaining before your death, before your Great Judgment Day?" the leader asked the group.

"For those 4 weeks, I would go out into my community and minister the Gospel to those that have not yet accepted Jesus into their lives," one gentleman said. "A very admirable thing to do," said the group leader. And all the group members agreed that would be a very good thing to do.

"For those 4 weeks, I would dedicate all of my remaining time to serving my family, my church, and my fellow man with a greater conviction," one lady said, enthusiastically. "That's wonderful!" the group leader commented, and all the group members agreed that would be a very good thing to do.

One gentleman in the back finally spoke up loudly. "For those 4 weeks, I would travel throughout the United States with my wife and mother-in-law in a Ford Escort, and stay in a Motel 6 every night." Everyone was puzzled by his answer. "Why would you do that?" the group leader asked.

"Because," the man smiled sarcastically, "it would be the longest 4 weeks of my life."
-------------------
Stuffed Pockets…
A small boy stunned his parents after church one Sunday when he began to empty his pockets of nickels, dimes and quarters.

Finally his mother asked the obvious question, "Where did you get all that money?"

"At Sunday school," the boy replied nonchalantly. "They have bowls of it."
--------------------
Johnny's Dust…
After church, Johnny tells his parents he has to go and talk to the minister right away. They agree and the pastor greets the family.

"Pastor," Johnny says, "I heard you say today that our bodies came from the dust." "That's right, Johnny, I did."

"And I heard you say that when we die, our bodies go back to dust." "Yes, I'm glad you were listening. Why do you ask?"

“Well you better come over to our house right away and look under my bed ‘cause there’s someone either comin’ or goin’!”
-------------------
John 3:16…
A little boy was selling newspapers outside the corner store. He was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell too many papers. As he was about to leave, he walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you? You see, I sleep in a box down the alley over there, and it's awful cold tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."

The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down Main Street to that big white house with the veranda’s out front and knock on the door. When they come out you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in." So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son."

She took him in and she sat him down in a rocking chair in front of a big old fireplace, and she went out through a door. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes a cold boy warm. Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry?" He said, "Well, just a little Ma'am. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a bit of food,"

The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.

She took him upstairs to a bathroom where there was a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16... I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant when they flushed it out.

The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.

The next morning, the lady came back up and took him down again to the kitchen and a big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same old rocking chair in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face. She gently asked: "Do you understand John 3:16?" and he replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it,"

She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus. Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to the Lord. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.

“You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.”

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY - A TRUE SERVANT OF GOD. Part 2.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

In Part 1, I shared that I am posting excerpts from a small booklet that each person was given at the funeral service of Pastor Tom, aged 90. Here are some more…

HOWARD CARTER PROPHECY
In 1947, Howard Carter, the great English preacher, knelt at the side of our communion table and prophesied over me. These prophetic words have seen their fulfillment in my life and ministry.

During ten years of fruitful ministry in the West London District (England) of which I served as Chairman, I felt the leading of the Holy Spirit causing me to make myself available to travel around the world to minister.

VISION OF NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER
Early in 1949, I was waiting on God when I had a vision of a New Zealand soldier with his hat turned up on one side. The Spirit of God burdened my heart about New Zealand. At the same time Donald Gee and John Carter received a letter from New Zealand asking them if they could recommend a young Pastor to go to that country.

About six weeks later, I was in a Ministers meeting of the Assemblies of God in London when I literally bumped into John Carter. He drew me to one side and said, "Brother Whiting, I want to see you. Have you ever thought of going overseas?"

John Carter went on to explain that Donald Gee and he had received a letter from New Zealand asking them if they could recommend a young Pastor to go there. Astonished, I explained to him that I had been meaning to write and ask about New Zealand and told him of my vision of the soldier and my understanding that God had burdened my heart for that country. John listened to my story with great interest.

We contacted every shipping firm and agent in London. They all said it was impossible to leave England in less than three years. In April, at the end of six weeks as John had promised I received a letter from the General Secretary of the Assemblies of God which asked me if I had made a decision about going to New Zealand. I told my wife that I was going to pray: I was on my knees for three minutes when God came and shook me. I leapt up from praying and I knew that had to go to New Zealand. I told my wife and we made the following covenant with God:-

l. I would resign from the Church immediately and give them one month's notice.
2. I would not ask anyone for any ministry.
3. I would not tell anyone, or make any announcement from the platform that I was paying our own fares for the four of us. Only my family and very closest friends knew what we were going to do.

Two weeks after I made the Covenant with God, I received a letter from the High Commissioner in New Zealand giving us a 'Priority Passage' and asking us to be ready to sail in eight weeks. Finally, we embarked on the vessel to set sail for New Zealand. God had indeed provided for all our needs.

FIJI MEETINGS
One of the ports of call en route to New Zealand was Suva in Fiji. I was invited to speak at a series of meetings while the ship was in port. At the meetings, the Power of God fell, and many people were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Missionary said that they had not had such powerful meetings on the island for a very long time.

NEW ZEALAND
We eventually arrived in New Zealand at Wellington, where we were met by the secretary of the Church and taken to Littleton after a night on the ferry. The secretary, a small tough Scotsman said that he was the bearer of bad news. The house which the Church had planned for my family and I to live in had been sold and they had to find other accommodation. I replied, "Don't bother about things like that, God has met my needs before". He did and we were soon moving into a brand new house.

During the first year I was there, I built up the work in the children's church until there were about two hundred youngsters involved.

CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD IN NEW ZEALAND
I was elected Chairman of the Assembly of God movement in New Zealand after about twelve months of arriving in the country. This helped me enormously to get to know the other pastors in the organization.

OTHER MINISTRIES COME FROM BRITAIN
I also was able to request from the British Assemblies of God suitable ministry to assist the New Zealand Fellowship. Some of those who came from Britain were Spencer May who became the Principal of the Bible College, Benny Finch served as General Secretary of the Fellowship and also a Lecturer and then Principal of the Bible College. Stan Powell came over and served as pastor. Other visiting ministries from Britain were Smith Wigglesworth, Howard Carter and Willy Burton.

I will continue with Part 3 on Monday 21st August, with more adventures stories from Pastor Tom, and his subsequent call to Australia and much more, don’t miss it!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT WEDNESDAY - A TRUE SERVANT OF GOD. Part 1.

Pastor Tom Whiting 31st January 1916 - 10th August 2006.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' - Mat 25:21.

Yesterday I went to the funeral of an old friend and fellow Pastor, Tom Whiting, who passed on to be with the lord aged 90. He was a wonderful Christian, and of all the people I have ever met, I consider Pastor Tom to be one of the finest. Here are some excerpts from a small booklet that each person was given at the service…

THE WELSH REVIVAL
I was born in Blackwood near Newport, South Wales on 31st January 1916. My Mother, my grandmother, and my aunts were all involved in the Welsh Revival.

I followed my father into the mine, a tradition in the Welsh villages that probably continues even today. In the mine I had to work with the pit horses.

MY CONVERSION
As a result of my mother's prayers, I was invited to attend a Baptist Church to hear a guest speaker. I still have a vivid recollection of the service and of the sermon he preached which was on the "Burning Bush".

A few days later, while walking home from the coal pit at 3.30 pm, I began to think about the statement the preacher had made. So I lifted up my head to heaven and said "God, the preacher says that you are up there. If I will believe that you sent your Son to die on the Cross, and ask you to change me, you will do it. God, I will believe in you, and am willing to believe that your Son died on the Cross. Please change me", I then continued to walk home, and as I did, I felt something had happened within me. A very short while later, on my sixteenth birthday, I was baptized in water in the Baptist Church.

JOINING THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
A week or so after that my mother took me to an Assembly of God Church service held in a small, shabby very dark building called the Ivybush Hall. The lights had to be on, even in the daytime, as all the windows had been completely boarded up. This church group was known by the local people as "The Second-Comers" because they used to preach on the second coming of Christ.

At the second meeting I attended, I felt God speak to the center of my being. He said, "I would like you to join with these believers". That was my commencement of my fellowship with the Assemblies of God and my friendship with the late W.T.H. Richards.

VISION OF THE GLOBE OF THE WORLD
In one of these services Pastor Will Richards experienced a supernatural vision in which he saw a globe of the world and heard the voice of the Lord saying, "The influence of the Oakdale Assembly would encircle the earth". Both myself and Bill Richards felt God's call into full-time ministry.

Together the influence of our ministries has encircled the earth. With W.T.H. Richards, we made the most of every opportunity in the Church and in the community to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. When I was aged sixteen and a half we both preached on one Sunday evening, our joint efforts resulted in a sermon, which lasted for twenty minutes!

TOM MERCY PROPHESIED
At a May Day Rally in 1938, Pastor Tom Mercy of the Crosskeys Assembly said of Billy and myself that we would reach great heights in the ministry.

HOWARD CARTER BIBLE COLLEGE
I was nearing the age of twenty-one when the Pastor of our small Assembly suggested that I should consider enrolling at the Howard Carter Bible College in North London. He said that the Church would pay my train fare to London and the first four weeks of the College fees. After that I would have to trust God for money to pay for the remainder.
In January 1937, on the weekend of my twenty-first birthday, I left the coal pit for the pulpit. I was appointed Assistant Minister of the Howard Carter Bible College Church.

My life was impacted by various leading ministries including, Howard Carter, Harold Horton, Smith Wigglesworth, Donald Gee, David Powell and many others. Together with the other young men, I was prayed over with a prayer of Ordination. When I left the Bible College I went to assist one of the ministers for three months at Hammersmith where we were overseeing two churches between us.

HOUNSLOW
It was in January 1939 when I became Pastor of my first church at Hounslow Assembly of God in West London, as a single young man nearing my twenty-third birthday. The outbreak of war came shortly after. I worked on the premise that even though I was exempt from war service because I was a Minister, I ran my life with the same commitment and by the same code that was imposed upon service men.

MARRIAGE TO VIOLET HEWSON
It was about five years after I entered the Ministry that I married Violet Hewson in Folkestone on Boxing Day 1941. Violet also came from a Christian family, her father was a Deacon in the local Baptist Church. Her mother was a Pentecostal, being the only convert at a Stephen Jefferies crusade held in Folkestone.

In part 2 tomorrow, stories from pastor Tom doing the work of an evangelist on the streets and much more, don’t miss it!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to be a Godly influence to those around me, and to those I meet in my day to day life, just as Pastor Tom was. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT TUESDAY – Now Here is The Good News!

A.B. Simpson is reported to have said that the gospel…

"Tells rebellious men that God is reconciled, that justice is satisfied, that sin has been atoned for, that the judgment of the guilty may be revoked, the condemnation of the sinner cancelled, the curse of the Law blotted out, the gates of hell closed, the portals of heaven opened wide, the power of sin subdued, the guilty conscience healed, the broken heart comforted, the sorrow and misery of the Fall undone. - M. Cocoris.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. - Mat 9:35.

Whenever we turn on the Television or the radio today, it’s all inevitably bad news. Or when some is facing a problem etc; it’s always bad news.

But when we read about Jesus and his Gospel, and if we receive Him as our Lord and Saviour, then it all becomes good news. Why? Because that’s the secret of the Kingdom of God… good news in a bad news world. Hallelujah! Jesus has the good news to all of mankind’s problems.

The strongest argument for the Gospel of Christ is the personal testimony of someone whose life has been changed by it.

Charles Bradlaugh, an avowed infidel, once challenged the Rev. H.P. Hughes to a debate. The preacher, who was head of a rescue mission in London, England, accepted the challenge with the condition that he could bring with him 100 men and women who would tell what had happened in their lives since trusting Christ as their Savior.

They would be people who once lived in deep sin, some having come from poverty-stricken homes caused by the vices of their parents. Hughes said they would not only tell of their conversion, but would submit to cross-examination by any who doubted their stories.

Furthermore, the minister invited his opponent to bring a group of non-believers who could tell how they were helped by their lack of faith. When the appointed day arrived, the preacher came, accompanied by 100 transformed persons. But Bradlaugh never showed up.

The result? The meeting turned into a testimony time and many sinners who had gathered to hear the scheduled debate were converted. - Source Unknown.

Bob Woods tells the story of a couple who took their son, 11, and daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns. As always, when the tour reached the deepest point in the cavern, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth's surface. The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, was frightened and began to cry. Immediately was heard the voice of her brother: "Don't cry. Somebody here knows how to turn on the lights."

In a real sense, that is the message of the gospel: light is available, even when darkness seems overwhelming. - Pulpit Digest.

WHY NOT SATURATE YOUR WORLD, WITH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to share the good news of my lord and Saviour Jesus, in a bad news world. I ask this in His wonderful name, and for His glory. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT MONDAY – HONEST AND TRUTHFUL.

The first governor-general of Australia was a man by the name of Lord Hopetoun. One of his most cherished possessions was a 300 year old ledger he had inherited from John Hope, one of his ancestors. Hope had owned a business in Edinburgh, where he first used this old ledger. When Lord Hopetoun received it, he noticed that it had inscribed on its front page this prayer, "O Lord, keep me and this book honest!" - Source Unknown.

You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord. - Eph 5:8-10.

Last winter, a lowly paid waiter in a major city found a briefcase containing cash and negotiables in a parking lot, and no owner in sight. No one saw the waiter find it and put it in his car in the wee hours of the morning.

But for the waiter, there was never any question of what to do. He took the briefcase home, opened it, and searched for the owner's identity. The next day he made a few phone calls, located the distressed owner, and returned the briefcase--along with the $25,000 cash it contained!

The surprising thing about this episode was the ridicule the waiter experienced at the hands of his friends and peers. For the next week or so he was called a variety of names and laughed at, all because he possessed a quality the Bible holds in high regard: integrity. - Today in the Word.

A woman's red station wagon was crushed by an elephant at a circus. The owners of the animal apologized, explaining that the animal, for some reason, simply liked to sit on red cars. In spite of the damage, the woman's car was still drivable.

But on the way to the garage she was stopped short by an accident involving two other cars just ahead of her. When the ambulance arrived a few minutes later the attendants took one look at her car, then ran over to assist her.

"Oh, I wasn't involved in this accident," she explained. "An elephant sat on my car." The ambulance attendants quickly bundled her off to the hospital for possible shock and head injuries, despite the lady's vehement protests. - Bits and Pieces.

Loving Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, help me to honest and truthful, so that people around me, will no that I am a Christian. I ask this in His wonderful name, and for His glory. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

SUNDAY SERMON ON THE BLOG – THE ROAD TO LIFE.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. - Matthew 7:13-14.

The world wants a Saviour but not a Lord. The New Testament is very clear, a Saviour who is not Lord, is no Saviour and no friend.

If the Old Testament showed us anything, it is that God's seemingly strange laws were written not for his fascination, but for his people's preservation.

Let us not only call Jesus Lord this week, but let us live in a way that shows that He controls our lives, and His Spirit produces our character.

Loving Father, I thank you that Jesus is my Saviour and LORD. Help me by the power of the Holy Spirit as you take control of my life and my will, so that I may be totally yours not just in word, but in thought and in deed as well. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen.

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT FRIDAY – A CHEERFUL HEART #33.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. - Pro 17:22. TNIV

The Confession Session…

The new priest is nervous about hearing confessions, so he asks an older priest to sit in on his sessions. The new priest hears several confessions, then the old priest asks him to step out of the confessional for a few suggestions.

The old priest suggests, "Cross your arms over your chest and rub your chin with one hand."
The new priest tries this. The old priest suggests, "Try saying things like, 'I see, yes, go on, and I understand, how did you feel about that?"

The new priest says those things, trying them out. The old priest says, "Now, don't you think that's a little better than slapping your knee and saying, 'No way! What happened next?'"
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Useless in the Parking Lot…

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication for her daughter.

When returning to her car she found that she had locked herkeys in the car. She was in a hurry to get home to her sick daughter.

She didn't know what to do, so she called her home and told the baby sitter what had happened and that she did not know what to do. The baby sitter told her that her daughter was getting worse.

She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."

The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been thrown down on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time or other had locked their keys in their car.

Then she looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."

So she bowed her head and asked God to send her some help. Within five minutes an old rusty car pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head.

The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.

The man got out of his car and asked her if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure". He walked over to the car, and in less than one minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank you so much! You are a very nice man."

The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."

The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"
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Just a Little Help…

The cavalryman was galloping down the road, rushing to catch up with his regiment. Suddenly his horse stumbled and pitched him to the ground.

Lying in the dirt with a broken leg, terrified of the approaching enemy, the soldier called out: "All you saints in heaven, help me get up on my horse!"

Then, with superhuman effort, he leapt onto the horse's back and fell off the other side.

Once again on the ground, he called to the heavens:
"All right, just half of you this time!"
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Salvation…

The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport, and took him into Paradise. - D. L. Moody.

WE ARE REMINDED THAT BEING CHEERFUL KEEPS US HEALTHY… IT IS SLOW DEATH TO BE GLOOMY ALL THE TIME!

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to remind myself that Jesus died to set me free, help me Lord to live that life, and be determined in Him to have a cheerful heart, in Jesus wonderful Name I pray, amen!

HAVE A GREAT AND GODLY WEEKEND!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY

DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – A QUIET TIME WITH THE LORD.

Out in front of us is the drama of men and of nations, seething, struggling, laboring, dying... but within the silences of the souls of men an eternal drama is ever being enacted. On the outcome of this inner drama rests ultimately, the outer pageant of history. - Thomas Kelly.

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone - Matthew 14:23.

In a letter to his friends, hymn writer Wendell P. Loveless related this story:

One evening a speaker who was visiting the United States wanted to make a telephone call. He entered a phone booth, but found it to be different from those in his own country. It was beginning to get dark, so he had difficulty finding the number in the directory. He noticed that there was a light in the ceiling, but he didn't know how to turn it on.

As he tried again to find the number in the fading twilight, a passerby noted his plight and said, "Sir, if you want to turn the light on, you have to shut the door." To the visitor's amazement and satisfaction, when he closed the door, the booth was filled with light. He soon located the number and completed the call.

In a similar way, when we draw aside in a quiet place to pray, we must block out our busy world and open our hearts to the Father. Our darkened world of disappointments and trials will then be illuminated. We will enter into communion with God, we will sense His presence, and we will be assured of His provision for us. - Our Daily Bread.

Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path." - Today in the Word.

Loving Father, help me by the power of the Holy Spirit, to spend some quiet time alone with you, that I may grow stronger through your presence. I ask this, in the wonderful name of Jesus and for His glory! Amen!

Be encouraged!
GBYAY