CHASING MY "ON AIR" DREAM
Part 3 

    I was blessed to have the opportunity to work fulltime for Radio Rhema in Christchurch for almost seven years from July 1981 until April 1988. 

    During that time, I met and married my wife, Tessa in June, 1986 (we will celebrate 40 years together in June this year).
Thinking back, it was probably about a year before we left NZ that I started to sense that my time at Radio Rhema was coming to an end. This was magnified by the fact that, one of the new announcers who had been a professional commercial annnouncer joined the staff, and was instructed to give the existing announcers, some of whom like me did not come from a commercial radio background - some training to help enhance their on air presentation. To my disappointment, Richard Berry instructed this man not to include me in those training sessions. In fact, during the last year of my time there, my on air shifts were reduced until, in the end, I had just one hour on Sunday evenings before a talk-back host took over and I was tasked with vetting phone calls and queuing them for the talk-back host for his four hour shift.

    As Tessa and I prayed, we sensed that the Lord might be leading us to return to Australia. I decided to send 'aircheck' tapes to three Christian radio stations - two in Tasmania and one in Perth, Western Australia.

    We were encouraged that both Tasmanian stations, Launceston's

WAY FM and 7HFC FM, Hobart (now Ultra 106Five) replied positively with offers of announcing positions for me. The station in Perth, known then as Sonshine FM replied saying that they did not consider I could offer them anything that they couldn't find locally - which I accepted as being an honest appraisal from them, particularly as Perth, W.A. is a very long way from Christchurch, New Zealand.

    We returned to Australia on the first of May, 1988, spending two weeks (now with our eight-month-old daughter) on the Gold Coast with my parents before flying down to Launceston.

    I worked for WAY FM in a fulltime position for approximately three years until 1991. To be honest, that was not an easy time for us. 

    As a fulltime employee with Radio Rhema in NZ, I did not receive a salary, but the ministry was well enough supported by Christians across the nation that our rent was paid for us, power and landline phone connection, an adequate weekly allowance for groceries, and also petrol allowance when I was able to buy a car. They looked after the staff very well.

    When we moved to Launceston, we were in for a bit of a culture shock. Personal regular financial support was limited. We lived in rental accommodation, and after a period of time, members of the station committee generously commenced to pay our rental for us which was very much appreciated. We never went hungry, and looking back, we know the Lord always provided for us, but it was not an easy time. We were blessed on about three occasions when the station manager, Kevin Hooper knocked on our door with anonymous gifts of $1,000 for us each time.

    Another aspect of the radio ministry in Launceston that was somewhat disappointing to us was that the presentation of the Gospel in the music was low-key with not many of the songs mentioning Jesus or being too overtly Christian. From memory, the music mix was 3:1 - three secular songs and one Christian song. Their station philosophy was that they were seeking to reach non-Christians, and not to just entertain Christians, so they felt the way to do that was to not come on too strong overtly with Christian content. i suppose their programming ethos could be defined as "pre-evangelism." To be totally honest, in the end, I felt bored on air. I did not like much of the music, and announcers were not encouraged to speak in clear terms the Gospel message, but to just allow the music to convey the message. In contrast, Radio Rhema had transitioned to an all-Christian music format a couple of years after I started working for them, and announcers were encouraged to share from their hearts short uplifting words of God's hope and love.

    After leaving Launceston's WAY FM, I had no other radio involvement until we moved down to Hobart at the beginning of the year 2000.

    At the time, I was unemployed on the dole, so weekdays were mostly free.

    In Australia, the radio broadcasting spectrum includes government-funded ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission), commercial stations, and a significant number of Christian and community stations across the country.

    Community radio, also referred to as Community Access Radio has provided opportunity for people who never would qualify for these other stations, and whose area of interest in music or spoken word would be seen as too specialised and narrrow for wider general radio programming.

    It must also be stated that also, some of these community radio stations have higher standards than others in relation to on air presentation. Most community stations rely heavily on membership fees from supporters as well as paid recorded sponsorship advertisements.

    

    

    Without going into detail, I contacted Huon FM, based in Geeveston in the Huon Valley south of Hobart and soon commenced a regular on air shift with them, initially on a weekday, encouraged by David Matheson and his wife who were part of the leadership team at the station. Then after a while, I began travelling down on Sunday mornings to do a three-hour long shift from 7-10am playing a mixture of secular and Christian music. I am indebted to Carolyne Milne and her husband, David, who were involved at the committee level and very much hands-on for several decades. Through their encouragement, after a period of 10+ years totally out of the radio scene, I recommenced broadcasting with Huon and Kingston FM in 2013, for a while doing two shows per week. 

    The Saturday late afternoon program ran for two hours, and was a mix of secular and Christian contemporary music. When I commenced the program, I prayed about what to call it. I believe the Holy Spirit led me to call the program "Life Sounds." The interesting thing is that some time later, I discovered, unknown to me at that time, that the preceding program on the station was produced by Indigenous broadcasters and it was called "Deadly Sounds." In stating this, however, I do not at all mean to disparage Aboriginals involved.

    The one hour Sunday morning program called "Sunday Celebration" heard from 11am-12pm is totally Christian, and mostly consisting of contemporary Christian music. The station website is: huonfm.com 

    97.7 TASMAN FM, based in the small township of Nubeena in the Tasman Peninsular, not far from Port Arthur was formed following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, as a means to bring the community together with a positive focus.

    I have been blessed to be able to do a three-hour long Tuesday afternoon program with this station also over the past 3+ years. Again, I have been blessed that the management have no problem at all with me playing Christian music, so I use a format with a ratio of 3:1, playing every fourth song as a contemporary Christian track. A regular feature is also my friend Greg Newman's "The History Of Pop," featuring a year each week from the 60's to the 90's, highlighting musical facts from the particular year with a song from the same year.

    As well as local listeners, I have been greatly encouraged that my brother and his wife, an old school friend from Miami State High on the Gold Coast, and a Japanese mother with two young children - a friend of Robert, my school mate, and his wife - all in Brisbane, Queensland - listen online at tasmanfm.com.au Also I am grateful for our friend from church here in Tassie, who lives in Hobart - Jenny, who faithfully requests a song for the program almost every week. And I mustn't forget my wife, Tessa who also never misses a program.

    The amazing thing that I really praise God for is that, on searching out a number of other community radio stations in Australia, even others in Tasmania, the majority do not seem to have ANY Christian programming, but the two stations I am involved with in southern Tasmania are more than happy to have Christian programming content.

    I am forever grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for all the opportunities given me to broadcast on radio since my first community radio fortnightly stints at 2NCR FM, Lismore, New South Wales, in 1979 and the Sunday evening three-hour shifts I was able to present on 2SER FM, Sydney while attending Bible college in Katoomba in 1980. 

GOD IS GOOD!

CHASING MY "ON AIR" DREAM 
Part 2

    When Greg Newman came to 4GG (pronounced 4DoubleG) on the Gold Coast, someone told me that the new announcer, Greg, was a committed Christian. As stated in the first part of this blog series, I soon was able to meet him at a local fair, and we soon became good friends.

    One day, while working at my father's photographic and music shop in Surfers Paradise, I received a phone call from the program manager of a commercial radio station at Kempsey on the New South Wales mid-north coast. He had heard from another Christian friend, Don Gillespie, also from the Gold Coast, but at that time working in Christian media in Sydney - that I was seeking to break into radio. The program manager was a Christian and was hoping to hire more Christians for the staff of what was otherwise a secular commercial station.

    He contacted Greg Newman also the same day, encouraging us both to send tapes of our announcing. With Greg's help, I recorded an 'aircheck' in the production studio at 4GG and the two of us drove down to Kempsey to the radio station, 2KM, to meet this man personally.

Greg and I having a bit of fun in the production studio at 4GG

    To say I was excited would be an understatement! I felt sure this was the break I had been waiting and praying for. After all, when would a secular commercial radio station normally contact someone unknown to them with the possibility of a job offer? This had to be it, I thought.

    The program manager took us into one of the studios not being used, and proceeded to thread my tape on the reel-to-reel tape deck. He played it through the large studio speakers. After a short time, he stopped it, rewound it and said nothing. After a pause, he asked Greg for his tape. After listening to Greg's tape, he asked Greg if he would like to take up an announcer position with them. Greg declined the offer, as he really wanted to stay on the Gold Coast.

    About two weeks later, I received a letter from the program manager at 2KM, bluntly telling me he thought I had a major speech problem. I felt deflated, to say the least.

    Did I ever realize my dream? When I applied to join Radio Rhema in Christchurch, NZ in 1981, they had been on air for over two years. Initially they too rejected my application to be an announcer, stating that they were potentially a network station, and did not consider my announcing to meet their standard. They did, however, offer me a full time off-air position.

    Although again disappointed at first, after praying for God's direction and receiving encouragement from Pastor Alun Davies, one of the lecturers at Commonwealth Bible College in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, where I did a third year of study in 1980 - I accepted their offer and took up my position with them in Christchurch in July 1981.

    For the first eighteen months at Radio Rhema, I was employed as a "studio operator," my main role being 'carting' music. For those unfamiliar with the workings of radio stations of that era, this meant recording song tracks from vinyl records onto continuous loop cartridge tapes for airplay using specially designed studio cart machines. I also had to load the carts with tape initially, transferring the tape from large "pancake reels" to individual cartridges to facilitate recording tracks of varying lengths. T    This work was carried out overnight, with me working from 9pm to 6am the next morning, as the studio was used for program editing during the day. Mostly, I enjoyed this work, as I had the satisfaction of knowing I was helping the station to transition the use of carts on air, a more practical means of presenting music than the tedious task of having to cue every music track on record turntables.

The first and the last BE cart machines

    With help from a professional speech and drama teacher, and lots of practice, and with God's working, after eighteen months, the station manager, Dudley Scantlebury made a decision to give me some on air music shifts. Towards the end of the eighteen months I had been carting music at night, I was getting a little disillusioned, and losing heart that I might never be allowed 'on air.' Thankfully, the encouragement from other announcers helped me to keep the vision alive of being on air, and with their encouragement, I made another demo tape of my announcing, Dudley was impressed enough with the improvement in my speech to give me the break I had been praying and hoping for, for which I was extremely grateful.

    I believe the Lord honoured my faithfulness in serving Him working all those months at night on my own, and seeking to do the task at hand to the best of my ability, as unto the Lord.

    For the next five years at Radio Rhema, I was on air five, and sometimes six days per week with the network starting to grow with the establishment of relay stations in Nelson in the South Island, and Wellington, the nation's capital in the North Island. At times there were also short-term broadcasts in Auckland, the largest city in NZ, and Invercargill in the deep south of the South Island.

    One of the highlights for me during this time was the privilege I had of presenting a weekly song request program on Saturday nights for prisoners and their families, reaching into a number of prisons in Christchurch and Auckland.

    The program, called "Someone Cares," was initially hosted by a much-loved older lady announcer at the station, Anita Wilkinson, with support from Prison Fellowship ministry in Christchurch. When Anita was unable to continue, I had the opportunity to become the regular host, linking prison inmates and their families on the radio with song requests and greetings received at the station by letter.

    My dream to become a commercial radio announcer was never realised. But I believe that God placed that desire in my heart originally because He knew that one day the door would open to radio in His service.

    

Glenfield Crescent on air studio, Mairehau,  where I first went to air in Christchurch

Yours truly on air at Mairehau studios sometime between 1983-85

On air at Birmingham Drive Radio Rhema studio, 1986-88

My friend, Greg Newman has had a stellar radio broadcasting career, starting at 3BA, Ballarat in Victoria as a late teen. Also working at 7HT, Hobart for around six months, he did a stint at one of the Melbourne stations, 4GG Gold Coast for a number of years from 1978 into the 80's, commercial stations 4KQ and 4BH in Brisbane for a significant number of years in the 90's and Naughties, a couple of years at Light FM in Melbourne, Greg's hometown, then back to Brisbane to work for Australia's Vision Christian Radio network - broadcasting to over 800 big cities, towns and small villages in every state and territory.

Vision's website is: vision.org.au Greg is regular host of "Afternoons" on Vision, heard Monday to Friday 3-7pm Eastern Australian Standard time.

STAY TUNED: 

Coming Up - Post Radio Rhema

CHASING MY "ON AIR" DREAM 

"FOUR DOUBLE G ON THE GOLD COAST -WITH GREG NEWMAN!" 

It was a weeknight in early 1979. I sat on the opposite side of the studio broadcast desk watching my friend, with envy as he went through the paces of his evening music shift on the local commercial radio station in Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast. Greg had already logged up radio dj stints in Ballarat in regional Victoria, Hobart in Tasmania and at a station in Melbourne, the Victorian capital. Greg had arrived on the Goldie in 1978 to work for 4GG. Someone told me Greg was a committed Christian so I introduced myself to him at a community fair where he was doing live crosses to the station.

    We soon became good friends and I lived with him for several months in his rented flat on Chevron Island in Surfers Paradise.

As I sat in the 4GG studio watching Greg, how I longed to be in his place, with my own radio program. Since my early teens, I had dreamed of becoming a radio announcer on a commercial station. I was an avid listener to all the commercial radio stations within range of where I lived and picked up others in more distant towns late at night.

    I visited two of the local stations to watch announcers in action and took the opportunity to observe them at work when presenting their music shifts from mobile caravan studios at shopping centres and at the beach. 4GG also had two "satellite studios," small glassed enclosures permanently located at Sundale Shopping Centre in Southport at the northern end of the Gold Coast and one at Tweed Mall, Tweed Heads at the southern end. Fortunately for me, my dad had three photographic and music stores, two of which were at these shopping centres, so when I was working there, I could see the announcers when they did their music shifts from these studios.

  

 But along with my heartfelt desire to make it into radio on air as an announcer, there was also a sense of frustration. I knew that my right-sided facial paralysis, from birth, which affected my speech (as well as my appearance) would present a major hurdle to the realisation of my dream.

    I would often record 'mock' programs on my reel-to-reel tape recorder (hey, I'm showing my age) at home, feeling excited that I sounded just like the announcers I listened to. When played back, however, the realisation was that the problems in my speech were quite pronounced.

    When I became a Christian at the age of 16, my desire for radio did not wane. However, I completed Grade 12 two years later and radio had to take a lesser priority in my life as I ventured into the world of employment.

    Initially, I undertook hospital-based general nursing studies in Sydney and Brisbane before working in my father's three shops on the Gold Coast for six years in the seventies, interrupted for two years by my attendance of Bible college in Lower Hutt near Wellington, New Zealand.

While in New Zealand for those two years, my desire for radio resurfaced - this time with the dream that I might work in a Christian radio station.

    New Zealand had a group of people with a vision to establish a permanent Christian radio network. At that point in time, their first permanent licence had not been granted, however.

    The vision for Christian radio in New Zealand was championed by Richard (Dick) Berry, who, in 1960 as a young man in Christchurch, had been healed by God of severe back pain. He told the Lord that he would commit his life to fully serving Him in whatever direction He would lead him. The Lord birthed in Richard the vision to establish Christian broadcasting in New Zealand, at a time when the only radio stations across the nation were government-owned and operated. There were not even any non-government commercial stations at the time.

    Returning to Australia at the beginning of 1978, I again found work in my father's business. My radio aspirations were fuelled by a 30 week (one night per week) radio/TV course conducted by local media professionals in Brisbane. The principals were Jim Iliffe, well-loved for his television kids show "The Channel Niners," and commercial radio veteran, John Knox.

    At the end of the course, I sent applications with recorded "air-check" tapes to a number of country commercial stations in Queensland and New South Wales. Some of the replies were encouraging but the 'big break' eluded me.

Did I ever fulfill my dream of becoming a radio announcer? To find out, tune in.....oops, I mean keep an eye out for the next instalment in my "Chasing My On Air Dream" blog posts.

In the meantime, why not check out www.vision.org.au This is the website for Vision Christian Media in Australia, home to Vision Christian Radio based in Brisbane reaching over 800 big cities, towns and small villages across every state and territory in Australia. the number of stations is growing all the time. If you live in Australia, they may well be broadcasting in your area, and you don't even know it. Mostly contemporary Christian music, teaching programs and news and current affairs programs from a Biblical perspective. Well worth checking out!

 

HALLELUJAH

FOR THE CROSS 

Back in 2014 Newsboys released their seventeenth studio album titled "Hallelujah For The Cross." Newsboys is a contemporary Christian rock band formed at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia in 1985 by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee in the USA, a number of their albums have been certified Gold. 

The title song of the album, "Hallelujah For The Cross" is a rousing anthem of what Christ accomplished through His death on the cross at Calvary. The words of the song are well worth reading and meditating upon:

Up to the hill of Calvary

My Saviour went courageously

And there He bled and died for me

Hallelujah for the cross

And on that day the world was changed

A final, perfect lamb was slain

Let earth and heaven now proclaim

Hallelujah for the cross

Hallelujah for the war he fought

Love has won, death has lost

Hallelujah for the souls he bought

Hallelujah for the cross

What good I've done could never save

My debt too great for deeds to pay

But God, my Saviour made a way

Hallelujah for the cross

A slave to sin, my life was bound

But all my chains fell to the ground

When Jesus' blood came flowing down

Hallelujah for the cross

Hallelujah for the war He fought

Love has won, death has lost

Hallelujah for the souls He bought

Hallelujah for the cross

And when I breathe my final breath

I'll have no need to fear that rest

This hope will guide me into death

Hallelujah for the cross

Songwriters: Todd Edgar White / Ross Sullivan King / Brandon Todd White

The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 For the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the wisdom of the prudent."

Where is the wise [man]? Where is the scribe? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumblingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness,

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The cross of Christ is central to the message of the Gospel. The Gospel is good news to everyone who will hear and respond in faith to the invitation from the Lord God to come in repentance from sin in acknowledgement that Jesus died on the cross in our place for our sin, so that we can be reconciled to the Father God. Romans 5:8 tells us: God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus, in speaking about the death He would die on a Roman cross said in John 12:32: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me."

Probably the best known verse of the New Testament is John 3:16 which encapsulates the message of the gospel. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:23: ...... all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. The Greek word for sin is 'hamartia' which essentially means "to miss the mark." If we think of an archer shooting arrows at a target, it would be as if the arrows would never reach the target. That is the picture of the word 'sin' - that even i our own efforts, in our own estimation of our goodness and kindness, generosity, etc., we can never attain to the standard of God's righteousness. Our sinful nature will always separate us from a holy God. It is only by means of the Holy Spirit indwelling our human spirit at the time of conversion - being "born again" as the Bible says in John 3, that we are able to have fellowship restored with our Father God, through the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

Christianity without the cross is just dead religion.

Jesus says in John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy (speaking of Satan).

I have come that they might have life, and that that they may have it more abundantly.

We do not have to look far to see the ravages that satan is accomplishing in humanity, with broken lives, families torn apart, sickness and disease, the rising tide of evil politicians espousing abominable social policies, wars and rumours of wars etc.

The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 59:19 says: So shall they fear the

name of the LORD from the west,

and his glory from the rising of the sun,

 When the enemy comes in like a flood, 

the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

It is very obvious that in these days in which we are living, demonic activity is increasing at an alarming rate, with spiritual darkness being almost palpable at times in the nations, no doubt being more so in some cities and nations than in others. The GOOD NEWS, though, is that according to the abovementioned verse in Isaiah, as the rising tide of evil is seen in the world, the Spirit of the LORD, the Holy Spirit is lifting up the standard, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life - the answer to the desperate searching of man for hope and freedom in this sin-sick world.

as singer/songwriter Andrae Crouch proclaimed in his song from the seventies: "Jesus Is The Answer":

Jesus is the answer for the world today

Above Him there's no other

Jesus is the way

Jesus is the answer for the world today

Above Him there's no other

Jesus is the way

If you have some questions in the corners of your mind

And traces of discouragement and peace you cannot find

Reflections of the old past seem to face you everyday

But there's one thing I do know that Jesus is the way

Oh I know you've got mountains that you think you

cannot climb

I know that your skies are dark, you think the sun

won't shine

In case you don't know but the word of God is true

And everything He's promised, He would do it for you    

That's the reason I say that

Jesus is the answer for the world today

Above Him there's no other

Jesus is the way

Jesus is the answer for the world today

Above Him there's no other

Jesus is the way.

Songwriters: Andrae Crouch/Sandra Crouch

If you have read this blog and would like to become a Christian - the very best decision you will ever make - to be 'born again' as it says in John 3:3, today could be for you the day of salvation. You need to pray a prayer to the Lord God from your heart. You do not need to use eloquent speech. Your prayer could be something like this: Jesus, I believe you died on the cross in my place for my sins. Please forgive me for my sin, and set me free from the power and penalty of my sin. I ask you to cleanse me by your blood that was shed for me on the cross and make a new person on the inside so that I can have fellowship with you and the Father God, through the Holy Spirit living within me. I want to know you and live for you. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, please tell someone of your commitment to Jesus. Further to this step, I encourage you to:

Get a Bible if you don't already have one, and start reading one of the Gospels such as John or Mark.

Pray regularly in your own words from your heart knowing that the Lord will hear you.

Find a Bible-believing church where you can be encouraged and built up in your new-found faith; AND

Fellowship with other Christians who can encourage you, help answer questions you may have, and help to spur you on in your walk with the Lord.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY 

Part 2

There is so much to be said about the Person and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers and in the Church of Jesus Christ. That being said, this current blog is not meant to be an exhaustive teaching.

Much much more about the Person, Work, Nature, Fruit, Gifts, Bible Emblems, Characteristics and Ministry of the Holy Spirit - can be readily researched on the internet through various ministry sources.

Please briefly let me address another related topic concerning the Holy Spirit, which over the years has been fraught with divided and divisive opinion, each camp claiming to be able to support their personal stance with strong Biblical backing. I refer to the subject of the Baptism in or with the Holy Spirit, and the present day operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14. 

In 2013, I remember experiencing a mixture of emotions - disappointment, anger, a sense of grieving in my spirit, because of the bold presentation of high-profile California pastor, John MacArthur in his book and conference bearing the name "Strange Fire." The conference was hosted by John MacArthur, a cessationist Calvinist pastor and theologian, who, for many years denounced the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements as aberrations of Christianity, and whose Pentecostal distinctives are not valid for the church today. He, along with other cessationist ministers also do not believe that the ministries of apostle and prophet, as listed in Ephesians 4 as part of the fivefold ascension-gift ministries are valid today. Yet another contentious issue they have is concerning the validity Biblically of women in ministry leadership roles.

John MacArthur passed away on 14th July last year, 2025 at the age of 85. As a cessationist, he firmly believed that with the passing of the original twelve apostles and the completion of the canon of Scripture, that not only the ministry of apostles and prophets ceased, but also the gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit as listed in 1 Cor. 12:4-11. He also boldly asserted that the gift of "speaking in tongues," one of the hallmark features of the Pentecostal and Charismatic experience, is demonic in origin. He also stated that those who practice speaking in tongues and display other characteristic Pentecostal and Charismatic manifestations are actually guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

As a Christian who has been firmly planted in the Pentecostal sector of the church of Jesus Christ for all but two years of my sixty years as a committed Christian, I can only respond to such claims with astonishment.

My reading of Jesus' words in Matthew 12 concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit seems to signify that attributing the work or ministry of the Holy Spirit to Satan or demons is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. To that end, I feel that people such as John MacArthur, Phil Johnson (one of MacArthur's associates, who edited all his books), Todd Friel and Justin Peters - who were all involved in the "Strange Fire" conference - are on very dangerous ground.

Just in the last couple of weeks, I have seen online that Justin Peters, one of the leading cessationists in America, has posted videos knocking and mocking the ministry of Kathryn Kuhlman, who was a prominent healing evangelist in America in the 20th century. She relied heavily on the infilling and empowering anointing of the Holy Spirit to validate her ministry, which saw multitudes saved, healed, delivered from demons, and attest to the miracle-working power of God. The Holy Spirit was her friend and constant source of inspiration in ministry. She gave ALL the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for her ministry impact - and yet, people such as MacArthur and Peters mock her, and Peters recently repeating a quote from John MacArthur when Kathryn Kuhlman pastored a church early in her ministry - "She is not a pastor, and it is not a church," - because the ministry was a woman.

Having said the above, though, I must admit I have not followed John MacArthur's ministry but I understand that he was a respected Bible teacher, author and pastor, as well as hosting a syndicated radio program "Grace To You." I have seen respected Pentecostal/ Charismatic leaders such as Dr. Michael Brown, Christian social commentator, Bill Muelenberg, and evangelist Daniel Kolenda express admiration for his otherwise integrity in ministry and his exposition of the Word of God.

Dr. Michael Brown who has several ministry degrees and who was involved in the Brownsville revival in Pensacola, Florida in the early 2000's, wrote his own rebuttal of "Strange Fire" in his book "Authentic Fire." 

Concerning the experience of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, in all four Gospel accounts, John the Baptist whom God sent as a messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, is recorded as saying of Jesus that it is He would "baptise believers in the Holy Spirit" (and with fire, as stated in Matthew and Luke's accounts). This was going to be a key element in His ministry to believers from the commencement of the Church age.

In John 20, after the Resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week, He appears to ten of His disciples (Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him and committed suicide, and Thomas was not there). In verse 21, Jesus encourages them with these words: "Peace be unto you; as My Father has sent Me, even so send I you." Then verse 22 says: And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said unto them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." It could well be argued that this was the point in time when the Holy Spirit came to indwell the disciples in the same way that He does when any person commits His or her life to Christ, being, as the Word of God says, born again by the Spirit of God.

Were these disciples of Jesus "baptized in the Spirit" at this time? No, they weren't. In the Gospel of Luke, in chapter 24, again, after the resurrection of Jesus, just before His ascension to the Father, Jesus gives this encouragement and direction to His disciples: "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but wait in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high."

In the first chapter of the Book of Acts, Luke records these words, adding more detail to the direction given in Luke 24.

In Acts 1:4, it reads: And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;

for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

Jesus further said in verse 8: "But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

True to the words of Jesus, the embodiment of Truth, ten days later on the Jewish feast Day of Pentecost, which was also fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, as 120 disciples and followers of Jesus (men and women) were gathered in the Upper Room, being with one accord in one place,

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and

it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

Then there appeared unto them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them,

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 NKJV

The 120 in the Upper Room were the first New Testament believers to be "baptized in the Holy Spirit" by Jesus, the one who as foretold by John the Baptist would "baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire."

As you read on in this chapter, it is stated that there were many devout Jews living in Jerusalem "from every nation under heaven," and they were all amazed as they each heard the 120 speaking the wonderful praises of of God in their own languages. Peter the apostle explained that this was fulfillment of Joels's prophecy in Joel 2:28-32 "In the last days I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh....." If it was the last days then, 2.000 years ago, then we are certainly living in the last of the last days now, and therefore, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our day with attending gifts or manifestations of the the Holy Spirit must certainly be valid for the Church today! I, for one, together with my wife, am glad to be alive in this exciting Church era, and connected to a church family with a vision to see the Holy Spirit moving powerfully to lift up the name of Jesus with mighty life-changing and transforming demonstrations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, bringing glory and honour to the Living God in our times!

THE HOLY SPIRIT  

THIRD PERSON OF THE TRINITY

Part One

    As a child, I did not come from a Christian home. My parents did not go to church, but I do remember going to a Methodist Sunday School for a while in Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast, where I grew up. Then, as a teenager at the age of about fourteen, I started attending the local Anglican church youth group with another friend from school.

That led to us being asked by the minister (rector) of the church to become 'servers' - I suppose similar to being altar boys in the Catholic Church. The church had two Sunday morning services - 7am and 9am. We were involved in the 7am service. Eventually, through a school holidays interdenominational church 'coffee shop' outreach where young Christians would go out on the streets of Surfers Paradise at night and invite people back to the coffee shop for free coffee and a chat - presenting the message of the Gospel - I heard the Gospel message clearly as one of the youth group leaders from my church sat with me until midnight one night, sharing the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with me. I prayed the "Sinner's Prayer," and at that point in time, my Christian life began.

I knew that something significant had happened in my life. I literally did sense the experience of being 'born again,' as the Bible says in John 3:3 and John 3:7, when Jesus was visited by Nicodemus at night.

Even though it was late at night, I remember going home feeling invigorated, and waking up the next morning feeling a tangible sense of God's nearness, and a real sense of being cleansed from my sin.

I knew from my Sunday School lessons earlier, and from attending the church services, and hearing the Word of God preached, that the God of the Bible was referred to as the Trinity - One God in Three Persons - God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:26 as part of the Creation narrative, the Bible says: Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness....."

I could understand something of the concept of God being Father, and could also understand something of the Person of Jesus Christ through the Christmas story and the significance of Easter, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - even before any church or Sunday school involvement. I probably had some exposure to Christian teaching also through Bible-in-schools programs as well. BUT I REMEMBER THE HOLY SPIRIT BEING A TOTAL MYSTERY TO ME!

Actually as a child, with the King James version of the Bible being the main Protestant Scripture source, the Holy Ghost was the terminology most used for the mysterious person in the Godhead. To be honest 'Holy Ghost' sounded to me a little spooky!

As a child, and into my early teens, ghosts were scary ethereal figures that haunted old dilapidated houses, and were the stuff of nightmares!

However, when I became a Christian, I learned that the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, as we mostly refer to Him now - is a vital member of the Godhead - Yes, He is a He, not an it or a thing or an impersonal force, but a Person with personality.

When Jesus was about to finish His earthly ministry, He told His disciples in John 14:15-18: "If you love Me, keep My commands,

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,

even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him or knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you.

I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you."

The Bible tells us that when we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, when we confess our sin and our need of a Saviour, and accept the work of Jesus shedding His blood and dying on the Cross - the sinless Son of God dying in our place (Romans 5:8), we are born again by the work of the Holy Spirit as He makes alive our human spirit which, until that time has been unresponsive to the Spirit and Word of God. The apostle Paul says in Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Jesus' disciples were sad when He told them He was going away, but He reassured them that He would send another Helper and that He would abide or dwell with them forever. The Greek word Jesus used for another Helper is allos which means another of the same kind. The Holy Spirit Jesus would send them would be their Helper, Counsellor, Comforter and Guide. The Holy Spirit's coming would assure them of continuity of all that Jesus both did and taught.

Every man, woman or child who personally commits their life to Christ and is "born again" of the Holy Spirit becomes as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 a new creation in Christ, able to commune or felllowship with Father God.

BUT WAIT...........THERE'S MORE!

If you want to know how you can be "born again" and can experience the life God has planned for you - not an easy life, but a life in fellowship with your Creator God, a life led by the Holy Spirit, a life filled with purpose and promise for the future - contact the following for further help: Australia's Vision Christian "Pray For Me" prayer line, where someone will pray with you and don't forget to ask for a "New Believer's Growth Pack." The phone number is: 1800772936

If you live outside of Australia, go to: harvest.org/knowgod for more info.

If you have made a commitment of your life to Jesus Christ in response to reading this blog, please let me know in the Comments section below. God Bless! 

MULTITUDES, MULTITUDES IN THE VALLEY OF DECISION 

At the conclusion of the Gospel of Matthew, following the triumphant resurrection of Jesus from the tomb on the first Resurrection Sunday, He appeared to the eleven disciples (Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, had already killed himself) - on the mountain that Jesus had appointed for them.

In Matthew 28: 18-20, we have recorded what is known as The Great Commission:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

As reported on Vision Christian Media's website in Australia recently, was a news story headed: Biggest Synchronized Baptism in US History

Part of the article is as follows: On Pentecost Sunday, tens of thousands of new believers across the United States made a public declaration of faith in what organisers hailed as the largest synchronized baptism event in American history. The one-day initiative saw at least 26,657 individuals baptized and 6,445 salvations recorded across 1,080 baptism events hosted by 650 churches in all states, according to preliminary numbers.

The baptisms took place in a wide variety of areas - from small rural churches to outdoor locations. In Colorado Springs, Zeal Church held baptisms indoors at the large Citadel Mall shopping centre with hundreds of onlookers.

The event grew out of Baptize California which began two years ago with 4,000 baptisms. That number jumped to more than 6,000 last year.

This year's nationwide expansion culminated in a massive gathering at Pirate's Cove - a beach with deep spiritual roots. It's the same site where Pastor Chuck Smith conducted mass baptisms during the 1970's Jesus Movement as portrayed in the 2023 film Jesus Revolution.

The Baptize America event was the brainchild of Oceans Church Pastor Mark Francey who has previously helped organise three other mass baptism events in California.

His Oceans Church posted: 

We gathered at historic Pirate's Cove for Southern California's Regional Baptism, joining with thousands of churches across America. Countless lives were forever changed as people publicly declared their faith in Jesus!

Here in SoCal, the presence of God was tangible - testimonies, salvations, baptisms. Revival is here and is just getting started!

We are in awe of all God did across our nation this weekend. To Him be all the glory!

THE ABOVE QUOTED FROM THE VISION EDITORIAL TEAM, VISION CHRISTIAN MEDIA, AUSTRALIA

Ten years ago, Kentucky- based Christian rock band, 7eventh Time Down released a song called "God Is On The Move." It's message then and now in 2025 is most relevant. Here are some of the lyrics:

Anytime a heart turns from darkness to light

Anytime temptation comes and someone stands to 

fight

Anytime somebody lives to serve and not be served

I know, I know, I know, I know

God is on the move, on the move

Hallelujah

God is on the move

In many mighty ways

God is on the move, on the move

Hallelujah

God is on the move

On the move today

Anytime in weakness someone falls upon their knees

Or dares to speak the truth that sets men free

Anytime the choice is made to stand upon the Word

I see a generation standing on the truth

In each and every nation, God is on the move

Anytime the Gospel stirs a searching soul

And someone says, "Send me, here I go."

I know, I know, I know, I know

God is on the move, on the move

Hallelujah

God is on the move 

In many mighty ways

Here in Australia where my wife and I live, and specifically in our state of residence, Tasmania, the Holy Spirit is moving in a way that many believe is seeing the church on the cusp of real Revival. Pastors and leaders are sensing that there are going to be mighty waves of Revival power, manifesting the Presence of Almighty God with a harvest of souls born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit. Also mighty manifestations of God's glory in healings, miracles, and deliverance from demonic oppression, including the breaking of generational curses that maybe go back several generations. Jesus came to set the captives free! 

The truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that: Who the Son sets free is free indeed! As a pastor I knew in New Zealand said many years ago, another way of saying those words of Jesus is: You shall know the truth and the truth shall be in you A LIBERATING FORCE!

Islam has been making a boast that it is the fastest growing religion in the world. In response, Christian leaders could well say that that may be so, but is merely a confirmation that satan, the arch-deceiver and enemy of all that is Godly and good, knows that his time is short as the Bible states, and is working overtime to get as many people as possible to join him in Hell and the lake of fire.

Revival fires are breaking out in many places around the world. It has been stated that in Iran, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 has been one of the most oppressive Muslim strongholds ruled by theocratic dictators who have little to no value for human life, and whose regime is responsible for hundreds of summary executions every year.

It has been reported, apparently accurately, that 50,000 of 75,000 Islamic mosques have closed in Iran, and that some 80% of the Iranian population want a change of the tyrant regime, and a return to Western-style freedoms enjoyed in the 70's until the Ayatollah Khomeini came to power.

We are living in very dangerous times, and as I post this blog, Iran and Isael are at war with each other, Iran having clearly stated its goal to wipe Israel off the map. For Bible-believing Christians and Jewish people who study Biblical prophecy, they know that will never happen. Israel prophetically certainly has some very difficult days ahead, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to earth 2,000 years ago as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, will one day return in all of His glory to rule and reign the earth from Jerusalem for a period of 1,000 years, known as the Millenium. You can read all about that in the Book of Revelation.

The Bible tells us prophetically in Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west. And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

Isaiah 60:1-5 Arise, shine;

                    For your light has come!

                    And the glory of the LORD is risen upon

                    you.

                    For behold, the darkness shall cover the 

                    earth,

                    And deep darkness the people;

                    But the LORD will arise over you,

                    And His glory will be seen upon you.

                    The Gentiles shall come to your light,

                    And kings to the brightness of your

                    rising.

                    Lift up your eyes all around, and see:

                    They all gather together, they come to

                    you;

                    Your sons shall come from afar,

                    And your daughters shall be nursed at

                    your side.

                    Then you shall see and become radiant,

                    And your heart shall swell with joy;

                    Because the abundance of the sea shall

                    be turned to you,

                    The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to 

                    you.

While the world is getting darker, and many are sensing a rising tide of hopelessness, this is the time that every blood-bought child of the Living God was born and born again for - to shine brighter than ever before, holding forth the Word of God that is able to bring freedom and release from every type of physical, mental and spiritual bondage - in the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS!

Jeremiah 33 vs 3 says: Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.

Truly, these are days when the light of God's love and power and glory are upon us to turn the hearts of the repentant to righteousness and to new life in Jesus!

GLORY DAYS!!!