Christian athlete Nicola Olyslagers has continued her strong season by winning the 2025 Wanda Diamond League Final—once again pointing to God as the source of her inspiration.
Last week, Cody Mitchell published an article on how Aussie athlete Nicola Olyslagers’s Christian faith motivates her to press through adversity. Her story is a powerful witness to the resilience and courage her Christian faith inspires. I encourage you to read that piece if you have not yet.
This weekend at the 2025 Wanda Diamond League Final, Nicola soared to new heights—beating her own Australian and Oceania records, clearing the highest mark of any athlete this year (2.04 metres), and outperforming the current world-record holder, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh.
What a great testimony this is of God’s power and faithfulness when we trust and obey. The least we can do is to share it with others.
Many critics of the Christian faith have no interest whatsoever in an open-minded exploration of God’s grace. They simply take great satisfaction in annoying believers, because our witness and commitment to the Good News disturbs the natural person. Their aim is thus to eradicate that conviction by pressuring believers to change their minds and accept an impotent version that will alleviate conviction. To some degree, it’s working. Progressive Christianity is a product of cultural compromise, particularly accepting evolution, which relegates God’s Word to myth and fables and the Christian faith to a mere option of self-help. They no longer believe that Jesus is the divine Son of God but just a moral example for us to follow.
A Christian’s journey towards victorious faith must now overcome the mirage of mind games played in culture. It’s necessary for those who know “on whom (they) have believed and (are) convinced that He is able to guard what has been entrusted” (2 Tim. 1:12) to realise what they have with God’s inerrant Word. Our message is “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit… and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Christian has the powerful message of grace that by the Spirit is convicting “the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Pushbacks at every level are reactions to the convicting nature of this spiritual dynamic.
The message of God’s grace and repentance in Jesus is an all or nothing proposition that provokes backlash and antagonism. “If the world hates you,” said Jesus, “know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). That is part of why Christians are to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Believers who represent the message of grace and repentance often become the target of a natural person’s frustrations and rebellion against God.
There are definitely times when honest and fair questions require answers. Conversations should be welcomed, particularly on evolution, as many resources are available from http://www.creation.com and http://www.answersingenesis.org to support creation versus evolution. The Lord Jesus was right that love and mercy should be hallmarks of Christian reaction. Nevertheless, Christians should begin to take our trust in God’s grace much more seriously and realise that cultural scepticism is built on “sinking sand” by flawed human beings.
The American Bible Society’s 2024 annual report shows that those prioritizing reading Scripture consistently exemplify generosity. Of course, reading is just the first step; what matters is putting what we read into practice. As Proverbs 3:9-10 states: “Honour the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
Ninety-four percent of Scripture-engaged Christians donated to charity last year, with 71% giving at least $1,000. About one in six gave $10,000 or more. Even among those who read the Bible sporadically, three out of four still gave to charity, and one in three donated at least $1,000. In stark contrast, the average Bible-disengaged individual gave nothing.
These findings underscore a strong link between abiding in God’s Word and generously serving our fellow man.
Brooks’s research revealed the same pattern: religious faith and generosity go hand in hand. He wrote, “In years of research, I have never found a measurable way in which secularists are more charitable than religious people.” Those who invest heavily in their spiritual lives are 42% more likely to give than those who don’t.
A God-centered society is both moral and generous — and generosity fosters growth and prosperity, two pillars of a nation’s greatness.
What can we do in 2025 to encourage generosity, and with it, prosperity? Get in the Word of God. Encourage others to do the same. Address public policies that marginalize faith. Since biblical faith is linked to generosity and societal well-being, we must work to remove policies that penalize Christian faith. Faith in Jesus Christ isn’t a private matter — it shapes our homes, schools, businesses, and communities. When we live it out publicly, society is transformed for the better, which means we must be free to do so.
However, Biblical prophecy shows us that we won’t be free to do so. We are in the end times and the church will be purified by God by allowing it to go through tribulation, even great tribulation. Jesus spoke the following words.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14
Even now we see a great falling away in the institutional/denominational churches as they compromise with the world on sexuality, marriage, gender, and even more important, that Jesus is no longer the only way to God.
Therefore, it is important to to be in a church that holds to Biblical inerrancy and understands the time we are in.
Listen to this podcast of historian Dr Paul Roe relating how right from the preparation of the first fleet of prisoners to be sent to Australia, God had his hand on its establishment. Ex-slave trader, John Newton the author of the hymn Amazing Grace was responsible for getting Richard Johnson appointed clergyman to the new colony.
On 24 October 1784, Richard Johnson received a Royal Warrant that appointed him ‘Chaplain to the settlement of New South Wales’. He took up his appointment with the First Fleet at Portsmouth. As Chaplain to New South Wales, he was required to be the guardian of public morality.
On 3 February 1788, he conducted the first religious service in the Colony under trees at Sydney Cove. He continued to hold regular services on a Sunday, weather permitting, prior to the construction of a wooden building five years later that was used for church services.
Apart from some assistance after 1791 from James Bain, Chaplain to the New South Wales Corps, Johnson undertook all the religious duties in Sydney for six years, until the arrival of the Reverend Samuel Marsden on the William on 10 March 1794.
On 10 June 1793, Johnson commenced construction of a temporary church in Sydney town, which he funded from his finances. The first service was held in the new building on 25 August 1793. The construction of the temporary church cost Johnson sixty-seven pounds.
A monument now stands in Richard Johnson Square on the approximate site of the temporary church.
The position of the temporary church was near the present ‘Richard Johnson Square, on the corner of Hunter and Castlereagh streets in Sydney. It was built of strong posts, wattles, and plaster, and was covered with a roof of thatch.
The author of this article is Marlon De Blasio. He is a cultural apologist, Christian writer, and the author of Discerning Culture: Knowing the Depths of Scriptural Christianity in a Culture of Scriptural Indifference.
The Christian faith claims “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth … his understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). How can this be verified to the satisfaction of an inquiring mind? Even committed Christian thinkers know that the cliches, “by faith,” “by experience” or “by biblical analyses,” do not necessarily satisfy questioners. Nevertheless, I believe the Eternal God can be known personally and intellectually to satisfy rational thought.
Perhaps some expect me to provide a concrete reference that explains God’s origin. I must genuinely submit that this expectation is not reasonable. Even if I were to prove indisputably that “A” brought God into existence, the skeptic would then ask who/what created “A”? These demands could continue ad infinitum into absurdity. They lead to a fallacious line of thinking.
Knowledge does not require an explanation for its explanations to be true. For example, aviators know how much fuel is required to reach a destination and this workable knowledge is true without an explanation of where the computational values originated. We could attempt to investigate the origins, but only after we have acknowledged the computational values.
Likewise, a questioner must acknowledge God’s existence before asking where He came from. If God does not exist, the question is senseless. “Where did God come from?” is a question that is committed to His existence. In other words, a sincere questioner seeks an answer that informs about God and not about whether or not He exists. The question does have a correct answer, and even if one were to reject it that would not negate the actual existence of God.
Further, the Design Argument is often challenged by the question, who designed the Designer? Note that this question does not refute the argument. The argument is compelling and so the question is an attempt to avoid the conclusion by conflating the issue into confusion. The explanation that something is designed can be true regardless of what we know about the designer. I can understand why such an irrelevant question is asked because the questioner doesn’t like where the conversation is going.
Knowledge of the Christian faith is always rigorously challenged. Unlike other knowledge, concessions to a tenet of Christianity could entail moral accountability. Christian thinkers offer explanations that are often compelling, and so a skeptic who wishes to escape accountability often spins the content. Confusion is then deemed as a warrant for unbelief.
In Christian theology, God is eternal. He is without beginning and without end. He is the ultimate ground of reality. That is why we refer to Him as God. The question of “Where did God come” from is purposeless unless it’s asked with theological curiosity. As a young Christian, I remember asking a pastor what God was doing before He created us and the universe. The pastor explained that we don’t know, and although it was a fair question it had no bearing on our relationship with Him as He has decided to reveal Himself to us. Since then, I have grown to understand that in a human lifetime, there is no way we could understand everything about God.
Limited knowledge of God does not equate to His non-existence. On the contrary, it means that our knowledge of God is finite as we are finite beings grappling with the One whose “understanding is unsearchable.” Theologically and philosophically, it’s reasonable to believe and conclude that reality has an ultimate ground. For a Christian, there is a consciousness of God’s presence within (Holy Spirit) that is also informed intellectually. We experience and understand God exactly as the biblical writers revealed: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting” (Psalms 93:2). What was understood and experienced of God thousands of years ago has been real to subsequent generations of believers, as well as to us today. We comprehend meaningfully that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
A questioner is sincere only if committed to exploring the attributes of God, and then making up one’s own mind about personal salvation in Christ. Isn’t it reasonable to consider that God is the ultimate ground of reality? It makes philosophical sense; otherwise, we regress into absurdity. All the evil, selfishness and ill will we encounter have a remedy in Jesus Christ. It’s a fact that throughout history the Gospel has transformed countless lives, and continues to do so today. Isn’t it intellectually honest to read and investigate this Good News for oneself? Questions are meaningful only when we are genuinely open to considering the answers.
I have a question for the skeptic who asks, who created God? That is, if you somehow discovered that the Christian faith is true would you become a Christian? If you were to answer, no, then you should shift focus on why you would answer, no. It will reveal a great deal about your own questions.
The story of the song, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” is covered in the Book by Dr. P.P. Job “Why God Why“. This story is incredible and shares the results of someone 100% sold out to Jesus Christ, truly born again by the Holy Spirit. You cannot live the Christian life in your own strength. The faith expressed by this man is the faith that will be needed during the coming prophesied tribulation Christians will endure during the last seven years (Daniel 9:24-27) of Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy. The time prior to Jesus’ return, first to rapture the Saints and pour out His wrath on the earth with the Trumpet and Bowl judgements. Both occur after the sixth seal at the trumpet blast that opens the seventh seal.
May everyone who hears this story be inspired to go and do likewise.
Here is a comment from a person from this tribe in North East India, Javies Phaltual:
Hi! Thanks for sharing the story behind the song. First, let me correct you. The missionaries came to North East India, not North India. I am from that region and a descendant of one of the head hunter tribes. But, thanks to the missionaries we are no more head hunters, but fishers of men. It was Watkin R. Roberts who bought the gospel to our tribe. Today, the Wales that sent out such a large group of missionaries have very few numbers of Christians and most of their young generations are lost in the bright darkness of this world. So, join me in your prayers that the gospel be revived again in Wales.
For through him (Jesus) we (Jew and gentile) both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18
We regain access to our Heavenly Father through Jesus coming to earth and becoming man so He could pay the debt for our rebellion. He died in our place so that we might have eternal life. I hope you realize the enormity of what Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer’s spirit.
“The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts.”Proverbs 20:27
It is important to note from this Scripture that our spirit is the lamp of the Lord. Like any lamp, it requires oil, which for us is the Holy Spirit, to function correctly. When Adam and Eve sinned, death was the penalty. Spiritual death occurred immediately when the Holy Spirit departed their spirits, and physical death followed 900 years later. It was only after God’s first judgment of mankind (the worldwide flood of Noah’s day) that God limited man’s lifespan to 120 years.
Considering the enormous price Jesus paid in order for our Heavenly Father to restore our relationship with Him by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer’s spirit to be our counselor, teacher, and comforter, surely we must treat Him with all the respect and honour He deserves.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30
When non-Christians reject Jesus, it simply puts another nail in their coffin and brings them one step closer to judgment, punishment, and the second death in the Lake of Fire. The Lord would have saved their soul, but time and time again they refused to repent. In so doing, “they exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25).
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
But Christians are equally guilty of sin because we too grieve the one Person who can enable us to believe the Gospel, love God, follow Christ, and serve others with godly compassion. Without the Holy Spirit, none of those things would be possible. We would be helpless and hopeless, lost, dazed, and confused. We would have no clue how to be forgiven of our sins or how to please the Lord.
Thankfully, “God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5). So now what? Well, one thing is very clear. We were not saved so that we could go on deliberately sinning against the Lord. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” Romans 6:1-2
Christians face a variety of temptations regarding the use of our bodies, the meditation of our hearts, and the words we choose to utter. Since the Holy Spirit lives within every believer, it is essential that we diligently seek to please the Spirit rather than give into the desires of our sinful nature.
For example, Scripture instructs us: “flee from sexual immorality”. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body”1 Corinthians 6:18-20
If you want to mess up everything in your walk with Christ, then engage in sexual immorality. Have sex outside of marriage. Fill your mind with sexual images and lustful thoughts. Give into temptation rather than resisting it. And commit the one sin that is against your own body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Obviously, this is the opposite of what God calls us to do as followers of Christ.
Scripture also warns believers to be careful with the thoughts and attitudes that they choose to entertain. Paul wrote:
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:29-32
When we violate any of these instructions for holy living, we grieve the Holy Spirit. Our mind comes under attack and the joy of the Lord greatly diminishes in our heart. We lose our peace. We become impatient and self-centered. We hold grudges, and we speak poorly about others.
All of these attitudes and behaviors flow from our sinful nature, (Romans 7:18) and all of them grieve the Holy Spirit. He is always pure, perfect, and gentle. When we push Him away with our sins, our life of discipleship gets put on hold. We backslide, even if only for a matter of minutes until we confess our sins to God and turn away from them.
And of course, sometimes our sinful attitudes persist much longer than a few minutes. Is it any wonder that everyone who seeks to follow Christ finds our calling as believers so incredibly challenging? Sadly, some who begin the journey with Jesus do not fully repent of their sin and acknowledge Him as Lord. They invariably give up and once again pursue deliberate sin. Unbelief is the biggest sin because it prevents a person from being saved, redeemed, forgiven, born again, and justified. The Holy Spirit only indwells those who are trusting the Savior to forgive their sins, which in turn produces a heart that longs to do God’s will.
Everything gets messed up when non-Christians reject Christ, and when believers give in to sinful desires and temptation. So, what is the solution for followers of Christ?
“Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” Galatians 5:16-18
Grieving the Holy Spirit messes up everything, whereas confessing our sins to the Lord and seeking to do His will is the path to peace and righteous living. If you love God then you will be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. So, are you a follower of Christ and have the Holy Spirit to guide your every step? If not, would you like to be? If you would then listen to this presentation by Ray Comfort.
Pretend actors-for-Jesus can quote Scripture, but their desires haven’t changed. They merely feel good that they now have religion, too. Their faith is not a central transforming reality; it’s an add-on to enhance their lives. They believe in a god made in their own image, not the true God of the Bible. They worship a cosmic genie who meets their needs and gives them what they want. They may call themselves servants of Christ. But in fact, they are masters, calling the shots, claiming what they want to claim and believing what they want to believe, and expecting God to come through for them. And when He doesn’t, they either blame Him for not being good or blame themselves and others for not having enough faith to get their way.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’Matthew 7:21-22
How different from the biblical description of us as slaves of Jesus Christ! Yes, the original word is best-translated slaves, not servants, and describes those who are sold out to His ownership and committed to doing whatever He calls them to do, including dying on His behalf should He so desire.
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as slaves (servants) of God.” 1 Peter 2:16
We are also called children of the King, and there is a time when we will enjoy all the privileges of royalty. But now is not that time! Presently we experience some royal kingdom privileges, including constant and unhindered access to the One who sits on the throne. We can “come boldly before the throne of grace,” as Hebrews says. God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us. He has promised to provide what we need to serve Him (Matthew 6:25-32). But when it comes to enjoying all the material provisions living in the King’s mansion provides, we are not yet there.
We are still on foreign soil—hostile soil—where people are fighting against God’s kingdom. We are not just tourists or palace-dwellers; we are “strangers and exiles on the earth,” who are “seeking a homeland” (Hebrews 11:13-14), and longing for “a better country, that is, a heavenly one”.
“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:16
God has prepared a heavenly Jerusalem which John saw coming down from heaven onto the new earth which the Saints will inhabit after the White Throne judgement.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Revelation 21:1-3
What we need in our churches today are fewer actors and more sold-out followers of Jesus—converted people living lives centered on Jesus, the King of kings.
God is raising up leaders that are truly sold out to His purposes of making disciples. Find and connect with these leaders.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).
“The Kingdom of God is not going to be advanced by our churches becoming filled with men but by men in our churches becoming filled with God.” —Duncan Campbell
Taken from another great article, Our Mission: Make More Disciples and Fewer Performers JULY 7, 2022 by RANDY ALCORN
New Masters champion Scottie Scheffler said he’s “trying to glorify God” through his golf career, giving all the credit to the Lord as he spoke with reporters after his stunning victory. Scheffler was asked how he balances his desire to golf competitively without letting it define him as a person. “The reason why I play golf is: I’m trying to glorify God and all that He’s done in my life.” The 25-year-old champion golfer didn’t stop there. He went on to say his “identity isn’t a golf score” and shared how his wife, Meredith, recently offered an encouraging reminder of that reality. “Like Meredith told me this morning, she says, ‘If you win this golf tournament today if you lose this golf tournament by 10 shots if you never win another golf tournament again,’ she goes, ‘I’m still going to love you, you’re still going to be the same person, Jesus loves you, and nothing changes,’” Scheffler said.
Scottie Scheffler wins the 2022 Masters.
Scheffler said his wife regularly prays for him to experience peace, something he always wants to have on the golf course. Additionally, he seeks to experience “God’s presence.” “Every day when we go out there, Meredith always prays for peace, because that’s what I want to feel on the golf course, is peace and have fun and just feel His presence,” he said. “So that’s her prayer every day. That’s my prayer, and I really felt that today. I felt at peace.” Earlier in the press conference, Scheffler shared how overwhelmed he was before his win. He felt Sunday morning like he might not be ready for all that was unfolding. But Scheffler came to some critical realizations after talking with his wife. “My wife told me, ‘Who are you to say that you’re not ready?’ Who am I to say that I know what’s best for my life?” he said. “What we talked about is: God is in control, and the Lord is leading me, and if today’s my time, then it’s my time.”
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
You cannot view this verse in isolation you need to consider the previous verse first.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” Philippians 4: 11
Philippians 4:13 is not about how one can literally do anything we put our minds to simply because we are in Christ. Paul has a specific context in mind here—and it is not about attaining your personal goals and aspirations, developing a healthy conception of self-worth, nor is it designed to be a coping mechanism to deal with the grit and grime of life. Truthfully, the passage isn’t even about finding the secret of contentment in all things, despite insistence from many that this is the focal point of this passage. This interpretation does have more validity to it due to the following passage.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4:11-12
Paul undoubtedly affirms learning contentment in all circumstances. However, the overarching point of Paul to the Philippians in this passage is not contentment, but one of enduring through suffering, particularly, suffering brought on through no fault of our own.
Job a model of faithfulness in suffering
The Letter to the Philippians is one of Paul’s epistles written from prison, which means that as he pens this letter, he is chained to a Roman guard waiting for his trial before Caesar. In the midst of Paul’s expression of gratitude for their financial support, he takes the opportunity to encourage his people that Christ Himself is the source of all comfort, hope, and faith. The simple reason why Paul encourages them in this manner is they have been appointed, not only to eternal life but to suffer for the sake of Christ, which in particular for them means they will experience the same things Paul has (Philippians 1:29-30). Paul is not only referring to being jailed for Christ’s sake, but to enduring physical persecution (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).
It is in light of this that Paul then ministers to those in Philippi by highlighting the hope of the gospel, the resurrection, and the object of their faith: Jesus Christ.He is all-sufficient and provides for our every needby the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Bible teaches us how to embrace suffering for the glory of Christ because it is the means by which we enter His Kingdom.
Adapted from articles by Grayson Gilbert on Suffering. Click on embrace suffering and you will connect to another great article by Grayson Gilbert.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 