Interceed

“Be faithful to pray as intercessors who are fully alert and giving thanks to God.”Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I have just read a post about a Chinese man who had ministered to North Koreans for many years and was abducted by North Korea and jailed in North Korea for 11 years for crimes against the regime. He was lifted up in prayer for all that time. I pray God used him mightily in jail.

As a westerner I am continually convicted of the many who suffer for Christ and how small are my troubles. The beautiful souls who face such futures with boldness and faith remind me that this is what a Christian should be like. Laying down our lives for others is what we are called to do.

North Korea is a brutal place. Yet this bold man cared for the people. He took them into his home, clothed and fed them, taught them about God. For the grace he bestowed on the needy he paid 11 years in prison. However, I am sure God used this mighty man in that prison.

I was just contacted by a Muslim woman I ministered to whilst living in Tamworth. She wants to see me again next July. How beautiful! I can pray into that encounter!

Protected

“When you pass through the deep, stormy sea, you can count on me to be there with you. When you pass through raging rivers, you will not drown. When you walk through persecution like fiery flames, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you,”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This is a word from the Lord given to His people. It is a promise of restoration. As a Christian I have claimed it and will stand in it.

Today I have lost my second bike helmet. Each time I have been with others in a taxi and left without it. It is not a storm or a fiery furnace. However, it comes as I have poured out finance to the needy. Although each time I have contacted teh taxi company not a word has come in reply.

However, the Holy Spirit whispers, “Don’t worry I will look after you!” In Nepal it is not obligatory to wear a helmet as a passenger. I wear one because I believe Nepali drivers are very dangerous. However, my God promises to keep me. I will buy another one but for now I must take His word and go without to college.

I am enjoying college. We have onky two more weeks of lessons then our final exam. I pray for hearing and understanding. Although the teacher speaks in Nepali 98%of the time I get his drift and work the rest out. Praise God He helps me!

My God is good! All the time He is good!!! Amen!!!

Who can be saved

“Looking into their eyes, Jesus replied, “Humanly speaking, no one, because no one can save himself. But what seems impossible to you is never impossible to God!”Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭26‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Jesus had just told the disciples that it would be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and He used an anology of a camel passing through ‘the eye of the needle’. The disciples were horrified and said, “well then! Who can be saved?”

The eye of the needle was a gate where, for a camel to pass through it had to be unburdened and squeezed through and then reloaded. It was difficult but not impossible.

 

A rich man would be caught with all his possessions and his eyes would be on his money instead of God. However, we have heard stories about rich men and women who do come to Christ. I recently read about two Muslims in Saudi Arabia who were so empty amidst all their riches that they hungered for a reality that would fill them with peace. Jesus revealed Himself to them and they gave up all their wealth to follow Him.

This is a good warning to us not to seek after wealth for wealth’s sake because it is a cruel master. It will take the place of the Lord and become an idol in our lives. 

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things will be added. Amen!

No fear

“For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.”2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I needed this today! I had been safely saving for my next study program and visa and whamo God has me give a large portion away. It followed by another need in which I believe He wants me to give half as much away. You might say He is stretching my faith in finance.

I am praying for a four wheel drive vehicle to use in ministry in Sindhulpalchok next year. I have no idea where the money will come from. I will need $20,000AU. The Lord has me giving away a 1/10 of that. It it amazing that I can give this much when only receiving a pension, but the more I give the richer I become in faith.

Yesterday I told a friend I would be unable to help her as I had just give away a thousand. However, here I am again and what is God saying? Stretch!

Bless God! He is taking me somewhere! Amen!

Jesus was indignant

“When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some versions have Jesus being indignant rather than angry. Indignation is classed as a specific anger against injustice. Therefore, indignation fits better than anger.

What caused this indignation? The disciples decided that mothers bringing their children to Jesus to be blessed as an annoyance. His statement: ‘for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these’ shows how much Jesus valued the children.

In Nepal in many churches children do not have their own program, they endure the long services that adults participate in. However, they do tend to run around in the service when bored. My flatmates have been involved with children’s ministry for a long time, I must add I have done my time there as well. We are devising a puppet show to take the message about trafficking up into the hills of Nepal. I know puppets speak the message well.

Valuing children is important, they are our future generations. They carry the seed of hope, if we give it to them. If we allow them to experience worship they will engage their saviour better than any adult. Their love is pure and greatly cherished by the Lord.

Give room to children! Amen!

Thoughts and intentions

“For we have the living Word of God, which is full of energy, like a two-mouthed sword. It will even penetrate to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.”Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We like to hide our thoughts and intentions away from others, we cover them with fancy words which are really lies, we seek to appear glorious to others but to our God nothing is hidden.

In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray: ‘May Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ and fail to realise we are attempting to construct something different: a house on sand. We are in a hurry and don’t take time to dig deep foundations with our God. We gloss over our beautiful abodes and live like there is nothing that will rock our foundations, until the storm comes. Then we wail and cry out for help.

Do we realise how shallow we really are? Do we realise how much God wants us to dig deep and know Him and His ways and allow them to change us?

I advocate for four refugee families. Refugees in Nepal are now supposed to have jobs, yet the government will not support them. UNHCR will to a point, but then they are at the mercy of landlords, injuries and hospitals wanting payment. Yesterday I dealt with four familes. One, which I support by paying the father to translate a man’s work into Urdu informed me of their huge need. It crushed me. I went to the Lord and knew He wanted me to help. I have had a fixed term deposit that I keep to satisfy immigration here in Nepal, that very day it had come off the fixture and was free, so to speak. I did a quick calculation and estimated I could save the amount I planned to give back in time for my next college fee. I could not turn my back on this family who faced deveststion. As it was they were being evicted from their flat, which to me was a hovel.

Jesus told us that He was looking for a people who would not turn their backs on the needy. Well….I’m in!

How can I look into eyes that portray suffering and say, “Go your way and be well fed and warm’ when I know the opposite is true?

I am the Lord’s servant, He wants me to do what He would do! Amen!

Nothing is impossible!

“Not one promise from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God!”Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭37‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I can trust my God to fulfill His word, even when others rebel or fail through fear. His word is powerful and mighty to save. His word is strong and reliable!

We can fail to believe and trust God, but His word is still powerful. It sits waiting for one who will take it and use it and trust it to perform all it promises.

When God’s word says: ‘no weapon formed against you will prosper’, it is right, if I stand in it and allow it to be great on my behalf. Faith activates God’s word in my life!

Hebrews tells me: ‘God’s word is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing bone and marrow, it judges the ideas and thoughts of the heart’ (Hebrews 4:12). That is powerful! I can trust it and use it.

In Ephesians when Paul tells people to put on the armour of God. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God! (Ephesians 6:17b). 

Our God has given us all we need to stand and fight for His promises to us. Stop reading and watching faithless junk! Get powerful through the word of God! Amen!