Know it all?

“Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Here’s the challenge: love God with all you have and lay down your lust for praise and glory. Satan had this problem. He was created by God as a beautiful, talented angel, but he lusted for the glory, honour and power that belonged to God. So, in an effort to take for himself that which belonged to God he led a rebellion with 1/3 of the angelic host and was defeated by Archangel Michael. Cast down to the earth Satan now makes war on God’s next creation, one made in His image, us.

When we don’t get what we want we hate those who oppose our selfishness and we turn on them and make war with them. The antidote is repentance, humility and adoration for the One to whom it belongs. There is the problem: die to your lust and love the One who has all authority and power and walk with Him. He will give you an amazing life.

Today, make Jesus Lord and live for Him with all you have. He has the power, the glory and authority! None is greater than He. He determines eternity. Choose today who you will serve! Amen!

Right living

“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.”Hosea‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This verse comes in the middle of an indictment against Israel and Judah. The Lord is calling them to repent and walk in His ways. What does it say to us?

What is righteousness? It is right living from a pure heart. When we are born again we receive a new heart, we have the Holy Spirit resident inside of us. We can now live in the power of the Holy Spirit, and as we yield to Him we live righteously.

Walking humbly with our God gives us access to His goodness and grace. Yesterday we received word that a little girl who had been sick was healed after our prayer for her. I knew she would be healed. The presence of God was all over our prayers for her.

We cannot live for ourselves and expect to live righteously. We may fool ourselves with our self-righteousness. However, God’s standard is much higher than ours and has a greater reach. We can tell if our righteousness is from God or ourselves by the fruit we produce. Are we living for God and His purposes or our own? Ponder this!

A new way

“Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’ However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them.”Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Israel was turned on its head when Jesus arrived. He took understanding the heart of God to a whole new level. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was replaced with grace and forgiveness. This new doctrine was hard to swallow. It meant laying down of precious preconceived notions and learning a new way, a painful way. Vengeance now belonged to God alone. He had said, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them.’”Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

However, Exodus 21:23-25 became the dominant attitude: “But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”Exodus‬ ‭21‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

in some ways Israel still lives under this premise, as do many in the world.

What then do we do with the words of Jesus? They are words that need to be thought over, prayed over and embraced by faith. We cannot skim over Jesus, we must stop, look and listen. His way brings forgiveness, grace and mercy. His ways bring healing. Justice without grace is harsh and empty. 

In Australia I have seen this in our indigenous people. Some have been hurt by the harshness of the white man but no amount of money or public repentance cleanses away the scar. Only forgiveness, grace and mercy cleanses the soul. Amen

Faithful God

“Do not yield to fear, for I am always near. Never turn your gaze from me, for I am your faithful God. I will infuse you with my strength and help you in every situation. I will hold you firmly with my victorious right hand.’ “All who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced. All who contend with you will perish and disappear. You will look for your enemies in vain; those who war against you will vanish without a trace! I am Yahweh, your mighty God! I grip your right hand and won’t let you go! I whisper to you: ‘Don’t be afraid; I am here to help you!’”Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I claim this promise, although it was given to Israel, I am grafted into the branch through faith in Jesus Christ. I love the second sentence: ‘ never turn your gaze from Me, for I am your faithful God!’ I constantly hear the Lord whisper ‘look at Me, look at Me!’ As I look at Him He fills me with His dreams and visions, and He blesses me through watching my son march forward in evangelism.

Satan has tried to destroy me many times and constantly attacked my mind with doubts about my physical abilities. Yet, Sunday I collected my result sheet from the college here in Kathmandu and I discovered the subject with the best score was the one I was least prepared for. I had to listen to a passage read in Nepali, answer questions about said text, in Nepali, and write my answers in Nepali. I scored an 85. For someone challenged in hearing this was a miracle. I had been absent from class for over four weeks and not been present when the class practised this exercise. Praise God!

There are other areas where my God has and is going to fight for me. He is filling my heart with His vision and it is delightful and fun. I pray I am able to fulfill all He puts before me as this would be the pinnacle for me. Each day, now, I look forward to the next exciting instalment.

Each night my flatmates and I sit by the heater, read our bibles and pray and then knit. Such peace descends. I am reluctant to leave. The beauty of the Lord is present. Last night I read several psalms and enjoyed the Lord in them.

Today I will take my next step to answer the Lord’s call. May He open doors wide for me, wider than ever before. Amen!

Blessed be the Lord

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.”1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

These were the words of King David on the day he dedicated his son Solomon to be king in his stead, gave his wealth to build the house of the Lord and encouraged the people to also give. It was a day of joyful giving, sacrifice and praise to the Lord.

David lived a life with a heart after God! His psalms speak of his longing and joy in the presence of God. Out of his heart flowed a desire to build a house for the Lord. The actual temple Solomon built was a testimony to the expanse of David’s love for the Lord.

I can learn from this! Father may I never attempt to replace my affection for you with people or things. I pray that You stay with me and guide me into more of You! Amen!

The good fight

“So fight with faith for the winner’s prize! Lay your hands upon eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made the good confession before the multitude of witnesses!”1 Timothy‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We fight many fights that are senseless and of no value. The fight we need to engage in is one for our eternal prize. This involves dying to our selfish attitudes and ways; high opinions and ideals; arrogance and pride. Instead we need to take up the cause of our God and reach out to those who are perishing.

The Lord fills me with dreams of how to accomplish His purposes. He is wanting to use all that I have been trained in to bring this about. I have a creative side to my life and He wants to use this to open doors. 

In my younger life I aspired to be a doctor and focussed my study on Maths and Science, and loved it. However, He began my creative training in childhood. I was taught to play the piano and sing. When I play the piano I go to a special place where He is and it is here He is able to talk to me. In Nepal I do not have a piano yet and so I am teaching myself the ukulele. I love to cook and do handicrafts, these I learned later in life. However, it is music He is using and wants to use for His glory.

I cannot dictate as to how the Lord will use me. I must be willing and open for any encounter! Amen!

Sabbath rest

““Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In Nepal today, Saturday, is the church’s sabbath, whereas tomorrow is the west’s sabbath. Today, as in most Saturdays I go for a trek with my friend Chelle, I enjoy God’s creation, return home and share my food with Chelle and play a game. To us it is rest. Tomorrow we go to church and enjoy the fellowship of the saints as we worship the Lord together, we usually have lunch at a restaurant and return to my place for coffee and a game. My Nepali flatmates attend a church service both today and tomorrow. They are gone for most of the day. Sometimes they go to visit people who they are outreaching to.

Business is not a part of my schedule on the weekend. It is restful! I usually have food already cooked so that it just needs reheating. I do not like busyness. I like rest. Every morning I like to take a long time with the Lord, reading His word, sharing it with others via social media, worship, and prayer. I actually resist the urge to race in the morning, perhaps it is my age or the length of time I’ve walked with the Lord, or both. Anyway, I can take time and so I do.

There was a time in my life where to have time with the Lord was fraught with difficulty. No matter how early I would rise my young children would interrupt. Now, I enjoy peace. When back in Australia even there my youngest grandson Ollie is up early. Here, quiet!

I remember reading that Charles Wesley’s mum would cover her head with her apron to indicate ‘mum is having time with the Lord’, and no one dared interrupt. If we create a precedent it stands. Amen!