What do I crave?

“How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be satisfied.”Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬ ‭TPT‬‬

These are Jesus’ words from His sermon on the mount. I do crave righteousness. However, I stoop to self-righteousness. Why do I do this? I find in myself a pride that is wrong. Pride is what caused Satan to fall. Pride will cause me to fall if I allow it room to rule. I also find myself being judgemental against my fellow Christians when they frustrate me (usually when I am trying to bring something to pass in my own strength).

Like Paul I must cry out: ‘what a wretched woman I am, who will deliver me from this body of sin? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but my flesh, to the law of sin.’ (Romans 7:24,25 HCAB)

Paul also wrote: ‘none is righteous no not one’(Roman’s 3:10). Paul is repeating David’s words here from Psalm 14:1. David knew this truth and spoke prophetically about the coming saviour.

The answer to my quest for righteousness is Jesus. When I seek Him I receive His righteousness and so do not need to stoop to baking my own. The righteousness He gives is clean and free from corruption. It is pure in God’s sight. There is no need for pride because pride is manufactured by sin. What glorious freedom is ours in Jesus! Amen!

Tithing

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some say, ‘yes but that was the Old Testament, we now live under the New Testament.’ However, they forget that Abraham existed before the law and he, it seems, initiated the tithe. He gave 10% of his war winnings to Melchizedek, the High Priest of God. We also need to be reminded that Jesus said:

“Indeed, I assure you, as long as heaven and earth endure, not even the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with until its purpose is complete.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

The purpose of the law is to bring conviction of sin. Sin is still rampant. I don’t see the law disappearing any time soon.

So, anyone want abundant blessing? Tithe in faith! Watch God honour His word. Amen!

Doing my bit

“Put into practice the example of all that you have heard from me or seen in my life and the God of peace will be with you in all things.”Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭TPT‬‬

As I read this I ask myself, ‘who’s life can I copy?’ I cannot copy anyone I know back in Australia; I do not know people in Nepal well enough to copy them; I am drawn to Jesus and perhaps Paul however, Jesus I have studied the most. Preachers I listen to, BillJohnson mostly,  have their own cultural ways and preferences that I do not share, but one thing I do share is my love for Jesus. I am encouraged in this.

Who will follow me? I am responsible for being an example to my children and grandchildren; those the Lord gives me to disciple; those I encounter as I share Jesus. I cannot live for selfish reasons and ambitions. I am a witness for what Jesus can do in a person.

Jesus laid down His eternal position to live amongst sinful man, He taught a new way of understanding of the Father and His ways; He gave His life on the cross for all sin and He rose again to give us all eternal life. If Jesus can do this for me, surely I can do my bit for Him. Amen!

Oh come

“The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.”Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

How good God is towards the repentant. I experienced the joy of watching hundreds stream to the front after hearing Todd White preach in Brisbane Australia. I spoke to a homeless man who had been baptised in freezing rain that night, he glowed. He was home! He had run so far away from God and now he was back with his father.

Daily I receive reports from Daniel Kolenda in Ethiopia. The last report said that the whole crowd kneeled in the mud in surrender to Jesus. There are no guns making them kneel, they knelt in free abandon.

I remember my own conversion with fondness. Jesus paid it all, He is enough. He is the restorer of our pityful lives to the Fsther. He is the best! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4zBC3SKOP_o&si=xJSgUdA4y646L5v4

The best gift

“And what is God’s “living message”? It is the revelation of faith for salvation, which is the message that we preach. For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will experience salvation.”Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬ ‭TPT‬‬

There are two actions here: confess with our mouths ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in our hearts that ‘God raised Him from the dead’. When we confess with our mouths ‘Jesus is Lord’ we agree that He is the Christ and we also agree He is God. This is the start of our understanding of the two natures of Jesus (Holman’s Study Bible footnotes- as articulated in Council of Chalcedon 451AD).

When I became born again I could not stop sharing what Jesus had done for me. My heart was full of gratitude and joy. His beauty so consumed me I overflowed with joy, I had to tell people why I was so joyous.

I wanted to be with people who had the same joy and together praised Jesus, and then went out to share Him with others. I must confess I did not enjoy street witnessing but rather at work as a nurse I had a captive audience. One man I shared Jesus with, many years later, met me in my home town and told me that he had become born again. He was one of many.

I continue to share Jesus with people, I look for opportunities to talk to people who will receive what I have to say. Most times we share a similar background in western countries. In Nepal I am seeking opportunities to see people healed and then preach the gospel. 

Jesus is the single best thing I can give anyone! Amen!

His way

“Then I heard the Lord saying, “Whom should I send to my people? Who will go to represent us?” I spoke up and said, “I will be the one. Send me.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Well today is my first day back in Nepal. Had my good friend Chelle come to visit, we shared Jesus and caught up. Now having coffee and carrot cake. Almost everything is shut in Nepal for Dashain, except my supermarket and my coffee shop, praise God, and the internet.

So honoured to be back and to follow my Lord. He has the best appointments for me. Looking forward to all He has and does! Love you Jesus!

Every plan

“Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. Then every plan you make will succeed.”Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Yesterday brought shocks, financially. My children insisted I buy medical insurance while in Nepal. A year’s premium is $1,150. I was left to pay for the premium myself. Last night I discovered that I did not have a confirmed ticket on the plane this morning. Another $251. Today I hope to take excess baggage with me on my flights, books for Nepali children.

What can I do but trust the Lord? Father I ask for the finance for this in Jesus’ name! Amen!

Last night as I waited for the airline to respond on the phone I knew I had to trust the Lord. When I got through (20 minutes later) I was told to contact the booking agent. Fortunately they were prompt and very helpful.

Today as I look to book excess baggage I pray for grace. Amen!