Every part

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Every part means every part not just those areas that are ever present before our eyes. I cannot take liberty whilst in Nepal and ignore the road rules. If I cause an accident and people are injured how will they be compensated? If I am driving illegally then I will face prison and eventual deportation.

I know foreign nationals who flaunt these rules. What is their behaviour saying about their hearts towards others? Towards their God? The above scripture saying to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in all areas. 

If we say we cannot hear Him correcting our behaviour what does that say about our hearing? Have we dulled our ability to listen because of self-will?

Because I am sensitive to following the law I am not free to walk around in critical judgement of those who do flaunt the rules. My challenge is to get out of the way of the Spirit and let Him rule. 

Lord I ask for Your focus for me today, to allow you to rule in my heart. May a your kingdom come, Your will be done. Amen!

Set free

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We cannot comprehend God’s holinesss. We think we know holiness by our own judgement of what we think that looks like. Every judgement we make is from a selfish point of view. 

Yet, it takes a revelation from the Holy Spirit to understand what holiness really is. He does this as He reveals our sin and we then know we have fallen short of God’s glorious holiness. Only repentance opens the door to God’s holiness. We now become set apart for Him. As we read our bibles we gain insight and understanding of how holy God is and what His plan for us is. He transforms us from sinner to saint as we become more like His Son Jesus.

Only Jesus can set us free from the penalty of sin. As we accept His gift we are liberated from the penalty of our sin. No amount of self-righteousness is good enough. We have no righteousness worthy of our God. Jesus was the only one good enough. I must accept His free gift and live in faith towards Him. He is enough. Amen!

I believe

“Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.”Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Jesus is revealed throughout the Old Testament as a golden thread, in the New Testament He is the manifestation of God as the Son. The gospels show us His character. He came to heal, restore and deliver, to manifest the true nature of God, and to ultimately die a cruel death in our place, only to rise again victorious on the third day.

As we read the gospels we find Him in opposition to religious hypocrisy, having compassion on the people who He called ‘sheep without a shepherd’. He offered Himself as the shepherd. Although God He humbled Himself to the role of servant. His authority, nonetheless, cut through the darkness. The demons recognised Him even if the religious leaders denied Him.

He gave life to all who believed in Him and this life continues now. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to heaven. He is the answer to all questions, the eternal God. He is coming back to rule and reign as king.

I believe! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wohdq7YCPWk&si=g6uvM41VqVGFRM_u

The narrow way

““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This scripture is full or warning! The easy way leads to destruction. What is the easy way? The way of comfort, where many friends are found, all sliding down the hill to destruction. This way is full of deception and ease, the gospel of God’s love and tolerance, an absence of the cross.

What is the narrow way? The cross. The daily choosing to lay down my life for my neighbours, family and friends. Few are found here. It is lonely, difficult but filled with Jesus.

Today I choose to visit a Pakistani refugee family and love them. I pray I can be their ears and hear their hearts. Today I refuse my flesh prominence, no laying around, no ease.

My flesh loves ease, comfort and lack of trouble. My spirit knows I need the path to the cross. I need t be prepared to meet my groom in glory, I need a white wedding garment, not gaudy flesh. I need to be ready! Amen!

Be strong

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Joshua had reason to be afraid: he was given the leadership that had rested on Moses’ shoulders. Joshua have lived 40 years in the wilderness under Moses. He had seen the challenges, but he had also wistnessed the power of God. God slew those who disobeyed Him.

Fortunately Joshua loved the presence of God, he is now being instructed to keep the word of God ever before him and to go trust God to be his deliverer.

Each of us faces fear, if we didn’t there would be no need for faith. We would rely on our own strength. When we face dismay at failed outcomes we could be inclined to back away. However, if God has spoken into our lives then we must be faithful to follow Him, keeping the word of God before us and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us.

I am going through a difficult time at present: my flatmates are sick, I am skirting unwellness myself and having to keep moving. Thai past week I went to interview refugees I am responsible for. They have overwhelming difficulties, ones that only the Lord can solve. Without the Holy Spirit I would be lost. I must keep the Lord before me and worship my way through.

Joshua had a successful battle with Jericho but the next one was a failure, because there was unknown sin in the camp. Disappointment would have been huge, however, a valuable lesson followed. Disappointment comes when something is amiss. We must remember to have the word of God as a lamp to our feet, the Spirit of God as our guide and faith in our saviour as our lifeline. He will guide us into all truth. Amen!

Make disciples

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How do you make disciples? What did Jesus do? He spent time with those He had chosen and taught them His ways, He settled disputes and taught them Kingdom values.

It is not enough to march into town and do a crusade and leave without discipling converts. Paul spent time discipling. The writers of the Epistles were attempting to disciple converts and deal with disputes and sinful behaviour.

Teaching and preaching both convey biblical truths but time is an important factor. Along with time is genuine concern for the welfare of the disciples. Jesus’ prayer to the Father in John 17:12 shows these. Jesus said, ‘I have not lost one except the son of perdition’. He was referring to Judas. He was left with 11 disciples. This is not a huge crowd. Yet those 11 were enough to spread the good news.

Be encouraged! Make a few disciples! Amen!

The vast host

“After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!””Revelation‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is our future. We will stand with people from all over the world, people from different tongues and yet we are all saying: ‘salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb’. I wonder what language we will speak because John understood them all?

In Nepal there are refugees from other nations; their are foreign missionaries from many nations all speaking a different language in their homes. The common language seems to be English, yet Nepali is spoken all around us.

Our commonality is Jesus, we are present because of our relationship with Him. The love of Jesus makes its own language. Yesterday I met with an Urdu family. They love Jesus and look to Him for their support. I trust Him for my support. We are alive because of Him! We are living to be His example and He is our reward. Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=B2pG7J5SSx4&si=7k_Ae8h13IbEf1a5