The day with dianne Louise

The Loose woman, she is turbulent and willful; her feet stay not in her house. Prov 7:11 I, wisdom from God, make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion. Prov 8:12 I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, and I have might and power. Prov 8:14 Two women, two totally different perspectives. One does not care for truth and righteousness; she lives for the lust of her flesh. The other is connected to the Lord, loves justice, mercy and truth. I see two different people, one who wants their own way and who’s ears are shut to truth; the other loves the truth and their relationship with the Lord more than anything else. The one that is open to truth you can work with and want to give to, the other, her eyes cloud over when truth is spoken and she runs to her own ways, she delights in her own ways. This person’s need is sensuous not spiritual, she lives for her emotions. This person cannot have the best of me. The fruit of the sensuous woman is frustratio...

Keep and guard your heart with all diligence and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life Prov4:23 How do we guard our hearts? The proceeding verses explain how: Avoid dishonest speech, willful and contrary talk Keep looking straight ahead, don't get distracted Consider the path before you, walk in established paths Don't turn to the right or lef t, avoid evil The heart is where God dwells, while it is pure and unblocked life, His life flows freely. We are encouraged to keep it clean and unblocked. When I dabble in any of the above my heart tells me, an alarm goes off: 'warning, warning, unclean, unclean'. Sometimes the unclean feeling lasts a while, it makes me feel like adopting monkish garb and flailing myself. Now I know that this is unnecessary that my saviour allowed sinful men to flog Him instead of me, this actually makes it worse because He is so good. I find when I am upset by the behaviour of someone I have trouble with my speech ab...

And the remnant that has survived of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. Is 37:31 Today as I sit and think about how to move forward with my attitude to Tony and Kate (my X spouse and his new wife) I say to my soul don't walk in paths of bitterness, don't dwell on darkness. I want to show God's grace towards them but not compromise on the facts. I don't like a dirty spirit, cluttered with yucky, sticky stuff that binds. Bless them Lord. Amen! I want my roots to go down deep and my fruit to be abundant this coming year. I have a huge vision and want to see many come to freedom in Christ. I must be free to take them there. I have a vision in business as well. I want to be fair but wise in my dealings. This coming year I will grow exponentially. I know in my bones this will happen. Relationally I will stabilise this year and bless others out of that stability. 2010 is a year of release for me. Amen!

Psalms 149:1 (MSG) 1 Hallelujah! Sing to God a brand-new song, praise him in the company of all who love him. A brand new song comes from a brand new experience. We walk into a brand new experience as we press into God with an obedient heart. Obedience brings change and opens the doors to the new. I will sing of the new things God is doing in my life, I will praise Him in the congregation and relate what He has done. I now know I am blessed, before I was pressing in to be blessed. Now I expect blessing, abundant blessing. Now I know the great benefits of obedience right there in the 'little things' the seemingly unimportant things. Obedience brings freedom. Amen!

Philippians 2:8 (MSG) 8 Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Yesterday I had an opportunity to completely obey a word the Lord had spoken to me a full year ago and one my emotions had fought. The result was amazing. Peace, contentment followed by blessing. The Lord's presence has been potently present and our fellowship sweet. In the middle of the night I awoke with my spirit singing a medley of two songs, 'O Holy Night' and 'My Deliverer' (Chris Tomlin) my insides were dancing, the Lord was having a party. The funny thing was, I was sharing a room with my mother and she awoke with her spirit singing 'Silent Night', she finally went back to sleep and she was dancing to 'The Sugar Plum Fairy'. What a pair, we did enjoy our midnight ...

Don't jump to conclusions there may be a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw. Prov 25:8 This is so true, especially when I am stepping out and not receiving feedback, my mind plays tricks. I hear 'see you were wrong, you missed it this time.' (sounds like someone else's voice) It times like this I have to remember good advice, stand and stay focused on the one who led. It is as if a whole world of turmoil whirls around the act of stepping out so as to distract from the main event. Because I have such a vivid imagination I actually see swirling spirits, I could make a movie about it. Other times is when people do not get back to me when I think they would or should, again I have to stay firm and focused and remember that others have different lives and priorities and stuff happens to distract them. It is not that they are unfaithful or uncaring but stuff happens. I am so blessed to have the beautiful Lord in my life, His smile, His hand, His voice is ...

They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh. Matthew 2:10,11 Thank you Lord, You came. Thank you that you made yourself vulnerable , you trusted yourself to a young couple as a helpless infant. I praise You, glory to You in the highest. Majesty deigned to dwell on earth with men. Thank you, today we celebrate Your birth, Your reaching out to us, Your bringing us back to the Father. Today we celebrate the beginning of grace, today grace was born, today the law was on notice, today the new had come. Amen! Thank you for salvation. Thank you for 'the way'. Thank you for forgiveness, thank you for the gift of life you gave. Thank you for making God real, for introducing Abba Father, thank you for fulfilling the law, thank you for re...

Learn the truth and never reject it. Get wisdom, self-control, and understanding. Prov 23:23 I did not grow up with a good understanding of truth even though I had a catholic education and as a result I battled through a maze of relativism and struggled to 'buy truth and never sell it'. The understanding that I did not have truth came through hard experience. I realised I had to search for it as for buried treasure. I am now desperate for truth and for wisdom, when I lack it I am afraid to move forward. I praise God that the word promises that if I ask for it, I will receive. However, I would like to dispute the benign nature of the word 'ask' in our western language because I know asking is not enough I have to rattle God's cage for it, I have to do serious assault on the kingdom to receive it. I see my life as that of a warrior who has to be ever vigilant and on the look out for the enemy, buffet my body, soul and spirit so that it is fit to stand and ever tu...

Being respected is more important than having great riches. To be well thought of is better than silver or gold. The wise see danger ahead and avoid it, but fools keep going and get into trouble. Prov 22:1,3 I have just had a good friend confess being caught in a situation that has lost her leadership and respect. 'But it wasn't my fault' was her plea. I have pondered all day how she could say that. What lead up to the fall? what didn't she see? what didn't I see? why didn't she tell me, her closest friend until she was found out? I know there is grief in the spirit. I have declared my friendship but at the same time challenged her thinking. Something precious has been lost, pain has been caused, her daughter will be affected, greatly. The above scripture says 'the wise see danger ahead'. Did she see it and ignore it? The opposite of wisdom is foolishness. We are foolish when we do not keep watch, listen to wise counsel, keep a short account with th...

A wise person can defeat a city full of warriors and tear down the defenses they trust in. Whoever tries to live right and be loyal finds life, success, and honour. Prov 21:22,21 Proverbs says a lot about wisdom and wisdom works whether I feel wise or not, whether my foes intimidate me or not. I praise God I can tap into His wisdom anytime, anyplace. When I think of David spending so much time running for his life, living in caves, feigning madness in foreign lands I am comforted . God's word works all the time, there is power there when I plug into it. David would have wondered at times why this way Lord? When will your promise come to pass? I am sure Abraham, Moses, Noah and many more of the patriarchs would have had the same grief. I am not alone and will not be the last to suffer. My ex-husband arrived, suddenly, this evening with his wife, bearing a gift for me for Christmas, it was horrid and made me feel awful . He sat talking with my son-in-law about how they would sp...

The Lord decides what a person will do; no one understands what his life is all about. Prov 20:24 This is so true. I have spent years dreaming up ideas, they all looked good BUT God came along. Now I wait for an inkling of His dream, it is quickened to me, it is different from my own dreaming or inspiration, then I look at the dream giver and wait for Him to bring it to pass. Have been doing some holiday reading Phillip Yancey's 'The Jesus I never knew'. He brings a great perspective into God's attitude. He talked about how Jesus was tempted by Satan to take the power way out, BUT God wanted the humbler way. He chose restraint and it hit me that is exactly what my God is creating in me. I am not to rise up and make things happen I am to press in and watch things happen, then He gets the glory. This morning I woke burdened for souls and as I prayed a plan emerged and I 'knew' what I had to do, so I did it. The Lord is so concerned for those I have ministered t...

Don't stop listening to correction or you will forget what you have already learned. Prov 19:27 When do we say 'I know enough, I don't need anyone to tell me anything anymore', or 'I think I am now wise and don't need help'. This sounds silly and lacking in sense but is something we actually do. We can never stop learning and a big part of learning is being corrected. How do we stop learning? When we stop listening, when we think more of ourselves than we should, perhaps. For example 'I know how to cook a carrot cake and so I will never be interested in another way', 'I know how to save and am settled in my ways so don't try and interest me in another way', I know how I want to talk to strangers and they have to accept who I am and that is that', or 'I am not interested in talking to strangers and so dont bother me.' The signs of not learning are rigidity, inflexibility, a clouded mind when change comes knocking. How do ...

the wise are patient, they will be honoured if they ignore insults. Prov19:11 Ah! there is that word again, 'Patience'. An attribute of patience is that it refuses to be distracted with the 'what ifs'. Patience is focused . Like a dog that awaits it's masters next move, those who practice patience stay with eyes fixed on the Lord and waits for His movement. This is so good to practice! My soul becomes anchored on the Lord and Him alone. The vision He has given will not be moved and I cannot trade it in for a moment of fear, thank you Lord! You alone are good! I cannot look to others to bring the vision to pass, I must focus on the Lord. He alone is God and He does such a good job of it. He is the supplier of all good things, He alone will bring in the finance, the future, the wholeness, the friends, the ministry. Lord I look to You! The joy I have reading this scripture, it means to me that wisdom is coming as I train myself to wait.

Fools do not want to understand anything, they only want to tell others what they think. Prov 18:2 I have been foolish in the past and fought hard to become wise. I saw my speech impulsive and not a blessing. I have pressed in to God to change, I can't continually hurt others. God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us, all we have to do is ask. Wisdom is there for those who seek. The pain that comes along in life causes us to want to react and spill out a lot of verbal garbage. I could see a need to let God be God of my reactions. Recently I could see the need to answer differently, circumspectly instead of in response to what was said. I praise God, He had heard my petition, 'Lord help me be wise in my conversation so that I will not cause my family to be offended.' An opportunity arose and I stopped before I replied to a question. The answer brought life, where in the past it would have caused offense. Lacking wisdom does not have to be the end...

Every wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1 I find that, especially when I see things finally moving little by little, I can become so intense that I find myself trying to help out and then nothing happens. Well, here I am again! All doors seem shut. I am about to go away for a holiday and the money is not in, I am exhausted, and many other areas are all saying 'no, slow down, take a detour'. I do not want to lose any ground so I will humble myself and trust the Lord, I will still go and I know the provision will be there. Thank You Lord! Amen! Wisdom dictates, 'don't kick against the goads', continue to build, don't tear down through foolish behaviour.

for if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly and truly execute justice between every man and his neighbour...... Jer 7:5 Yesterday we came together to farewell little Timothy (my unborn grandson) and I was to face my ex husband for the first time in 4 years. I had concerns as to how I would fare. One of the important steps, in DivorceCare is reconciliation and it had always been a goal. There are levels of reconciliation , the first being basic civility, the second friendship. When Tony and I met again last night I could see an olive branch extended to me. Tony was not judging me he was genuinely friendly. I had attained the next level. I am about to go to Brisbane to stay with my daughter for ten days. Tony also lives in Brisbane. I have been invited to have a cup of tea with Tony and his wife. The third level of reconciliation is a close friendship where all animosity is gone and love for the family is more important. Grace is present to allow bot...

Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when the desire is fulfilled it is a tree of life.Prov13:12 I can relate to having a sick heart. Being a divorcee the desire for a marriage that works still abides, however I know that my answer lies in Christ. I have seen many nice faces but as I trust the Lord He shows me the hearts. I was married to an aggressive man and my father was an angry man, however, I had a grandfather who was a step-grandfather whom I loved. His name was Cecil. He was an unassuming man, a butcher by trade who also raised his own cattle. I remember his chestnut horse and his dog Rover. This man knew how to love, he didn't make a loud noise about it but I knew I was loved. He would walk down the street with my hand in his and we would look at the shop windows together. What I loved most about Cecil was the fact that he made me feel loved. I lost Cecil when I was 5 or 6. I actually knew I would lose him as he went away to hospital and never returned. When he was ...

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty. Ps 91:1 Golly! The enemy is chucking everything, including the kitchen sink at me, BUT God is my refuge, my fortress, my source of life. I have to let Him be the beginning and end, all that comes out of me now has to be bathed in Him, we have lost people to minister to. Lord You are my refreshing, You are my source and supply, You are my peace, You are the answer, You are the redeemer, You are GOD! Have Your way Lord, Be great, be GOD! Be saviour, be the sweet fragrance in us today. Open hearts and minds, ears. You are the glory, You are the victory, You are all sufficiency, You are my delight, You are!

He who gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes from their want will have many a curse. Prov28:27 I have a good friend who needs to be lovingly given room to find his own opinion. He has yielded his opinions in many areas to the women in his world. I know the Lord wants him to know that his desires are precious to Him and I see my role as one of empowering this friend. When I fail, because of my own flesh, I am sad because I have robbed this dear man of even that little that he had. I have another friend who reacts to all that happened in her world and I see that I must stand against the pull to be dragged into that mile and encourage my friend to see things as the Lord see them. To all the people that the Lord gives me, as I go to His table, I have something to give them, for they are poor in certain areas of their lives. I see my own poverty and know where to fill my lack, in Him, for He is all sufficiency. My God has given me a mandate to serve those He gives ...

then this Daniel was distinguished above presidents and the satraps because an excellent spirit was in him and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Daniel 6:3 My God's goal is to see an excellent spirit in me. My enemies goal is to prevent that happening. As I function in an excellent spirit grace flows and touches souls. Yesterday I was visited by a good friend who was being harassed by those in her world, she was cranky. She was not open to hearing anything, her phone kept ringing adding further to her agitation. This friend had just been on holidays and she looked more worn out then before. I find this happens in my world if I am not vigilant. My friends major problem is that she has not established good boundaries and so all sorts of stuff will come against her, especially when she needs peace. We are doing our last outreach for DivorceCare this Sunday . I need her to be in peace, the Lord needs her to be in peace. I am being faced with a confrontation with my...

'and they began to accuse Him' Luke 23:2 The accuser is ever looking for some poor soul to use as the voice. The accusations that came against the Lord were unfounded, they were based on malevolent hate and resentment coming out of offense. Hatred stirred up in the hearts of the ones locked into one way of thinking can be huge, it overwhelms , it consumes. Yesterday at the gym, the radio announcer was going on about his pet peeve, people going slow looking for a parking spot. How trivial! The pharisees were locked into a 'this is how we do things around here' mentality. The law had so blinded them to the beauty before them. They missed the life, the freedom, all because they had stopped in their experience. The most wonderful man in all the world was treated shamefully because of offense. This lesson helps me remember to keep a clean heart. Lord may I not miss Your moment by indulging in prejudice, I release You to be God. Amen!

and the Lord turned and looked at Peter and Peter remembered His words.....and he went out and wept bitterly.......and when you have turned again strengthen your brethren. Luke 22:61,62; 32 The Lord was in agony of soul knowing what was about to happen and trying to teach His disciples the principles of communion and servant hood , He tells them about one of them about to betray Him and they sit squabbling about who would be greater. He told Peter that he would deny Him and Peter loudly protested yet here he was fulfilling Jesus words. Grace unfailing grace that works with the simple and perseveres, ever trusting and faithful. we fail to hear, we fail to see yet He loves. It took Peter time to repent and receive forgiveness yet he did turn and strengthen his brethren, he kept them together after Jesus died. They did not have the revelation of His resurrection so what was their hope? What did they do in those few days? Did they grieve, pray, remember? each time they ate together a...

By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls. Luke 21:19 If you saw this scripture on its own you would believe 'all will work out in the end'. It depends when you consider the end. Yet it is in the midst of pain and destruction. As we celebrate each New Year with a belief things have to be better next year, we can believe that things will get a whole lot better; I will not always have to suffer; etc. However sometimes the period of suffering or hard times will be longer, much longer than we anticipate and like in Job's life we lose everything, BUT God! Steadfast, patient endurance does bring forth fruit in our lives now. We become a humbler, sweeter person in whom the presence of God dwells, although all around may be falling we learn that 'our God reigns' and He is in charge. I am grateful for the suffering because I have learned to wait, to trust, to press in. He alone is good, He alone is strength, He alone is song...

Would that you had known personally, even at least in your day, the things that make for peace (freedom form all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin and upon which your peace-your security, safety, prosperity, and happiness-depends)! Luke 19:42 To know personally takes more effort. There are things we generally know because someone else we relate to knows them well and because of that we think we know them until we are tested. We need to know them today, in our day. Today is the day of salvation. Today is when we must rise up and take possession and defeat laziness. Today is the day of action. To know the things that are made for peace takes insight. Listening, obedience, trust, faith. Stumbling along blindly is not smart. To get insight takes getting to know wisdom. Getting to know wisdom takes humility and a heart desire to really know. Wisdom is referred to as a woman in proverbs. Loving wisdom like a woman fills you with the desire to get to know her. You g...

it is well, well with my soul, it is well, it is well with my soul. (old Hymn) I am overcome with sadness as yesterday we discovered that my unborn grandchild of 15 weeks is dead. It was sudden and without symptoms. As my daughter-in-law went excitedly to have an ultra-sound test we were anticipating finding out the sex of the baby. To have her phone and tell me the sad news rocked us. Only 30 minutes before I had had an accident on my push bike and was blessed to only have broken the tail lights of the car I hit. My bike and I were buckled and bruised but unbroken. But... it is well, it is well with my soul. I know grief only lasts for a time but we will all meet again in that glorious place where there is no pain or sorrow. My God is greater than anything that may come against us, His power is greater and He alone is to be praised for He alone is good. Salvation is coming to the earth and no force can contain it, my God reigns and His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, it will n...

When you have done everything that was assigned to you to do, say 'we are unworthy servants we have done what was merely our duty to do.' Luke 17:10 Every one in a while our church will give awards to various people in the congregation because they have served well. Sometimes, if I am honest, I would like to be one of those people. Yet, really why do I need the praise of men when my God has a greater reward and why do I expect a reward when my God says that if you are merely doing what you are called to do, why do you expect to be honoured. Last night was the final session of DivorceCare and the group honoured me, partly because it was my birthday and partly as they were grateful for the love shown them. I am deeply honoured to have been able to work with the Holy Spirit and see people change. The gospel had been preached and the call for salvation made. What the participants do not know or recognise is that the Holy Spirit was there, He has been wooing them, touching thei...

whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be my disciple......count the cost. Luke 14:27,28 We are told three things here: 1) Persevere. Many years ago the Lord gave me the scripture from Hebrews 10:36 'for you have need of endurance, that you might prove the will of the Father, and receive what has been promised.' For the longest time I disliked that scripture but it is now a part of me. Endurance (never give up) is a part of my character. When I know what I must do then I must do it, when I know what my vision is then I must work it, When I know what the Lord has given me then I must never, never yield it to the enemy. 2) Carry my own cross. I have a walk before me and it is filled with potholes, challenges to my attitude. I must bathe in the spirit and walk in His power, I must deal with my own stuff . ...

There will be more joy in heaven over one wicked person who repents than over the 99 righteous who have no need of repentance. Luke 15:7 The Lord knows who that person will be, it may be someone He draws as a neighbour, someone who has come to DivorceCare , the man who hits the back of my car perhaps. My need is to stay sensitive to the Lord and respond to the arrival of that person with grace and dignity. The wicked man is not used to grace, he has fought for everything he has, he fights in relationships, in business, even with the telephone company. The beautiful thing about the Lord is He loves that man and wants Him in His Kingdom and only grace will open the door. I have been awake again praying for souls, for the ones yet to come, the ones He has on His heart. Isn't that wild to think of the Lord having people, especially wicked people, on His heart. How good is our God! My prayer today Lord is that I do not take myself so seriously that I miss 'the one'. Amen!

what is the Kingdom of God Like? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and planted in his own garden Luke 13:18,19 The man had to first take the seed, he had to decide it was good to plant in his garden, he had to value it, choose it. Then he had to prepare the soil and plant it, he had to water and care for it, cultivate it. Then it grew and became a tree in which the birds of the air came and made their home. As we let the truth of God's word find a home in our heart and we lovingly tend to it and nurture it it will grow to a great tree in which all can find rest and home. My Lord You are good! Amen!