The day with dianne Louise

Daniel 12:3 (MSG)  " 'Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever. Our task is to live wisely and rescue souls from death. We cannot give ourselves to worldly pursuits, the latest trinket, the latest fad, this is all folly and wind, no substance. Having said that my God is taking me into business and He has a plan but this is not my lust, my fantasy, this is His doing. I will walk wisely in all He gives me to do. The funny thing is that I say 'I will walk wisely' but that does not mean I am clever, but I know what I don't know and trust Him for the rest. I go at His pace, I seek His insight. I have found His pace, and I constrain myself to His rythym, it is where life is, provision is, I love it. Each week He gives me new tasks to perform and I am able at the end of the week to look and say 'it is good'....

Revelation 3:3 (MSG) Think of the gift you once had in your hands, the Message you heard with your ears—grasp it again and turn back to God. "If you pull the covers back over your head and sleep on, oblivious to God, I'll return when you least expect it, break into your life like a thief in the night. I believe in the grace of my God and the above sounds very 'old testament' in a judgemental way yet it is thoroughly New Testament. The whole of chapter two and three is a message to the church. Our Lord sees, really sees what we do. He is not fooled by religious observance, white washed sepulchre stuff. He is looking for hearts that are genuinely His. We are compelled to hear, really hear what He is saying. We are called to listen to His truth and only His truth. Our Lord knows the times we live in, they are desperately evil but He also knows His power against the enemy of our soul. He is GOD folks! That means He is well able to deliver any who come to Him in simple ...

Revelation 3:18 (MSG)  "Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see. I know women, and men, for that matter who love gold and collect it, masses of it, rings on every finger. I have a lovely friend that has a thing about clothes, lots of them and shoes as well. I know others who are always at the doctors and have a cupboard full of medicine. When we walk in our own vision, our own understanding, our own desires and consuming passions we are caught by that thing but our God is calling us to seek first the Kingdom and then ALL these things will be added. We can get things backward so easily. It is not me first it is He first. It is not mine first it is His first. Last night at DivorceCare I had the pleasure of speaking 's...

Revelation 2:7 (MSG)  "Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard." John was given a message for seven churches and at the end of their individual message they received the above challenge about listening. Even those church who were doing well in most areas there was one major problem, some tolerance of sin. The Lord does not tolerate sin and neither should we. As we become fat we can also become lazy or deaf to the Holy Spirit, he whispers, just like the gentle breeze. If we have a diet of pleasure base on worldly movies for example then we eat the truth of adultery, greed and selfishness. Do we tolerate these things? I am constantly aware that I have to fight to hear because there is so much noise. What am I doing to keep my ears open? Yesterday I had a friend tell me how they ha...

Revelation 1:5-7 (MSG) and from Jesus Christ—Loyal Witness, Firstborn from the dead, Ruler of all earthly kings. Glory and strength to Christ, who loves us, who blood-washed our sins from our lives, Who made us a Kingdom, Priests for his Father, forever—and yes, he's on his way!  Riding the clouds, he'll be seen by every eye, those who mocked and killed him will see him, People from all nations and all times will tear their clothes in lament. Oh, Yes. Today I begin reading both the books of Daniel and Revelation. Daniel was a wise young man who loved God. The writer of Revelation was John, the disciple who loved Jesus the most. In both books we see the sovereignty of God showing things that are to happen. The book of revelation applies to us now. The book of Daniel shows us God's handling of  King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and how, as Daniel and his three companions shone as ambassadors of the Lord God almighty, the Kingdom of God affected the kingdom of Babylon. ...

Ezekiel 47:9 (MSG) Wherever the river flows, life will flourish—great schools of fish—because the river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. The river is the spirit of God. The Key is allowing it to flow. There are times in church when I am aware that the Holy Spirit wants to reach out to the lost. I pray 'I release you Holy Spirit, go and bring salvation.' You know what? He does. If we truly understood how to work with the holy Spirit we would see miracles. We carry Him in our lives and if we understand the laws of releasing and binding we will work with Him. As we release the Holy Spirit we see life come into peoples lives, we see changed hearts, we see hearts open to Him. Instead of selfish prayers it would be smart to release the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, our circumstances. What do you want to do today Lord? What are you saying Lord? He says 'my ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts.' So let...

Jude 1:20-23 (MSG)  But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit,  staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith.  Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven. I am constantly aware that I need to build myself up but it is not all about me. Today I am half-way through a babysit stint so that my daughter-in-law can go to the Colour Conference in Sydney. My room is opposite the most difficult child and although he usually sleeps through the night, he didn't. All three boys are awake at 6am, again I prefer to spend my early waking hours with the Lord, in private, with a coffee. The children are educated in spending the hour until seven in their rooms but guess who ...

3 John 1:5 (MSG) Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. I love having visitors 99% of the time. There are times when I am exhausted and just want peace and quiet and yet there is a need. A few weekends ago I had such a situation. There was a young father, who had previously attended a divorcecare course and was now working in Canberra. He had returned to see his children and after church had nowhere to go. I already had my grandson with me but also invited this man along and another man who helps me with the group. I have a small house and already have two boarders. I don't have extra living rooms and my lounge room is small. As the weather was good the children played outside for most of the time, the boarders stayed in their rooms, most of the time, and that left the two men to talk while I prepared food. The man and his children were grateful because before church that d...

2 John 1:9 (MSG)  Anyone who gets so progressive in his thinking that he walks out on the teaching of Christ, walks out on God. But whoever stays with the teaching, stays faithful to both the Father and the Son. There are so many voices, so many opinions, who do we listen to? Just as a builder has may new products and ways of construction of homes but cannot afford for a minute to neglect the basics we cannot neglect the very core basics. Every time a disaster strikes and buildings fall an assessment is made on the construction of the building. Was it built to withstand such a disaster? If not why not? In the same way when disaster strikes, or conversely prosperity showers, what are the foundations? Has my life stayed true to the basics or have I been deceived and wandered away from the truth? It is important how we build, have we taken the time to understand the basics? What are the basics? John tells us that the basics relate to the commandment of love. In verses 4 and 5 Jo...

2 John 1:1-2 (MSG) My dear congregation, I, your pastor, love you in very truth. And I'm not alone—everyone who knows the Truth that has taken up permanent residence in us loves you. John knew how to love, he loved the Lord, truly loved Him more than His own interests. He welcomed all of the truth into his life. When we love him we are open to all of Him. He is not only salvation but He is also truth. As we welcome His truth it works it's magic and sets us free. We cannot have freedom without truth. John knew that and his message in 2 John is the welcoming of truth. In Psalm 91:14 we are told 'because he loves me' says the Lord 'I will rescue him'. I know the love of my innocent little grandchildren, they love me because I love them, not for any other reason. Because they love me I will go to the ends of the earth for them.

1 John 5:4 For everyone who is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that over comes the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. The world waits to see what the 'sons of God' will do. When we get it that we are 'sons of God' and we discover our faith and start to use it we begin to see things as He sees them. We overcome all that comes against us through Christ. There are lot of evil reports out there wanting to typecast us and all we hold dear. Last week we had a doctor tell us that one of my grandsons has a type of autism. Today he went to another doctor who said it was only minimal BUT what does my God say? Salvation belong to our God, He has the last word if we allow Him. My hope is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth, my strength is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth........ My all is in the name of the Lord, who created the heavens, who numbe...

1 John 3:1-2 (MSG) What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. .... But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. When we see Him, we become like Him. I do not see Him unless I seek Him and as I seek Him I find Him in all sorts of places. It starts in the heart, a desire to know Him. He puts it there. Sometimes we don't even recognise that desire as it presents itself as a discontent with all we know and a desire for more. He is like a lover who sees one He desires and pursues us. His love is foreign to us until we begin to sense His presence. He woos us, courts us, draws us to Himself. He is patient, so patient, with us because he loves. His love is not fickle, it is pure and undefiled. His love is beaut...

1 John 3:3 (MSG) All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own. 1 John 3:9 (MSG) People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. How do I stay ready? By staying close. I stay close by spending time with Him, daily. How do I know when I am drifting? I become short and sharp with my responses and this usually happens when I have too much on and am running too fast. The remedy is to pull back and pace myself, run to Him. I need Him to be my peace, my rest, my self-control. He is never in a hurry. What are You saying Lord? What is Your priority? His response is usually 'realationship'. I cannot afford to drift into sin by allowing my world to be too full of noise. My flesh cannot be in charge as it is opinionated a...

1 John 1:7 (MSG) But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin. The light connects things, as we walk in the light we connect with each other. Jesus’s sacrifice is powerful, in it is forgiveness, healing of relationships, power to walk side by side without enmity and strife. His blood completely cleanses, washes us free from sin. His blood was enough for all sin for all time, He bought us back. Amen! I try to get my head around how God is no longer angry with His people, the sacrifice of Jesus makes a way. There is no more need for angry prophets of doom but evangelists with the good news. Yes I know sin bears a price. It always has and always will. What we sow we reap. Yes I know we destroy what we have been given, like spoilt, foolish children but Christ stands in the gap. I must look at Him, trust Him, put my confidence in Him. Amen!

1 John 1:5 (MSG) This, in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in him. No hidden shadows, no secret agenda, consistently, forever the same without change. How reliable would that be? His word is His bond, if He says something, He will do it, in the right time. It is important to wait for the provision and not throw away all that has led up to the moment of birth, I almost did. Last October I had been through a horrendous time and was ready to walk away from the financial services industry but the Lord calmly shut all the doors, praise Him! In October last year the company I work under was deciding to make a change that opened the door for me. I didn’t know about it until January. I would never had known about it had I gone. How many times do we give up just when changes are being birthed. The birthing process is very painful, excruciatingly so. Today I had the pleasure of spend...

Ezekiel 18:23 (MSG)  Do you think I take any pleasure in the death of wicked men and women? Isn't it my pleasure that they turn around, no longer living wrong but living right—really living? We really need to have the right perspective. Sometimes in order to understand devastation we can justify it with religious spruking but we are wrong. Earthquakes happen, tsunamis happen, cyclones, tornadoes, stuff happens. Yes there are reasons but if we are always sifting for reasons and failing to live how we are called to live we miss God. On the weekend we had a visiting preacher who gave a message on watching the confession of our mouth. The last few days, in fact the last week has been very busy for me and I discovered I had made it worse by my confession. The words of my mouth had tripped me up and casued me more stress than I m sure the Lord intended. He says come to me you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest for your souls. My load was heavy because of my confession...

2 Peter 3:9 (MSG) God isn't late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn't want anyone lost. He's giving everyone space and time to change. When disaster strikes fear enters hearts and minds and talk of why begin. Last night I listened to two people, both dear to me, postulate theories about the earth quake in Japan. Both of these people do not know the Lord's mind. The questions as to why God would allow these disasters often crops up, but fortunately it didn't this time. If we know that God does not want to lose souls and is constantly reaching out to the lost how does it equate that He wants to destroy them? I pray that the Holy Spirit is released into the land of Japan and that the spirit of salvation comes to their aid. Our God is always where He needs to be at precisely the right time even if we do not see it or understand His coming.

2 Peter 2:10 (MSG) God is especially incensed against these "teachers" who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don't hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. Unfortunately inside the church there are such people. All though out the old testament, we see kings and priests who do not live as kings and priests. Jesus' greatest battle was with the religious leaders. On Friday when I was meeting with my business contact I discovered that she had been at my church, Faith City, but had found duplicity in the hearts of the people she had in leadership over her. Now I am well aware that we can have problems with leadership and the problem is in us and our perspective so I will not take sides and I will allow the Lord to judge. I have been around long enough and seen enough to know that when push comes to shove almost all men and women w...

2 Peter 1:3 (MSG)   Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! Isn't it interesting to know that relationship produces all we need to succeed. As I set up my business I am taking time to create good relationships within the business community. Yesterday I met a local female accountant for coffee. We both knew we would get on really well and that we would work together in business. Had I not ever bothered to seek this woman out I would never have known her and now I know her I will benefit from that relationship. As I have taken the time to invite the Lord of Glory into my life and maintain that relationship I receive the benefits of that relationship. The One who invited us into relationship is the Holy Spirit, it is He we get to know. Relationship produces greater benefits. The benefits God gives are full of life and...

2 Peter 1:5-9 (MSG) So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding........  With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet.......without these qualities you can't see what's right before you.... So don't lose a minute building on what you have been given. What have I been given? Eternal life! Christ's spirit in my life. Remember what Jesus said about the wise man building on solid stone? When the storms came his house stood. Remember also what Jesus said about the master giving talents to his servants and then going away. When He returned He looked for a return on His investment. What if this is the same? If, when we face Christ, we merely hand back our salvation what will He say? I think there were words like 'begon from me you wicked and slothful servant.' Ouch!   I have been given the spirit of Christ so that I m...

1 Peter 5:8-9 (MSG) Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping.  Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. 11 He gets the last word; yes, he does.   Our enemy delights in trying to scare us and cause us to look away from Christ to our circumstances. He will use all at his disposal.   To handle the onslaught we need to know what God says. Key scriptures need to tie us to the boat, as in a storm. 'if God be for me who can be against me', Romans 8:31 is one of my favourites, in fact the whole of chapter 8 of Romans is crammed, packed full of God's promises and truths.   Instead of watching you 'favourite' TV show why not spend time in the word, memorising it, studying it? Letting it speak you?   God wins every time if we do not lose our nerve and run. Drive a stake thr...

Ezekiel 3:8-9 (MSG) But I'll make you as hard in your way as they are in theirs. I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite. Don't let them intimidate you. Don't be afraid of them, even though they're a bunch of rebels." Ezekiel had been called by God to preach to the children of Israel who had hardened their hearts to Him. Ever feel like you are hitting your head against a brick wall? Do you feel intimidated by the hardness in the hearts of your family, friends, work colleagues? The time has come to speak up for the gospel. Christ's spirit is moving. Even the hardened hearts will yield. Each morning I wake and hear the song 'no other name, Jesus, Jesus, my heart will sing no other name Jesus, Jesus'. It is a Hillsong song. It puts Jesus where He belongs, above all. The only things that breaks the hardest hearts is Jesus, He is king, He is Lord. If our focus is the hard heart we will be discouraged but if our focus is Jesus we wi...

1 Peter 4:1-2 (MSG) Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want. Last night at Divorcecare we had a new man, he does not know God, or not much about him. He had, last week, come to a Mens Impact(our church's mens ministry) night at the invitation of a friend. After the video on Anger we were all sharing and he sat not far from one of the men who had destroyed his life with alcohol before he came to Christ. When it was the new mans turn to speak he said 'I want what he has'. He knew he was out of control and destroying his life with anger and alcohol. What did he want? Basically Christ. The man who had come through had found Christ's way of living and thinking. The other man had lived his lif...

Lamentations 3:24-26 (MSG) I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I've got left. God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. My help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth, My trust is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Passionate waiting takes some doing so does diligent seeking. It requires determined consistence through all that comes 'I will seek the Lord, He alone has all the answers.' My bible tells me 'seek the Lord while He may be found'. Finding the Lord takes some doing. He doesn't just jump up from behind the bush and say 'here I am'. Yet my bible also tells me He is close to the broken hearted, a broken and contrite heart He will not turn away. Brokenness is attractive to the Lord. when we are broken we have come to a place where we realise that all we have and are c...

1 Peter 2:4-5 (MSG)  Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor.  Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you'll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. What do these scriptures tell me? We throw out what God chooses to make the anchor. When will we get it? We are not in charge. When we give our hearts to the Lord we are choosing Him as the cornerstone in our lives. If I go to the car yard and choose a little red Mazda then I have chosen that car to be my car. when I go out in the morning to go to work I cannot then go and get into someone else's car and drive off. Why is it so hard to realise that asking Jesus into our lives is something momentous. We ask the King of the universe to be our saviour. It is no light thing. We have taken the King of Kings and the cornerstone in the spiritual building of our liv...

Jeremiah 50:32 (MSG)  Mister Pride will fall flat on his face. No one will offer him a hand. I'll set his towns on fire. The fire will spread wild through the country." Jeremiah 50:33-34 (MSG)  And here's more from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: "The people of Israel are beaten down, the people of Judah along with them. Their oppressors have them in a grip of steel. They won't let go.  But the Rescuer is strong: God-of-the-Angel-Armies. Yes, I will take their side, I'll come to their rescue. I'll soothe their land, but rough up the people of Babylon. Babylon had run it's course, the pride cup is full and about to overflow. Pity we do not see into the spirit realm. all sin has boundaries, almost like a cup. We do not know how big that cup is but it definitely has a limit. There are unwritten laws that govern the spirit world, our God lives there and He is not fickle. what He sets in place stands. When sin has run it's course then comes the day of pay...

1 Peter 1:23-25 (MSG)  Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself!  That's why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God's Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you. As an artist I will often reuse a canvas, I find the layers work well for the new art work on top. When re-painted the life is in what I have painted on top, the painting underneath gives the new texture and body but the new is what people buy. Our God comes into our lives and gives us a fresh spirit, a brand new source of life. His word comes to live in us. Yes we all have a past, some more sordid than others, but that past can be used by God to create body in the new. The past is dead and gone, never to be revived, the new has come. The new life is what we are ...

James 5:7-8 (MSG) Meanwhile, friends, wait patiently for the Master's Arrival. You see farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work.  Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong. The Master could arrive at any time. These verse come after the verses about the rich who have exploited the poor, how judgement is coming on them. Do you have someone, or many someones in your world who have exploited you? I do! I see what is coming for them and I cry mercy. These people have innocent children who will also suffer because of their sin. By being patient and not taking matters into our own hands we allow God to do a full work, it also keeps us clean in our hearts, makes us mindful not to exploit others ourselves. How easily we can be deceived when we use principles that are flawed, we must stand on the word of God, it's truth is the only governor worth trusting. Be patient, stay steady and...

Jeremiah 42:1-4 (MSG) ....We have a request. Please listen. Pray to your God for us, what's left of us. You can see for yourself how few we are!  Pray that your God will tell us the way we should go and what we should do." Jeremiah the prophet said, "I hear your request. And I will pray to your God as you have asked. Whatever God says, I'll pass on to you. I'll tell you everything, holding nothing back."  The people asked Jeremiah to pray to 'his God', not their God. Jeremiah was like the reading of the stars for the day. Jeremiah replied ' I will pray to your God'. The children of Israel had not taken the Lord as their God, not really. They may have had a temple in which to worship but they had wooden God's to other deities in their homes, they did not own a relationship to their own 'true' God. Jeremiah's battle with the children of Israel was the way they treated their God, they treated Him as one of the many, one who bel...

James 4:11-12 (MSG) Don't bad-mouth each other, friends. It's God's Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You're supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others? Bad mouthing others tears down the Word of God, it makes us graffiti artists. On Sunday a woman was telling me about a friend of her sons who wrote graffiti, in chalk, all over her windows. This boy seemed to have no protocol and when he had an urgent message for her, about her son, he had no credibility, she hung up on him. If we God's people trash the word of God with our mouths and when we really need to bring it to a situation we are powerless. On Sunday, again, I served at a coffee station at church, learning to make affogatos, Vienna coffee and the usual cappuccino, flat white and late. There was a friend of the guy in charge who ha...