The day with dianne Louise

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, "Lord my servant is lying at home paralysed, in terrible agony!" "I will come and heal him", Jesus told Him. "Lord," the centurion replied, "I am not worthy to have you come under me roof, but only say the word and my servant will be cured. For I too am a man under authority...... Then Jesus told the centurion, "Go, as you have believed, let it be done for you. And his servant was cured that very moment. Matthew 8:5-13 How unusual for a centurion to bother with the welfare of a servant, here was a man of compassion. He would have heard about Christ, being in the area when Jesus stayed. Perhaps he heard Jesus speaking on the mountain. He would have had to experience see Jesus to know that He was a man 'under authority'. A man or woman who understands authority understands how it works. The word of a leader carried much weight. If he said 'go' you went. if h...

When He came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. Right away a man with a serious skin disease came up and knelt before Him, saying, "Lord if You are willing, You can make me clean." Reaching out His hand He touched him, saying, "I am willing be made clean." Matthew 8:1-3 The man was probably sitting with the crowd, on the edges listening to Jesus, seeing and hearing authority and heart. His faith would have been stirred. His thoughts would have been around getting to Jesus first, getting through a crowd of people who would shun him and tell him to go. I am continually grateful to Jesus for His heart, His faithfulness, His godliness. Although I may not fit anywhere else I know I fit with Him, there is room there always for me. He is never too busy, too distracted to not allow me in. He does not look at shining stars first and acknowledge them he looks at those who need and want Him. The man fell to his knees, acknowledging the deity of Christ. He he...

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the river rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn't collapse, because it's foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn't act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rains fell, the river rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. and it's collapse was great." Matthew 7:24-27 It behoves us to look at what constitutes a sensible man therefore. These are: The poor in spirit are blessed, the mourners are blessed, the gentle are blessed, those who hinder and thirst for righteousness are blessed, the merciful are blessed, the pure in heart are blessed, the peacemakers are blessed, the persecuted are blessed, the insulted are blessed. In others words in all things, I am blessed. I am salt and need to stay salty I a...

"Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many that go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. Matthew 7:13,14   Jesus is not giving options, he is stating fact. The way to life is a way in which his word rules. The way is made of a unique substance called truth. It is stronger than any metal found on earth, the reason for this is that is is heavenly. This metal not only protects it gives life and strength to all who pass through.  It is a precious metal, worth more than money can buy. In the book of proverbs we are exhorted to buy truth and not sell it. To hang it as a garland around our necks. The way to life is chosen by few. Why is that? Perhaps because the ways of truth don't allow for the watered down version that the world gives. The world's truth is indulgent, fat and lazy. It cannot fit into the narrow way, it fact the purity of th...

" Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.......therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them-this is the Law and the Prophets". Matthew 7:7-12 Some interpreters believe that the above text has to do with the kingdom of God. I don't mind because as I seek the kingdom first all else is added anyway. I know there are times where I want more of God. I know instinctly that what I really need more than anything else is God. So I seek Him and eventually I find Him and my joy is full. Again as it seems Matthew is want to add the last verse in every teaching so far, which seems right off the wall, 'therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them.' Sowing and reaping is tied in. Others and God are linked togethe...

"Do not judge, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgement you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye? Or can you say to your brother 'let me take the speck out of your eye', and look there is a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. Don't give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces. Matthew 7:1-4 Isn't it interesting how scripture is connected. In the above passage suddenly verse 4, which seems out of context with the preceding verses is upon us. It makes us ponder. What was Jesus talking about here? Have you been around a critical person? Do you want to hurry away from their presence? A person with a critical spirit spews fo...

This is why I tell you: Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?.....But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 My worry load comes from the decisions based around money, am I being wise with what I am given? It all had to do with decision making. Worrying about making right decisions is based on a level of righteousness I suppose, yet Jesus says I am to be concerned with seeking His kingdom and His righteousness. Different priority! By prayer and supplication I am to make my requests known to the Lord. The funny things I don't often recognise the concerns until the middle of the night and these concerns wake me. It is then I have to upload them t...

Don't collect for yourself treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth or rust destroys, and where thieves don't break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness-how deep is that darkness. No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money. Matthew 6:19-24 These all go together. It seems odd that right in the middle of talking about money we are challenged about our eye. Yet the advertisers know and understand the eye. They know if they can show you a visual picture of what it would be like to possess their object then you will...

Whenever you fast, don't be sad-faced like the hypocrites. For they make their faces unattractive so their fasting is obvious to people, I assure you they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, so that you don't show your fasting to people but to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 5:16-18 I think you can take this attitude with anything we go through. Having a difficult time, having to endure a trial. When asked 'how are you going?' what comes out? I find I am not good at this. It is as if the scripts have to be re-written so that my confession is in line with the real truth of what God is doing. A couple of weeks ago I went through a difficult patch with breaking down walls in my business and I was becoming frustrated. When people asked that fatal question I would vomit up my muck because all I could see was the problem and guess what? the problem grew. I caught myself a...

For if you forgive people their wrongdoing your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you do not forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing. Matthew 6:14,15 How interesting that these are the very next verses after the Lord's prayer. Is Jesus saying that the prayer is all about forgiveness? Is that the focus? I thought God was the focus. In DivorceCare I have seen what unforgiveness can do. It makes you sick. People I know have contracted  cancer, I've had bone issues. Hanging onto the hurt and bitterness is not good. How does this work? If I do not forgive or get past the hurt the God can't forgive me. I am left to fellowship the muck and it festers in me producing it's rotten fruit. What does forgiveness look like? A total letting go of; bless, release, forgive. Forgiveness protects me, keeps me in relationship, covers me. We will have lots of opportunities either to return to the vomit or walk on. People will come along and start talking...

"Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray........to be seen......they have their reward! But when you pray go into your private room and shut the door, and pray to your Father who sees in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. When you pray, don't babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they'll be heard for their many words. Don't be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him. Matthew 6:5-8 There is so much packed into these verses. However underlying is a call to relationship with a loving God. When we practice a form of religion we babble, we spruik, we carry our beads etc. I have been in this place. Yes it gives you something to do but you are outside the door, like a group picketing but never daring to enter in. I remember the first pray prayed in a spirit of relationship, it was when I invited Jesus into me heart. Oh the joy! I had longed for a relationship and ...

 Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray......The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins he will be forgiven.......the urgent request of a righteous person is powerful in effect. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayer earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did no rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain...James 5:13-18 Yesterday I spent 8 hours with a friend who is in extreme pain, I knew I powerless to relieve him of the pain, nothing he took relieved the pain. I read in Matthew 4:24 how the people from Syria brought the sick and those who were in extreme pain and He healed them all, I read this to my friend. Yet the pain intensified. At 7pm I turned on my friends computer and watched Pastor Phil Pringle preaching on effective prayer. I knew what the problem was. Me and all those around this man are failing to reach the level of effe...

Therefore whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19 We live in a day when the boundaries are constantly shifting. This is because we live with relativism. Relativism states the law will be whatever I deem it to be in my circumstances. (my version) I had a conversation with my 19 year old boarder the other night. It was a general conversation about the state of our world. She had questions around why and I explained that mankind will continue to try and determine what truth is based on themselves because they have made themselves a god. A teenager sees past the arrogance and profession of right to the truth. They see the fake, easily. The problem with this way of thinking and being is we are not God and are unable to do God stuff. We cannot then turn around and accuse God for failing us ...

For I tell you unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20 How can I be righteous? Definitely not by doing what the scribes and Pharisees did. They religiously studied the law and laid their interpretation of it on men. Walking in the Spirit is not walking in the minds interpretation of the word of God, the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. We so want to understand what we must do to live. We follow some food guru and think 'now I have it!', we follow some exercise guru and think we have finally made it. Yet Jesus said the kingdom of God is not about what we eat or drink. The apostle Paul said exercise is of some benefit but it is not all. We must exercise our spirit. I cannot harness the kingdom of God with my mind. I must follow Him with my spirit for that is where life is. I have a dear friend in a lot of pain and he is surrounded with people who want to tell him why and how he mus...

You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and put it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus states fact here. You are the light of the world. Fact not fiction. If I am the light then am I behaving as the light? A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Fact! A light is a light is a light is a light! I have just turned on the light to write this. I turn it on so that I can see. I am the light of the world. However I do not have an 'on' 'off' button. A city on a hill is always there, it doesn't become invisible, unless there is bad weather. The city cannot hide itself. By the mere fact that is was built there it is visible. Jesus builds His church out in the open, on a hill. He is saying 'look at this, here is the...

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. Matthew 5:13 In the Old Testament salt was used for it's purifying properties. Jesus was saying our role is to purify a corrupt world through our example of righteous living and proclamation of the gospel. Contaminated salt does not promote purity. The way the salt in my life will lose it's taste is by me living foolishly and indulging in immoral behaviour. If I am doing these things then I am living an unrighteous lifestyle and will be promoting destruction rather than purification. Salt that loses it's flavour is spread on the ground where you want to kill vegetation. Such is the fatal effect of unrighteous Christians, nothing grows wherever they go. Thrown out refers to the disposal of something worthless. Trampled alluded to the treatment of immoral Christians by the world. (commentary ...

When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then he began to teach them, saying: The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs; Those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted; The gentle are blessed, for they shall inherit the earth; Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, for they will be filled; The merciful are blessed, for they will be shown mercy; The pure in heart are blessed, for they will see God; The peacemakers are blessed, for they will be called sons of God; Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:3-10 Basically, no matter what happens to us we are blessed, and not cursed, because God is for us. It is so easy to assume we are bad when we are poor and we lose those we love. The times when we refuse to compromise and we stand for righteousness, the times we want God more than a drink of water, when we r...

Jesus was going all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Then the news about Him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:23-25 Jesus went! He went to the sick, the lost the demonised. However what got their attention was the 'good news'. How was He different? What was His message? Freedom and a way home for the lost. He broke the bondage of the law by bringing grace. He accepted people as they were and gave them grace to change, to be healed. Jesus was not just a good man who brought a version of God, He was God. He did not tell people how they should behave, He showed them. He fed them, taught them, heale...

As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and His brother Andrew. They were casting their nets into the sea, since they were fishermen. "Follow me," He told them, "and I will make you fish for people!" Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-20 How was it that these two brothers left their work, their trade, and followed this newcomer? What gave Jesus the authority? Verse 17 may hold a clue. Jesus had begun to preach. "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Perhaps the fact that John the Baptist had gone before preaching about the coming of the Kingdom and now Jesus appears with authority to heal the sick and set captives free meant something. Men do not blindly down tools and follow some guy because he said so, there must have been a very good reason. What was happening in the hearts and minds of these men? What were they looking for? Jesus said He would make them fish f...

When He, Jesus, heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee, He left Nazareth behind and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulin and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the sea road, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles! The people who live in darkness have seen a great light, and those living in the shadowland  of death, light has dawned. Matthew 4:12-16 I had always thought that because the scripture above says 'Jesus withdrew' that He left where the heat was but in fact the words written do not mean that. It means He left the safety of Nazareth and went into Galilee, where the danger was greater. Galilee was predominantly full of Gentiles, and so Jesus went to the Gentiles as the prophesy indicated He would. Jesus came to fulfil certain prophesy. The Jews had focused on other prophesy about the returning King and expected a deliverer from Roman oc...

Again the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. And he said to Him, "I will give you all these things if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him'." Then the devil left Him and immediately angels came and began to serve Him. Matthew 4:8-11 I remember Benny Hinn saying that the devil is stupid. I think that the above passage show us he is. Imagine thinking that Jesus would bow down and worship him, knowing who he is and how has fallen. However, satan would have to know where Jesus stood and basically that is what temptation is all about. He comes along with something he thinks might interest us, he is a salesman. He knew Jesus was the Son of God, but he also knew, for some reason, Jesus had come to earth. Satan did not understand the cross or the power of the sacrifice Jesus was about to make. ...

Then the devil took Him to the Holy City, had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give His angels orders concerning You, and they will support You with their hands so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone." Jesus said to him, "it is also written, 'do not test the Lord your God.'" Matthew 4:5-7 The devil constantly tries to distort and pull down who we are in God's eyes, our own eyes and the eyes of all who know us. He tries to undermine the word of God in our heart. His constant challenge is; 'Has God said?'  He is a worn, a snake constantly slithering all over our world and our lives spitting out venom against those we know, our God and ourselves. Treat him like a snake, kill his attack with the word of God. You can send him packing, don't entertain him or his lies, do it! He will tell you your wife is no good, your husband is a ...

Then the tempter approached Him and said, "If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." But Jesus answered, "it is written: Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:3,4 As I read the above I am like an observer in the stadium of life clapping Jesus on. It is better than a quiz show. With each answer Jesus gains a prize, authority to rule. Authority over the works of darkness. I am now in that stadium and a great cloud of witnesses, mentioned in Hebews 12:1 are watching me. Those that have gone before but also those who are here now and need me to get it right. For my children and grandchildren I must make the right choices for I gain or lose authority by the decisions I make. What Jesus said, 'man shall not live by bread alone', is right. It is not the satisfaction of my mere flesh that is important. Every word of God, must rule my life. It is the word of God that gives me principle...

The Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After He had fasted 40 days and nights, He was hungry. Then the tempter approached Him and said......Matthew 4:1-3 Jesus had just had a glorious baptism where His Father and the Holy Spirit showed up and the first thing the Holy Spirit led Him to do was to pray and fast and then the tempter came. How many times have we been singled out by the Lord and He has spoken over us, filling us with enthusiasm and hope? Then the desire to press into God comes then it all goes pear shaped. This might just be a pattern. Remember the word has to be tested. We have to know if we will accept the mantle of the Lord or just like the sound of it. If we do not have room for the word of God in our lives but want the outcome we have to be made ready. If we have to go to a higher level to see the word come true then that is where we must go. The Lord said dirty and clean water don't both come out of a pump at the sam...

After Jesus was baptised, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him. And there came a voice from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, I take delight in Him".  Matthew 3:16-17 In the previous verse Jesus had said to John that He must be baptised to fulfill all righteousness and now after the act of obedience not only does the Father show up but so does the Holy Spirit. Obedience in all it's lack of glory and seemilgly unimportance brings great reward. Jesus had not yet begun His ministry yet He already receives a 'well done'. The Father chooses to recognise His Son publicly. Obviously in all the unseen years Jesus was delighting His Father. What is done in the unseen, preparatory years is most important or the public recognition never comes. We might have to wait until heaven but it will come. Jesus said he who confesses me before men I will confess before me...

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptised by him. But John tried to stop Him saying, "I need to be baptised by You, and yet You come to me?" Jesus answered him, "allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him to be baptised. Matthew 3:13-15 The response of Jesus was the typical humble servant attitude when it came to things of God. 'Not my will but Yours be done Lord!' Jesus knew why He was born and why He had come to earth, He knew His future and all of it's consequences. Why was I born? What is my purpose? Did Jesus always know His purpose? Let's suppose He did not but that His life was a journey of discovery, there would be parallels then. As He read scripture it would resonate inside of Him. When the scripture spoke prophetically about the Messiah He would identify and as He identified He would realise the sacrifice that awaited Him. As I read scripture I read abou...

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism he said to them "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you God is able to raise up children for Abraham form these stones! Even now the axe is ready to strike at the root of the trees! Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Matthew 3:7-10 The  above were the words of John the Baptist. He was a true prophet. What was the problem? The Pharisees and Sadducees were wanting to perform an outward ritual so that they would appear to be in on what John was doing. They had no intention of repenting, they though they were above that. Anything that makes us believe we are above reproach is dangerous because it blinds us to our true condition. There is none good but God alone...

"Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" Matthew 3:1 What does it mean to repent? To be going completely in a different direction and having a deep desire to change. At 19 I was walking down the road to destruction and the Lord began to speak to my heart (I had friends praying for me) and then He came to me and spoke to me and lead me to the very person who would bring me through to salvation and take me to church. Repentance for me, at that point was easy as I had longed for a relationship with my God forever. Repentance is an ongoing daily affair. I continually must choose Christ and His ways because that is where life is. The opposite is a gradual death, doing things my way. I know when I am challenged with repentance, it is usually when my flesh would rather go one way and deep down there is a knowing that life is in the opposite direction. I have to fight the natural man because it wants it's own way. I have spent years cultivating my relationship with th...

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying "get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him". So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. He stayed there Herod's death, so that what spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.' Matthew 2:13-15 How inconvenient! Not only did Joseph have to take Mary with child to Bethlehem and have Jesus born in a manger, now he has to close down his business, pack up and go to a strange land and stay there for an undetermined amount of time. We are not told how long they stayed in Egypt but again the angel of the Lord came to Joseph and told him to return to Israel after Herod's death. Going back Joseph discoverers that Herod's son is ruling and he is not a great guy either so he goes to Nazare...

'In Bethlehem of Judea', they told him (Herod) 'because this is what was written by the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah: because out of you will come a leader who will shepherd My people Israel. Matthew 2:5,6 When the wise men talked to Herod about the new King being born Herod collected the  chief priests and scribes and asked them where the Messiah would be born. He did this so he could kill the baby. It is interesting that although the chief priests and scribes had been waiting for the promised Messiah none of them went to visit him. It makes you wonder how they valued the 'Messiah' in the first place. Had they just relegated him to fiction status? Knowledge of the scripture alone did not change them or save them. They needed to meet the saviour and partake of the new era He would bring. Bethlehem was not a significant place except for the line of King David came from there and as Jesus was fr...