The day with dianne Louise

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my father in heaven. For when two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:18-20 These verses come after dealing with a brother who offends you. Our judgements are binding. I wonder if that is why Jesus told the disciples it was not good to say to someone 'you fool'. Jesus actually said there was a penalty for condemning a person. If we continually say to someone 'you are so stupid' then we have labelled them and they are put in a cage called 'fool'. So when they behave as we have labelled then we become more frustrated, but it is us who put them there. We underestimate the power of our words. If we condemn ourselves with this statement then we have basically doomed ourselves to being a fool forev...

If your brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you you have won a brother over. But if he will not listen take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them take it to the church, if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17 How many people in your world are treated like a pagan or tax collector without going through due process? How many brothers and sisters have been isolated by offense and not reunited by good conflict resolution? The very fact that we have been offended is an offense to us and the thought of restitution an insult. Why? Perhaps we have not taken the matter to the Lord and forgiven them who trespass against us. God alone is the worker of miracles and every broken instance in our lives need a miracle, be it body, soul or spirit, He is the only...

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:5, 6 Being a grandmother I have special interest in this scripture. It holds me accountable in what I put before my grandchildren. Here Jesus is saying He cherishes innocence. Innocence can be found in a new believer as well. It is important that they are cared for without loading them up with dogmas, rules and regulations that bind rather than free. It is also important that I do not show an indulgence in persuits that would bind them or take them away from Christ. It is interesting that Jesus goes on the talk about lost sheep in verse 12 and ends the discourse in verse 14 saying that the Father is not willing that any of the little ones’ should be lost. What is He saying? Is He saying that little children mu...

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-4 What was Jesus saying?   When I think of little children, say 0-4 and how dependant they are on their parents, they believe what their parents say. I remember my son once asking what made the windows go up and down in our car. He was told,” you just tell them windows up and they go up and windows down and they go down.” Excitedly he wanted to try. So of course when he said ‘windows up’ the up lever was pushed and likewise when he said ‘windows down’ the down lever was pushed. He was so excited about being able to control the windows. As he became older he discovered the truth. As a little chi...

Peter said to Jesus ‘”Lord it is good for us to be here. If you wish I will put up three shelters –one for You , one for Moses and one for Elijah”. While he was still speaking , a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said,”This is my Son   whom I love, and with Him I am well pleased,listen to Him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified, but Jesus came and touched them, “Get up “ He said, “Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 17:4-7 Peter was excited to see what he was seeing and in his excitement he blurtered forth, assuming that what he saw was going to stay perhaps. He makes me smile because I see me. So many times I have run on with a thought assuming something that has happened was going to stay and meant something other that what it did, right then. Learning to read the mind of the Lord takes practice and a cool spirit. The only time I come close is when I wait and am still, then I can catch what is really happening. I sense ...

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them to a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. Matthew 17:1 Why after 6 days? Did it take that long for Jesus and Peter to sort out their stuff? Did Peter need that time to understand why Jesus rebuked him? (16:23) if he was anything like me he would. I take things in and they go down deep and have to work their way up to my conscious understanding and then ‘I get it’. Why did Jesus only take Peter, James and John? Why not the others? Is this saying that these three were the closest? Were they the ones that He could trust? Trust with the revelation of His Godhead. What does Jesus reveal to us? Does He give us His heart? Do we know how He feels about those around us? Does He show us His secrets? What are the criteria to being chosen? We see Peter with foot and mouth disease yet he was chosen. Why? Perhaps because he tried, he loved and wanted in on what was happen...

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?" Matthew 16:24-26 This seems a heavy scripture at time when men and women live to enjoy life. So often people would say to me, 'You will find someone to share you're life with, after all you deserve to be happy.' This is said by well meaning individuals who believe I am better re-married and yes it is good to share your life with someone but it is not the ultimate ideal that these dear people propose. The same can be said for the belief, 'you deserve to do well, you're going to make it.' Again the idea that an abundance of goods is happiness. If I measure myself by these yardsticks I must be truly miserab...

From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, "Oh no Lord! This will never happen to you." But He turned and told Peter, "Get behind Me Satan! You are an offense to me because you're not thinking about God's concerns but man's." Matthew 16:21-23 Do you ever experience a knowing that things are about to change and go a different direction? Jesus did yet Peter did not accept the new path, He wanted his own agenda. The Jewish faith had seen the Messiah as one who would liberate them from oppression not be killed. They did not realise that Jesus came to set them free, but from sin, sickness and disease and to re-unite them in relationship to the Father. Peter was affected by this mindset. There are times in our lives when those who care for us, family and friend...

And Jesus responded, "Simon, son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven, and I also say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church and the forces of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:17-19 Peter had just declared that Jesus was the Christ and Jesus turned to Him and said the above. Peter had a revelation of who Christ was, he did not learn it in church or at school but he had a 'light bulb' experience. The truth was revealed to him by the Father. Now, upon that revelation experience Jesus was going to build His church and He went on the say the gates of Hell would not prevail against that revelation experience. Out of that revelation experience would come the authority to bind and loose, the 'keys of the ...

"Who do people say that the 'Son of Man is'?"........"But you, Who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:13-15 People in my world have a lot of opinions about the Lord, many judge Him by what He does for them, but at the end of the day what matters is who I say He is. If I say 'You are the Christ', then I say I believe you are God in my world, I allow you to be God in my finances, my health, my relationships, my all. What I say about the Lord must come from a living relationship with Him not an untested, unworked or casual understanding. Daily I make Him God or I make Him 'a god', one of many. Is He on the same level as self effort or government provision, doctors support, carer support or is He the author and finisher of all? God gives me those who will bless and enhance my life but I cannot look to them for life. He is the author of life, He is the answer. My hope is in Him. Jesus walked with the disciples daily teaching them about Himself...

Then Jesus told them, "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Saducees." Matthew 16:6 At first the disciples did not understand, they got all caught up in concerns about bread. Jesus had to remonstrate with them to get their thoughts on the same page as His. I awoke this morning with a conviction to not allow my thoughts to be captured with anything but Christ. What is He saying? What is He doing? This is what is important not all the rubbish that comes through my mind. Where is He today? Who is He reaching? Who am I to touch? Wow if I can live in this zone then I am walking in the spirit, continually. I cannot let my emotions be captured by anything but Christ. So today, while it is still called today, I will walk and talk truth not circumstance. Amen!

Now Jesus summoned His disciples and said, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they're already stayed with Me three days and have had nothing to eat, I don't want to send them away hungry, otherwise they might collapse on the way." The disciples said to Him, "Where would we get enough bread in this desolate place to fill such a crowd?" How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked them. Matthew 15:32-34 The disciples had experienced three days with the crowd as well,  probably three days without sleep with a bunch of smelly people. They may have been wondering 'Doesn't Jesus ever sleep?' 'Doesn't this crowd ever sleep.' Imagine the toilet facility need. They might have been thinking 'At last we can get some sleep, send them home Jesus.' The last thing I would want to do at the end of a three day campaign was now be concerned with feeding such a large number but Jesus 'had compassion on the crowd.' Compassion i...

Then Jesus replied to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want". And from that moment her daughter was cured. Matthew 15:28 Yesterday I looked at the first part of this scripture and how Jesus at first refused this Canannite woman saying that healing was only for the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel'. His refusal served only to heighten this woman's faith. To receive anything from God there has to be faith. Have we learned to live without faith? Do we not come to the Lord anymore with our requests? How much do we allow our enemy to beat us around the head with infirmities in ourselves and our children? Do we instead go to doctors to medicate? Yesterday I was talking to a woman who has a friend who has a son who is severely troubled in his mind. It is assumed that his troubles arose out of abuse. He has severe behavioural issues and he troubles his family with outrageous behaviour. He is medicated so as to maintain some level of co...

When He left there, He withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out. Have mercy on me, Lord, Don of David! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon. Yet He did not say a word to her. Matthew 15:21-23 What was Jesus up to? Why did He ignore this woman? As we read the story further Jesus tells the woman he was sent to the lost house of Israel, in other words, it was not her. Now we have seen how other Gentiles came to Jesus and received their request. Why was Jesus putting this woman through such an ordeal? Have you ever wanted something badly, or say the love of someone and been rejected? What does that do to your desire? It usually intensifies, especially if you really, really desire it. Perhaps Jesus was intensifying this woman's desire to the point of faith to trigger the miracle. The Roman centurion had faith, he was there, he was ready. What are you desiring and being told wait or no? Do you know that that ...

Summoning the crowd. He told them, "Listen and understand: It 's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." Matthew 15:10,11 In an era when the people were consumed by laws Jesus walks in and says the above. He was battering all that some, the Pharisees, held sacred. Washing hands and eating rituals abounded, so much so that eating food was not much a pleasure but a chore. Today we are bombarded by food rules of a different sort. 'if you eat carbs and protein together you will upset your stomach', if you eat potatoes you will gain weight', if you eat fat, the wrong sort, you will block your arteries'. Our tvs are consumed with cooking shows. There is a constant battle to be in charge, to take control. Perhaps there is a better way. Perhaps being consumed with Christ and His way of doing and being right and not our own pleasures or fascinations is more profitable. A society consumed with self ha...

Then the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, "WHy do Your disciples break with the traditions of the elders? For they don't wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "and why do you break God's commandment because of your tradition?" Matthew 15:1-3 Each one of us have tendencies to be religious about something. I  have a boarder who leaves things open, you can tell where she has been, just follow the trail. I don't, I like completeness. You can guess what little religious thoughts come into my head. I have caught myself from agreeing with the critical thoughts that suggest it would be better she was not around. Where does that come from? The pit! My boarder was a blessing and still is a blessing from God. 'Begon you critical thoughts. Lord I thank You for my boarder, she is a blessing to my life'. It was ludicrous that the Pharisees pick on hand washing. Jesus did not answer their critical remarks but instead...

Once they crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognised Him, they alerted the whole vicinity and brought to Him all who were sick. Matthew 14:34,35 Recognition comes before release. I have to recognise Jesus in my circumstances before I can release Him to be Lord of my circumstances. Yesterday I went to breakfast with some ladies. Several of us have businesses and at various times talked about a happening at our business. I know that I have to accept a person has an authority in a particular area for me to open up to them to speak into my world. For example I had a computer issue and one of the ladies had a computer shop. I mentioned my problem and this lady waxed strongly about the solution. It prompted me to solve my issue but I did not go to her shop because I have an existing relationship with online help that is free through my work and that is what I used. What are people used to doing when issues come up in their lives? Are they wil...

Then those in the boat worshipped Him and said, "Truly You are the Son of God". Matthew 14:33 The disciples had a God encounter. They had been toiling in a sea that threatened to take their lives and Jesus shows up, walking on water and the minute He enters the boat the storm ceases. Did you ever sing 'with Christ in my vessel I can smile at the storm, smile at the storm, with Christ in my vessel I can smile at the storm as we going sailing home'? We can sing songs speak words but we must live them. When the storm comes He has to be our focus. What are you looking at? I remember Ps Phil Pringle once or I should say often saying 'when you are under pressure you are melting and what you are looking at is what you become.' This rings true with me. As I focus on Jesus and His word I am calmed, transformed and encouraged. He has all the answers in my life of 'what ifs' He has the path laid out for me in the bog, He has a future planned for me in the fog...

But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught hold of him and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat the wind ceased. Matthew 14:30,31 The wind was strong. Peter's experience as a sailor told him danger, warning, danger. All that Peter had ever known was being challenged by faith. Jesus knew He would not fail, but Peter didn't. The fact that Jesus had walked on the water all the way from land did not register when all that he knew shouted at him. Each of us are faced with the realities we wish to break through. What do I want to do that breaks the rules? In my storm Jesus beckons me, "Come". I do not have to go, in fact Peter did not have to go, he chose to go, faith in him rose up to go. I might go and then begin to sink because of fear but I have a saviour and He is here, I will not die ...

"Lord if it is You", Peter answered Him, "command me to come to You on the water". "Come" He said. And climbing out of the boast, Peter started walking on the water and came towards Jesus. Matthew 14:28,29. If you think about Peter's response it was quite stupid but full of daring and wonder. Stupid because if it was an evil force it would want to destroy and probably use the opportunity by inviting Peter to come. But hey! who is going to criticise? I have stopped short of the next verse that speaks of Peter looking at the waves and sinking because It is important to recognise that faith was there to step out. I love faith, it is full of life, wonder 'but what if I can' stuff, daring, excitement. The Lord is there in Faith. Jesus beckoned Peter to come and was right there with him. When Jesus beckons us to step out He is right there. When we were small, learning to walk our parents were beckoning us to try, but were right there with arms ou...

The disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. "It's a ghost!" they said, and cried out in fear. Immediately Jesus spoke to them. "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:26,27 In my own life, when terror and fear are around so is the greatness of God, the answers, the provision. So why the terror? Perhaps I am responding to the supernatural power of God, perhaps I am sensing the fear of the spirits of darkness. A long time ago I learned to embrace lonliness becasue that is precisely where the love of God is and as I spend time in that place, trusting the One who holds all things together, a miracle results, a door opens. Now I am learning to understand, I could not say embrace, fear. Becasue every time it is present provision is present. The disciples were terrified but Jesus was present. Their natural minds could not comprehend what they were seeing, the supernatural. So when terror is present remember to look for Him, He i...

But the boat was already over a mile from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning, He came towards them walking on the sea. Matthew 14:24,25 Jesus had stayed behind to pray and sent the disciples on ahead. How much like real life is this? Not that Jesus needs to stay and pray but He needs us to get on with the programme and that doing often encounters the next big storm. Storms are a part of life and they range in consistency. They can be actual storms, financial storms, relational storms, health storms. When we are in the thick of it the storms threaten to engulf us and take us out completely and they would but for one thing, He is aware, He is in the big picture and He is coming, miraculously. Jesus was up on the mountain and He would have seen their difficulty. He allowed them to experience the difficulty until 3am. Funny that! 3am is often the hour I will awake when I am being threatened. Perhaps Jesus wanted to see if His dis...

Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. After dismissing the crowds, He went up on a mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came He was there alone. Matthew 14:22,23 Jesus, Himself, shows us the importance of prayer. After each time of drawing aside and spending time with the Father He does something out of the box. Before the miracle of the loaves and fishes Jesus had drawn aside to spend time in quiet because He had heard about John the Baptist's death. It would be natural to want to be refreshed after such a time and yet there is more than the results of refreshment. How powerful is the result of drawing aside and waiting on Him? Drawing aside can be for refreshment, consolation, strength before a trial, it can the sharing of a victory. Whatever the reason power is waiting. Greatness is poured into our lives as we surrender, yield, wait, are refreshed. Amen!

" They do not need to go away", Jesus told them, "You give them something to eat." "But we only have five loaves and two fish here, they said to Him. " Matthew 14:16,17 With Jesus around there was a miracle waiting to happen. When He is in the midst a miracle is present. The disciples were learning to believe that the miracle was there, and recognising what that miracle actually was. These words speak to me. It is almost like, find the miracle. What miracle is present today, waiting for someone to believe? What is God wanting to do today? What do I need to do to see it revealed? The disciples had to bring what they had and give it to the miracle worker. What do I have today? Where do I need a miracle? Show me what You would have me do Lord. Amen!

As He stepped ashore He saw a huge crowd and had compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14 I am so grateful Lord that You could lay aside your own needs to reach out in compassion, thank You. This morning I learnt that my girlfriend whose sister has terminal cancer had an opportunity to show grace to her family last weekend. She felt trampled, just like I had when I had difficult family go off at me, but like me she was able to minister. I told her how proud I was of her, and I am. Her good behaviour blesses me. When Christ is allowed to shine grace oozes out of us, it can't help it, because that's what grace does, it permeates, saturates, smells good. Tonight my neighbours dogs attacked my small Maltese and had her on the ground, she was crying pitifully and I ran to the rescue. I wanted to permanently remove the offending animal. The owner came to the door, full of apologies as his dogs are a constant annoyance. I managed to reach for grace and did not ret...

When Jesus heard about this (death of John the Baptist) He withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. Matthew 14:13 I am grateful that this verse is in Matthew. When those I love die, go through difficult times or leave I need to draw aside to a quiet place to allow the Lord to help me process. Grief is real and even though Jesus was the Son of God He was God in the flesh. As I draw aside I hear from the Lord and am refreshed. His way is more important, He alone can sustain me. We can tend to become so emotional that we react against the Lord and become angry. This does not help, it is better to go to Him and lay it all down and let Him revive our souls. This morning I have a girlfriend coming for breakfast. Her sister has just been diagnosed with having a brain tumour, an aggressive and I would hazard to guess, terminal type. My friend is grieving. Stuff will continue to happen to those close to us. My mum had cancer twice but is now 80 and doing fine. When mum wa...