The day with dianne Louise

Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but Your commands are my delight. Psalm 119: 143 There seems to be a theme here. No matter what happens or eyes must be on Christ. He is our direction, our eyes needs to be on Him. When my eyes are on Him, grace lives in me, i can't find fault, i learn new things about grace. Grace is so generous and kind around the faults of others, so kind. When i operate in grace i am a nicer person, i learn so much about others. Today we arrived in Sydney and my companion was not organised in his finances. We are needing to take a lot of cash with us for the things we are doing tin Nepal. I had taken my companions advice and i am cashed up, see me crow. So, this evening, tired and hungry we went in search of a solution. I fed us and then we went looking for a money changer. We found the right solution and learnt a lot in thr process and I still have my sanctity. Amazing! God is indeed good. Oh blessed patience! My God how good you are! Amen!

Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but Your commands are my delight. Psalms 119:143 HCSB This is not.my story today. It has been at times, but not today. Anxieties about what needs doing perhaps but not trouble and distress. However, even when trouble and distress do overtake we can make the Lord and His word our delight. His word bring His perspective, His promise. We can rejoice in Him and the victory He has won for us. All things work together for good for those who love God and walk according to His word. I can place all that I am, all I have, into His hands: my family, my possessions, my finances, my business, in fact all. He has proven Himself. He is fairhful, just and true. His commands, His words are my delight, not my will but His. Amen!

Cast your burden on the Lord , and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. Psalms 55:22 HCSB Today I needed sustaining. My body and mind were in holiday mode but I had to apply myself to finishing my work so that i would return to written plans in readiness for me to present. On top of this i was in discussion about my business and the future, with the manager. There are times i allow myself to be intimidated, usually when i am in new territory. The manager wants me to sell my business to my junior. You know when you know the person who said they would be there for you has switched camps, that's how it felt. I want to represent Christ, be wise and not allow myself to be robbed again and be gentle. A hard ask. I needed to give the Lord the burden and ask Him to represent me. I went away from the conversation feeling a little crushed. Probably due to my own issues stemming from the past. I invited the Lord in to heal the hurt. However, finishing t...

Cast your burden on the Lord , and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. Psalms 55:22 HCSB Throughtout the bulk of this Psalm David is pouring out his distress. He is being betrayed by a friend. 'I am in restless turmoil  with my complaint because of my enemy's voice, because of the pressure of the wicked. They bring down disaster on me and harass me in anger.'verses 2,3 When we are harassed and oppressed we are crushed in spirit. After pouring out his heart, David finds hope in the Lord. While rhe buden is with us, it troubles us with the challenge: "how are you going to sort me out?' There is a very easy solution- cast all your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you. I know Pilgrim needed to discover that he did not need to carry his burden but give it to the One who is the burden solver. We are not made to carry burdens, we are not donkeys. We may act like asses now and then but a good dose of repentance fixes that. To...

So those who suffer according to God's will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful creator. 1Peter 4:19   In the next chapter Peter tells of being a witness to Jesus' suffering. Peter saw the self-control, the determination to not lash back at the horde of hateful religious leaders who were determined to do away with Jesus.   The above scripture flies in the face of the term; "fair." We can see that such a desire was not in Christ. He was here to serve and lay down His life so that we could be redeemed. This begs us to think what our suffering can avail. It will not be wasted, it will be used by God for His glory.   Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father, I can do that. He has a plan and He wants to use faithful servants for His purposes. I can be that. Amen!    

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 HCSB A sanctuary is a holy place. If you have experienced holy respect for a church building then you will have some idea what is required here. Picture that place, would you trash it, speak ill of it, set up beds in it for adulterous flings, create a money laundering ring there? Most would be horrified with such suggestions, but some would not. Desecration requires a hard heart. Now, you are that beautiful church, even more so beautiful for each believer has the presence of the Holy Spirit inside and candles are not required there, neither is holy water or ritual. It is a place of total freedom. Let's visit this beautiful place now. Close your eyes and imagine its beauty. Sense the peace, the presence of God. Sit and rest a while. What else did you find? Did you meet the love of God for you to bathe in today? It is the best fragrance. As you smell the fragran...

When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. Though an army deploys against me, my heart is not afraid; though a war breaks out against me, still I am confident. Psalms 27:2‭-‬3 HCSB The evildoers still come out against God's people. God's people had to stand and trust the Lord. They had a test of their faith, yet the enemy could not harm them. I have seen this again and again. The enemy has come out against my finances, my family, my friends and my health. In each case i had to face him and declare the word of the Lord. I must make God GOD in my life and teust Him. Amen! In all works of faith, he endeavours to destroy. But he can't, he can harass to the extent i submit to fear and self-pity. Yet, each time i make God GOD, i win.

For He will conceal me in His shelter in the day of adversity; He will hide me under the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock. Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord . Psalms 27:5,6 I am sure being concealed in a tent is something David would be well aware of. It reminds me of a game children play, being hidden from someone who is in, in the game Hide and Seek. Yet, the seeker here has evil intent. Imagine being sought by ISIS to be sold as a sex slave when you are only a child. You have run into a stranger's tent seeking salvation and been given safety and an assurance your persuers would not find you. The fear in your heart as you heard those who seek you close by, asking your host where you were, in fact demanding to search His tent and Him defying them and saying: "No! I told you there are no children hidden here!" A very scary, tense moment fo...

For He has humbled those who live in lofty places — an inaccessible city. He brings it down; He brings it down to the ground; He throws it to the dust. Feet trample it, the feet of the humble, the steps of the poor. Isaiah 26:5‭-‬6 HCSB Often we wonder when the humbling of the proud will occur, as we struggle knowing their judgements of us. Yet, they seem to prosper whilst it is an issue to us and when it no longer is, God steps in. What is interesting is that the inaccessible city belonging to the proud is trampled by the humble amd the poor. I am sure they are not aware. If they were it would be easy to infer vengeance. Whereas, if thy no longer care then they could easily trample on the way past or through. I think the goal should be to so forget the proud that God is free to deal justice. And the forgetting cannot be a peeking through closed fingers but rather totally genuine moving on. Amen!

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city. Salvation is established as walls and ramparts. Open the gates so a righteous nation can come in — one that remains faithful. You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You. Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord , is an everlasting rock! Isaiah 26:1‭-‬4 HCSB For me my strong city is the kingdom of God, not  a physical city. The walls are my praises for the mighty one who redeems and establishes me. God inhabits the praises of His people. Salvation is from the Lord. Amen! Our God has a people, gathered from the corners of the earth, each placing their trust in their God. No matter what comes, He rules, He reigns. This.mind is dependent on Him. He will keep me in perfect peace as I trust in Him. Stay faithful oh my soul, trust in Him! Amen!

We have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do what we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to God's love and Christ's endurance. 2Thessalonians 3:4,5 What a good endorsement! I pray that Warren and I have this as we go to Nepal next week. My faith has proven true. Today we received donations of $12,000, $2,000 to go. The Lord knew who he wanted to use, and that is exactly what he did. Try as I might I cannot do what He can so, He is so much better that me at this. Now as we go into a difficult land may we have endurance. If I can gauge what God has done in my life I would have to say He has laid a template of endurance down, I can trust Him. He also taught me to love the unlovely, so I think He has prepared me. Now a few more days and off we go. Praise God! Amen!

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you,  and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith.  But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:1‭-‬3 HCSB I do covet prayer. That i might be used to spread the good news. Today i am going to a business breakfast. I am praying God will use me to show Him. Soon I go to Nepal. I want to minister Christ to all we spend time with. I am not here just to see the scenery. I am an ambassador of Christ. I pray for deliverance from the evil spirit that wishes to stamp out Christianity. I pray he cannot see or hear or find me. I pray i am covered by the wings of angels, that the Lord hides me in the shadow of His wings. The Lord is faithful. This word promises to strengthen and guard me from the evil one. I can trust the Lord and His word. Amen

Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be achieved. The Lord has prepared everything for His purpose-even the wicked for the day of disaster. Proverbs 16:3,4 I must trust the Lord for all things: when family reject me, when finances fail, when sickness threatens. Though the fig tree does not blossom and there be no fruit on the vine, the olive crops fail and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls yet will I triumph in Yahweh: I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Yahweh my Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19 Commit your plans to the Lord, and be patient and wait, and wait, and wait. He is interested in your character being fully formed, then your plans will be achieved. Even the wicked, those who abuse you and reject you and speak ill f you, trying to turn others against you, they have a purpo...

Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24 HCSB Ever wanted to lash out and reply harshly to someone who annoys you or someone who represents a stuff up, especially in big business or government? I am sure you have. Now, imagine yourself as the person who is an employee of said business. How do you wish people would speak to you? With respect, with patience? Each time we withold the lash, we sow into our field. What we sow, we reap a harvest of, pressed down, shaken together, running over, poured into our laps. Want a storm? No? Then don't create one. Want peace? Want respect? Sow peace, sow respect. Amen! Our annoyance will push us to the lash. The annoyance the Pharisees felt towards Jesus drove them to the lash and murder on the cross. We kill people's reputation with our tongues all because we are annoyed. Not good! Not life giving. Not righteous. Amen!

The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. Ecclesiastes 7:8 Even the markets look to past performance to estimate the future performance. As a woman of 62 I look at the behaviour of the young and know when and where there is a better way, because of experience. Being a young hothead with a proud spirit you are destined to the breaking yards. As any young filly or colt will experience, they are captured and gently but firmly broken so that they will do their master's bidding. Having been through the breaking process, I am much more patient that I once was. I now know my master's voice, His touch, His way. As I look back on my life, I understand. The ways are clearer to me. I am okay with the reins, the saddle and the boots. I know I don't like the spurs and so I yield much quicker. I clearly remember seeing a prominent preacher speaking, when I was only 21, about how those with experience will want to share it...

Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9 HCSB Are there days when you are tired and you are attacked with harassment? Yes! Today is such a day. After a long day yesterday i awoke tired and had another in front of me. I have been hounded by people needing me, unexpected bills and i am brain dead. Not good when your clients want a clear technical answer and your engine is going: errrrr! Errrrr! Errrr! The fuel is not getting through, in fact there is sand in the tank. Coffee does not work and you are filled with  visions of sugar. Not good! So.... time to come aside to the river. LORD THANK You, you have all the answers and provision! Amen! God is good, all the time! Amen!

Let the godly celebrate in triumphal glory; let them shout for joy on their beds. Psalms 149:5 HCSB We dont just celebrate when good things happen but when they are delayed, in anticipation of them coming to pass. One pre-empts the other amd when the other comes the celebrations ramp up. Today was a good day. The Lord is pouring out His blessings, my cup is running over. How good is God! He has kept me through the storm and now the blessings flow, too great to contain. I went on the road today and had two of the best client meetings in beautiful surroundings, home made scones, yum! Tonight i dined with an old friend and am staying the night. On the road back to my friend's house it was raining and the kangaroos were out. God protected me. Home tomorrow with a lot of work to do. The abundance needs processing. I am tucked up in a warm bed and i am rejoicing! Amen!

For Yahweh takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the humble with salvation. Psalms 149:4 HCSB Ever woken up and had a realization that you had done something the day before that was arrogant? I did and do, often. Yesterday I was chasing a fiinalization of a transaction for a client and found it had not been done as I was told. I went into fix it mode. I had kept the name of the person who had said it would be done. I called and pressed the point. Today I realise this young man may  not have had all the information and because of that I may have caused him grief. Today I must seek to rectify the situation. It starts with me humbling myself before my God and asking for mercy because I need it. I will get it if I am truly humble. God sees the heart and will not be manipulated. Now I also ask for a humble heart The first road block is fear. But what if I own up and have to go back to the client with the fact that i had given the wron...

The reflections of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord . All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord evaluates the motives.  Commit your activities to the Lord , and your plans will be achieved. Proverbs 16:1‭-‬3 HCSB We and the Lord are so different. I will think according to experience and what i know. If my experience is of God being Lord, then my thoughts will be closer to His. However, He says His His thoights are higher than mine, His ways different to mine. (Is 55:9) i am a finite being, He is infinite. I can only begin to know His thoughts from all time. As stuff happens to me and my world, some of it tears my heart apart, some not so. If i speak out of this pool then hurt is twined about it, it  is not pure. However, i can only trust Him for the big picture. My God.is big, bigger than now. My way will seem right to me but as God evaluates thenheart notive he may see pride. Not good! I may jendeceived intomthinking I am b...

The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seek it. Proverbs 18:15   There are two types of people: Those who seek knowledge and those who are self-willed and by their choice a seeker of self-gratification and self-promotion. A seeker of knowledge is humble and knows they do not know everything and have a hunger to learn.   When I come across a person who is unwilling to listen I wonder why. Are they a fool or are they locked into faith at a different level? The test of time alone will show whether they are indeed foolish or wise.   When we must work closely with another person we seek a common ground. This common ground is not in our yard, it may be in their yard or between the two. When the person we work with is insistent and unwilling to change, you may well have a problem. What is the answer? Frustration can cause you to lean on that person a little, then a little more and gradually apply pressure, to no avail, they become stu...

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. Proverbs 18:12 HCSB We have ample time to see the proud. How does this impact on you? I suggest that a constant diet of a proud leader is disgusting. Those who seek to benefit from such a person will gather and pay hommage, but they will be actors drawn to an opportunity. No one really likes or wants a proud person in their lives. Proud people exalt themselves on your backs and crush the lowly. Proud people will ultimately fail, because God opposes them and grace is removed and their behaviour digs a pit for them to fall into. The humble however will have a time of honour, God will exalt them. What God exalts n6oone can tear down. What man exalts all the forces of darkness will destroy in the game it plays with the proud. Stay humble, let God exalt you. Amen!

Those with twisted minds are detestable to the Lord, but those with blameless conduct are His delight. Proverbs 11:20 The word twisted here relates to perverted, deceitful and distorted. I heard Pastor Michael Pitts today preaching on-line as to why America is in trouble. He said that the population had been fed a diet of watching people destroy one another publically, on celebrity shows where families disputed in front of a live audience. He talked about reality TV shows and what they dish up to people. When we constantly look upon and dwell upon evil, we come to accept it as the norm and when the word of God stands against it, it is disputed hotly. Lot, Abraham's nephew and Abraham parted ways. Abraham gave Lot the choice of where he wanted to live, Lot chose the view of Sodom. Before long Lot was living in Sodom and when God destroyed Sodom he escaped with his two daughters to the hill country, his wife been turned to a pillar of salt because she turned back, her heart was...

When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2   When a thing is achieved, when we are vindicated, when our faith comes through, we can allow pride in the door and it will start to work on us and sow seeds of inflated vision. Pride exalts itself above others, preens itself and begins to strut and take on airs it does not own, but, the glory belongs to the Lord alone.   Humility keeps us centered and focused giving glory to God. Keeping God in the focus as the giver and provider is wisdom. Even our faith is God-given, we did not invent it, create it or own it, it came by the grace of God.   Yesterday I had a win and in one instance I went from not having enough for my trip to Nepal to having more than enough. It was rather heady. I immediately phoned my travelling companion and told him the news. This man has an outdoors job. For the past two months he has had rain, rain, rain and if not rain he has been plagued with illness....

When it is in your power, don't withhold good from the one it belongs to. Proverbs 3: 27   We can be in business with others and although we may make large sacrifices, there may come a time when we think we should be honoured and blessed for the sacrifice and it does not happen. This can then cause us to be withholding; withholding in praise, withholding in grace.   I had this happen to me and I asked the Lord to help me not resent and to remain gracious, not to be jealous or envious. The Lord has been good and kept me, for which I am grateful.   In conflict we can attempt to sort things to a just conclusion but then are unsure as to how things will actually pan out. I had this happen recently. I had to confront a man who said he would buy my office furniture but failed to pay, again and again. Finally I called him and graciously but firmly told him that if he continued to not pay beyond this weekend I would take the furniture next week. I did not know ...

He mocks those who mock, but gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3:34 HCSB A mocker is a proud, self-reliant person who esteems themself above the need for God, in fact this person has times of thinking they do not need God. Much like Lucifer before he fell. He exalted himself above the North. He was beautiful and became enamoured with his own beauty. The mocker shares the same spirit. It is a type of anti-Christ. The humble spurit is the antitthesis of this spirit. It recognises a need for God, ties itself to God, totally reliant on Him and willing to lay down ego and self-effort. Willing to follow and not lead, willing to bow before One greater and place total trust in the One. Amen! Now we see above what God does with each of these people: He stands against the proud and gives beautiful grace to the humble. One who has experienced grace will choose it every time. Yet a proud heart does not know or recognise it, until it has been broken, then it will have a choice; will it la...

Above all, maintain intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1Peter 4:8   I don't know about you, but if I am loving intensely, I can't hate, criticise, envy or steal. However, I think this is the greatest challenge as well. Keeping my love on takes some doing when I am going through the grinder and desperately want someone to lift me and instead they sit on me and cry about how they feel.   At moments like this the Holy Spirit makes Himself available for a withdrawal of grace from His abundance bank.   As I prepare to go on a missions trip all hell has broken loose: My dog almost dies, My finances have been squeezed, I've had family fall out with me and today I find out my mum is back in hospital, and my travelling companion is sick. Ha!   Well, praise the Lord anyway! My God is able to bring all things together. He is provider, healer, restorer and peace. Ah! peace.   Tomorrow I go to have coffee with a few ladie...

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 HCSB So then, what is the fear of the Lord? It definitely is not what we equate fear with today. For us fear causes us to hide away, reject, cringe when touched. There are so many fears in thisnlife and they hold the sufferer in bondage. Whereas the fear of the Lord is a deep respect that overcomes all fear. In fact thus fear should replace all others. Many in my family fear confrontation but as i have practiced it for years it is a tool of goodness. Recebtly i was telling my sister how i confronted a man who owes me money. Because i did not wait until I was angry, it was actually a gracious yet strong encounter. Yet i choose fear if the Lord over all fears. This fear keeps me, hides me, instructs me, nurtures me. Here i am safe because I knownI am in the One who holds all things together. What a place to exist. Thise who reject the Lord choose all the other fears as master. ...

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your care on Him, because He cares for you. 1Peter 5:6,7   A sure result of humbling myself is God's exaltation, at the right time. Timing is something that belongs to God. He is the master orchestrator. I know as I walk in who I am, He is bringing me before people He wants me to meet and speak to.   Today I went out to have a needle for Hepatitis which I didn't need and sat talking to an elderly lady. It was priceless. Next I went to the grocery store and met another lady. After returning home and finishing some work I went out for a walk and met another lady, took her for a walk and met another. Later, after my return I went and showed a Hindu woman how to cook a pizza. I am enjoying these encounters and I believe God is setting me up to minister to women. I have also been invited to coffee on Friday with a whole bunch of ladies.   I can trus...

And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time,  casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. 1 Peter 5:5‭-‬7 HCSB The word clothe means: literally tie yourseves around. So humility must be tied around me as I deal with my brothers and sisters. This is especially true when we disagree or are offended. What does humility do? It causes us to step back and trust the Lord, to seek the Lord for the big picture. What am I missing? What can't I see? What is filtered by my own bias and attitude? Where is God leading this person? How would grace between us make a difference? After all there is a compelling reason: God resists the proud. Why I am being proud, just right! Ha! Ha! Exactly! Proud! When we judge others as wrong and us as right we are proud. Of what only our deceived hear...

How happy is the man/woman who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers, instead he delight is in the Lord's instruction, and he meditates upon it day and night. Psalm 1:1 I would have to say the very one place I see a lot of mockers, givers of advice and paths to follow would be social media, especially Facebook. I have never seen such malice, slander and delight in wrong doing before, now it all congregates on social media. Most of us will be on Facebook a few times a day. If the only posts we look at are posted by worldly people and feel good media then we will be draw to the gospel of self. In this gospel I am the centre of all things and all things must do my bidding, even God. When all do not do my bidding I attack them, slander and vilify them. To balance my world I like and follow a lot of godly leaders and am constantly feasting on godly posts which edify my spirit, smack my flesh in the head and leave me uplifte...

How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord ’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water that bears its fruit in season  and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalms 1:1‭-‬3 HCSB I can rejoice in the Lord. His advice alone is worthy, His word is true. I cannot follow advice to throw away my confidence in Him. He is my reward. A.tree planted by a river still experiences storms, droughts and fires. Yet the trees roots go down deep and finds the water, even though the stream has stopped flowing. Trees planted by rivers become strong and last for a long time. I choose to stay by the stream. Yesterday I was talking to an unbeliever who asked what would i do if money to go to Nepal did not come though. I said it would. God did.not.start the journey with the money for air fares, injections,...

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross-whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:19,20   How wonderful that God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Christ. How trustworthy is Christ, how righteous, how pure, how dependable. If the Father can trust Him and be pleased to allow all of Himself to dwell in Him, what more assurance do I need?   Jesus was a peacemaker. He made peace between us and God the Father. He, Himself made a way back through shedding his blood on the cross.   All things have now been brought into line through this sacrifice. The order has returned. I need to embrace this fact and trust the Lord.   I am being challenged to believe that God will provide for the trip to Nepal. All avenues that I had in place have been chopped off, now it is time for a miracle. My God, my faithful God, loves the ...

He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:17‭-‬18 HCSB What an awesome place to be. The One spoken about here is Jesus, the divine Son of God. I belong to an astronomy club and therefore i know the search of mankind is to discover what holds all things together, what is the invisible matter? As a Christian I known the answer. Thr apostle Paul knew the answer, Jesus. As a Christian Astronomer I stand by and wait patiently for those who don't believe to discover the truth and then have that conversation. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus is the head of thr church. As the head He says what it believes and what it does. Our doctrine was established by Him. We cannot change it. We must honour His words and not water them down for convenience sake. We do not have authority to change t...

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men,  knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23‭-‬24 HCSB So.many ideas are great ideas. So many visions are great visions. Today i was asked by a missionary to Nepal what i wanted to do and see happen in Nepal. I said: "i want to be used by God to build the kingdom of God, in whatever way He wants me to do that." I have had a vision for my business and worked to build what i saw, but yeilded to the Lord and at the end found I had built other than what I saw. I had built people ready to move on to tbe next step. I had not built an organisation, at least that was what i thought i would house all the people in. Instead i built people who were ready to move on into their own space. I had a success but not the one i had planned, rather it was one God had planned. I suspect that now i can be trusted to repeat the pro...

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men,  knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23‭-‬24 HCSB Last night i was involved with my local.astronomy group. I cooked sausages for the group and provided warm milo(an Aussie hot chocolate drink- yum!). I did.it with enthusiasm and thoroughly enjoyed myself. We met to look at a new club telescope and our big 36 telescope. We are a new club in the early development stage. There are a lot of teething problems and opportunity to be either a pioneer or a non participant. This morning one of the older club members sent a photo out via email. He is not a.Facebook user, so I put the photo on Facebook. I did it wanting to share and help out. In relationships and life we do stuff. Let's do it willingly and not under compulsion pursuing relationshup in its best form. I am looking for ways to pursue relationships with fam...

Listen oh Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. These words I am giving you today are to be in your hearts. Deut 6:4-6 These passages come immediately before those of this morning's readings. Uet ofter quoted separately. What words are we to bind on our hearts? The above scripture to love our God with all our hearts, souls ans minds. How do I love God in such a focussed way? By determining to wait and listen to His truth. His opinion on a matter is so much more important than mine. Mine is selfish. God's is selfless. As I wait, stop and attune my hearing, i will hear scripture. What does God say about this matter? There is the seat of my answer. Amen!

These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.  Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6‭-‬7 HCSB This word challenges me. I have not, of late, done this. Yes i speak scripture when needed but not done this instructionally. When my children were small I did. Now i am a Nan i dont, except when thr need arises. When we know we have a role we are more inclined to do so. However, the new Trstament exhorts us to sing Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to build one another up, to live in the word. As a race the Jews have this practice down well, at least those who walk in their beliefs do. How can the Christian glean from this? In the era u was saved we sang scripture, it was the scripture in song generation. For this I am grateful. These words are to be in our hearts. These words cleanse and make us whole. These words are woth meditating on. Re...

My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name. My soul, praise the Lord , and do not forget all His benefits. He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with goodness; your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalms 103:1‭-‬5 HCSB David is instructing his soul to praise God. I need to instruct my soul to praise God. It does not automatically want to praise, it wants to sulk. However, as i praise I change things, i change the atmosphere. David is instructing his mind to not forget the Lord's benefits.  Rehearsing all God has done is good for us. As we bring to remberance God's goodness we clear our heads. Remembering how we were saved, forgiven, healed, delivered realigns our souls, our hearts, our minds. Rejoicing is good, it cleans out the pipes. He crowns us with faithful love and compassion. I dont know about you but I find this speci...

But from eternity to eternity the Lord ’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep His covenant, who remember to observe His precepts. Psalms 103:17‭-‬18 HCSB Ah! Now here is a promise i will cherish. My grandchildren are precious to me. Having just spent a week with 5 of my 7 grandchildren i can say i long to see them in eternity. The Hebrew word for fear is 'yara' combines obedience and respect with humility before a soverign God. My heart is to fear the Lord and in so doing i create an atmosphere of faithfulness. This faithfulness opposes unfaithfulness and selfishness and creates a platform for God to minister to my family. Amen! I am faced with the challenge of defeating offence at present. I am in conflict with three people and want to see God's way of resolving this conflict and not allowing my heart to become selfish in the process, or vindictive. My God faces this constantly and He deals...

Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honour the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. 1Peter 3:14b,15   There are so many things that demand we fear them, the bills, the bullies, sickness, the arrogant and rude and the list goes on.   As I prepare to go to Nepal I am reading copious books written by missionaries and they all speak of the spiritual darkness, witches and demons. The locals fear the spirit world and I am to go strong in the lord and the power of His might. Demons must flee and the spirits must obey Christ.   This scripture is good for me, it encourages me to not be intimidated by evil.   The unsaved fear many things yet we, the Christians, are brought into a relationship with the living God and we should walk in that relationship and trust our God. Amen!  

because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil. And who will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good? 1 Peter 3:12‭-‬13 HCSB The eyes of the Lord ARE on thd righteous. He has bot left town, gone on a holiday, forgotten you. He neither slumbers or sleeps. His eyes are on you. Now walk in that knowledge. His ears are open to you. Just because the timing is out, does that indicate He does not hear you? No! The face of the Lord IS against those who do evil, again, just because you cannot see what He is doing, does that mean He does nothing? No! He is organising things from the ends of the earth. And.... who will really harm you if you are committed to good? Are you committed to good or is there a bit of vengeance thrown in the mix? A bit of fear? A bit of anger? Let go amd trust God! Amen!

All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you. Ephesians 4:31,32 This scripture is a good reminder to keep our hearts clean and right towards one another. We can acknowledge it during good times but must practice it in bad times. I am faced with a hateful monster of offence in someone i love and although it is unreasonable i have to decide i will not play that game. This means not entertaining its barbs, not discussing it and not retaliating against it. Offence, hatred, bitterness and criticism love war. They war against our hearts and minds. They endeavour to flood us with nadty accusations against another person. We must choose love. Love says: "it's dealt with!" Amen! I am a soul saved and sanctified by grace, period! Grace sustains me, lifts me, heals me. Amen! I have no platform to judge. Grace must carry me...

He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. 2 Timothy 1:9 HCSB We are saved for a holy calling. What does this mean? I am saved not.just to escape hell, but to fulfill a purpose. This them requires me to find that purpose. Thr word 'holy" means set apart. I am not of this world, i am in it as a missionary on a mission: to seek and save that which is lost. To bring the lost home to.rhe Father, to set them free from bondage and bring them into His glorious light. I am staying the night at my new friend's house. Last night we walked by the beach in her home town amd as we did i shared the good news with her.i told her about the joy that comes from knowing Christ. Only the love of God is faithful and true. Only God will.not fail, all.men will fail. Only God is good. Only God is unchanging. Amen! I invited my friend to ask Christ into h...

but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 1 Peter 3:15 HCSB How do you honour the Lord in your heart? Probably the same way you honour parents, authority etc but even more so. Wnem i think of the Lord i consider His word, His Rhema voice in my heart, His presence. All of Him needs to be honoured, especially His word. His word is infallable, irrefutable, and everlasting. When i truely reverence Him and respect Him, i have His word living in my heart. It is living and active not silent and dead. His word teaches me how to live, comforts me, stretches me, blesses me. Then, i have a fountain of blessing to give to others, especially those who do not know Him. Amen!

So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on what is above, not on what is  on the earth. Colossians 3:1‭-‬2 HCSB Seated above! That is where we are positionally but need to appropriate it actually. I have moved away from the destructive forces and trust God for those who give oit the damage that their souls will be saved. Amen! Today, i spent good time with the Lord, with grandchildren and myself rather than fretting after what has gone. I had the best day. Praise God! Took the grandchildren geocaching. Never done it before and cant read a compass. However we found three chaches and the treasure inside. Such fun. God.is good. Also.spent time doing scientific experiments wirh my 10 year old grandson. My seven-year old grandson asked.for a microscope for his coming birthday. He is my little scientist. This was all after church and lunch. Tomorrow i am off to Couloundra two ho...

But you are a chosen race,   a royal priesthood,  a holy nation,  a people for His possession,  so that you may proclaim the praises   of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 HCSB The Jews were used to being a chosen race yet for many outside the race this all inclusive verse was uncommon. The fact that were are chosen bt God for a purpose is huge. It then behoves us to discover our purpose. Apart from anything else we are told in the above scripture we are to proclaim the praises of the One who called us. How do i proclaim praises? Well I can start with my testimony. What had God done in my life? What do i see Him do in the lives of others? What do i see Him doing in the earth? Whilst so many complain, i can praise Him. Amen. Start today to praise Him for His goodness. Amen!

Be alert, stand firm in the faith, act like a man, be strong. Your every action must be done with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13‭-‬14 HCSB Every action being done in love is a challenge for me. The flesh is evsr present and wanting expression. I have toake a choice not to react, not to say something out of a wrong place; be it pride, annoyance, self-pity. None of these can rule. Today is the first day spent with my son's household. It is loud, busy and fast, but definitely fun being with grandkids. Today i realised i needed to buy a new car battery. I called the closest VW dealership and obtained a price. It was near closing but they waited amd i was grateful. I received news today that my business loan had been approved, that we have a sponsor for Nepal, even though one of the projects had blown out in price and one of our aponsors had two damaged feet, preventing him from working. Amidst good news i had the usual.struggles.in business: systems not functioning; ...

Now about the collection for the saints: You should do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week,  each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. 1 Cor 16:1,2 How practical is this advice? When building fynd offerings come along in church, annually in most, a plan to save for the event can be made. As a financial planner i kbow the benefit of planning. Even if the method which i plan to use to save may fail, somehow the Lord remembers the goal and provides through various routes, like a tax retun, an inspiration to sell something unused etc. I have been trying to save for my trip to Nepal. All air fares have been paid, accomodation paid, visa bought, innoculations paid for but the trek still is unpaid, or at least that is the way it appears. However, having been in the Way for some years now i have gotten used to God's surprises and i can feel one brewi...

Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immoveable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 1Cor 15:58   On the surface this does not seem too much to ask. However, once planted the storms rage endeavouring to uproot us. If the storms don't succeed the pleasures of life will try their hardest to cause us to become complacent and lazy in our faith.   As I write this I am sitting in a warm bed, as it is winter here, with worship music playing, knowing that in less than a month I will be hurled into a noisy, smelly, colourful and beautiful primitive world of Nepal. I will be living in a makeshift shelter, no longer a house or a decent tent, where there is no running water, no sanitation, a land of demons and foreign idol worship.   My faith will be needed then more than ever. But if my faith is based on Christ alone and His word, I will be fine. My circumstances do not dictate my faith, in fact they may push m...

Listen! I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality. When this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immoveable, always excelling in the Lord's work, knowing that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor 15:51-58   Does anyone love a mystery? I do! I love investigation, intrigue, ...

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth and made of dust; and the second man from heaven. Like the man made of dust, so are those who made of dust: Like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the man from dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man. Brother, I tell you this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption. 1Cor 15:46-50   I was born into the flesh, but living in the flesh was disastrous for me, full of frustrations and unfulfillment and a longing for my God.   Being born again brought me into life, a life in the Spirit. The thought of having to stay in such lostness, without Christ is unbearable.   As a born again individual I bear the image of Christ. I have access to the Holy Spirit, the life He gives, the comfort, the companionship He gives.   The ...

But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come? Foolish one! What you sow will not come to life unless it dies. and as for what you sow-you are not sowing the future body, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain. But God give it a body as He wants, and to each of the seeds its own body. Not all flesh is the same flesh; there is one flesh for humans, another for animals, another for birds, another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthy bodies, but the splendour of the heavenly bodies is different from that of earthly ones. There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the starts; for one star differs from another star in splendor. So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonour, raised in glory; sown in a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: 'The...

Otherwise what will they do who are being baptise for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, then why are people baptised for them? Why are we in danger every hour? I affirm by my pride in you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: I die every day! If I fought wild animals in Ephesus with only human hope, what good did that do for me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. Do not be deceived: "bad company corrupts good morals." come to your senses and stop sinning, for some people are ignorant about God. I say this to your shame. 1Cor 15:29-34   When faced with losing someone we care for to death and knowing they did not completely come through the expected path we have we can resort to all sorts of interesting rituals out of fear. Where is faith? Paul did not practise this ritual himself it seems to be something particularly peculiar to the Corinthian church. It may have come from Jewish believers who, in their previous religion, pra...

For is Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ, the first fruits: afterward, at His coming, those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He abolishes all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until he puts all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be abolished is death. For God has put everything under His feet. But when it says 'everything' is put under Him, it is obvious that He who puts everything under Him is the exception. And when everything is subject to Christ, then the Son Himself will also be subject to the One who subjected everything to Him, so that God may be all in all. 1Cor 15:22-28   We are in the time when all things, all enemies of Christ are being put under His feet. We partake in this process as we conqueror sin, sickness, all the things that come against us. We are not just saved individuals hanging on for grim life, we...

Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised  from the dead, how can some of you say, "There is no resurrection from the dead?" But if there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about a God who raised up Christ- whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection also comes through a man. For as in Adam...