The day with dianne Louise

Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 HCSB There is so much darkness, yet for the Christian there is a light source- Jesus Christ. He leads the way, guides the path, gives direction. Yes it might be like Hansel and Gretal's bread crumb path, but it is there. The more you become like a warrior the more difficult at times it becomes. This scripture is a promise. God's promises carry weight. They can be trusted. There are times when we must wait for the promise to come to pass, waiting shows patiencw but then He is there with His promise. He is my reward. I must still my soul to wait. If i don't wait and instead rely on my own result, I miss a beautiful opportunity to encounter God. God's gifts are remembered, our striving regretted. Jesus Himself waited on the Father. If He had to do it, so do we. Amen!

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my mountain where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 118:: When trouble comes i need to know, the Lord is my rock and my salvation, my deliverer. I have a battle on at present and he is attempting to rob my of what is mine, he is waking me up with fear and I know I am moving into new territory, I am taking what is mine. He can go to hell! I am speaking over myself scripture and remmebering to song, he wants to cut off my song, yet will I sing. I listenend to two good podcasts during the week, Pastor Phil Pringle, this man knows faith. The messages were on faith. When I face the enemy in a fight I worship and listen to good messages and read my bible. There is power in the name of Jesus! Break every chain! Break every chain! Break every chain! Amen!

Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints — and you continue to serve them. Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance. Hebrews 6:9‭-‬12 HCSB The opening passage refers to what was in discussion in the preceeding passages; it refers to those who have known Christ and walked away. Howver, I want to speak about what comes after. For you, who serve the Lord, diligently, He sees and remembers. You may be experiencing a dark time amd wonder if all you have done was worth it, it is. I have been amazed at how God uses this single woman. He has me walk beside men, giving them support and encouragement, without giving...

But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 HCSB If being thr prerogative. If I walk in the light, there is no darkness in us, no hidden sin, no half-way existence. We are all in Him. The previous says: If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. John Bevere would love this verse. He is a man of integrity, straight down, truth and integrity. In Christendom we know him for his stance on truth, are we known in such a way? The above verse tells us that if we are in the light He, Jesus cleanses us from all sin. So, to walk in the light does not mean to be white as snow but to be open and honest and that Jesus cleanses us from all sin. The other interesting thing is: we have fellowship with one another in the light, it is a natural phenomena. Good fellowship happens in the light. When we are i...

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 HCSB What things did Jesus tell them? He was telling them about the future and the fact that He would be going away. He said that they would suffer because of those who did not understand the truth about Him. We can have rosey eyed glasses about the future at times and not expect trouble, yet it comes and often from those close to us. Judas was one of the 12 and he walked with Jesus for 3 years, but he became offended and betrayed Him. Jesus was God in the flesh and yet He did not escape betrayal. However, He went to the Father for support. We can do likewise As we place our trust in Him we are safe. Amen,

I love the Lord because He has heard my appeal for mercy. Because He has turned His ear to me, I will call out to Him as long as I live. Psalms 116:1‭-‬2 HCSB When I first came to Christ, one of the choruses being sung was this Psalm. I loved it then and love it now. My love for it then was gratitude for the Lord calling me to salvation. Now, I am grateful for mercy and grace. I have found that when I humble myself and ask the Lord for mercy and grace in any given situation, and I mean 'any', I receive it. The key is humbling myself, that is, losing arrogance and pride in self. The Lord is keen to come. We see this in the story of the prodigal son. Jesus, who represented the Father, told this parable to illustrate the longing and willingness of the Father to grant forgiveness. The son had to come to the end of himself and realise his sin. This was a humbling experience. It was good for him to do. It is good for us to do. Therefore, as long as I live I will turn to Him,...

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again. John 6:35 HCSB In John we see Jesus refer to Himself as.: I am the way, the truth and the life; I am the door; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd; I am the ressurection and the life; I am the true vine. These are clear allusions to 'I am,' in Exodus 3:14. In a day when we desperately seek the way, the truth and the life, it is good to know in Jesus we have all the answers. No other god makes this claim. No other god could substantiate it. There is security in knowing He is! I can trust Him when faced with difficulties when He says to me: "Look at Me!" As I seek Him He shows the way for He is the way. Fancy being given a new puzzle game and seeing that the solution is on the lid. Only a fool would refuse the solution, remove the lid and endeavour to solve the puzzle without referring to the lid. I...

But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble. Psalms 59:16 HCSB There are days when we might know what is before us, others when we do not know. For me today, I thought I knew, but only knew in part. At 9am I checked my emails amd found one from an auditor saying: i will arrive at 9:45am. Not good! Not enough time to prepare! So I prayed and asked a friend to pray for grace and mercy. I received it! This morning I wrote about this scripture and wrote out the song: 10,000 reasons for my heart to sing. I kept singing it all day long. I passed the audit and when I posted my quarterly BAS (tax statement)found that my strategy of paying tax fortnightly had paid off. I was in credit! There are times when the fat hits the fan. A good time to sing. My God is good, all thd time!!

But I will sing of Your strength and will joyfully proclaim Your faithful love in the morning. For You have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble. Psalms 59:16 HCSB I have been singing the song: Bless the Lord oh My Soul a lot lately. The lyrics are: Chorus; Bless thr Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul, Worship His holy name, bless the Lord oh my soul, oh my soul, worship His holy name, worship His holy name. The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning, it's time to sing your song again, whatever may pass and whatever goes before me, let me be singing when the evenings done. Chorus You're rich in love and You're slow to anger, You're name is great and You're heart is kind, For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, 10,000 reasons for my heart to find. Chorus And on that day, when my strength is failing, The end draws near and my time has come, Still mu soul will sing Your praise unending, Ten thousand years and forevermor...

Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm then and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. Galatians 5:1‭, ‬4‭-‬5 HCSB The enemy sets traps constantly and constantly we must choose the new life and not legalism. Offence at our brothers and sisters is always on the menu. Thoughts about our own goodness and the slackness of others is always made an enticing meal. However, self-justification is sinful and so is tearing down others. To be truely effective we must stay free. How do we stay free? By determining to stay in Christ. He alone is our salvation. He alone is our freedom. Amen!

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God. John 3:16‭-‬18 HCSB Talk about love! Fancy God loving this messed up world. Why would He love this world? What is thete about the world to love? He created it, He created us and loves us as His. He seeks relationship with us. It is relationship God wants, not religous service. God had an Old Testament full of sacrifices from His people, but all He wanted was their hearts. Today, God wants us in relationship with Him. We can so fall into the routine of praying for this or that first, before connecting in relationship. When we take the time to seek ...

So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith. Galatians 6:9‭-‬10 HCSB We do not sow just so we can reap, while we will reap nonetheless. If God owns our hearts then He owns our finances and we can trust Him to direct our giving. I have a friend who gives liberally, at times to his own hurt. He constantly has needly people asking him for assistance and there are times he has to say no. Myself I have many I support but don't have as many as my friend. Having just been in Nepal and given much we are seen as a source of supply. There is a man who cares for 6 orphans who yesterday reached out for money. I am conscious that God is my supply and He gives me enough to do What He wants me to do. I jave to trust Him. This is a principle we all must learn. I am also conscious that those who ask for assistance...

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people, and we must be saved by Acts 4:12 Peter amd John had been arrested for healing a man and preaching the gospel. Peter, here, was filled bt the Holy Spirit and stood and proclaimwd that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was indeed God and in His name people are saved. Today, there is salvation by no other name. Things have not changed. Today, Jesus has the same power to heal and save. We see it again and again. The lost come to salvation by believing in Jesus, as the only Son of God. Amen! Since returning from Nepal the boys we soent time with are seeking answers. Salvation is coming into their lives. We have been asked to be more involved in Nepal and at present are praying as to what that looks like. We want to shepherd the boys into a living relationship with Christ. In the month of October there is a lot of idolatey going on. It is the climax for the locals. Those who have moved overse...

Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Matthew 6:26 HCSB Tonight I am in Glen Innes in NSW, Australia. I took time to photograph the countryside. My girlfriend, who gives me somewhere to rest on my way through, took me to the lookout. There were huge pine trees there. At a certain time, just before the sun set and a flock of Australian Magpies returned to roost in the pine trees. Magpies have a pleasant song they sing. I could hear, what appeared to be, one outspoken loud bird. It reminded me of a toy my grandchildren had. It was a singing bear. It sang the song: ' Singing in the rain.' I love that song and the posture of the bear as it danced as it sang. It reminds me of the posture of the rejoicing Christian. No matter what is happening, you can sing. The Magpies were not conscious of how much they uad to eat, how their tree rates in the neighbourhood, what they l...

Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 HCSB Worry does come. It tries to tangle us, trap us. It jas enough truth to haunt us, rob us of sleep. What do we do when it comes? We can spend all night playing it's games or have an alternate strategy, one that involves overcoming it. For the longest time this sucker has been a pest to me and I have had to fight it. I recognised that worry came to test my trust of the Lord. Testing has levels. You will beat worry on the playing fields and it will return on the slopws or the mointains. If we desire to grow and overcome in life, at each level worry will ahow up to harass and test us. I am pressing on to a new level and worry is back. I refuse to entertain it amd seek the Lord.for His way. When you jave the mind of Christ in a matter, you are victor. This is what I seek. What do you say Lord? Revelation breaks all chains. Amen! Eapecia...

Better an open reprimand than concealed love. The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 HCSB Living without confrontation might feel safe but in reality it is a death zone, nothing worthwhile lives there. Love confronts, it does not hide. Reprimanding a friend in love takes maturity. Leaving a matter to the last moment allows anger to fester and explode. It is better to deal with a matter sooner than later. An enemy's kisses are excessive because they lack substance and are false. An enemy seeks to use up the life within you and not pay. An enemy is unfaithful and tells lies. We need to be truthful to ourselves as to what we want out of friends and then release them to be exactly that. Amen!

Better an open reprimand than concealed love. The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 HCSB Living without confrontation might feel safe but in reality it is a death zone, nothing worthwhile lives there. Love confronts, it does not hide. Reprimanding a friend in love takes maturity. Leaving a matter to the last moment allows anger to fester and explode. It is better to deal with a matter sooner than later. An enemy's kisses are excessive because they lack substance and are false. An enemy seeks to use up the life within you and not pay. An enemy is unfaithful and tells lies. We need to be truthful to ourselves as to what we want out of friends and then release them to be exactly that. Amen!

Better an open reprimand than concealed love. The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. Proverbs 27:5‭-‬6 HCSB Living without confrontation might feel safe but in reality it is a death zone, nothing worthwhile lives there. Love confronts, it does not hide. Reprimanding a friend in love takes maturity. Leaving a matter to the last moment allows anger to fester and explode. It is better to deal with a matter sooner than later. An enemy's kisses are excessive because they lack substance and are false. An enemy seeks to use up the life within you and not pay. An enemy is unfaithful and tells lies. We need to be truthful to ourselves as to what we want out of friends and then release them to be exactly that. Amen!

A fool’s way is right in his own eyes, but whoever listens to counsel is wise. Proverbs 12:15 HCSB This scripture is damning to a person who likes to determine their own way, ignoring the counsel of scripture. Yesterday I had a conversation with my 10 year old grandson who said: " But what if others are right, as in other religions, and we are wrong?" We talked for a while on the authenticity of the gospel. I can see a real thinker is in our midst. In our society we have the intellectuals who are determined that because they can think, they will work things out for themselves. My prayer is they meet the Lord, for conversation to convince will not work, whereas an encounter will. I grew up in Catholicism and a love for learning yet an encounter with Christ stopped me dead in my tracks. He met me, after showing me my sin and I met the love of my life. I am not God! Therefore I cannot judge God. He is above my thinking and attitude. Because I know Him, I trust and l...

God — His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. Psalms 18:30 HCSB This Psalm conveys David's exultation at His deliverance from the hand of Saul. It is filled with word pictures. 'Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the mountains trembled; they shook because He burned with anger. Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth; coals were set ablaze by it. He parted the heavens and came down, a dark cloud beneath His feet. He rode on a cherub and flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His hiding place, dark storm clouds His canopy around Him. He talks of God coming to His defence. Last night I watched 'Alice through the looking glass with my eldest grandson. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was so colourful and creative. As I read this Psalm I saw it in similar visual display. In the movie Alice came to the rescue of the Mad Hatter's family. Yet here we ...

The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” John 7:38 HCSB What a promise! We must be careful to believe in Him! We can exist as a Christian and never appropriate the promises. We can influence where we are today by laying hold of the promised. Fir the longest time I have invited the Holy Spirit to come into a home, a street, a neighbourhood, a city. As I welcome Him the atmosphere changes from darkness to light. I don't always think of it first thing though and this is definitely a better idea. As I invite Him He comes. When I know He is in a place I can look for what He is doing. He is always doing something, and something good. Try inviting Him into your world today and ask to be used by Him for His glory. Amem!

Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonderful works He has done, His wonders, and the judgments He has pronounced, Psalms 105:4‭-‬5 HCSBC It is.impoetant.that we dont just put up with a bad situation or a bad attitude but press into God for His presence and His take on your experience. If I stay in frustration I will meter out judgement, anger, resentment. It is much better to seek the Lord and bring Him into the present. He changes things better than any dwmand I make of others. Living with love and peace is better than anything O can manufacture. Amen!

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever. Psalms 73:26 HCSB We may indeed struggle but God's strength is there for us. In this Psalm the Psalmist is talking about how those who are wicked are fat and unpunished, it seemed. However, when he went into the house of the Lord he had a revelation about the truth. The final end of the arrogant is not good. You may have these people in your lifr, I do. It galls to suffer their arrogance. However, God alone knows the reason He lets it go so long. I think He wants us to rise above their attitudes and be unaffected by them. As with David, there will come a day, God's day, when all will be revealled. In other areas of our life we will lack strength. I rememner there were days, on the recent trek in Nepal, when i was rung out. I struggled with bowel upsets and after reaching base camp altitude sickness. To keep going was a struggle. When ivreached the end of me I stepped into Him and co...

For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us — not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy — through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out this Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by His grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3‭-‬7 HCSB Once, we were foolish. Once, we had an excuse. Now, as the redeemed of the Lord we have been filled with His glory. We have a power source living within. We have answers, solutions, companionship, counsel and more. Now, we are overcomers through Christ who loves us. Yes? Then dance in the rain, sing in thr storm. All your God to come in with all His goodness. Amen!

Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. James 3:13‭-‬17 HCSB What does a bitter, selfish spirit look like? I saw one manifest itself only a few nights ago. It sought to take over the meeting I was in and poured for condemnaruon of fellow christians and bemoaning self. I started to pray as I was not in charge of the meeting and knew it had to be confronted. As i waited, it was dealt with and I was involved in the outcome as an example. The woman who confronted the spirit was a mature Christian and she did it delicatel...

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for a...

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. But every spirit who does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist; you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now. You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world. Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. 1 John 4:1‭-‬6 HCSB This scripture is so important, especially today. The church in the west is swallowing up the doctrine that condones hom...

Lord , You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. Psalms 16:5‭-‬6 HCSB In Numbers 18:20 and Deut 10:9 The Lord tells Aaron that he would not have land inheritance in the Promised Land, but rather that He Himself would be his inheritance. David was of the tribe of Judah, yet here he is saying God, You are my inheritance. David is saying: " above all else I value You Lord, You are what I want!" These words would have been what the Lord would have wanted to hear from Aaron and didn't. Today we.see many displaced people, many refugees, many who will never see their homeland again. Yet, for the Christian, their heritage is greater. Divorce robs people of family and home but God is greater. We can sit and mourn our loss and live in grief of all that is lost or get up and make our God our portion. Our God is greater than the robber and we must give Him room...

I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord ; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me; let us exalt His name together. Psalms 34:1‭-‬3 HCSB It is good to praise the Lord! It is good to seek the Lord! Today is the Lord's day and I am excited that I can go to church and praise the Lord with my church family. Living life without God, for me is not an option, He is too good! Yesterday I dug up a huge patch of weeds and as I worked my thoughts turned to a friend who struggles with depression. I had a period in my life where I struggled with this beast and won. However, my friend has been caught in its clutches for a long time and believes the lie about depression being a disease, it's not, it is a life- sapping spirit. I began to think about this friend and knew I could not save him, but I knew One who could. I went to Him, asked Him for my friend's soul to be restored. The Holy Spirit ca...

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 26:3‭-‬4 HCSB In the previous two chapters we read of God's judgement on the whole earth. The opening verse of Chapter 26 says: '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 natuon can come in- one that remains faithful. You will keep the mind that is dependant on you in perfect peace .....' As present nations are devastated by storms, earthquakes and wars. Being in or near these places can cause us to panic. Yet, there is a peace in God, a salvation for God's people. In all our lives we must choose to walk in faith. It helps if we have spent time in building a relationship with the Lord. Trusting a God you do not know is challenging. Yet trusting a God you do know is easy. It ...

The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29 HCSB The difference between the wicked and the righteous is in their relationship with their God. The righteous pursue their agod and the unrighteous pursue selfish ambitions. One stands looking in a mirror and one is prostrate before their God. As a parent I know when my children want me for my own sake and when they see me as a useful tool. Our God is not a fool, He is not mocked, we cannot deceive Him. When we are sought because we are loved we respond differently than when we are needed to do a task. I find grandchildren know how to love for relationship sake, they want more. God loves it when we want more of Him or choose Him over results. King David knew how to do this. He said: I would rather be in Your house than anywhere else. If I spend time with Him now, when I can't see Him, when I do see Him it will be so much better. Amen! Wickedness is self-will, self-righteousness and...

May the Lord direct your hearts to God’s love and Christ’s endurance. 2 Thessalonians 3:5 HCSB Today, being mindful of God's love is paramount. If i focus on His love, my opinions regarding myself and others is coloured by His light. His love is so much more gracious, more forgiving, more enduring and more consistent than mine, or should I say, than human love. God's love does not have strings attached, it liberates us, delivers us. If we are able to love with this love we being healing, restoration to broken souls. When i met God's love, i met forgiveness, a belonging i'd not known before, joy, freedom from sin and peace. God's love is perfect, it is pure, it is not fickle or faint. God's love does not carry a price tag. He paid the price so that we could receive freely. Next, Christ's endurance is ours. This word sounds like work, and it is. Jesus said: "take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for My yoke is easy and my burden is light."...

I will praise You with a sincere heart when I learn Your righteous judgments. Psalms 119:7 HCSB In Psalm 119:1-8 we see the first Psalmist seeking a pure heart. He says: "if only my ways were committed tti keeping your statutes." I can honestly say i am not conscious of trying to keep God's ways but rather i seek Him, He keeps me right. Without relationship we are condemned to effort, trying to be right, but in relationship we are in peace because we seek Him continually, out of love and desire and not effort. This results in peace: we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus told us He was the way, the truth and the Life, and He is! When i am not struggling to be good, to be right, I am. Amen! If we insist on being 'right' we are in for a struggle, a never-ending struggle. Before i asked Christ into my life this is where I was. I was 'in sin.' Now, it even blind Freddy could tell you the smart solution- accept Christ as Lord and ...

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35 HCSB In this chapter Jesus is talking to His disciples regarding the end of time. It starts with Him predicting the destruction of the temple and goes on to give a picture of what will be happening when He returns. In a day when mand tries to rewrite scripture, these words are very important. God's word is living and active. It has power to pierce through bone amd marrow and get to the heart. The book of Revelation tells us the outcome for those who endeavour to change scripture- they are cursed. Jesus Himself tells us, in this chapter that upon His return, He will send out His angels to gather His elect, those who stayed faithful until the end. In verse 40 He begins to say: one will be taken, one left. God knows the hearts of man and is not deceived by our words, He sees our behaviour. Jesus admonishes us to be ready and not caught in unbelief, wasting our time, thinking He will not return. W...

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it You’re going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world? ” Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:22‭-‬23 HCSB These verses come out of a beautiful chapter in which Jesus is sharing His heart and truths with His disciples. We are His disciples and we need to partake of this feast. Judas wondered what Jesus was going to share with them that the unbelievers would not hear. I wonder if he expected to hear this? Loving Jesus means keeping covenant wirh Him, treasuring His word, living His word. There are times we walk in this teaching and tumes we dont. Having just travelled for 24 hours i am weary and not very gracious. I have a place to go to be refreshed and refulled with abounding grace. I am grateful that the Lord makes His home with me. I am grateul He loves me. His love is greater than any trial. Amen! This morning i...

Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Romans 12:12 HCSB This verse speaks self- control. Hope is a place where nothing much is happening- this can be the state of our lives for quite sometime. Rejoicing in a period of unanswered prayer can take some determined discipline of the emotions. Yet Paul tells us to rejoice. This man knew suffering and endurance, therefore he carries credibility. Being patient in affliction goes hand in hand with hope. We trust our God that we will not be left in affliction and trial. How can we be patient and rejoice? By being persistent in prayer. Prayer must bathe our lives. As we pray grace is given to endure. Prayer changes the atmosphere, brings answers, encourages us. Prayer cannot be an afterthought but rather a determined forthought. God must be first, not last. Pray often and diligently. Amen As I write this i am sitting in Hong Kong waiting for a connecting flight home to Australia. Yesterday we had the joy of...

Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 1 Corinthians 1:10 HCSB Paul goes on to say that he has heard reports of rivalry amongst the believers. I can imagine this sort of thing happens today. The church is being divided on many fronts and the biggest is homosexuality. There is a big push, especially in the west to criminalise those who stand for the gospel and defend the word of God. The dividing lines are being drawn. Paul, in this chapter of 1 Corinthians, points out, that God Himself, chooses what the world considers foolish, to confound the wise. When start tp think we are clever, God steps in, to bring correction through the mouths of babes. Jesus Himself, told us that we should have the faith of a little child. A little child is drawn to relationship, is trusting and pure in approach. There is no ...