The day with dianne Louise

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬5 HCSB I so needed to be reminded of this yesterday. I was unwell and had to deal with bad workmanship from my office. I am sore from sleeping on wooden planks and have an upset stomach. I am staying with people who have a badly spoiled 4 year old. Then I am reminded of the harsh world I am returning to. I was surprised at how it upset me. I actually cried. I have been patiently trying to teach staff to be thorough and a report I received showed me how far we had yet to go. Do I say: "No more!" OR try again? I am reminded of Jesus and Peter. What patience He had with Peter! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!!! Lord grant me the grace to be kind. Love is not provoked. Ohhhh! God! Have mercy on me! Amen!!! It is when I am weak I need to draw on His strength. I need Him more. I...

So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the man made of dust, so are those who are made of dust; like the heavenly man, so are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the man made of dust, we will also bear the image of the heavenly man. 1 Corinthians 15:45‭-‬49 HCSB I am more than a living being, though this in itself is an honour. God chose to make mankind for fellowship. He knew me in my mother's womb. For He designed me. I am His workmanship. However there is more....as a born again believer I now have a spirit man born in his image. If I want to know what this looks like I need to read the gospel. My spirit man was made to look like Him. I need the natural me, it is important and needs to be cared for. My natural me is my house...

For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. Psalms 139:13‭-‬14 HCSB I spent so many years rejecting myself. What a slap in God's face! We see our flaws, compare ourselves with others who we deem beautiful and miss out on the enjoyment of being 'fearfully and wonderfully made'. Yes we must look after our bodies but they are but the tent we live in. It is our spirit and soul that must be renewed, daily. Then true beauty from with shines through our earthen vessel. Amen! My lovely Nepali friends look at me and say: " You are so beautiful!" Irregardless of what I see, they see Christ in me. Praise God! I am grateful for my parents and siblings, my children and grandchildren. We are blessed of God. I am blessed with many good friends as well. Amen! I love my God for choosing me. I thank Him for cr...

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. Colossians 3:5‭-‬10 HCSB What does putting to death look like? Let's pretend we can grab our carnal nature as if it was a chicken. In Nepal the butcher shops are open booths, along with flies and hungry dogs. I met a man recently who sells chicken for cooking. In his freezer he had 4 or 5 chickens. When I was a child I would watch my dad go to the chicken coop and grab a chook. Chicken are silly. If you grab them by ...

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord , and He will give a reward to the lender. Proverbs 19:17 HCSB I am still in Nepal, I leave Tuesday, 28/2. Whilst I have been here I have seen many poor. Yet when God prompts me, I give. In Chittawan while having lunch I looked out and there was an old man in his horse and cart waiting for customers, none came. I said to the waiter, "Bring in that man and feed him." The waiter was rocked. He said: " No one has ever done anything like that before." The waiter was a young man who needed salvation. Yesterday I went to United Vision Nepal to discuss projects to help the poor. Uma, the lovely young woman who I had spent much time with told me: "What you did for that poor man still captivates me, I will never forget it!" Praise God that me giving was used as a witness. I had no pre-conceived notion about what I was to do. I just acted on God's prompting. Today I am acting on another prompting. I am buying ...

Yahweh your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17 HCSB Having God among us is so comforting. How is He among us? As a New Testament believer I have His Holy Spirit residing in me. When I gather with other believers I have a sense of a communal Christ. He Himself said: "Where two or three gather together, there am I." (Matthew 18:20) Yet He is more than presence, He is a warrior to save. He fights for us, He rejoices over us, we make Him happy. His love is there for us and as we experience His love we are at peace. Amen. I am quietly excited. Mainly because it is very early and I am the only one awake. Last night a lovely lady gave me a massage and asked me to teach her to sew. She had seen me making dolls clothes. She then told me her hearts desire, a sewing machine. I asked how much and she said 15,000 rupees. That is around ...

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord , “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” He Himself will deliver you from the hunter’s net, from the destructive plague. He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon. Though a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, the pestilence will not reach you. You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord — my refuge, the Most High — your dwelling place, no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent. For He will give His angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways. They will support you with their hands so that you wi...

So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:35‭-‬36 HCSB I urge you not to relinquish your confident conversation. Persuasion gives substance to every definition of reward and confirms what grace reveals. [Hebrews 10:35] When you step out and follow the Lord there are challenges: people either don't believe your testimony and refute it; they ignore you or they rejoice with you. I have just finished a four day missionary trip and it was one of the hardest things I have done. Talk about physically challenging and exhausting! Wow! I went to the far away places in Nepal and today met the indigenous people who actually speak their own language, apart from Nepali. Everywhere I went I preached and prayed for the sick. I prayed for many people and many diseases. We missed the bus on one leg of the journey and so we walked on a river bed and often force...

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Psalms 23:1‭-‬3 HCSB Wow! What a shepherd! Yesterday I saw a miracle of huge proportion I was preaching in a small village in Gorkhra Nepal. I saw a lady bent in half with disease come in. I asked the Lord for her healing. I eventually prayed for her and she started to shudder and shake. I rebuked the Spirit of infirmity and then prayed with compassion. I moved on the say my goodbyes, as we needed to leave on a bus. She came up to me standing tall. I hugged her and the power of God fell. We stood holding each other, I kept asking for more and even though she did not speak English she also did. I heard her cry our for more. We laughed and cried. I could fell the curvature of her spine and commanded it to straighten. We went outside the church and people came from afar wanting prayer f...

Do not despise the Lord ’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline; for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:11‭-‬12 HCSB Yuk! Discipline! Who enjoys it? However, who is grateful when it has passed and a new you stands in faith before God? Last night I spent time sharing Australian culture with my hosts and their friends from church. We are staying in a very poor house where the hosts fed us all freely. I was given a room by myself. My bed is a plank of wood covered with the barest covers we would call a mattress. Thr walls are made of earth, as is the floor. Above my head are branches held together by mud. Spiders roam around. My coverings are the poorest of poor. What I would give to these people is all I could muster. Yet! What is God saying to them? Again I must bring a rebuke. " Wake up! Open your eyes to all God's benefits to you!" This is the pastor's house. Yet God has given him land,...

In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. Romans 8:26 HCSB There are times I shock myself with my behaviour. Last night I succumbed to gossip. I usually avoid it like a plague. I have watched this nasty spirit in someone close to me and defended those she became critical about. Now it was my turn. Sin has a way of revealing it's ugly head Who will deliver me? Praise God Jesus Christ will. I can trust His Holy Spirit. This is a family weakness. All the children of the flesh are smitten with a sinful nature and all Christians, when caught unaware will be challenged. In Nepal there is a lot of infighting among pastors for support from outside Nepal. Because of a suspicion about why someone wanted to meet me I fell for gossip. Yuk! I should have rather gone to the Lord. Amen! I have always made it a policy to wait and make my own judge...

A gift opens doors for a man and brings him before the great. Proverbs 18:16 HCSB Generosity is noticed because it is uncommon. You do not wait to have to be generous. Even the widow received praise from Jesus, she gave all she had, whereas the rich man gave his small change. I have been challenged to be generous more when I lack. This has been the stretch for me. I step out in Faith to see God's faithfulness. I look for His abundance to do a good work. I have been again stretched and asked:"However will you help?" As I have been here before and saw God provide, I step out knowing He will provide again. Amen!

A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions. The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters, a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom. A fool’s lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating. A fool’s mouth is his devastation, and his lips are a trap for his life. A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being. The one who gives an answer before he listens — this is foolishness and disgrace for him. The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him. An offended brother is harder to reach than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress. From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is satisfied; he is filled with the product of his lips. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:2‭, ‬4‭-‬4‭, ‬6‭-‬8‭, ‬13‭, ‬17‭-‬17‭, ‬19‭-‬21 HCSB Most of us speak. Most of us fail to think before we speak,...

For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 HCSB We are engineered by his design; he molded and manufactured us in Christ. We are his workmanship, his poetry. (God finds inspired expression of Christ in us. The Greek word for workmanship is 1.poemia) We are fully fit to do good, equipped to give attractive evidence of his likeness in us in everything we do. (God has done everything possible to find spontaneous and effortless expression of his character in us in our everyday lifestyle. The word, 2,proetimatso translates a notion that God has prepared a highway for us to lead us out like kings, just like the Oriental custom, where people would go before a king to level the roads to make it possible for the king to journey with ease and comfort. [Isa 40:3-5]) [Ephesians 2:10] by Mirror Bible - mobile app. http://www.mirrorbible.com God knows exactly what we will be. He has written ...

No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 HCSB There is no greater expression of love than the love that leads someone to lay down his life for his friends. (“Self-sacrifice is the high-water mark of love.” Dods) [John 15:13] by Mirror Bible - mobile app. http://www.mirrorbible.com Welcome to the Mirror bible. I learned of its existence. As it says it is a paraphrase. I don't mind as the first bible I read as a new Christian was a paraphrase. It helped me greatly. I trust this new bible assists us in our discovery of Him. Amen! Self-sacrifice is always a choice. We are presented with the choice constantly: will I approach this my way or God's way? God's way requires sacrifice. God is all about sacrifice. He gave His Son so that we might live. Jesus exhibited sacrifice as He lived among us and gave us the ultimate gift: He purchased back our freedom from sin and Satan's hold by dying on the cross- the p...

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Proverbs 4:23 HCSB The heart feels many things, some Godly, some fleshly. My role is to guard and protect it, allowing Godly discernment to instruct. What do I do with what I feel? When I am Godly inspired, there is nothing better than to flow with Him. It is the best place to be. Conversely; the worst place to be is being controlled by fleshly appetites and attitudes. If I act out the flesh I eat sour grapes and it is not good. The fruit of the Spirit are much better. Amen! Yesterday I had a conversation with a pastor I support. He is planning to take me to three villages and told me I have to not only pay my own way but for him and two others. I am also expected to preach and then buy food to feed the congregation. This approach to an Australian is rude. It was a challenge to my flesh. I had to remind myself that I had just paid for the trip I had been on with United Vision. What was the difference? I like to feel...

Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord , my rock and my Redeemer. Psalms 19:12‭, ‬14 HCSB As I sit with my God, all noise put aside, I am mindful of my desire for a clean heart. Whilst I know my Jesus cleansed me, the appropriation of this is not always evident. What is evident is the presence of Malware. Whilst this is a term we now know to mean hidden corruption or viruses in our computers, I think it fits. I can see a boiling cauldron at times and a desire to lash out and be vindictive, shredding the images of others. Are you shocked? You shouldn't be. Paul knew such a battle: For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am made out of flesh, sold into sin’s power. For I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. So now I ...

The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom should I be afraid? Psalms 27:1 HCSB I watch, from afar, as my country burs. Heatwave of giant proportions consumes Australia. The Christian Church is in a time of prayer and fasting at home and they are faced, today, with a huge challenge. Our country is supposed to vote on gay marriage. I am praying that the gates of hell are assaulted and torn down. Lord, I ask for your grace and mercy, that my country will turn to you in repentance and seek Your face. Amen. Today I face off an enemy of the church in Nepal, Hinduism. It is seeking to use me but it will fail. The young man who engineered a project we did in his village last year is seeking to control NGO assistance and claim the glory. I awake knowing what spirit he was. Yesterday I preached in a village and there was a Hindu woman visiting the church. My message spoke to her heart. I had the congregation pray a prayer ...

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 HCSB Yesterday I had a delightful experience. I was able to sit in beautiful garden and prepare a message I am to preach this morning to a church I do no know. My greatest joy was having God bring His word to me and fill me with all He wanted to do and say. I have missed this. I was a pastor for some 13 years and loved to preach and prepare God's word. To be used by Him again fills my heart with joy. He is indeed the God of Hope, the God of joy, the God of peace. He is the source of all answers. My message to the Nepali is 'look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.' Many have come to me seeing only their lack but I see their abundance in Christ. We must see ourselves as He sees us. Today I pray the Lord uses me greatly. I want to see souls saved, the sick healed and lives made whole: body;soul and Sp...

A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the Lord is the tester of hearts. Proverbs 17:3 HCSB The Lord is intent of creating silver in our lives where He can see His face. This is most true during times of hardship. Yesterday and the day before I visited pastors and they are all in need but God put on my heart a word: " You have all you need." I could see something they could not. The anointing God had given them was to create. It was a great annointing. They saw their lack and hoped I would fill it. God was going to use their hands to fill it. They were partnered by United Vision and I will partner with them. How can I say this? I know this is what God has done in me. He has greatly anointed me for a task and He continues to provide for all my needs. Yes I struggle at time but as I told the team, "Struggle is not wrong, it is a sign of life." Struggle comes to us all but we must put our trust in God above. Amen! Gold that God creates is most val...

The one who follows instruction is on the path to life, but the one who rejects correction goes astray. Proverbs 10:17 HCSB This morning i am awake at 3am. The road noise is not good. We had a band playing next door till 10pm as well. To sleep I have headphones on with worship music playing continually. I am troubled by something. Whilst I met an amazing pastor yesterday and he appears to be doing a good work, something is not right. I need insight and the Lord's direction. This man is asking for financial support yet has so much already. I will continue to pray. Following the Spirit's lead and not man's is important to me. If I follow His instruction I will be fine. I must allow others the same priveledge as well. It is good to take in the opinions of others but we must ultimately listen to the Holy Spirit. However, this is not to be an excuse to do one owns thing in the face of good, godly advice. This I am constantly seeking also, my ears are open to instructio...

For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. Hebrews 4:10‭-‬11 HCSB Yesterday I was visited by Silas and his lovely wife. They brought me gifts out of their lack because they had heard I had been unwell. I had, the night before, thought how much I would like an apple and a pomegranate. These two items they brought me along with some beautiful grapes. I am blessed. They came to share their heart with me but the night before the Lord showed it to me. They want their own land and building. This will require a miracle as land here is expensive and houses more so. I am delighted. The Lord is up to something. He is orchestrating a plan. I awoke jut not long ago, just part midnight here, knowing I had stepped into a flow of abundance that the enemy could not restrain. It is not my doing but His. How good is God! Amen! I ...

the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you. Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. You will take up your tambourines again and go out in joyful dancing. Jeremiah 31:3‭-‬4 HCSB A promise of restoration is always well received. God's word is full of such promises. Along with the hope of restoration is a call to prayer for those we desire to be restored to. At this time my heart is also called to prayer. The Lord's hand is on me to remember the good and forget the bad. When the bad is ever before our face it is more challenging to forgive, yet, to be restored forgiveness must wash us anew. I praise God for all that was, remembering the good and forgetting, or forgiving, the bad. It is not important any more. Restoration is important, especially restoration of family and loved ones. Times of fasting and prayer helps this process. I find that I am no...

Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely. For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. Psalms 16:9‭-‬11 HCSB I am so glad I have the Lord. Yesterday I had a dolefull day endeavouring to allow my body to heal. I even managed a short walk down the dusty road to the shops. I had bought a warm top at a shop and left my cardigan there. The lovely ladies kept it for me. I went to the makeshift chemist and bought a mask. Most Nepalis here water masks as thr pollution is so great. Next i turned around and made my way back dodging newly dug holes in the road, dogs, motorbikes, cars, trucks, buses and people. I had been recommended to buy a few Nepali dresses as they cover more of my legs they I am used to showing in Australia. I met a delightful seamstress who's command of English is not the bes...

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4‭-‬7 HCSB I am awake at 3am Nepali time, having been smitten with a vomiting bug these past 24 hours. I am now on the mend. Praise God! My dear hosts have been endeavouring to feed me. They think you can eat your way out of vomiting. I beg to differ. We Westerners do it differently. We fast the bug out and eat when it is gone. I survived on sips of water. Last night two were present whilst I vomited and wanted to take me to hospital. I laughed and said "No! It will be gone in 24 hours. It has. Perhaps I should have said a shorter time. I asked for plain chips to eat when I came out. The plainest they could fi...

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. Romans 10:17 HCSB Yesterday I spent most of the day with United Vision Nepal. First they told me about what they do. It is amazing what one man's vision can accomplish, in God. I am in awe. And yet, this humble man gave God the glory. They have a vision to have a pastor and village leader in every village in Nepal, working together to bring Christ to the village. They regularly train pastors and leaders. Last time I was here they were training village elders and this time they are training pastors. To say it was a humbling experience would be an understatement. In the 10 years over operation they have almost covered every district and seen over three thousands souls come to Christ. The Hindu culture is a difficult one to break through but they are doing it. Last night I caught up with some young men who treked with us last year. One has a kidney stone. I asked him if I might pray fo...

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 HCSB The above verse comes after Paul is thanking the Philippian church for their generous gift to him. Jesus Himself taught about the results of giving generously. He said: you will receive in return pressed down and running over. By the measure you give will it be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 I have given generously and am in Nepal to give. I am trusting God to bring it all together. I want to help fund people into independence and out of poverty. Now I wait on God's generosity to sow again. I want to build something that will last and grow. Today I meet with a team at Samaritan's purse Nepal to strategies in the how and where. I feel very small but will obey. I am trusting God to do His thing. For that is what He does best. Amen

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12‭-‬14 HCSB What is my goal in Christ? For me, to be more like Him. Yesterday, whilst travelling on planes to get to Nepal I watched a movie to pass the time. Funnily it had a Nepali background and was wound around a spiritual theme often presented in Eastern religions. I know they are fiction because the Nepali I know do not share this belief. However it did remind me of a time I was highly in tune with the Holy Spirit and walked in the realm of the Spirit in a vivid and real way. The joy that was there is unmistakable. The power and belief in the power of God was palpable. I wa...

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1‭-‬2 HCSB Last night I was taken out to dinner by long lost and now discovered again business colleagues. We were chatting about family and I fell into the usual conversation, one that I had done many times before. Yet this time I was uncomfortable with the things I said. They were true but was that what I needed to say? In all conversation there are more than one sides of true. There is the truth from our perspective and truth from that of another. I came back to my motel knowing I wanted to speak from another perspective. I want my conversation to be heard by any who know me a...