The day with dianne Louise

Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 HCSB This is a promise I hang onto as I watch my children navigate life. I taught my children to love God, love prayer and love God's word. I am older and have more wisdom now, than when I raised my children, and see things they do not see. My prayer is they see and walk with the Lord in the path He has for them. I pray for their children that they will also know the Lord and seek Him. I am so grateful for my great great grandmother being a godly woman, my great grandmother being a godly woman and my great aunt being a godly woman. I know they prayed for their families and I am a fruit of that prayer. Prayer, example and a love for the word of God are good gifts to your children. Amen!

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. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise — dwell on these things. Philippians 4:5‭-‬8 HCSB Graciousness cannot be evident if our gaze is on what is wrong, failure of self and others, mistakes, is a non-stop performance. Out enemy, the devil, robs us of the act of walking in grace by entangling our hearts and minds on what is wrong. When things go wrong prayer and petition is the solution and then focussing on the solver of the problem. Our gaze is the focus of our enemy as he wants to produce the vile, the obscene and ugly our o...

Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:4‭-‬5 HCSB I am a star gazed and we love moonless night to have the best views of the night sky. However there are places I would not like to be in total darkness, some are very evil and scary. Life without Jesus is evil and scary. I would not wish to be in the place without Him. I know many who are and yet for me He is the light of the world. Having Jesus in my heart illuminates the word of God for me. Before He came into my life I loved my bible, but did not understand it. Now I understand it and my love for it has grown. Having the Holy Spirit in my life gives me insight into myself and How He sees me. He is the light inside of me and I am grateful. He is the voice in my spirit and my comforter. Today welcome Him. Invite Him to be your light. You will be glad you did. Amen!

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. Ecclesiastes 12:13 HCSB This verse epitomizes the summary of the chapter. In the whole chapter Solomon, poetically, illustrates the end for us all. I am watching my mother age. She is 85 and becoming frailer and struggling to remember certain things. I am getting older. In my youth the world was my oyster. I was going to do so much. Yet as I walked through life and became a friend of God I have learned that His will is more important than mine. What will it benefit us if we have done all that was in our heart to do, if we have experienced all pleasure but failed to honour God? We will stand before Him empty and painfully aware that we did not choose Him and for all eternity will live without Him. The meeting with God will be the refiner of all thought, all effort, all achievement. Have I done what He wanted me to do? Did I apply myself to learn the lessons...

I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. Psalms 119:11 HCSB Yesterday I shared how I had a struggle with my flesh but the word of the day spoke to me and I went and honoured it. I did indeed contact my friend and offer her food and she did drive my car all the way to our picnic spot and back. I sat in the back and was able to do what I miss- look around at the scenery. When we arrived at the destination we found a delightful, peaceful spot. A small river gurgled over rocks, lush green vegetation caressed the banks of the river and it was quiet and peaceful. We unloaded our chairs and eskies and had morning tea. Four of us took off climbing over rocks, through water and up hills. We behaved like 5 year olds in 60 plus year old skins. Mum and my friend who drove stayed behind and chatted. This was what they liked to do and we did what we liked to do. We challenged ourselves to traverse logs in the water, negotiate fast flowing water to cross from ...

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16 HCSB Jesus gave up His deity for us. He is royalty. He was the Prince of heaven. He became a nobody for us so that He could be persecuted and eventually slain for us. We can talk about laying down our lives for others, but then comes the challenge- what will you do? This is timely. Today I go on a picnic with friends from church. My car is small and a two door and I am taking mum and a bigger lady with me. I know she will be uncomfortable in the back as it is small and my mum can't get in there. I am going to have to surrender the driving to my bigger friend and become a passenger. A large dose of grace please Lord? If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his need — how can God’s love reside in him? 1 John 3:17 HCSB Last night this same friend called to as what I would take as food. As I did not...

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 HCSB Chapter 10 debates the fact that Jesus is our perfect high priest. There is no longer a need for animal sacrifices, not that we now do this anyway. However the author debates about the perfect, complete work Jesus did by being the price for sin. We are now completely sanctified. 'By this will of God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.' 'For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.'Hebrews 10:10,14 HCSB Sanctification was completed by Jesus, once and for all. I cannot earn a greater sanctification yet I am called to walk in that sanctification. I have been made holy and set apart. I need to walk in this new life, without wavering. In all my research into my father's family I discovered that his grandmother was a godly, pious woman. She attended church as often as p...

But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Jude 1:20‭-‬21 HCSB The author of this book was Jude, a brother of Jesus and James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Jude is concerned with rogue who call themselves Christians but who are wolves in disguise. The above exhortation comes as an encouragement to stay IN the love of Christ, much like Jesus's exhortation to stay linked to the vine. He encourages the recipients of his letter to build themselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit. As I walk I pray in the Holy Spirit almost daily. I know when I miss it as my flesh is more active and less tolerant. I inherited this lack of tolerance from my great grandfather. He was a very intolerant man and spent most of his time as a drover as he preferred animals to people, my dad was very similar. However, I want to be tolerant...

For this is what the Lord says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place. For I know the plans I have for you” — this is the Lord ’s declaration — “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you” — this is the Lord ’s declaration — “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you” — this is the Lord ’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from.” Jeremiah 29:10‭-‬14 HCSB We know a part of this passage well: verse 11. However if you read the whole chapter you realise that verse 11 is a part of a letter Jeremiah sent to the exiles in Babylon. In the first part he tells them to build houses and marry in that land as they would...

No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. James 1:13‭-‬14 HCSB Yesterday I went through a trial. I discovered I had missed sending a client, who happens to be a friend a document that clients now have to sign to agree to having service. I jad been in touch each year and done a lot of other thinhs for this client that warranted the fee but not sent the document. The penalty of not sending this document is paying back ongoing fees taken. I could not believe I had made the mistake and writing out a cheque to send was hard as I am facing bill time. However I wrote out the cheque and sent the paperwork. My flesh did not want to send the cheque but my spirit knew I had to. When I had done the right thing my spirit rejoiced. I knew I had purchased integrity with that act. Isnt it interesting that even to a fri...

Yours, Lord , is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 HCSB This was a part of King David's prayer when he and the leaders contributed to the provisions for the temple Solomon would build. Scripture also tells us that when the people saw their leaders generosity they rejoiced. (verse 9) Last night I awoke sensing an urgent need to pray for the souls of family not yet in the kingdom of God. He is coming soon and all will see His glory and splendour. I have also been thinking of our home in eternity- the house God provides for us we will have forever. There will not be a landlord telling us the owner wants his home back. No jealousy longing for someone else's house, but contentment Forever and ever our home will be our home. How cool is that! Imagine not needing to renovate, well, maybe cha...

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith — more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3‭-‬9 HCSB We have just celebrated Easter and the resurrection factored heavily as although ...

For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. 1 Peter 2:15‭-‬16 HCSB The whole of this chapter is an exhortation to come to Jesus, the living stone and live His way, ridding ourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all slander. (Verse1) Yesterday I wrote of a difficulty I had been having with my elderly mother. I solved it by having a good conversation over breakfast. Rather than carry resentment all day yesterday a simple conversation melted all barriers. We went off for the day and enjoyed one another's company. In verse 11 we are urged to abstain from all freshly desires that war against us. I woke in the night to an attack of the enemy. I had to remember my weapon: 'they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.' (Rev 12:11). I started to use scripture: ' No weapon formed against me shall ...

Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3‭-‬4 HCSB I need to see this today. Yesterday being Easter Sunday I invited friends over for a meal. My mum dominated conversation and I found myself resenting her. Why resent an old lady? Why resent anyone? Because of selfish ambition. I wanted my friends to myself and that did not happen. How pitiful is that? Here we were celebrating the gift Christ gave us and I was being resentful of an old woman who had done everything she could for me. I delt with the problem by creating a game mum could join in, as she plays certain games well. This kept her involved but not dominant and more enjoyable. However, today I want to allow the Holy Spirit unto my heart to deal with the why. As He uncovers the why I have a chance to be made whole. In myself I am not able to be holy. ...

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die — ever. Do you believe this? ” John 11:25‭-‬26 HCSB Lazarus had died and Jesus arrives on the scene. Martha and Jesus are having a conversation. Jesus jad come to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus asked Martha: " Do you believe your brother will live again?" Martha replied:" yes Lord at the end of time." Martha had said. " Jesus if you had just been here, my brother would not have died." Martha did not see Jesus as One who raised the dead. Today we celebrate another resurrection, Jesus had been killed by the Roman soldiers and carried out penalty but He rose again, He defeated death. How do we see Jesus? As the forgiver of our sins but not our deliverer or healer? Jesus conquered sickness and disease and all manner of bondage. He took the keys off Satan. It is for us to believe He has...

He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord ; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:8,9 HCSB There are two deaths: first the natural and then the spiritual but this second holds more iportance than the first. We can accept we all die physically as we have people around us dying all the time. However, spiritual death is more insidious, our choices regarding the source of eternal life determine this one. If we choose the door, Christ, then when we experience physical death we walk through into eternal life; however if we refuse Christ as the door then we walk though into eternal death; for all eternity will will die but not die completely, we will suffer all manner of ills but not die completely. Eternal life...

But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Romans 5:8 HCSB This is how love is show, a freely given, unmerited gift. We did not deserve such love, yet One who loves much more gave His treasure so that we could come into relationship with Him. The world considers this foolishness but it is liberating. Yesterday I saw an interview with a young YWAM man who had been imprisoned in Iran. Daily he was interrogated and beaten. The Lord spoke to this young man and told him to love his interrogator. At first it was hard but eventually he was able to look on his captor and love him. On the final day, which he did.not.know would be the final day, he held out his hand to His captor and said:"If we are going to see one another every day I would like to be your friend." His captor shook and said "No!" But it got to him and he continues to shake and look around. Eventually he said: my name in Raoul and I would like to be your ...

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from allegiance to righteousness. So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death. But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification — and the end is eternal life! For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:20‭-‬23 HCSB We have a stark reality: abundant life or death; righteousness or lawlessbess; sanctification or condemnation. There is bo 'in between'; 'just good enough'; 'just scraping by.' There is etsrbal Life or eterbal death. Eternity goes on way beyond today. I am an eternal being. My spirit lives forever. The choice I make here and now about Christ determines where I will be as eternity is built on relationship: who dis I run with here?; who did I serve? I may think I serve myself but in so doing I...

Who has believed what we have heard? And who has the arm of the Lord been revealed to? He grew up before Him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at Him, no appearance that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; He was despised, and we didn’t value Him. Yet He Himself bore our sicknesses, and He carried our pains; but we in turn regarded Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:1‭-‬6 HCSB Today we see our Saviour's gift to us, His life. Iniquity and sin are heavy. They were poured out on one ma...

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:11 HCSB I can call myself a Christian but still have no peace, still be crushed, bruised and in want. Yet if I am living out of the same Spirit I have joy. When my focus is success, finance, relatuoships or any earthly thing I will struggle and not have peace. I had undertaken to be a provider for works in Nepal and began to struggle in myself and lose peace. Yesterday I had a revealtion: I am to walk in my gifting- my love for others, I came back to joy and peace. As I begin to focus on others I am alive. Focussing on money or things makes me dead. I have the difficulty of being a financial planner who, herself must leave the numbers to the Lord and focus on serving others with a good heart and with integrity. As I walk in integrity and relationship I am blessed. God is good, all...

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life — a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 HCSB Jesus had just had the mother of James and John as a special favour. She wanted her son's to sit on either side of Jesus in His kingdom. The remaining disciples were indignant with James and John. However Jesus took this as an opportunity to teach the disciples a lesson. Jesus was saying : position and ridership is an earthly thing; servanthood a heavenly thing. In another place Jesus said He came to: seek and save that which is lost. Yesterday I saw several people come to Christ at church. It is always a good day when people get saved. Salvation would be my highest thrill and purpose. I have been challenged lately, in many ways about the gospel of wealth and blessing. We can be so intent on me being blessed we can miss to have eyes to see. We need to see the lost before we can save them. May our eyes be open to see. Amen!

they took palm branches and went out to meet Him. They kept shouting: “ Hosanna! He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One — the King of Israel! ” John 12:13 HCSB This same crowd could have been the same one who shouted "Crucify Him!" Crowds are fickle and not to be trusted on the whole. What makes a man love you one day and stab you in the back another day? Selfish greed! These people wanted a king to deliver them from Roman occupatuon. Whilst the adoration was deserved, scripture tells us that Jesus knew men's hearts and therefore did not give Himself wholly to them. Our role is the know Him, the crucified Him, the raised from the dead Him and stay faithful. Being faithful is tested when we have disappointment. These people would be disappointed. Jesus did not take the power and glory they expected. Judas was disappointed for the same reason and it caused him to betray Jesus. Disappointment causes fraud and betrayal in our relationships. When oth...

A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 HCSB Trial tests friendship. Trial is good as we need to know the nature of our friend making. If our friends desert us then we have built with wood, hay and stubble. If they remain and stick by us then we have built with gold and precious stones. I have been mindful for the need for making real friends in Connect group particularly. When I first joined the Connect group I struggled in many ways: there were some very outspoken and domineering people in the mix; a woman with an ill-disciplined child; my hearing was not good. Yet I persevered. Over time I have had need of friendship and an ear to listen, it has been there. Last week we met and we prayed together. It was a good meeting and I came away knowing we finally had the mix right. Yesterday I needed to talk and again the ear was there. Where would I have been without my Connect group? My dear mum is visiting and l...

For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, 1 Timothy 2:5 HCSB We are coming up to Easter. This is especially a time when we remember Jesus and His sacrifice. The fact that Jesus have His life flies in the face of all other, man made ways to reach Him. He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The pain of rejection by His people, desertion by His friends and abuse by ungodly men was crushing. Jesus did not willingly go through this because it was a good idea. It was a bad idea if that is all it was. Yet there was more. It was the Father's idea. Only one possible sacrifice could but our freedom, the death of a sinless man, a willing sinless man. What gives power to what Jesus did was not His death, although we are eternally grateful, but His powerful resurrection from the grave. He conquered death and the penalty for sin. When we are crushed and feel all life has left us; when there is no hope in us, there is Jesus and Hi...

One who listens to life-giving rebukes will be at home among the wise. Anyone who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever listens to correction acquires good sense. Proverbs 15:31‭-‬32 HCSB What is a life-giving rebuke? One that has life in it, instead of death. We need to have ears to hear instead of hearts that offend. A life-giving rebuke can come from anywhere or anyone- remember Balaam's donkey rebuked his master because of his blindness. Perhaps we need to review the story: But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path. Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side. The donkey saw t...

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 HCSB We have another therefore! Why is it there? Let's investigate! Well lo! Look what I have found: A HYMN OF PRAISE Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33‭-‬36 HCSB Paul is having a moment when the awesomeness of God hit him full force. I am looking for such a moment. I have been hit with the challenges of man. To discover more of the awesomeness of God would be good, life-changing even! Amen! The 'therefore' is there for a very good reason: being hit by the awesomeness of G...

For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. Galatians 1:10 HCSB What an unusual verse to wake to. Once upon a time I did try to please people, no more. I am captured by Christ. I live with Him in mind. My responsibility is to Him, my desire is for His pleasure. The thrust of Christ's kingdom is to win friends for eternity. Occasionally I will stop and look at crowds going by. Will I see them in eternity or will they be in a horrible place forever. I see people chasing earthly pleasure, living as if now is all there is. Yet they will live for eternity. Will eternity be kind to them? Have they chosen Christ and their cross here or pleasure seeking only? I am a slave of Christ. I do what I do because of Him, not for self. If I had my own way I would have walked a different path. Yet He has captured my heart and soul. How good is He! Prior to this verse Pa...

Come, let us shout joyfully to the Lord , shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation! Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song. Psalms 95:1‭-‬2 HCSB When the army of the Lord went out in 2 Chronicles 20:29 the priests went first leading in song. Today I may go into battle again but the prieat in me must go forth in song. The priests sang: 'Give thanks to the Lord for His faithful love endures forever.' When all else fails, when there are no options I will sing, I can do that. Amen! Jist now, I awoke in the midst of a scary dream. I had an intruder in the house seeking to harm me. I had locked myself in the bathroom but the intruder knew I was there. The phone was not co-operating, as usual in a dream. My question to the Lord was: ' who is the intruder?' The Lord has a plan, I will sing and watch Him be my guard, my protector. He is my strength and song, my deliverer, my reward. Amen!

My eyes are always on the Lord , for He will pull my feet out of the net. Psalm 25;15 If I am honest my eyes are not always on the Lord, they are almost always on the Lord. I think this walk in Him is training me to have an 'always' stance. Today I am seeking more of Him. Yesterday I was exhausted. After a trying week I set up my garage for a sale of unwanted loves items. I did better than expected in that I advertised on Facebook along with photos. One item was a 30's hat a cousin, who is a milliner, made. It went for $100. Another item was a gift Amenican Express sent me, a remote control car. A brother bought that for $50. In all I needed to make $370, to pay for the orphanage's registration. I am almost there. A few others messaged me with buys, but will collect this week. I love 'God Surprises!' My sister's order came out of left field. She is.not a hat wearer, normally. She is more comfortable in a bike helmut. Daylight savings cease today, ...

The Lord is near all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry for help and saves them. Psalms 145:18‭-‬19 HCSB I can testify this is true. After being through a crushing week, financially, telling the Lord it is His turn and having nowhere else to go I received an email, out of the blue, last night at 8pm. 'We have discovered that you have been underpaid commission from a certain client's business since 2008. We have rectified the payment in your next commission statement.' Now, I was gobsmacked, to say the least. Earlier in the week I met with a client who had a trauma policy and had suffered a trauma back in 2013 and failed to claim. At that time she was not my client. I found out she could have claimed and didn't because she didn't think she could. When she came to see me she thought: " if I can get $5,000 that would be good." I gave her the news she was going to...