The day with dianne Louise

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21 MSG We push people around. We manipulate others. God doesn't! He gently ministers to our spirit and increases our desire and receptivity to Him. Allowing Him to speak to our hearts by not drowning Him out with noise helps us hear. He is always gentle and never rude or aggressive. We have access to Gods Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. This same HOLY spirit lives within and directs and comforts us. He is good! All glory to Him! Amen!

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20‭-‬21 HCSB God is able to do great things in me as I allow Him to sow visions and dreams of what could be. We are so quick to determine what we think would be a good fit but if we allowed God space He brings forth the most amazing dreams and visions. This is my current state. I am dreaming of doing things that I had never anticipated before but they are so true to who God made me. These visions are so full of adventure and boldness I yearn for them as this is what I love. As a child I enjoyed adventure, nature and imagining life as an adventure. I have a grandson whose goal is to be an adventurer. A chip off the old block. This same grandson wants me to take him to China. Lord willing I will. I want to teach my grandchildren to dream big and see God in all they do...

Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking . If you have anything against someone, forgive —only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.” Mark 11:22‭-‬25 MSG We all know what an embrace is. It is not a casual hug, a pat on the back or a quick kiss on the cheek. An embrace is passionate surrender. Well now, this is what Jesus tells us to give our new life in Him, an all out surrender. When we give our all to someone, usually, if it is a good relationship, we have an open welcome to all that person has. This is the sam...

Therefore I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for — believe that you have received them, and you will have them. Mark 11:24 HCSB Jesus illustrated this kind of prayer when He cursed the fig tree. His disciples were amazed but He told them the above. When I believe God is good I trust Him and speak well of Him. I hold an image of a good God before me. When I believe I will have what I pray for I live as if it is already true and confess it into being. There are things in my life that have not come to pass as I struggle to confess what I desire. For example I desire healing for my hearing. I will start confessing right but then be placed in a situation where I must say my current situation, which is I have poor hearing and need assistance. This has happened only recently with my uni studies. I have online lectures and the sound is often quite bad. I have had to ask for help. In doing so I have confessed myself back into a hole. This will continue to happen until I decid...

I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God , who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. Psalm 121:1‭-‬2 MSG I have learned, a long time ago, that if my eyes are to people to help me, I will be disappointed. Yet when my eyes are on the Lord I look to see how to work with Him to bring about the answer. The reason people fail is....they are human, frail and already consumed with their own world as perhaps you are with yours. My state, NSW, is in the grip of the worst drought in over 100 years. People are looking for the government to give financial support, and begging for fellow Australians to give support. I am concerned they will be hurt and disappointed. Whilst we should give, and I have and would give more if I had it, I am not God. God has an answer that is above and beyond me. The answer will be different for each one. The way He provides for me will be different for you, but when you find it, it will be full of life, no...

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalms 121:1‭-‬2 HCSB In times of intense stress and trouble, we can wonder where our help comes from. It can seem like mankind is not willing or able to help. In these moments our help can only come from the Lord. We need a miracle that only He can provide. Our God is a God of miracles. He is our Father first and as such He looks over us, His children. He is good toward us, even when the storms are raging. All manner of calamaties be-set us but He changes not. We must trust Him and give up anxious talk or complaining. In these times we need to worship and come closer. He must be trusted.Amen!

How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 MSG Being right with God is such a relief. No more guilt and shame. Just as Jesus accepted the woman caught in adultery and the woman at the well who had had 5 husbands and the man she was with at the time was not her husband. Jesus never condemned her and neither does He condemn us. When we are right with God we can pursue His thoughts and ways. They are adventures waiting to happen. With God life is a wild ride. Even though we may go through the valley of the shadow of death, He is there leading and protecting us. Find God in the midst of a valley is breath-taking. He knows where the pools are and the waterfalls. We need to change our thinking. Rather than resenting the valley, praise Him and ask for the hidden places. Our God is good. Amen!

He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 HCSB I am made right with God, through Jesus Christ. My role is to show the world what being right with God looks like. Set free from the legal demands of the law yet alive to Christ. What does that look like? Free, forgiven and blessed. My shackles are no more. I dont have to live as a slave to the carnal but can turn to my redeemer and ask for power to live a righteous life as I live a righteous life I liberate others. As I write this I am sitting outside in the cold winter early morn waiting to see the blood moon. I have cloud cover blocking my view but by God's grace I will break free. Sin is like cloud cover. It wants to marr the view we have of the saviour. It tells us it is more powerful. Yet my God is greater and in His mighty power I will reign. Amen!

One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master’s Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you. And pray that we’ll be rescued from these scoundrels who are trying to do us in. I’m finding that not all “believers” are believers. But the Master never lets us down. He’ll stick by you and protect you from evil. 2 Thessalonians 3:1‭-‬3 MSG Praying for others is so important. I find when reading posts on Facebook, a lot of misery is shared, so I pray. Prayer works especially when you, like Jesus say: " Father I know that you hear me." The Father does hear us and looks for us to interceded on behalf of others, so Pray! It is too easy to be negative or have a critical comment. Keep it sweet and if you can't, pray. 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 This book of Thessalonians deals with truth and denouncing of those who were unsettling the church with talk of end times. Paul is encouraging the believers to stand firm and not be wavered by strange teaching. Paul's focus is the word of God and the spread of the gospel. He asks for prayers of protection from evil men who would oppose him and his message. He also prays for the church that God would protect them from the evil one. Today we can pray, as the Lord has told us: deliver us from evil. I pray for my family Gods protection. As I step out in God the person most often attacked is my mother. I pray Gods protection over her. We can ask the Lord for His protection and He ...

Gracious speech is like clover honey— good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body. Proverbs 16:24 MSG Gracious people, how pleasant they are. Do you know just asking insightful questions of stranger help them. Today I went to the newsagent and saw a sign on her wall saying she was closing down. I asked about it and she told me her daughter had a serious tumor in her heart and she now has to travel long distances to see her in hospital. I asked the daughter's name and promised to pray for her. The lady lit up and was appreciative. I pray for a miracle for this woman and her daughter. This woman has a small business and she has struggled with a lot of her goods offered by the big supermarket opposite. At home I had to call Telstra- my internet and telephone provider. They had failed to do what they said they would do and I called to ask why. The woman who answered was in an Indian call centre in India and I struggled with the noise and her accent. She was very patient a...

A wise heart instructs its mouth and increases learning with its speech. Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. Proverbs 16:23‭-‬24 HCSB A good response comes from the Spirit of God. A wise person allows the Spirit to rule the answers of the tongue. The tongue can bring life or death. When it brings life and the words are honeycomb to the hearers. In every conflict there is opportunity to bring life or death. Our flesh is selfish and wants to lash out with barbs on our tongue. We must resist this and wait for God. Where is His response? Health is mine as I bring life to others. I can be a vessel of blessing or a vessel of cursing. One brings life, one destroys and partners with the devil the other is a channel for the Spirit of God. Amen!

Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head. Ecclesiastes 7:9 MSG I just had to include this version of the scripture as being an Aussie this is so Australian. Ha ha! An angry person has high blood pressure, upset innards and are setting themselves up for nasty health problems. Every time I become angry and upset my bowel plays up. It reminds me to keep a cool head. Whilst what annoys us is right in our face, God has a plan beyond it. This is important as it is a test: how will you handle confrontations or upsets? This morning I found an antidote. I received an upsetting email and was aggravated but went for a walk and prayed. When I returned I decided to give some money to the drought stricken farmers. What a buzz! I soon forgot the email. So... next time you want to tear into someone, give someone else a gift and be a blessing. It works!

The end of a matter is better than its beginning; a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:8‭-‬9 HCSB Anger arises a lot of times due to annoyance and impatience. Solomon is urging us to restrain our spirits from rushing towards anger. Paul said: Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the Devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27 Anger does not work the righteousness of God. James 1:20 Solomon tells us that anger abides in the hearts of fools. As I dont want to be considered a fool I do not want to abide with anger but rather abide with Christ. If I am honest anger burns me up, upsets my stomach and gives me a headache. Not worth thinking on or contemplating. Our thoughts incite anger or yield to forgiveness. Forgiveness is peace and reconciliation with God, my own heart and others. Choose forgiveness and peace and if they are h...

“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Matthew 7:1‭-‬3 HCSB The Lord has been working with me to not have an opinion, especially one that would put another down so as to raise myself up. I do not need to have an opinion about everything and in fact I am learning that unless I have the Lords opinion, I have no opinion. Having and giving an opinion involves destroying someone or something else. We already have a destroyer, and his name is Satan. We dont need another one. Social media is a trap to the unwary. Opinions are posted constantly. We need to be wise as to what we agree with. We also need to be aware that not all that is posted is correct. Paul teaches us: Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever...

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8 HCSB As the verse before it, Jesus is telling us: ask, seek and knock. He then goes on the remind us how we, as parents, give good gifts to our children: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11 Unless we are evil of heart we want to bless our children. Jesus tells us that our heavenly Father is good and wants to bless us. Perhaps we should be as persistent as little children. When they want something they never give up, usually. It is interesting that Jesus, in the Next verse says the following: Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them — this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 Receiving is entwined with giving, not extortion but freewill giving. Extortion demands, freewill gi...

“Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? Matthew 7:7‭-‬11 MSG This morning I awoke feeling a bit lost about a project I am working on but thought to ask God what He thought. I received the above scripture, in another version. I reasoned it would be cool to bring it again in the message version. Today I had a client come and he was down. I gave him the scripture as he was inclined to give up. I reminded him why we were doing what we were doing, it was for the little people, the downtrodden, the lost. We prayed and he gained new hope. Not 30 minutes later he called to say things were moving for him and that ...

“Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 HCSB Do circumstances make you feel like quitting? Does the odds against success seem hopeless? Dont quit! Renew your faith! Go to God and ask Him for help. At times you may think you have done all you can do, now it is Gods turn. See what He can do. The bible tells us: having done all, stand. 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. Ephesians 6:13 Paul tells us that our war is spiritual not carnal or fleshly. Therefore we need to use spiritual weapons not natural ones. Our bible is full of hero stories. Feed on them, encourage yourself in your faith. Amen!

You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with joyful shouts of deliverance. Selah Psalms 32:7 HCSB When I was little I enjoyed the game of hide and seek. A good hide was when others kept going by and you appear to be invisible. In God He gives me such a place. I have to trust Him and step into His provision by faith. Sitting quivering and crying will not help me find it. I need to see with eyes of faith that my God is for me. And if my God is for me, who can be against me? Trust Him! He is worthy to be placed in the highest place. Amen!

I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with My eye on you, I will give counsel. Psalms 32:8 HCSB This verse is a pearl of wisdom in the middle of a psalm that rejoices over forgiveness. To know you are surrounded by forgiveness is comforting, especially when you struggle with sin. What is also special is knowing that this forgiving God has His eye on us. How good it is to be loved by a Father who watches over us and trains us in the right way to go. When you feel lost on the road God has His eye on you. You are not alone in the forest, He is there, bringing you through. Thank You Lord that You instruct me on the way to go. There are many roads before me, lead me on the right path. Amen!

“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Matthew 6:25‭-‬26 MSG Jesus taught that if our eye is pure and full of light, our whole body is full of light. If we train our eye, our ear and our thoughts to be focused on God's point of view, then we live free from the cares of this world. We will no longer choose a mate or a job based on what it will add to the bank account but rather we will seek God's word which teaches there is more, there are deeper matters like being equal in heart, soul and mind. All those we surround ourselves with impact on our behaviour...

“This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25 HCSB What does it mean: 'this is why I tell you.' What was Jesus referring to? Let's have a look: “No one can be a slave of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves of God and of money. Matthew 6:24 HCSB Jesus is telling us that to be free from slavery to money by not worrying about the things money can buy. At times we can be pushed by money to have it to own the latest .... if you need the latest model of phone, car, a bigger and better anything, money has got you. In fact if you worry where food is coming from or what you will eat, money is challenging you. Rather if I seek God for my provisions and do not 'need' a certain coffee or a certain type of food, if I ...

Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.” Matthew 22:37‭-‬40 MSG How do I pray intelligence? Perhaps it means to pray thoughtfully. What is God in? Can you see Him in the soil? The trees? The sky? If I stop and look, I see Him everywhere. He is in people, order, in fact everything. Praise Him for all He is and for all He does. Start there. Next, look, really look at others. What do you see?

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:387-‬40 HCSB Last night a few hundred of Gods people came together, from all denominations, to pray for rain. We prayed to our God and blessed Him for who He is and then we prayed for our farmers who need the rain. Loving God first and then loving others second before ourselves is always a challenge. Last night was a very cold night to be out. However the fruit of the prayer is that today there is a change in the weather. Praise God! We prayed that the waterways would fill up, I pray it is so. Loving others requires us to do something. Many are fundraising for the farmers and putting food parcels together, most importantly they need to know they belong and are important to us as they suffer in the ...

Start with God —the first step in learning is bowing down to God ; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Proverbs 1:7 MSG There are plenty of fools thumbing their noses at God. May our behaviour convict them of His truth. We cannot live like the world and expect respect. As we watch leaders in the Catholic church sent to jail for not exposing pedophiles in the rank the world desperately needs to see godly behaviour. Let us be the light we are called to be.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 HCSB Fear of God is respecting God. Having God in a relationship is respecting His position of authority and His opinion. We know His opinion by studying His word in the bible. Respecting God's opinion is developing an ear to hear what God is saying rather than what your circumstances and friends are saying. This is particularly important when we are harassed by our circumstances. Our emotions scream for us to react rather than respond. Responding according to biblical truth is best as it is laden with Gods grace and assistance. He empowers us and helps us to follow truth. The beginning of knowledge is not going to school or university but rather following God, then the rest can be a pool of information which may be helpful but not an absolute authority. Amen!

So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. 1 Peter 5:6‭-‬7 MSG To understand a strong hand of the Father we need to look at strong handed parents, not abusers but firm disciplinarians. I watch my son and wife with their 5 children. They are currently in school holidays and have had no technology except for a few family movies. They have played board games and outside games together. They came to visit yesterday and they were the most unboared 5 children I have met in a long time. Our Father has a strong hand and He does not give us our every whim or wish but He selectively chooses paths that are good for us. Training us is godly behaviour is His intention. Being content is important. Being supple in the Lords hand is important. We must yield to Him. Amen!

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 5:6‭-‬7 HCSB Why is there a therefore? In the previous verse Peter says: And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.1 Peter 5:5 We are proud when we are in the flesh about something. Having God resist us is not a pleasant thing. If we find ourselves being resisted by God, a prayer for awareness of our sin is a good thing, followed by repentance for our sin. Humbling ourselves before God is a good idea. Humility is attractive to God. I find it attractive in others as well. So...it stands to reason that my God is drawn to it in me. Amen!

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 Although friends who worry about us are not wicked, they are also not competent to speak into our lives. If we are called to walk in faith and they watch from the sidelines worrying, wouldn't they best serve us by praying for us? I treasure the prayers of the saints of God, they are the wind beneath my wings. My God leads me out on the water and in the midst of a storm. He is a better judge of my ability than others or me myself. This morning I decided to pray expansively. I said to the Lord: " I only have this much, let's do something awesome with it!" Next minute my phone rang and my son infor...

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. Psalms 1:1‭-‬2 HCSB Note: not following the crowd makes you happy. Delighting in the Lord makes you happy, complainers are a miserable bunch. Don't go there! Trust! Take a deep breath and sing in the midst of the fiery furnace. Sing and make melody! Amen!

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 HCSB What looks impossible to you? What is the barrier before you? Is God whispering to you heart believe? After a weekend when I normally rest and had to study, today I am tired when normally refreshed. I had extra study dropped on me on Friday of last week and two exams to sit before the 19th. I treasure my weekends and fiercely defend them from all who would steal them. However, I could see no other way as this week has it's own load and I am in my second week at university. The amount of work in this course is quite large and condensed into 6 weeks. This morning I had a tutorial on Maths. As school was a very dim memory I needed to recap. My tutor is a very communicative retired teacher. He was good. However my studies today uncovered much I didn't know. More lessons requires methinks. I am honoured that my God considers me able. I am confessing: "I have the mind of Christ!" The creator knows formula e...

“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. Luke 1:37 MSG We cannot put limits on God. If He is in a matter, it will come to pass. Elizabeth's husband was a priest in the temple but when God spoke to him about his wife having a son, he disbelieved and so God struck him dumb until after the baby was born. A lot of people speculate the reason he was made dumb was so he could not denounce the word of God or be negative towards it. It was also a sign to him that God was involved. God is indeed into miracles and brings great things to pass. Let us expect Him to do this with joy. Mary did and received the best reward. Amen!

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work. Colossians 3:22‭-‬25 MSG Focus is constant throughout the New Testament. Jesus preached it and the writers of the epistles carried it forward. The Old Testament was full of love God first, teach your children Gods precept and follow Him. Jesus was and is the word of God. It is therefore quite reasonable that he taught focus. There is no longer laws to keep and cursed for not keeping but although we are in a period of grace, our actions do reap consequences: what we sow we reap. So...sow patience, sow grace and mercy and you will receive grace a...

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 If we fail to think of self in any endeavour but rather think of God, the burden lifts, gratitude comes with joy. If I continually think "poor me" I will walk around with a huge cloud above me. My reward comes from the Lord. My wages are joy and peace and provision in any circumstance. I am reminded of the prophets Elisha and Elijah. Both showed the powerful provision of God as they confronted evil in their days. Sure they had moments of doubt but they lived lives that showed who they served. I want that life not the cushy namby pamby ease of self-indulgence. We are called to confront this age we live in by living a life sold out to Christ and as we do God deals with the systems that wrong us or fail us. He is God! I am His servant! Amen! Sunday is the L...

God ’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. Lamentations 3:22‭-‬24 MSG Gods love never fails, because just as a new day dawns, so does His love. In fact every sunrise reminds us of His faithful love! Jeremiah was crushed when he wrote this book. Jerusalem had been sacked by Babylon, the temple destroyed and desolation and ruin remained. Yet, Jeremiah decided to stay close to God. He knew He was his only choice. He still is the only One! Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds...

Because of the Lord ’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. Lamentations 3:22‭-‬24 HCSB This book of poetry was written by Jeremiah after Babylon came and destroyed the city and the temple. Jeremiah had repeatedly warned his king and the people that there blatant sin would bring judgement but they ignored him. God in His mercy told Jeremiah, before this event to go an buy a piece of land, speaking hope into his heart of a good future. Jeremiah is a melancholic poet and prophet who loves his God and his people. In this book he is pouring out his grief and in the verses above returns to hope in the Lord. Through our darkest times we can hope in the Lord. Night has an end and daytime is coming. We need to keep out eyes on Jesus as He is our reward and He will lead us through the valley. Self-pity has no place in faith. Crying may last fo...

Above all, be strong and very courageous to carefully observe the whole instruction My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. Joshua 1:7 HCSB Being strong and courageous takes... well courage. When God shows us a path or gives us a word to follow, fearing to fear and following in faith is important. Today I had my first session of my next uni course. It is an online course and my teacher is Asian and I struggle with her accent. Then we have an Aussie who keeps butting in and an Indian who decides to illuminate us on a point. The Indian accent is particularly hard for me. To top it off we had students coming and going and the chat box full of chatter. Ahhhhhh! I wanted to quit... but I stayed and convinced myself to hang in and do the study, pass the exam and move on. I love the study but the online forum is bedlam to me. (Showing my age). Perseverance in a path involves ensuring all manner of di...

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Joshua 1:8 HCSB Joshua was about to lead all the children of Israel across the flooded Jordan river into the promised land. This is the first time he had led them and although he was known to them as a great man, he was not Moses. All those who remembered the Red Sea parting many years before were now dead. Therefore these people had to trust Joshua and God that miracles would happen for him and them as well. God told Joshua to meditate on His words, in other words, stay focused on Him. Many of us are being coaxed into stepping out with God and allowing His miracle-working power to lead. It is always a scary place to be. However, this is where life is, this is the adventure zone. The world just watched 12 young boys and their soccer coach be successfully extracted from de...

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he’s asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things. 1 Peter 3:8‭-‬12 MSG Now... there is a list! All of these are an out-working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we dwell in the Lord's presence and He is in charge, His pace rules and we find it easier to respond as He would. However, if we allow the agenda of others to rule, we get the run-around and don't rest, then we get feisty. If we are intentional about God He will keep us in perfect peace as our min...

For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, 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. 1 Peter 3:10‭-‬12 HCSB The Lord's eyes are on us His people and wanting to bring glory into the world through us. We are a part of this process as we speak forth His praises and His word not fleshly insults and bad behaviour. One accesses miracles and one destroys them. We all want a good life and therefore need to add the right ingredients. Good life comes from God. It is not without trials but with God in the trials. Resentment of trials causes a bad attitude and a bad mouth. Miracles comes from a faith-filled life and confession. The eyes of the world, hungry for God is on the church, looking to see godly behaviou...

From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part. Ephesians 4:16 HCSB As I have studied anatomy in the past I know the spine holds the body upright (unless it is damaged). To the spine ligaments, tendons and muscles are attached. The spine supports the pelvis and ribcage to which muscles are also attached. The bones of the skeleton are important but without the muscles, tendons and ligaments it will fall over. Now there is more muscle, then there is fat to keep the body warm and skin over all to hold it together. We have a frame but the intestines, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, brain are required for the body to function. Importantly blood vessels need to keep the whole structure alive with blood, also without the nervous system the brain could not influence the functioning of the body. Finally we have the lymphatic system that assists us with...

And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Ephesians 4:32 HCSB This whole chapter is full of training in godliness. The verse: be angry but do not sin, is here as well. The challenge for us as Christians is to be angry but kind. Now there is the rub! We must forgive the offence but also deal with the outcome or result of the offence. This is where we really must cling to God as He has an outcome He wants to achieve. It is His outcome that is important. God forgave us our many misdeeds, as we come to Christ. He forgave all our selfishness, arrogance and pride. All that we failed to do He forgave. He forgave to the point of sacrifice, the life of His Son Jesus. Just so we must forgive. Only with His grace and mercy can we forgive to this extent. Amen!

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 A holy calling! This does not feel saintly and you definitely do not realise what is happening at time. His purposes are holy and we are called to be holy (set apart). As I get to know my Jesus and become absorbed in Him and his ways I make choices that are holy and not running with the rat pack. At times challenges hit me front on like a tsunami and I am not ready with the right gear or the right answers. Today I had three such occurrences and one was gut wrenching. Just when I think certain people get what it is to be holy they launch from left field with such arrogance and selfishness, then suddenly my mother has another ceribral episode before my eyes and it is unexpected then I come home to relay the process to family and I receive a call asking for money. Methinks it is l...

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. This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:9‭-‬10 HCSB In astronomy we are constantly discovering birthing places for stars. Our God is ever active. More important than stars are God's people. We have God who plans way ahead. He saw us being conceived, being born and destined for a purpose. Our God has a purpose for us, we must choose to step into that purpose. It sits waiting for us to enter in. It is not ours by osmosis but it is apprehended by faith. The children of Israel were promised a land of milk and honey but they had to choose to enter in. In the first group of spies 10 gave a faithless report amd only two gave a report of faith. The people, en m...

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. John 15:1‭-‬2 HCSB Our heavenly Father is the fruit inspector and vine dresser. He comes looking for fruit. I have friend who planted an orange tree and the first year she receive few oranges. I was in her yard only a few days ago and her little tree is laden with delectable plump oranges. My friend is a keen gardener and prunes and fertilizes her tree. If a mere human can do this then our heavenly Father is in no way slack. On Saturday I did some severe pruning to three native shrubs because they were diseased. Today I went to talk to an expert on natives. I am prepares to dig them up if they are not able to heal and produce the bottlebrush they had done in the past. Our God is looking for branches that will produce the fruit He believes they can produce. Jesus Himself cur...

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples. John 15:7‭-‬8 HCSB Remaining at rest when turmoil surrounds you is something Jesus did well and He is teaching those who come to Him to do. Just as Jesus slept in the boat in the middle of the storm so can we and just as Jesus rebuked the storm, so can we. His words must remain in us, fear cannot take their place. His words must displace fear. Jesus also told us not to fear but in prayer and supplication make our requests known to God.... and the peace which passes understanding will be ours. Prayer and supplication must replace complaining and self-pity. No room for self here. Amen! Do you want to walk in miracles? Then this is the criteria. How did Jesus do it? He spent time, lots of time with the Father. Then the Father was glorified by the miracles that followed. We are here to gl...

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. 1 Peter 2:9‭-‬10 MSG The differences Jesus makes is translating us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, hope and life. He is good! So good! Scripture tells us: he who is forgiven much loves much. Luke 7:47. Jesus actually said these words. It is good to know how much you have been forgiven, then you can love, in gratitude, much. I was actually not a murderer, a thief by worldly standards or anything we associate with much sin, but I knew I was a sinner and that Jesus forgave me. He continues to forgive me. For this I am eternally grateful! Because I am forgiven I want others to know this forgiveness. It is so freeing. I am a priest of this goodness and commissioned to tell others...

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 When I consider the royal families of the world, they live a life apart as princes and princesses. One of Australia's own, Mary, became a royal when she married Prince Frederick of Denmark. Mary's life is what every little girl dreams of. Yet every little boy and girl are welcomed into the kingdom of God when they meet Christ. Those that know Christ intimately are His royal princes and princesses. As royalty we must live as chosen and set apart ones. If Prince William, heir to the throne of England, failed to behave as royalty his subjects would rise up and reject him. His father Prince Charles had rejection when he divorced Diana. The people loved Diana and would not accept Charles treatment of her. As Christ's chosen ones we must live a fragrant life tha...

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. John 15:5‭-‬8 MSG Producing grapes (as in good fruit) is not so easy in challenging times. Today I watched my mother have a medical challenge, right before my eyes and it was unsettling. I had to go to an astronomy meeting where I had agreed to cook a bbq. It was the last thing in the world I wanted to do, yet I did it joyfully. (Well... limping...joyfully, maybe half joyfully.) I did not abuse anyone. In fact I was well behaved. I was blessed with another cook and two ser...

“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. John 15:5 HCSB My God's works are the best, life-giving and most fulfilling works you can do. As God shows me the next step I walk in it joyfully. His ways brings joy to my heart. I am currently enrolled in the next unit of my university degree and it is fun, challenging and edifying. What am I studying? The Financial Markets. I have to do a refresher on long forgotten maths to prepare. However I enjoyed Maths in school and so the refresher is a joy as it connects the dots for me. When God is in the dots, what fun each step can be. Resenting and complaining are a huge waste of time. Walking in and with God is full of thanksgiving. I wake each morning knowing the next step. Each step is full of life and abundant joy! Living in Him is the best place to be. Amen! My pleasure is to do your will oh Lord. Psalm 40:8.

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Ephesians 5:1‭-‬2 HCSB Our world is full of artificial frangrace yet a life lived in humility and obedience is very fragrant indeed. There is no need for paint or camouflage. The bible tells us that Jesus was not attractive naturally: 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. Isaiah 53:2 Yet Jesus was attractive. Why would fishermen drop their nets and follow Him? There is something attractive about a clean peaceful life. One senses the fresh springs flowing from them. Peace oozes from them and there is no guile to be found in them. Sacrificial fragrance is best! Try it out! Amen!

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5:1‭-‬2 MSG Learning the life of love, now there is the challenge. Not loving for what you get or can get but loving because God first loved us. What a difference Jesus would have been. He came showing how God loves, giving His all. He did not love the rich more for the potential of what they could give Him. He loved all and challenged all. As little children learning proper behaviour from our parents we need to allow God the Father to parent us and show us His way. His ways are gracious, forgiving and generous. He is never stingy but gives above and beyond what we ask or think. How can I be generous, loving a...

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! 1 John 4:11‭-‬12 MSG How do we get more of God? Love one another. As He is love, as we love, He is drawn to us, His Spirit inside of us is set on fire and we have a party, so to speak. How do I love you? I get to know you and learn to understand you. I must give you room to be you. That is how I love you. Jesus told us to love others as we love ourselves, selflessly. (Well.. that is the plan!) Not indulgently or obsessively but as I love myself. So... I cannot treat you as a nobody as each of us loves our own body( most do that is). If I don't love myself I need to get to know how my God sees me and love what He loves. Easy!? 'Little children let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and in truth.'1 John 3:18

My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! 1 John 4:11‭-‬12 MSG How does God love us? My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, fro...

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 AMP Timidity makes you not want to confront or ruffle anyone's feathers. Whereas bold faith steps into the fray and trusts God for His protection. Today I confronted an unknown group of people in a foreign land because it appeared they were robbing a man I know. I did it trusting the Lord for His protection and use of my words to bring a sword to any darkness. I cannot bear to sit around and wait for the adversary to make the move. Why not take the battle into their house? God has been training me for years for times such as this. I want to be in His army and be His soldier. I want to be one of His mighty Chickies. (My terminology) What has God been training you for? Are you ready to step up to the plate and be His servant? L...

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7 HCSB IN previous verses Paul is reminding Timothy of who He is and what He has. Timothy has a rich heritage. His grandmother and mother were believers and they taught Timothy about the Lord. Timothy is now a fond disciple of Paul the apostle and leader of the church in Ephesus. Timothy is young and we can suppose, because of this scripture, needing encouragement in His faith. As an older women I watch the young rising up in faith at my church and I rejoice. What a good heritage. I pray I lay a good heritage for my children and grandchildren also. No matter whether we come to faith alone in our families or not we still need encouragement. I had thought, for many years, that I was the first in my family. Only recently I found my great grandmother was a wonderful woman of faith. Her prayers for her children and their children have born fruit in me. I am grateful for her faith...

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does. 1 Peter 5:8‭-‬11 MSG Oh dear! I suffer more at my own hand than at the hands of others. Bad stuff happens to everyone but is how we handle it that matters.I know grace abounds if I just bother to hold emotions in check and ask. Today was another stretching day. I am glad mobile phones give us the option to press green or red. It is better for people to wait than suffer rudeness. Our modern generations is blessed in that we have options. Before the answer phone was inv...

Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10‭-‬11 HCSB What is the suffering Peter is referring to? In the previous two verses Peter talks about our adversary the devil, who roams around looking for someone to devour. What is the devil's work? Jesus told us the devil comes to kill and destroy. He attempts to kill our faith in God and our love for our fellow mankind; he seeks to destroy relationships so that we are all alone; he seeks to destroy hope, reputations, babies, old people. Now, can you see him at work? How does the devil cause us to suffer? 'I would say: all of the above and more.' Persecutions of christians come from satan. The early church knew persecution. The church today is still persecuted. There is nothing new here, except we have a God who fights for us and r...

“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. John 14:1‭-‬3 HCSB We must learn to trust! If Jesus said:" I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself." He will keep His word. He has gone to prepare our home and when we see Him face to face, it will be because He has come for us, to take us home. If we have not had a good Father image then we will doubt. However, my Jesus' goal is to win us to Him and help us believe. He has done this for me and I am grateful, truely grateful! As I believe as a child would and see nature as a child would, full of wonder, I pour out my wonder to Him. We are in a drought at present but I still see beauty. He is still there h...

“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way? ” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:5‭-‬6 HCSB Jesus had been telling His disciples He was going away but that they would know the way. Thomas is very simple in His understanding, or lack there of. It sounded like he needed exact detail to understand. Fortunately Jesus told him, He was the way. Now, I wonder if he was more confused? How can a person be a path or road? Jesus had told them many times that He was: the door; the good shepherd; the vine and much more. Unless Thomas had a revelation he would not get the idea that Jesus was the Way. Do we understand what Jesus was saying? What is The Way? Sounds like it is the only path to a destination. For many places on earth there are various ways to approach your destination but there are a few that have only one path. Having trekked in Nepal I know that in some parts the t...

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful. John 14:27 HCSB Why must our hearts not be troubled or fearful? Let's think for a while. What do we look like when we are troubled or fearful? Not sleeping, anxious, not eating correctly, not exercising, in fact we are out of sync. Can our hearts be filled with faith and fear at the same time? No! So then, we are in fact deactivated as Christians. God's work is not being done, the light is not shining and the lost are not being helped. So...how do we correct things? Abide in Christ and keep our eyes on Him. We cannot watch disaster and victory at the same time. We must make a choice! Amen!

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful. John 14:27 HCSB The world strives for peace and finds a modicum of peace in rest and meditation yet denies their God. Whereas the Christian finds peace in His God. He is the source and supply of peace that passes understanding. This peace can be found in the midst of conflict. The Lord's presence is the best source of peace. Yesterday I climbed my hill and praised Him all the way. I saw Him in the plants, the sky the mountains. He is in everything, if we just look. I sat and did a painting and breathed in His presence. I can climb the same hill without acknowledging Him but then my mind thinks on what I am escaping. I would rather think on Him. HE is good alone, He brings the peace I want. Today I will go to church seeking Him. He is the answer, the source, the supply. Amen!