The day with dianne Louise

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:21 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.21.NLT There is enough evil around, but did you know we can conquer it? We do this by doing good deeds. So, by applying the opposite we negate the negative. Amen!

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:19‭-‬21 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.19-21.NLT If we are honest, we all want revenge. However, the Lord's revenge is best. His revenge is holy and not to be tampered with. Take a breath and stand back. Make room for God! I am talking to myself as well here. I have been hurt, crushed by the selfishness of others. However, we must allow the crushing as just as the grapes are crushed so are our hearts. What comes from crushing is important. It is this precious commodity that the Lord uses for His purposes on the earth. Trust Him, just as Jesus trusted: "not my will, but Yours be...

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.3.17.NLT We must realise that Jesus is the saviour, not our works or the works of our group or family, but Jesus. I am saved through faith in His works. I cannot save anyone else. I must trust the spirit of Christ to reveal Himself to my family and friends and I must pray for this eventuality. Jesus is the perfect saviour. He is perfect sacrifice. Trust Him! Amen

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.3.17.NLT The words 'not to judge' is the pivotal phrase. We cannot understand this when we judge so freely. My connect group were debating this on Wednesday night. The local celebrity who damned various forms of sin on Twitter some months back and is now fighting his former employer in court thought he could say what he wanted. Jesus could say what He wanted and didn't. What does love say? What would Jesus do? Surely these are guiding principles? Let's not be drawn into a reactionary world. Amen!

Give thanks to God —he is good and his love never quits. Say, “Save us, Savior God, round us up and get us out of these godless places, So we can give thanks to your holy Name, and bask in your life of praise.” Blessed be God, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then everybody said, “Yes! Amen!” and “Praise God !” 1 Chronicles 16:34‭-‬36 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/1ch.16.34-36.MSG Other may grow cold but He never grows cold. How good is He? Others attack you from left field, especially when believing the enemy's whispers. He never listens to lies. God is faithful when all else fail. Amen!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1ch.16.34.NLT This verse is a part of a song written by King David. Here in 2019, we can read something written about 3000 years ago. Before this verse he writes: Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord. (Vs 31-33) I find that the earth and trees sing best after a good rainfall. I hear it sigh a satisfied thank you. I know I rejoice. I know God deserves to be praised. We are unable to control God or our circumstances but praise changes things. Praise Him! Amen!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalms 100:4 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.100.4.NLT We usually give thanks when something good happens. However, scripture teaches us to thank in the blessing. That means prime the pump. Today I had to do just that. I also had to establish boundaries and stand firm. Not fun! However, worthwhile. The day ended in a victory and good fellowship. Always good! Amen!

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalms 100:1‭-‬5 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.100.1-5.NLT Today I believe the earth is rejoicing. Last night we had a satisfying downpour. Whilst a lot of lightning also discharged on the land, I pray no new fires were created. I look out over the valley towards the hills on the opposite side. I watch the rain come in. Yesterday there was a dust storm amidst the rain. When the rain hit it brought strong winds. Fortunately, the winds were not destructive.  I love watching storms and have had all my life. The power and the glory wrapt in the storm is...

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.12.9.NLT One of my weaknesses is I am hurt by the cold indifference of others, especially those I had hoped would do better.  Today was one such day. I was led to believe one of my sisters would ensure I had a long break from caring for my mum. However, the offer had severe limitations and now that circumstances are out of control with mum's health the offer is very limited. I have already made arrangements for the break and was in a tight spot. Ensuring my attitude did not go south was a challenge but I think I ended the day intact.  God is so good. When all seems a challenge He sends delight. My eldest grandson just called and we talked for a few hours. Not many 13-year-olds like talking to their nan. I am grateful! My God does indeed care and makes...

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.12.9.NLT This scripture is referring to the 'thorn in the flesh' that Satan had inflicted upon the apostle Paul. We are not told what it is. However, it could have been anything debilitating or embarrassing. When a driving personality has a disability it prevents them from being proud in themselves and has the effect of humbling them. Whatever the disability Paul had he was determined to lean on God for his strength instead of himself. In his weakness, he would be strong because Christ would be working in and through him. Having Christ as our strength is not a bad thing, in fact, it is the best thing. Amen!

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.13.20.NLT Wisdom is needed in so many areas: relationships, finance, authority, children, schools, universities, courses to study. The list could go on. Managing our health is an area that we need wisdom. Deciding that you want to lose weight and thinking that this will change any systemic problems created by year's of neglect is foolish. So is assuming that you can eat and drink what you like and not suffer the consequences. Handling neighbourhood relationships is important. Being annoyed about one thing a neighbour does and not thinking about all the things they do right is foolish. Fighting over trivia is foolish. Wisdom chooses what is really important. Choose wisdom every time. Amen!

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.13.20.NLT Who do we let influence us? Who's voice resonates in our thinking? If it is our own we may be in trouble. People may look to us, but we need to look higher than us. Who influences our opinions? Our friends, the media, God"s word? What do we fill ourselves with? What do we live on? I have four preachers I listen to regularly, apart from my own pastors on Sunday. I listen to podcasts and often start on Monday. I know I cannot trust my own understanding. Who do you trust to influence your life? Choose wise men and women who have authority in God's word. Look at their lives, are they living for Christ? Do they live what they preach? What is their motive? Be wise! Trust only the best and most reliable. Amen!

This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 1 John 3:16‭-‬17 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/1jn.3.16-17.MSG No cold shoulders guys! The need can be relational, time spent, understanding. A person can be poor more ways than one. Look for them! Open your eyes! Don't wait for those in need to ask! Open you eyes, open your ears! Hear the crying heart!

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:16‭-‬18 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.3.16-18.NLT Loving each other requires action. Do we see? Do we see the church family in need? I attend a big church and everyone looks fine. How do I know? We probably need to listen as well. What are people saying? Modern churches in the west are usually attended by well-dressed individuals. Perhaps we have become so used to that look that we assume all is well. Not all is well in the souls of many, there are struggles we do not see because of image. We only find out about the struggles of others by talking to them and not staying in our usual group. At my church, we...

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Matthew 6:19‭-‬21 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/mat.6.19-21.MSG Thieves love to treasure hunt and they love people who hoard. An invisible shingle goes outside the homes of hoarders: treasure hunt starts here! However thieves do not see the heavenly treasure, it is invisible to them, they do not understand it or want it. Why not seek to store this type of treasure. Jesus said:" where your heart is, there is your treasure." So, focus on the Lord and His ways and you will see your heavenly balance grow, far away from thieves. Amen!

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Matthew 6:19 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.6.19.NLT Although we read this scripture what do we do? We store things. I am watching 100s of people lose their houses to fire in our current bushfire emergency in Australia. To date, the number of homes lost stands at around 500. Homes are where we store things. Yet many are saying: "everyone is safe, that is all that matters." Fire tests the importance we place on things. Three people lost their lives fighting the fires or hiding from the fires. Some we saw on television professing they would stay and fight the fire. Why?  Mum and I have an evacuation plan on the fridge. It does not contain much in the way of possessions. Mum, Oscar(the dog) and me, mums medications and a few essentials. Yet lives would do. Last night I awoke at 1.30 am to hear my mother calling me. She had fallen on the floor. She had ...

Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually. 3 John 1:2 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/3jn.1.2.HCSB I am a spirit, I have a soul and I live in a body. My spirit is eternal, it came to me at inception, my soul is full of my earthly experiences and my body suffers as a consequence. Our fascination with space invaders is interesting as all of us are...sort of. If we consider the fact that we are spirits from another world, an eternal world and are here to learn and develop. When we die we return to the spirit world. The spirit world is where God dwells. When we live as if this short time on earth is all there is we show we have lost perspective, eternal perspective. Our God has bigger plans than a few decades on earth. Imagine what eternity could look like. It will be fantastic! I am looking forward to my eternal home. I have a universe to explore. Woo hoo!

Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/3jn.1.2.NLT This greeting was to a man called Gaius who made an effort to care for travelling preachers. John the apostle had heard about Gaius' hospitality and commending him for it. We are called to care for the church and its people, especially those who sacrifice for the gospel. They are a vital part of the household of faith. Good deeds are noticed and receive a reward. In this case, Gaius has been named and God's people down through the centuries appreciate him. Jesus taught His disciples about being travelling preachers and how they should expect to be cared for. If they were not well received they were to shake the dust off their feet and God would notice. Repayment for good and evil is the Lord's domain and He will repay. We need to let it go. Amen!

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, from his very own Spirit. Also, we’ve seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we’ve embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God. 1 John 4:13‭-‬16 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/1jn.4.13-16.MSG Living steadily in Him! What a phrase! Jesus invited His disciples to do just this when He said: "Abide in Me, and I in you." The word abide denotes living in a place steadily and consistently. It gives a sense of permanence. Those who abide in a place are not transient, they buy a house, raise their children and put down roots. They become a part of the community. Therefore, child of God, put down roots, stay put and trust! Amen!

All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 1 John 4:15 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.4.15.NLT Coming to faith in Christ is not all about me, it is about His mighty love and power coming to live in me. If I invite Jesus into my heart, He comes. I become a new person. I am inhabited by a different spirit. Selfishness should no longer prevail but I am smitten by the love of God. Jesus told His disciples in John 15: 'if anyone abides in Me, the Father and I will come and make our home in him'. Having the holiness of God come and abide in you changes you, from the inside out. You have a new heart, a heart of flesh, not a heart of stone. Live in Him today, allow the softness of His presence change you! Amen!

Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer. James 1:13‭-‬15 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/jas.1.13-15.MSG Wow! This is plain talking! No excuses! A punch in the gut truth! Let's face it!  Amen!

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:12‭-‬15 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.12-15.NLT Owning up to being the source of temptation is important. Satan uses our flesh to rob us. However, we need to acknowledge our part in it so we can be on our guard. Discontent in our own lives is the breeding ground for sin and temptation. Not dealing with our own discontent correctly causes it to fester and grow. Sometimes it is an impatience for a right desire that places us in harm's way. Again inpatience is the sin. Scripture encourages us to endure al...

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.1.10.NLT Let's do a check up from the neck up! Do you worry about what people think? If the answer is yes or even yes a little then perhaps you are a people pleaser. Yesterday I had a phone call from church asking if I could help deliver meals to fire affected people. I wanted to go but knew I am responsible for a little old lady who has had a lot of issues of late, my mum. What responsibility has the Lord given me? Caring for mum and studying and befriending neighbours. The goer in me would do more but the wise one, said "No!" We can frustrate ourselves and others by want to help, to please and be involved. Always ask: what is my brief, then do that. Amen!

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.1.10.NLT Paul was defending the fact that he had preached a pure gospel, not a watered-down gospel. He went so far as to say let anyone who preached a different gospel be cursed. Now, that is a tough call, but he said it. We have a man in Australia, a prominent footballer who has preached a judgmental gospel. He may well think his gospel is pure gospel. However, God is his judge, not me. I see the effect of his preaching and he is hurting people. Yet he is telling it like it is. What gospel should we preach? What gospel did Paul preach? What gospel did he oppose? Paul was a straight talker. He called sin, sin and grace, grace. We would need to read all his epistles to understand his gospel message. Perhaps that would be a good idea. How effective is my gospel? How effective is yours? Do you have one? Ar...

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:18 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.4.18.NLT Effect love is what the Father has for us. We may know we deserve judgement but He extends love. What a dichotomy! We can beat ourselves up with guilt, or we can best others up with our judgement but let's look at Jesus. Who did he condemn? The religious leaders. Did He condemn sinners? No, He lovingly forgave them and dined with them. During our current bushfire disasters in Australia, we have those who condemn others and say the fires are caused by sin.  The ones who can change things are God's people. What can we do? Reach out! Heal our people and our land. Amen!

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:16‭-‬18 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.4.16-18.NLT We can trust that there is no judgement in God's love. This is wildly wonderful! Because my God sees me through the perfect sacrifice of His Son, who paid for all sin, I am free from His judgement. This freedom is not so I can sin and make a fool of my saviour's sacrifice but, so that I can live free from fear if I do make a mistake. Repentance is my gift from Him. I greatly cherish repentance. It re-unites me with His ...

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.11.1.NLT We has a faith eye, what we visualise with it is unseen in the natural. What do you see? Do you let yourself dream of what might be in God's economy? If not, why not? Dream! Amen!

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.11.1.NLT Faith is quiet confidence. I know my eternity is secure, my relationship with my God is my confidence. I know my Redeemer lives, by faith in His word. I know my God supports me and keeps me, goes before me. He is my finance director, my healer. He restores all my family to me, heals my hurts, breaks down all barriers and mends relationships. No matter what things look like, He is there for me. Amen!

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 1 Peter 3:13 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.3.13.NLT Oh, Lord! What does eager to do good looks like? A keen young person, on fire with the Holy Spirit? Why does it have to be a young person? Why do we fail with age? As we age we can become cynical, short-tempered and inpatient OR very gracious. Just as we decide what we will wear each day, we can decide what attitudes will clothe our spirits each day.  As Hebrews says: run the race with endurance, do not faint, strengthen the limbs that hand down (as well as the attitudes). Amen!

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 1 Peter 3:13‭-‬17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.3.13-17.NLT Doing good and suffering often go hand in hand. Many suffer for being a Christian. However, when injustice knocks I find myself angry and have to deal with the monster. Only this week I had this happen. It was as if I was playing football and had to tackle anger and subdue it. I did with much more success tha...

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. Romans 13:10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.13.10.NLT Today the news is filled with aboriginal deaths, blames around responsibility for climate change, treatment of asylum seekers and who started the bush fires. All these issues point to how we treat others. Is love foremost? If not then we operate in selfishness. Conditioned, automatic revulsion or reactions are no longer acceptable. We must be prepared to seek truth, godly truth. The kingdom of God demands loving truth. Amen!

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law. Romans 13:10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.13.10.NLT If we say we love God and hate our brother, we have chosen a base form of love, a carnal knowledge form. If we are willing to learn to love as God loves, we have chosen the right way. This requires laying down all we know and learning His love. We cannot insist we know all we need to know, this is utter foolishness. Gods love forgives and releases and makes room. It does not constrain, hold back or judge. Something can be learned right there. Amen!

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/nam.1.7.NLT Our God is a strong tower we can run to. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego we put into the fiery furnace they said: " we will not bow to foreign gods but will trust our God and if He chooses not to save us we will still believe in Him (my paraphrase). We need to trust Him. Amen!

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/nam.1.7.NLT I have read some of the posts people have written in the aftermath of the fires. Some folk are bitter and resentful to those who say 'prayers' after the devastation. I thought about it and realised that suffering people want flesh and blood coming alongside them. They do not want platitudes. In fact, some were so angry that God would do or allow such pain and lashed out saying 'there is no God'.  I understand the hurt and anger at platitudes. Platitudes are worthless. The hurting need kind faces right there, holding their hands, bringing them help. When all the drama of the fire is over, who will be there? Who will be with these people when they go back to their burnt-out homes? I know my God would be there for me. I cannot blame Him for devastation. Us humans are good at that. However, I know He lives and I can trust Him wit...

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Jeremiah 33:3 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.33.3.NLT Expect wonderful things. Don't box your head in the here and know. Fan hope, keep it alive! God has so much more for you than you see. You can never imagine how much more He has for you. Follow Him, be obedient and let Him show you His wonders. Amen!

Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Jeremiah 33:3 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.33.3.NLT This was a part of a word that God spoke to Jeremiah when he was in jail for prophesying about the destruction of Israel. I wonder if Jeremiah wanted to know more as he was obliged to say what he saw and the people did not receive his words at all. Is God speaking to you about what is to come? As our state burns and carries the weight of drought we could assume judgement had come. However, what is God saying? Why not seek Him. The problem the Israelites had was they only listened to what they wanted to hear. They expected God to rescue them whilst they still worshipped other gods. They expected to be saved because they were God's people. Yet God was speaking a word they did not want to hear. God promises that we will find Him when we seek Him with all our hearts. Amen!

“This exile is just like the days of Noah for me: I promised then that the waters of Noah would never again flood the earth. I’m promising now no more anger, no more dressing you down. For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won’t walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.” The God who has compassion on you says so. Isaiah 54:9‭-‬10 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.54.9-10.MSG In a day when we need a promise, here it is. Our God promises to stay with us. Today I was constantly on watch for bush fires. Two started less than 22 kms away. I prayed constantly but at one time I sensed the Lord whisper: "I will take care of you." The fires were put out and the danger abated.  I am mindful I must trust Him. Amen!

For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. Isaiah 54:10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.54.10.NLT God's love never abates, ours does but we cannot offend Him. We will cause ourselves damage but he is faithful. Today in Eastern Australia is a day of catastrophic weather according to the fire department. Already 100 fires are raging and more are expected. Has God fallen out of love with us? No! Is He punishing us? No! If anything we are punishing ourselves. We walk away from His protection, point the finger and lay blame, He does not. I pray for grace and mercy, I pray God's people are prepared. Amen!

God will be king over all the earth, one God and only one. What a Day that will be! Zechariah 14:9 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/zec.14.9.MSG I have often imagined what it would be like if I was alive when Jesus walked the earth. To sit and listen to Him, watch Him in action, meet His disciples and His family.  The above scripture talks about when Jesus comes in power and glory. He will rule and reign as King. What a day! Living under a righteous King. This is a part of the future. What a future that will be! Amen!

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord —his name alone will be worshipped. Zechariah 14:9 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/zec.14.9.NLT This is a part of a prophetic word about Jesus' return. It is a day we long for. Come, Lord Jesus! Leading up to this times is an outpouring of the Spirit of God and souls coming in to harvest. We are seeing a great outpouring of the Spirit and the souls are coming. There is so much negativity regarding legislation in the opposite, hatred and strife, but if we look at what God is doing we see His kingdom coming. We need to pray for souls and usher in the kingdom of God. Amen!

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.5.7.NLT The greatest mercy I have received is forgiveness of my sins. This then challenges me to also forgive the unforgivable. This can be hard for abuse victims, yet by God's grace it can be achieved. Abuse comes in all forms: child abuse, sexual abuse, spouse abuse, elder abuse, racial abuse. The list goes on. Each is them faced with the aftermath of the scars from abuse. Only God can truly heal out hurting hearts, only He can set us fully free. Seek Him. Amen!

God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.5.7.NLT This verse is just one of the beatitudes, and these are a part of Jesus' sermon on the mount. Jesus talks about the poor, seekers of justice, the humble, those who mourn, the merciful and those whose hearts are pure.  What is the opposite of merciful? Judgemental, cruel, indifferent, hard and cruel come to mind. Jesus taught, also, that we first mist rid ourselves of the plank in our own eye before trying to remove the splinter in the eyes of others. The fervour we have towards the splinters of others is overwhelming at times. I know it is for me. We must constantly take what we see to the Lord in prayer. If we see an error, rather than setting up a critical post, why not a prayer post. Praying for others humbles us and we know from the beatitudes, the humble inherit the whole earth. 

 Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear! Luke 12:3 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.12.3.NLT Be careful what you say. If you assume anonymity in all we say. Just because no one or the relevant one does not see us does not mean the words are lost, never to be found again. We may forget the words we have spoken but they are remembered and at the most inopportune time they are revealed, much to our chagrin and shame. Jesus spoke about our words and the importance of our 'yes' being 'yes' and our 'no" being 'no". All else is from the evil one.(Matthew  5:37) Let that sink in! What was Jesus saying?

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.12.25.NLT Worry is heavy. We are not meant to carry it. We are meant to cast all our cares on the Lord. He carries them and brings peace. We can be so caught up in a problem they may not even eventuate, right here and now, that we are robbed of peace that is ours today. Hand it over! Satan comes to rob, steal and destroy. I am sure he orchestrates many of the 'what if...' thoughts that plague us. He is a movie scriptwriter, not God. Give all your plans to the Lord and He will prosper your day. Amen!

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.1.7.NLT Living in the light has marvellous benefits: we have fellowship with other believers and are cleansed from our sin. How does living in the light cleanses us from our sins? In the light nothing is hidden. I know when I think a nasty thought I recognise it because of God's light around me and I repent before it takes root. I am aware of all that is unholy. Whereas if I dwell in darkness I avoid the truth and continue in sin because I refuse to face it. Walking in the light is like walking in the day. A lot easier to see. Amen!

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.  So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.  But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.  If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:5‭-‬10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.1.5-10.NLT This epistle was written by the apostle John who was very close to Jesus. John lived in the love of God and in that love he walked in the truth it contained. Here John is challenging u...

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Isaiah 40:29 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.40.29.NLT Ever felt powerless to change something: someone's opinion about you, your bank account, your work status, the bully in your life? Join the club, almost everyone will, at some time experience this impasse. If we look at the scriptures we see Jesus say: rejoice for I have overcome the world; we will see Paul say, in the darkest places: rejoice, again I say rejoice. Is Christianity crazy? It depends on your frame of reference. If you judge all things according to a gospel of sunshine and no problems then, yes. However, if you accept that problems and difficulties are a part of life and that Jesus is the victory in all things, then in the fire you can rejoice. Rejoice, rejoice, again I say rejoice! Amen!

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29‭-‬31 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.40.29-31.NLT I claim this today. No matter how I feel, I am strong. In 2 Cor 12:10 Paul actually says this as well: That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When I am weak, my God can be strong in me. His strength never fails. Amen!

Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. 1 Chronicles 16:11 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1ch.16.11.NLT Not by my might or strength but Your's Lord, I am strong. Today it was a struggle to get out of bed, so I did it anyway. I said to the Lord: "just as I put on my clothes, I put on Your strength Lord!" Then I went for a walk and came home refreshed. Tonight I sit and gaze at a beautiful sunset that reminds me, my God is strong, greater than the sun. Amen!

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, 1 Chronicles 16:8‭-‬12 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1ch.16.8-12.NLT When times are tough it is good to remember, bring to remembrance the great things God has done in you and for you. Remembering brings forth praise, faith for today and hope for tomorrow. Remembering was something God exhorted His people to do. They were not always diligent to do so and therefore suffered unnecessarily. Remembering stirs up faith. Take time to remember God's goodness towards you! Amen!

God, you are my God. I celebrate you. I praise you. You’ve done your share of miracle-wonders, well-thought-out plans, solid and sure. Here you’ve reduced the city to rubble, the strong city to a pile of stones. The enemy Big City is a non-city, never to be a city again. Superpowers will see it and honor you, brutal oppressors bow in worshipful reverence. They’ll see that you take care of the poor, that you take care of poor people in trouble, Provide a warm, dry place in bad weather, provide a cool place when it’s hot. Brutal oppressors are like a winter blizzard and vicious foreigners like high noon in the desert. But you, shelter from the storm and shade from the sun, shut the mouths of the big-mouthed bullies. Isaiah 25:1‭-‬5 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/isa.25.1-5.MSG The love of God for the poor and afflicted is tantamount. He does not hide His eyes. His eyes are on those who trust Him and call Him by name. Trust Him! Put your faith in Him! Amen!

O Lord , I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them. Isaiah 25:1 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.25.1.NLT I praise God for the salvations that are occurring throughout the world, right now. There is a move of God far and above all the noise. Praise Him! We might be seeing activism's for all manner of rights, demands and the disruptions these are causing, people are taking suicide in droves instead of turning to truth, yet, amidst all this souls are coming into the kingdom of God. I praise God for good rain, I praise Him for His life-giving Spirit that is being poured out at the same time. May Your Kingdom come Lord, Your will be done. Amen!

“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. Matthew 5:10 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/mat.5.10.MSG One thing I do know: persecution pushes me deeper into God and that can only be good for my soul. Our God is there for us when all are against us. He is our rock, our shield our sustenance and strength. The church is being driven to it's maker and forerunner. Just as He was persecuted so are we. Yet glory is coming in the birth of many new souls. Amen!

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Matthew 5:11 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.5.11.NLT Our world is full of persecuted believers and the numbers are growing. If you are persecuted you are not alone. Jesus was persecuted to death but He had the victory, He rose from the dead. When you are persecuted, make sure it is because you are right with God and not right with the world. If the world cannot see Christ in us we have a problem. You are to be the light to the world. Jesus reminds us that a light is not put under a basket but set on a hill for all to see. Make sure the light in you is Christ in you, the hope of the world. He draws the lost and feeds the hungry. Be His source. Amen!

If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name! 1 Peter 4:14‭-‬16 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/1pe.4.14-16.MSG I read about the suffering of Christians in China and know that they are used by God in their suffering to convict their abusers and bring them to the light. Oh Lord! Have mercy! May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done! Amen!

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.  If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 1 Peter 4:12‭-‬17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.4.12-17.NLT Isn't it interesting that a part of suffering is judgement? What does this mean? Proverbs11...

Jesus, knowing they were out to get him, moved on. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah: Look well at my handpicked servant; I love him so much, take such delight in him. I’ve placed my Spirit on him; he’ll decree justice to the nations. But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice; there’ll be no commotion in the streets. He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings, won’t push you into a corner. Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off unbelievers. Matthew 12:15‭-‬21 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/mat.12.15-21.MSG Jesus is all about justice. He was never about self but rather laid down His life for others and called us to follow His example. Amen

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. Matthew 12:18 NIV https://matthew.bible/matthew-12-18 This verse is a part of a prophecy Isaiah made about Jesus in 42:1-4. It is quoted word for word by Matthew in his gospel. However, the very last verse from Isaiah is missing:: he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching, the islands will put their hope.” Isaiah 42:4 Before being taken up from the earth Jesus opened the disciple's minds to the scripture that told of His coming. Matthew was one who had been with Jesus throughout Jesus' three years in ministry and so his account is reliable. How did Jesus proclaim justice to the nations? Jesus taught kingdom principles on how to treat others. He challenged many accepted attitudes and beliefs with grace and mercy. He attacked the religious leaders for their false humility. Justice come...