The day with dianne Louise

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT Receiving authority and power to act on behalf of another is great favour indeed. If an earthly king gave you a letter stating you represent him and have authority to act in his name, what would you do? Would you bury the letter? Would you burn it? Or would you act? How would you behave? The king of Kings has given us His authority and power to bring others into His Kingdom. We have all we need to do this task. How then will you proceed? Think about it! It is time to act. Amen!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts of the Apostles 1:8 NLT The power of God is what we need, not our own power. When we get caught up telling what we have done we might impress or repel but rarely do we change people. The power of the Holy Spirit changes people, from the inside out. My story is full of opportunities that God has given me to be His light in a dark world. Today is another such opportunity. We are blessed to be a blessing: rich above measure have we received God's glory. Be a blessing today. Amen!

Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Ephesians 4:26‭-‬27 MSG What kind of things makes you angry? Is there a pattern developing? Is it right to be angry? What is the resolution of your anger?  You are not built to hold anger longer than a few hours without damage. How long are you holding on to your anger? Do you know the damage anger does? It rots your insides. Is this what you want? Make sure you lnow all the answers. Amen!

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26‭-‬27 NLT Two nights ago I had someone proudly tell me she was 'so angry' with her church for the way they behaved during the COVID19 period. I told her it was not worth becoming angry, unresolved she will become bitter. We all get angry but we should not allow it to cause us to sin. What does God's word say about anger: don"t let anger control you (See above). Anger controls us when it has control in our hearts and minds and plays over and over the senario that upset us. We need to break the reel play with confessing our own sin and handing it over to God and allowing Him to deal with it. Why give it to God? Anger is like nitroglycerin, it is explosive if handled wrongly. It destroys lives, incites murder, leaves bitterness when it moves on. Keep a clean heart! Amen!

For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13 NLT With God every day is an adventure, some are surprises but if we trust Him they work out for our good, if we just hang on. Today started at 3am. I had gone to bed early last night as I was drained from the night before. However, my body knows what it needs and 7 hours sleep was enough. I managed to finish my English exam amd pack ready to leave for Coffs Harbour and a weekend away with friends. The day went well even though it threatened to go awry. Adobe would not convert my assignment amd I needed help to solve the problem. Help came. A lovely young girl was employed by Adobe to intervene and that she did well. The firsf draft of the assignment had not gone well and I needed to rewrite. That also went exceptionally well. Praise God! The trip was pleasant as I did not need to drive. We took out time and saw sights I have not seen before. We called in to ...

For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13 NLT We must remember that Israel is one of the smallest nations, yet their God championed them. We can trust Him to champion us. If the God who created the universe can champion me, who am I to be afraid. He is good and His love is unfathomable. Give Him your cries, your grief, your pain and watch Him work. He is able to do great things and you can trust Him. Amen!

Give your burdens to the Lord , and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalms 55:22 NLT What I love about this scripture is that my God will not allow me to slip or fall. I can trust Him. As I give up my burdens and leave them there, He goes to work. The best part is as allow Him to do His job and retain control of the problem, His solutions are always full of life. He is amazing! Why not try Him?

Give your burdens to the Lord , and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalms 55:22 NLT Some people have vice-like grips on their burdens and develop a bitter spirit. How can they be set free? Jesus uses those who are broken to pour out His grace and mercy. If we spend all our time trying to save our lives, we lose them, but worse, we are not His ministers to the world. Last night I had an opportunity to allow His fragrance out. It sure isn't mine and I cannot claim glory for it. Watching God work in lives of others is worth all yhe gold in all the mines of the world. Allow God to break and use you! Amen!

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25 NLT Having something new to wear is not important, unless your current clothes are worn out. I remember a times when I bought a lot of clothes because my identity was tied up in them: no longer! We can allow self-pity to work its way in us and make us believe because we don't have this or that we are poor and needy. Rubbish! That is a lie from the pit! It is us who makes a fuss about how we look. If we are clean and tidy, no one else will care, noone worth their mettle that is. Those that judge outer appearance are superficial and not worth trying to impress. Turn your eyes to Jesus and seek Him first and all you need will be yours. Amen!

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God . You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God , prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. Psalm 119:1‭-‬8 MSG Have you ever been on a bush track, bush walking? It is always advisable to stay on the track or you could become injured or lost. I have a friend who is fit and young. One day he went down a track on his own amd had a nasty fall. He broke his right arm badly and it took weeks to heal. We have a place called the Blue Mountains in NSW, Australia wher...

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord . Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. Psalms 119:1‭-‬2 NLT It is a happy day indeed when you know your sins are forgiven and that your heart leans in to love God and His ways.  We are incapable of good behaviour without a new heart, and this He gives us freely when we come to Him in repentance desiring Him as our Lord and saviour. When I was a child I sought the Lord diligently but thought I would need to become a nun to find Him. Fortunately He found me when I was nursing far away from home. What a joyful day that was! Never have I turned back on the day of salvation amd never will I. Jesus is an excellent saviour and a worthy friend. Amen!

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NLT Today two good friends laid to rest their own desires to help me. I am eternally grateful! I qaa in need and called out for help and they came. We had good fun together. The first part of laying down our lives for eaxh other is true but I have been a perpetual giant on the outside whilst crumbling on the inside. Today I was honest and was grateful for the result. The upside of today is that we are going away for a weekend together to the beach as the restrictions within our state have lifted. I love the beach and long to go there. Praise God! But, not only did we make plans together, one stayed on and played me a game which I desperately needed. My mum and I played evey day. This is one huge thing I have missed since she died 3 months ago. Oh how I have missed it! 

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NLT I hear a song in my memory: Lay down, lay down, let it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown Lay down, lay down, let it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown … We are called to lay down our own likes and dislikes for others. There's that word again: others. Laying down the desire for love and relationship is big for me, and yet again, and again I am asked to lay it down. Perhaps this is my cross, my sacrifice. Instead I must go, and look for those who need to be loved. There are many unloved, uncared for. Whilesoever I have the capacity I must love others: the lost, the lonely and the undeserving. Amen!

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. Luke 9:23‭-‬24 NLT Giving up what we want for what God wants deals with our selfishness. At our core we desire comfort and what makes us comfortable. Yet Jesus asks us to give up these desires and follow Him. Following Jesus may take us into strange and foreign lands, it may mean we stay put and serve Him in our own towns and streets. We may need to lay down our desires for having family around for giving family to others. Each of us has a calling and a task. All of them require us to be selfless. As we lay down our own desires and pick up His we become His disciples. Amen!

In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training , the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live ? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the ti...

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Hebrews 12:11 NLT I dont think it is pleasant being didciplined, however, if we accept it we will be better for it. Under COVID19 we are all experiencing discipline of some sort. We are restrained in where we can go. This can feel frustrating, yet necessary. In Australia the premier of our state is frustrated with the premier of Queensland who won't let us in. NSW has still got COVID19 and QLD has not and they dont want it. I quite understand, however QLD relies on tourism from the other states and is suffering at present.  This exanple is logical and understandable. The stance of China in not wanting the world poking around to find the source of the disease is not logical. China is refusing Australia's products. This will harm both countries. We can lash out when offended and take stances that hurt us and others. O...

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Galatians 6:7 NLT I love planting flowers and veggies. I have seedings in and with recent rain they are happily sprouting. I know I can expect what I planted to grow. This is the same with all of what we do: whether it is giving or what we say. Everyrhing in life produces a harvest. I loved looking after my mum unitl she died. In the same way my children are committed to care for me.  Our God gives us a portfolio of things to do in this life. Much like the parable he told about the man planting a vineyard and going away for a long time. On his return he expected a harvest. He expects a harvest from us as well. Be prepared!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Galatians 6:7 NLT We expect our farmers to experience this, mostly they do, depending on the weather. However, we forget this is a universal principle and that it applies to what comes out of our mouth. Complaining about others gives the devil seed to sow in the lives of others. We forget we are also responsible for our actions. If we sow judgement we receive judgement. If we sow grace, we receive grace. If we want more friendship, we need to sow it. Amen!

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. John 14:1 NLT What vauses you yo feel troubled? Money? Relationships? Lack of relationships?Jesus is telling us not to be troubled.  Yesterday I was feeling unwell and my phone died. I knew I needed to find someone to help me. As the battery died I texted someone to help. They didn't receive the message. I emailed another friend, they didn't respond. By this time I realised that becoming upset was not the way to go. So...I prayed and praised and kept studying as I had a class at 5pm. My body was saying: I quit. I don't want to study, I dont want to do any class. I did it anyway and enjoyed it, even though it went and hour over time. My diligence in study made the class enjoyable. I knew the answers. This morning i had a brain wave to try a cord that I had deemed broken for my charger. Lo, it worked. I am back on the air. Having a day in complete quiet was good for me. Now everyone I wanted to call, did ...

“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe   in God; believe also in Me. John 14:1 HCSB We have a saying : trust is earned, not given. We all tend to apply this to all, including God. He knows us and prooves Himself by His faithfulness again and again. Some may say: i prayed for finance and it did not come. We find our answer in the book of James. James tells us our prayers go unanswered because they are selfish prayers or not done in faith. If I pray for finance, I pray and thank God for the answer. By not complaining about lack to any who will listen, I receive. We must decide if we will trust God. If we do we stay focussed on Him and do not complain or abuse others for the lack. The scripture above tells us our hearts must not be troubled. We troyble it by our chatter and complaining. Try praising your way out. Amen!

Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 HCSB I have a door bell but as it is battery operated, every now and then people cant raise me via the bell and have to resort to knocking. Some people are timid knockers. Myself, I am not. I like to make myself heard. I dont imagine Jesus is timid and that His knock can be heard. However, if we have other noises  cranked up, we will not hear Him. Imagine you have a delivery man at the door and he is delivering an amazing gift, perhaps flowers or a set of golf clubs (for the more manly audience). This delivery man does not leave the gift and go. He must deliver, personally. Jesus is like this.  So, if you want your amazing gift...stay tuned in. Amen!

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20 NLT Today and everyday Jesus is knocking. This scripture was taken from the book of Revelation. It is a part of a nessage given to a church who knew and accepted Jesus. Yet, there was a problem. This church believed it was rich and had enough. It had stopped seeking God as their first breath. Jesus told them to buy gold from Him refined in the fire so that they might indeed be rich according to His standards. He was not impressed and told them He would spew them from His mouth. Strong words!  We need to hear what Jesus is saying to the churches and determine we are all in! Amen!

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:18 NLT Believing is important but more important is believing in the right things: that is what God deems as right. We love to decide what is right in our own minds yet if the decision is not based on God's truth we will come unstuck. Jesus told a parable about this: the wise man built his house upon a rock so that when the storms came it did not wash away. The foolish man built his house on sand and when the storms came it was washed away. Choose wisely! Amen!

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:18 NLT If our faith is firm in Jesus, there is no condemnation from Him. There is one who condemns and his name is Satan, the father of lies. All the evil in the world is devised by Satan: he is the whisperer, the critic, the malicious one, the devised of cruel and ruthless acts. He who the Son sets free is free indeed. There is no deception or subterfuge in Him. We can trust Jesus with our lives. Amen!

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT Waves of depression are affecting many in isolation. I have joined a Facebook group called 'View from my window', and many are telling of the difficulty of being isolated. There are many in their late 80s and 90s isolated.  Isolation can be difficult but one thing I know: when depression and anxiety come in raise up a praise and start worshipping the Lord. Put Him in front of your eyes and He will draw you through. We don't have all the answers but He does. He is also the miracle worker. Amen!

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3 NLT   The staying strong in isolation can be very draining emotionally. Today I find myself empty of resolve, which tends to be my energy source.  In times like this I must seek my God for His presence and His infilling. He must be my source and supply. His supply is ample and will never fail me.  So...I will strengthen the limbs that hang down and raise them in praise and worship. Worship will take me there. Amen!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel,  because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 HCSB Hope is Jesus! The gospel is the story about Jesus. Receiving the gospel changed my life, it will change others. I cannot be ashamed of the gospel. What does being ashamed look like? Perhaps it is living in fear of the disfavor of others, perhaps it is the unwillingness to share the good news. We must determine today to break out of our boundaries and share the good news. Jesus wants to set people free. Amen!

Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 HCSB Let the message about Jesus dwell (abide) in you. If we abide somewhere we get to intimately know all the inhabitants of the area. We become familiar with the landscape, the landmarks and the wildlife. We are invited to know God's word intimately. I love reading my bible and finding all the interesting little nuances in the text. Each little thing is special and significant. We have been learning to abide during this Covid19 period  I can say I have seen a lot of evidence that people have become, more humane. As we abide in Christ we become pickled by His flavour. In fact we become rather tasty. So...stay put!

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Colossians 3:16 NLT In a time when unemployment figures, when death tolls are graphed and economic outlooks fill our ears, there is a better message. There is a message of hope for a struggling world. Jesus came to earth when Israel was occupied by a foreign power. He did not attempt to set the country free but rather set the hearts of its inhabitants free. Many are searching for an answer. Jesus is the answer. He is the hope of my life. Amen!

If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath. Psalm 34:18 MSG We have all seen movies about a hero who has been beaten badly by villians. Our sympathy is with the hero and we pray he will rise up and teach the villains a thing or two. Jesus did just this. He was scourged, then crucified and buried in a tomb but...he rose from the dead after taking the keys of death and hell from His adversary. What a guy! He, therefore can sympathise with us. Not only this, He will stand by us, cover us and walk with us through the fire, ensuring we do not burn. It is all down to this: faith! You can trust Him! Amen!

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Psalms 34:18 NLT Perhaps you are wondering where is God in the Covid19? He is not the cause but He is close by to help all who call on Him. He does not require us to be perfect to call. In fact, the man who hung next to Him on the cross asked that he might go to Paradise with Jesus and was told "Yes! Today you will be with me in Paradise!" Those who are crushed in spirit have been totally destroyed by a painful circumstance. I know that pain and God is indeed the healer of it. Today, we can still trust the Lord for He is good, contrary to popular opinion. Amen!

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 1 John 3:18 NLT Words are easy to say for most, yet, what backs up our words? Are our words thoughtfully spoken or rolled out like a regular, off-pat line that we used and have used for a long time. The unfortunate thing is that some of our automaton lines exude enough emotion for us to believe we are sincere. However, our follow up actions speak to our sincerity or lack thereof much more than our words realise. Remember: in deed and in truth! Amen!

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. 1 John 3:18‭-‬19 NLT Giving can be a challenge when there is no income or greatly reduced income. How then can we give? We can be creative. We can bake extra and give it; we can give our time; our prayers; or we can pray for the stretch.  What does the stretch look like? Say we budget $150 a week for food, now ask God to make it last like He did the oil and the flour for the prophet and the widow. The next week you may not need to spend the $150 or maybe a whole lot less. This surplus you can give.  God is waiting to give a miracle. Amen!

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NLT Jesus knew why He came: He came to rescue mankind. Yet, He was born a baby and had to wait for 30 years before He could fulfill His mandate. Did He become frustrated, wanting to rebel and start out sooner?  We aren't told He did,  rather scripture tells us He submitted to His parents. He came as a ransom for many. So...why did I come? To end my days with coffers full of gold? A string of houses, an amazing investment portfolio? No! I came as an emissary of the king to win souls for His kingdom. The treasure the Lord is after is human hearts faithful to Him. Amen!

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NLT To serve instead of being served is life-giving. Yesterday I received a call from a woman I know from church who had struggled for years to find good employment. She now cares for the elderly in a retirement home, helping them exercise and with life skills. She is alive with joy. Her employers are paying for her to become fit as she was not beforehand. I have watched this lady go from struggling to believe to shining. She was diligent in her seeking work and now she is blessed. This lady has been an army cadet officer. She is a grandmother and diligent in that role as well. I was so pleased to hear the news, especially in this time when people are losing jobs. God always has a way. Amen!

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:23 NLT When we are crossing a road with our children or entering the surf we say: hold tight. The prospect of the resultant damage if they fail to obey is unbearable. Our heavenly Father tells us to hold tight. He can be trusted and will care for us. He will make sure we get through the valley, the storm or tempest. We just need to hold tight. Amen!

Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 HCSB The writer  goes on to say: for you have need of endurace, so that you might proove the will of the father and receive what has been promised. What has He promised you? Does it look highly improbable? He likes those odds. We cannot judge God's word by our present circumstances. It would not be a miracle if everything looked right. Hold fast and believe! Amen!

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17 NLT I learnt a real lesson watching a series about our Queen Elizabeth. From a young age she was schooled in the way of royalty. Her sister Margaret was a rebel and would not follow decorum. This caused friction between them both but Elizabeth constantly brought herself back to centre: what is right to do? Christians are royalty and represent the king of kings. He is loving but righteous. He is very right in all He does and so should we be. There are no grey areas, no hidden sins or agendas permissible. What is right to do?

Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. Colossians 3:15‭-‬17 MSG We stay at peace with one another by staying in Christ. If I am in Christ I do not hear, or hardly hear, the accuser. He is out to divide us. Next I commit to pray for you. I turn each thought around to a prayer for you. If I am praying for you I cannot criticize you. Next I stay in the word. It reproves and improves me. Lastly, singing defeats complaining and sweetens the air about you. You fall in love with God and His creation all over again. Enjoy others and the day...

Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates. Proverbs 31:31 HCSB Let her work praise her! What an interesting thought. Whilst my desire is to have the Lord praise me at the end of my days, to consider my works praising me now is different. How can my works praise me? Well, Proverbs 31 tells us that the children of this woman rise up and praise her. Ok, so my children can praise me, but how do my works praise me at the gates? The gates of the city used to be where people met and decisions were made. So, perhaps like social media perhaps. Today I posted a poem I had written for my mum who recently passed away. In it I praised her for her valor and strength in sickness. Later Facebook reminded me of a post I had done in 2015. It was about my mum's sense of humor. I reposted it. It reminded all who knew her of her witty sense of humor and I hoped it would bless my siblings who were hurting. So, I suppose the world is watching how we behave and remem...

Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates. Proverbs 31:31 HCSB Who is she? The woman that proverbs 31 talks about. Yet there are many shes. Where do we find them? We find many in th e bible, in history and all around us. Personally I am grateful for my mother,  my grandmothers and aunts who all added to my life and taught me something. I want to be one that is remembered by those who know me but more importantly by the one I serve, my God. If He says: "well done!" Then it must be. I want to lead well, impart gpdliness and righteousness and faith, and be appreciated for those very things, What were the women in the bible commended for? Their faith in their God. They trusted God to be their provider, judge and all. I am reminded of the small and insignificant characters: Hagar, Rahab, Ruth, the widow of Nain who was not given a name, Hannah,  the woman with the issue of blood, who also was nameless. These women were real and impacted their...

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Psalms 42:11 NLT Today I had a lovely surprise, I was given a fianancial gift unexpectedly. This did wonders for my heart. God's unexpected gifts are best but there can also be a down side. When we expect gifts and do not receive them we can be down and even depressed. Our enemy comes in like a flood to overwhealm us with negativity and doubt. His lies are very effective unless we have our guard up. I find the best way to deal with him is to not expect people to bless me but put my faith in God to bless me. I understand His timing is best. Always!

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. Psalm 42:11 MSG When we fix our eyes on ourselves with a 'poor me' attitude we become depressed. Yet if we fix our eyes on Christ we see the One who faced death amd defeated it by rising again. He did die but rose again. If this was not enough, His death paid for my sin and allowed me access to the Father. Now I can come in faith knowing I am clean and welcome in. My God gave me a way out of eternal death, will He now also provide a way out of sickness and disease, poverty and strife? Yes! I will hope in Christ alone! Amen!

Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God. Psalm 42:11 MSG When we fix our eyes on ourselves with a 'poor me' attitude we become depressed. Yet if we fix our eyes on Christ we see the One who faced death amd defeated it by rising again. He did die but rose again. If this was not enough, His death paid for my sin and allowed me access to the Father. Now I can come in faith knowing I am clean and welcome in. My God gave me a way out of eternal death, will He now also provide a way out of sickness and disease, poverty and strife? Yes! I will hope in Christ alone! Amen!

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. Ezekiel 36:26 NLT Being tender hearted can take some adjustment. Without the hand of God and the promised new heart we will struggle all life long. Our natural bent is self-will and this, in itself is hard hearted towards God. How to change? Jesus said: abide in Me and I will abide in you and you can ask whatever you will and it will be done for you. Therefore, abiding seems to be a key.  If I marinate a piece of meat, the longer it soaks in the marinade, the softer it gets. It is the same with our own hearts. Stay put in the juice. Amen!

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. Ezekiel 36:26 NLT Mankind heart, in it's natural self is hard and unresponsive. This is one things Jesus often commented on. He even asked His disciples: are you going to desert me also? John 6:60 A stony stubborn heart is our natural bent. It excludes the voice of God. It is already full of lust and idolatry. When Jesus asked His disciples if they would desert Him, many had. He had started to teach a heavy doctrine about His flesh and blood that smacked of cannibalism. Yet Jesus was not referring to His physical body but what He represented, a new way, a new heart. Jesus' disciples, with the exception of Judas, did receive a new heart, a born again heart which was filled by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT When things get tough we can either gear up our effort in prayer or walk away. Who knows if we were just about to make break-through when we quit? I have refused to give up! I claim breakthrough in souls coming through to salvation. I claim victory over defeat. Today I received fresh vision for a project that had languished. God is not finished. All is well! Amen!

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 MSG The best way to never give up in prayer is to have a prayer list. Mine in on my bible ap. You can ask friends to join yoin you as well. Daily I must click that I have covered that request in prayer. We might all think we never give up but I can assure you that human nature does wander and without a regular committment it is forgotten. Stay the course, stay committed to prayer. Amen!

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT People are facing losing businesses and homes and without God's intervention, they will. Yet what happens when God is the driver? Doors open, provision comes and ways are made plain. If God has ordered a project, He will pay His bills. If He hasn't ordered the project you best pray for His grace and mercy and trust Him to bring you through. It is time to meet God in His arena. Amen!

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT We limit ourselves with our thinking but God doesn't have such a problem. He knows all things are possible. I often hear others say: I am too old to do that; I am too young to do that; I am too small to do that; I am too large to do that, and so on. If anything is possible with God then we need to think like He thinks to find new, innovative solutions. There is a way, if we will just look for the seed of the solution in the problem. Sometimes all we need is a seed of an idea. Once found we can plant it, water it and watch it grow. Amen!

I am counting on the Lord ; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. Psalms 130:5 NLT Each of us will have aspects of our life that we struggle to control: our appetite, our laziness, our workaholic tendencies. Whatever our defect we must come to realise we are incapable of self-control and turn to the Lord for help. You are not alone, I am one and even the apostle Paul cried out in book of Romans: oh wicked man that I am, the good I would do I don't do and the bad I don't want to do I do. Who will deliver me from this body of sin? Praise God our Lord Jesus Christ (My paraphrase). We must all come to depend on Him. Amen!

 I am counting on the Lord ; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. Psalms 130:5 NLT I need to know God is trustworthy. I have tested His word again and again and He has not failed me. Therefore I can trust in the Lord. We cannot trust ourselves to save us, we fail again and again. We cannot hope in others to save us, they, like us have failed again and again. We need to find One we can trust and I know we can trust the Lord. Amen!

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT  Untried we may well disagree with this scripture. We might say: I am addicted to coffee or chocolate or... it all boils down to willingness to surrender or endure. Temptation might turn worse to adultery, pornography, drugs. This is where divine deliverance and intervention might be needed. Our God can set us free and make a way where there does not appear to be a way. We have to trust Him as our victory and our strength. Amen!

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT Do you find yourself taking the way out or stumbling right into the temptation? I find myself often having said something and realizing later I should not have said it. What to do? If God said He will provide a way out then I need to ask Him for His help and He will give it. He will also forgive us when we ask. God's help is a still small voice saying "not that way, this way" or something like an awareness of the temptation so that I can choose to say 'No!' Remember God does not tempt us. We are drawn away by our own evil predilections (Likings or Tendencies). James tells us this truth and we must not blame God for them but ask for insight and understanding. Being aware of our sin helps us stay humble and human ...

Even now — this is the Lord ’s declaration — turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Joel 2:12 HCSB Even now means even now. We can take this message literally. We are bid to come to the Lord with all our hearts, with fasting from our comfort foods, repentance of our wrong doing and mourning over what we have done. Repentance is when we acknowledge our wrong and repentance is a firm resolve to, with God's help, walk away. These things are all doable. Amen!

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.Psalms 46:1‭ When in times of trouble, who do you call? Friend? Family? Emergency Services? Beyond Blue? (A mental help line in Australia) All of these are good, yet at times none of them can solve the problem or are unable through distance, financial lack or time. The Lord has a cute way of teaching me He is the One. He will make people unavailable or inaccessible. Rather than become annoyed with the people I quickly realize he is saying: pick Me! Although people love to the best of their abilities they are not God in being able to be all places all the time. He never sleeps. He is always on duty. Try getting to know Him. You can trust Him! Amen!

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. Psalms 46:1 NLT Some of you would have experienced a need for a place of refuge, be it from domestic violence or much worse, society violence within your own country. If you are a persecutes minority, this can be crushing and leaving you a need to flee. Where do we run to? The first place is the Lord and ask for guidance, protection and provision. He will provide. If He was so interested in providing for a woman of another culture and faith in the time of Elijah and Elisha, he can provide for you, His own who puts your trust in Him. God is our refuge and strength. We may feel like our world is falling apart, yet the Kingdom of God is unshaken and we belong to this. Amen!

Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance. Proverbs 21:3 MSG  What does clean living look like? First consider what is not clean living. Paul tells us in Galations 5 that the works of the flesh(unclean living) are: It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community.  Quite ugly isn't it. How does it come about? Living for self and not abiding in Christ or not yielding to Him. We get to ...

The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices. Proverbs 21:3 NLT What is right indeed? If we are the determiners of what is right, then we are in trouble. Our hearts are fearfully corrupt, they always choose what pleases me. It may have all the appearance of being good, but you can be sure, if it gives you an emotional buzz, you are pleasing you. Here you must distinguish your Father's pleasure to your pleasure and the way to do this is: is the motive guided by the rock of salvation in my life? Does what I am doing agree with the word of God and is it God directed? If the answer is yes then you are doing good from His motivation not your own. If no or unsure, seek Him and ask Him. Amen!