The day with dianne Louise

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT Simcere searches are rewarded. Do you remember either yourself or your children being told to go and look for something,  and not finding that thing told you didn't really look? God is like this. He is waiting for genuine searches. Imagine being one of those who Jesus came to visit after His resurrection,  how good would that have been? Now imagine you were one who hears about Him visiting others, but He did not visit you! How would you feel? A similar scenario is about to be played out in the return of Christ.  Jesus Himself said: two would be in a field, one will be taken the other left (Matt 24:40). Jesus was constantly saying things like: he who has an ear let him hear. We must pay attention. He is returning soon. Tonight the Western world is running around pretending to be witches and warlock...

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT Faith says: Jesus is enough, He paid the price, He covered all my sin: past, present and future. There is nothing more to add, He is my goodness, my righteousness, my completeness. Today I can walk in acceptance of this truth and live for Him, trusting Him to use me for His glory. My faith in Him is what gives Him pleasure, it opens doors for me and strengthens me. My faith is essential and necessary. 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 Oh God! We can confront in a way that destroys or builds up. Admittedly being confronted is not easy, initially it can be painful, I pray that it allows room for recovery. I did this today, however I also did other things well.  Today I invited a friend to drop her two daughters to my house next Sunday after I return from church, and I will teach them Sunday School. She asked if she could come as well. Praise God! I have dreamed of this.  I also attended a fund raiser for my great nephew who is travelling to Singapore to play soccer. That went well. I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. I spoke to another nephew and was asked to join the family on Christmas Day again, and make the icecream cake I made last year. It is good when people remember. Praise God! I then went and helped my first nephew weed his front garden. He and his partner were gr...

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 Sometimes we can be caught in a web of deception and not know it. In an effort to stay connected with family we can inadvertently  be coaxed to say more than we should to a member whose goal is fact finding about another member, without a heart concern, in other words a gossip. Then the original member discovers our involvement and is offended and hurt. The unfortunate thing about fact finders is they talk to you more  and make you feel wanted. Therein lies the deception.  Why am ai talking about this? Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat. Well, we can be the goose if not careful. In all our conversations godliness must be woven, love and forgiveness must be present. If selfish ambition is present then they are not. The desire for connection can couch selfishness and deception. Yuk! Speaking from experience, devastation can ...

This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:17 NLT In the book fo Esther we see Esther having to go to the king, her husband, to ask for mercy for her people. However, even though she was queen, she could be killed to going uninvited. Esther received favour from the king, and all was well. As Christians we have favour before the King of Kings, because of Jesus. Without the blood of Christ it was a scary  time for those who came into God's presence. They could die instantly if they failed to come correctly.  We are blessed because of Jesus and Jesus alone! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Amen!

This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:17 NLT Last night I went to the movies with girlfriendd to watch Mrs Harris goes to Paris. Mrs Harris is inspired to buy a Christian Dior dress, and has several windfalls which enables a cleaning lady to travel to Paris to buy an expensive dress. All silly nonsense, but apparently the story around the woman who changes the course of a fashion house has some merit.  We have a better windfall than dollars or dresses, we have eternal life. Jesus gives us the good news in the gospels, especially John 3:16. Paul, the writer of Romans had the same experience. He was travelling the way of a religious zealot, persecuting Christians, when Jesus knocks him from his horse and asks why Paul is persecuting Him. Paul had what is called a paradigm shift. I have had this shift, from religious Catholi...

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 1 Corinthians 13:6 NLT As  Christians we fight for truth daily, in ourselves, our families and friends and our communities and countries. Our enemy is fighting fiercely for his way of lies, bondage and theft. We fool ourselves if we assume for a minute that anything has changed. Satan no longer cloakes himself in deceptive niceness, now he is going for the jugular, our jugular. We must rise up and battle the lies or our babies and children will be sold into death and destruction. Love is what God is, not lust or 'lets not offend anyone' lies. Love confronts lovingly and in a spirit of reconciliation.  We have the mandate of reconciliation upon us, let's walk in it with authority. We have Halloween to confront next week. Let us do it in a loving spirit. Amen!

It (love) does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 1 Corinthians 13:6 NLT Justice is dear to my heart. I have just started studying a unit of Law for my Linguistics degree. I have discovered the point where our forebears rejected theocracy (or the kings version of it) and voted for the individual. Unfortunately,  they believed that the individual had the ability to make good choices, however, wisely they knew that we needed assistance, and gave us laws. Government is also subject to the law. That being said, it only applies in countries that believe in democracy.  Unfortunately there are many countries who do not have good government, but instead corruption or communism rules. The children of Israel had God as their ruler but they wanted a king and God gave them one, with a warning. Only God is just. The millennium will be a very interesting time where the rulers of the world have to go to Jerusalem to meet with Jesus. Their egos will not enjo...

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16 NLT As we watch the war in Ukraine we see an army that has trained, and outperformed their former selves from 2014. When Russia took the Crimea in 2014 the Ukraine army was untrained.  Now they out-manouver Russia in many battles.  Their biggest challenge is not becoming hardened at the atrocities perpetrated by Russia. We are in a war with Satan, he is constant, endeavouring to take our territory,  destroy our finances and families. In our war the challenge is to see ourselves as God sees us, and also allow God to be God. He must be the vindicator, the changer of hearts not us. We must trust Him and stay faithful. By allowing God to be the master strategist,  we can fight a good fight, and be as wise as serpents, but as gentle as doves. We must keep our focus. Amen!

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16 NLT Have you ever thought of a snake as shrewd? I haven't! I have heard the term when used in the phrase: 'she was a shrewd old woman!' This usually refers to money handling. So what does shrewd actually mean here? The footnotes in my study bible talks about snakes fleeing from danger. I was out walking a few weeks back and came across a deadly brown snake (Australia's worst) and it was fleeing the road I found it on. It was not planning an attack, as we mostly assume they do. It was flicking its long tail to climb the gutter of a footpath. It knew that danger was approaching in the form of my dog and myself.  The disciples were also told to be harmless as doves. Doves do not retaliate or plan their defence, they are harmless, gentle, quiet and beautiful, they are usually welcome by good people. So, know when to flee  and be gentle about it. Amen!

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. Psalms 34:19 NLT Many troubles will follow us,especially if we see walking righteously. The more I pursue God and sharing the gospel the hotter the persecution. Mine comes in the form of rejection.  It started a long time ago. It seems to be my enemy 's favourite weapon against me, plus robbery. Now, neither matter, yet these are still his favourite weapons. But, I am still called, appointed and annointed for the preaching of the gospel. His kingdom is all that matters. Amen!

The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. Psalms 34:19 NLT David was having to pretend to be insane to save himself from King Achish, however he thanks the Lord for his deliverance. Have we ever pretended to be something else in order to escape danger or a trap? I remember being almost caught in a trap because I had been foolish and went somewhere with a person I didn't know(I was 18). He had a sexual encounter planned, I realised my mistake just in time and talked about my boyfriend, non-stop (this was before I met Jesus- after then I would have talked about Jesus). It saved me, and I learned a lesson. Avoidance of traps is so much safer and better with the Lord, He is our best protection. He goes before us and He warns us. David trusted in the Lord to deliver him. In verse 8 he says: Taste and see that the Lord is good, how happy is the man who takes refuge in Him! Wisdom dictates that there are things we should avoid,  and we should no...

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalms 28:7 NLT The joy of trusting the Lord is palpable. At times we have to press through the cloud of rubbish in our way to seek Him, He is still here. Tonight I have connect group - bible study. This afternoon I rested and then decided to cook chocolate brownies, not an Australian treat. Wow! It is so strong it messed with my head.( that is what licking can do). The cocoa is way stronger than I am used to and it sent me sideways. I put on a beautiful worship song 'I sing Jesus,' I put it on repeat. How beautiful! Jesus is enough and sure better than chocolate. His presence is more refreshing than coffee or sweets. He is definitely enough! Amen!

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalms 28:7 NLT Today is my aunt's internment in the little town I was raised called Bingara. I will not attend as I attended her funeral locally. Both my aunt and my mum loved Psalms, particularly psalm 23. I am sure they would have loved this one as well. This Psalm is a Psalm of David. It begins pleading for the Lord's protection against his enemies. The tone changes in verse 6: May the Lord be praised, for He has heard the sound of my pleading. In verse 8 he moves on to a corporate prayer for God's people. However, this morning I am struck with the verse above, its proclamation: I trust Him with all my heart, resonates with me as does He helps me and my heart is filled with joy. There is a personal interaction here. Uni started yesterday. I have a unit of law this teen and the preparation was passing an integrity module w...

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 It is good to know that if mountains disappear,  God is still there for me. Earthquakes can move large amounts of soil quickly, so can floods. Yet God's love remains! I am reading about communities not far from me who are facing such challenges. Parts of main roads have been decimated by landslides, people cannot connect like before. However, God is still there! No matter what may occur, God is faithful! He never  changes. Last night I went to an 'overflow meeting. We were being encouraged to seek the Lord for prophetic words for people. My mind struggled as I had been studying.  However, I entered In,  and God lay me out in His presence, wave upon wave of blessing hit me. I am so glad I went, that I submitted to allowing those teaching to exhort me, more so was the...

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 As New Testament believing Gentiles we are covered by the blood of Christ.  God's chosen people expanded to include us when the root, Israel, refused to accept Jesus. We were grafted in, as Paul put it. To know that the carrying of the Holy Spirit causes us to be loved by God, is so spectacularly wonderful, it is beyond words. Our God's covenant is now with His Son.  Jesus bought all mankind the favour of God. As we believe on Him as our saviour, He sanctifies us for all eternity.  His sacrifice was so complete that God's favour rests on us. I do not have to perform to earn, but rather believe. Out of that belief comes works that He would have me do. These works usually involve loving others. This is the best task God could give us, die to self and live for Him and other...

Jesus stood and said: " anyone who is thirsty come to Me, whoever believes in Me, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water"(John 7:37,38). We need this life! I have been doing an exam in preparation for my Law unit at uni on Monday. I did not know I needed to pass this exam before I could study the unit. It is onerous  to the max! I need this living water! I think I will go to an overflow meeting tonight to be filled up. Only He has life to give. I plan to pray in the spirit until the joy flows.  Things may not be going to plan in your world, but draw aside and become refreshed. Amen!

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” John 7:37‭-‬38 NLT We thirst often, and quench that thirst with water or other fluids. Every morning I drink a glass of water and lemon juice to wake up my system. Yet, the water Jesus offers is living water, spirit water, water that can in turn flow out from us to a thirsty world. At the moment most of NSW is in flood, severe flood. Rivers that have not flooded in 100 years are breaking their banks, destroying crops, livestock and homes. We have too much water. Our dams are bursting with excess and having to vent that excess to the detriment of the people below. This is an unusual phenomenon as Australia is known more for its dryness and bushfires. This water is a blessing to a point, then it kills. However, we can never have too much of Je...

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalms 23:3 NLT The Lord gains honour to His name by renewing my strength and guiding me along the right path. Why would I rob Him of this opportunity by being the answer myself? He loved to show His goodness. Our world needs to see His goodness. His goodness ministers not our self effort.  Let Him loose! Amen!

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalms 23:3 NLT Yesterday was a long tiring day. I attended a funeral for an aunt I loved, and watch her family grieve, and gave solace. Last night I could sense my own grief and went to the Lord,  as there is nowhere else to go, but to the One who loves me and cares for me best. Today I am refreshed. Our God is a source of strength  and solace. He is the best. He made us and knows us intimately. Praise Him! I am reminded that there are brothers and sisters in the world who are grieving, and are in isolation, some are in prison, some hiding from assassins. I am in a comfortable home. My cross is light compared to them. I can take up my cross, and be faithful for their sakes. Amen!

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11 NLT God 's love makes all things possible. With a new heart,  a heart like our God's we are able to love the unlovely. Today I met an unlovely heart that refused to forgive and rather chose to stay in offence and resentment. I was at my aunt's funeral. A brother who remains offended with me refused to talk and turned his back on me. It did not bother me too much as this is his pattern,  and I don't need his approval or love. However, I wait, lovingly for him to turn again. The Lord has to put up with us behaving like this regularly. Praise God Jesus came and paid for our sins. How lovely is He, how gracious and long-suffering.  The good news is, I had a chance to talk to the priest who conducted the funeral, and told him I was not a catholic but I found My Jesus. He looked like he was about to cry. May the Lord minister to him tonight. Tomorrow morning I have a cousin coming for ...

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:11 NLT How should we love each other? John says that we cannot say we love our fellow believer and hate them in our hearts at the same time. How we speak about them shows how we regard them.  Do we gossip about them? Do we criticise them? If we do then there is not much love for them there. When people disappoint us,  we are prone to complain about them. Have we spoken to them first? If not why not? This is how Jesus told us to deal with things: first speak to your brother, if they will not listen take another along, if they still refuse to listen take it to the church(Matt 18:15-17). The last sounds extreme and this puts us off, so we stick with complaining and criticising.   Today let us solve brotherly conflicts the right way. Amen!

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 NLT Living in harmony requires patience and encouragement. If it is lacking then we need to seek for it.  Impatience and unwillingness to encourage one another is just like other worldly situations, and therefore no example to follow. Jesus typified patience. The very night He was to face His trial his disciples were feuding about who was the greatest, swearing allegiance, and refusal to face the truth that they would desert Him. They were asked to stay awake and pray, and they fell asleep. Totally useless, but Jesus was patient with them. This did not mean He did not speak the truth to them, He did, but in a way that was devoid of anger or resentment.  I wonder what we can learn from His example? Grace? Yes and amen!

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 NLT What is 'this patience' referring to? Obviously what was previously written. The verse before refers to scripture being written to give us encouragement and hope as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. The whole chapter speaks about tolerance for weaker believers. The previous chapter also deals with grace towards weaker believers. If Paul sees the need to address the treatment of weaker believers then perhaps we should take note, perhaps I should. Because I am a focussed and ardent believer I can be impatient with those who are weaker in faith. However,  I have a few friends who are even more prescriptive than I and I find their intolerance hard to handle. Ha ha! The mud is on me! Today I pray for grace and patience with weaker believers. Lord have mercy! Amen!

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 Recently my daughter sent me her old iPhone. I have been a Samsung Galaxy user for over 6 years, and the transition is painful. I had an Apple ID from 2016 but obviously forgotten ID and password. After several encounters with Groundhog Day I am having to come to terms with a 12 day wait, because they need to verify it is me,.all without an up-to-date email address or bank details. This should be fun!! Nothing would budge the Apple technician. They are stuck on their rules, and so I wait. I am writing this on my old Samsung as it still works, just. We all experience these trying moments of technological freedom (bondage). Many modern items of equipment or online applications are similar. I just did a fundraising ride on my bike and the AP wanted to use my Facebook account to log in. I have also forgotten m...

No discipline is enjoyable while it is hapoening- it's painful, but afterwards there is a peaceful harvest of right living. Hebrews 12:11 In understanding discipline we consider the discipline we received. This is not always perfect as our parents were flawed humans, some more so. Disicpline from a loving God is not harsh or brutal, but truthful and confronting, if necessary. The Holy Spirit is our teacher. He leads gently,' No! Not that way, this way.' Often it is revelatory.  After banging our heads on a closed door we see another opening. Paul the Apostle had this. He was trying to go into a particular land but was resisted by the Holy Spirit, then he had a dream of a man in Macedonia calling him to come, and so he changed direction. Again Paul was seeking God for healing of what he called 'a thorn in the flesh', the Holy Spirit said, "No! My strength is made perfect in your weakness!" Being told 'No!' Is a form of discipline. If we are continua...

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life". John 5:24 NLT Jesus often said: he who has ears let him hear. This means that although we have ears we do not always listen. Listening is intentional. It take effort to listen. I can see people wander when their limit has been reached. It is often after  few minutes. If we love someone we want to talk to them and have them talk to us. So, listening is one of the best ways to show our love. Amen!

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 NLT The mystery around the Christian life is ongoing. How can someone who still fails and stumbles, in other words sins, not be judged, but pass from death into life? There is only one way: the first part of this verse gives us the clue: whoever listens and believes that God sent Jesus will be saved from judgement. The listening and believing are profound, intentional, daily. I cannot, at any time, attempt to save myself, by pseudo-good deeds, deception, manipulation  or flattery.  The only thing that saves me is my faith in the One who is just, pure and holy- Jesus! He is the key, the door, the way. Amen!

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 NLT To fear the Lord is to give Him high respect and honour. It also means that every word He has spoken and speaks is valued,  and respected. Today I have been reading a Hebraic view of the book of Revelation. It has been most illuminating. The words Jesus spoke to the churches were meant to be heard. It is interesting that only one city referred to of the 7 where the churches resided, is still remaining in Turkey. We cannot regard our Lord's words lightly. If He said He will come when we least expect Him, He will. We must take note. Amen!

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1:7 NLT Fools are those who refuse to listen to godliness and godly wisdom, preferring the thoughts of their own minds. A test for us as to our own foolishness is when we are under pressure from time or business. Do we revert to our own Lordship or continue to seek God's? It is a decption to assume that our own wisdom is God's or good enough for Him. Is selfishness or self pity involved? This reveals we are in the flesh and choosing our own wisdom. Self pity flies to its own defence, as does selfishness. This defence is usually arrogant and self righteous. Not good! Godly wisdom is humble,  seeking the kingdom of God and not the kingdom of men. It allows God to rule in the lives of others, selfishness demands obedience to self. May Your Kingdom come Lord, Your will be done. Amen!

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT Today at church I approached people, and asked for their help to raise funds for children suffering with cancer. They were all willing,  some more, some less. Each has their own threshold. I respect that, and am grateful, and trust the Lord to govern His sheep. I do not need to manipulate them. He is the master not me. Myself, I have a threshold. I chose to ride 50kms and raise $500. It appears I will do that. There were times when I doubted myself, however, I prayed and the Lord directed. Paul raised money from the provinces for the  church in Jerusalem. He encouraged them to stay faithful to their promise to give. However, he did not drum up business, but left it to each one to give willingly.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT Giving releases us into more so that in turn we can give to those in need. Giving is a cycle. Today at church we will give our tithe. In the passage of scripture this verse is taken from, Paul writes, do not give out of compulsion,  give freely as you decide in your heart to give.  This gift is not a tithe but a freewill offering. Paul is raising money for people in Jerusalem who have been affected by famine. I am currently raising money for research into childhood cancer. I have posted my requests on Facebook and sent emails, without result. When I ask people face to face they might give, some a little, some more. Each of us have a giving ceiling. We have developed a response to requests for finance. Some use the fact that they are on a government pension to refuse to give. Surprisingly some pensioners...

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5 NLT Today I let some light out. I had people over for afternoon tea, and one I discipled. She has watched me for years prove that prayer works. She decided to try it and had a peaceful sleep for the first time, a few nights back. Today I counselled her to do more of the same in the days ahead. I also invited her to church.   I have  neighbours moving.  I made them fresh bread and took over a platter of salad and chicken for lunch. I also gave them gifts for the children I had befriended. The wife sees my bible posts daily. I pray she sees 1 +1=Jesus. Only Jesus makes a difference. I posted on Facebook pictures of the week I just had serving at a church conference in Port Macquarie,  NSW. I want all friends to see that the way we do church is fun. I pray the light shines through.  Amen!

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5 NLT Praise God that darkness cannot overcome the light. The only way darkness can overcome is if the light is extinguished by the providor, or if the battery runs out. Jesus told us we are the light of the world. The word needs light. Today is a dark period for the dwellers of the earth,  standards of morality are at an all time low, standards of truth and justice are below low. When politicians spruike about taxing farmers for their cow's methane, we know we have hit ridiculous. Romans 1:21,22 tells us that when we start to create our own gods,  we become fools. Foolishness abounds on the earth today. May we not be caught up in the foolishness. We watch as the Uniting Church and the Church of England follow the foolishness, who else are about to follow? These churches are extinguishing their torches. May it not be so with us! Amen!

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 NLT Seeing God is an experience we would all like, if we are disposed towards God. However, even those not so disposed would possibly find the experience awesome. For the believer the presence of God is a treasure. When God shows up all questions cease, all problems appear insignificant, and all answers are in Him. Today I travelled for around 6 hours to my home. Before leaving the coast I walked along the beach and enjoyed God's creation.  It was so special. He is in all things. His creation sings His praises.He is worthy. Amen!

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 NLT This scripture can isolate us or turn us away, implying without holiness we are doomed. It doesn't say this but our human reckoning would leads us to self assess and say, I am not there, and therefore will not see God. Therefore we expect not to see God. However,  let's change the word pure to single focus: blessed are those who maintain a single focus on God, seeking His kingdom, always advancing towards Him, they will see God. Purity, after all is a refined focus on God, a seeking of Him for all answers and for all fulfillment. This is possible as we hear Jesus say: seek first the kingdom, and all else will be added unto you.  So, each day, firstly seeking God, give Him your praise, your prayers, your sorrows. Allow Him to be the answers to all your concerns. Amen!

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT Earnest prayer is prayer that moves the heart of God. Tonight I witnessed many pastors and leaders praying for each other at a conference I was volunteering at. It was good to see. At every break they were all locked in deep conversations. I pray that much was accomplished. This afternoon I had a conversation with the woman organising the accommodation for us volunteers. She had placed a man from my church in my unit. I thought it was odd. She thought he was my son or husband, not! When she discovered her mistake she was very upset and sorry for the inconvenience caused. I forgave her because I had made the best of a bad situation, I took charge, and invited another woman to share my room, as I had two single beds. I organised bathroom times and coordinated travel to and from the conference. With only ...

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16 NLT Confession of sin cleans out our soul, brings us closer to God and people. Confession of sin is a humbling process. It makes us vulnerable and soft. We can hide lust from others but not God. We can hide our critical thoughts, but eventually they will come out. The more we hide the dirtier our souls become,  the more impacted our spirits become. Coming clean allows us to have good fellowship with God and mankind.  Why would we want to stay dirty? Amen!

You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Luke 12:40 NLT Jesus told a parable about a home-owner who was broken in to by a theif.  He then said, "if the home owner knew what time the theif would break in he could take measures to prevent it." He also told another about the wise and foolish virgins who were waiting for the bridegroom to come to the wedding feast.5 took extra oil, 5 didn't. When the bridegroom was delayed the lamps were running out, and so the foolish asked the wise for some of their oil, however, the wise refused telling the foolish to go buy oil. When the foolish returned the door was shut and they were refused admittance. (Matt 25:1-13). We must be constantly vigilant.  The Lord can come at any time. He warned it will be when we least expect it. We must be on guard! Having oil is having a vital, living and connected relationship with the Lord. Amen!

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:10 NLT When we live our faith, openly talking about how Jesus changes our life, we are declaring His goodness. It is His goodness that saves us, not anything we can do or have done. I am grateful that the pressure is off me. I cannot be good enough, But He is and can. I can trust Him never to fail His word. His word is faithful and true. Amen!

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:10 NLT Yesterday I discovered God had answered one of my prayers, a friend who has come to my connect group for over a year, without coming to a true understanding of faith, no matter how we talked Jesus to Him, was saved. On Sunday he put his hand up to accept Christ into his heart and was born again. The evidence is that he spoke it out and we are away helping at a ministers and workers conference, and he is entering in joyfully. What Joy! Every now and again I ask the Lord to show me He is answering my prayers and He does it in His usual, surprising way. Ta da!! I love it! During the night I was awake in intercession for today and I am expecting Him to show up in His glory. Right now I am tired,  ,but have asked for divine energy. He will provide, He always does.  Amen!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalms 107:1 NLT People may abuse us  but God never does. Through all things He is with us and we can trust Him. Today I travelled to Port Macquarie from Tamworth NSW. The forest were spectacular, and full of new growth. Rivers and streams were overflowing and the grass was very green. This spoke to me of the beauty of God. Tonight I volunteered at a pastors and leaders conference. I made sure they all felt welcome. However, there were many disabled and I found this distressing. Surely the presence of God can heal. Let us not be content with bright music and motivational preaching.  Let us seek God for His presence. Amen!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalms 107:1 NLT Verse 2 goes on to say: let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim that He has redeemed them from the hand of the foe (let the redeemed of the Lord say so, say so, say so- song). We have a testimony of the goodness of God. Yesrerday we had 'One Day Sunday, when visitors were invited to come. As I was in the band I watched a man be impacted by the presence of God. It reminded me of my salvation. Coming into the presence of God is like having a soul wash. It is wonderful! When I sat down I messaged a relative and invited her to come as I knew she was struggling.  She failed to answer or materialise. This girl is running from God into hopelessness. Running to God and allowing Him in is the best things we can do for ourselves. Try Him today, you will not be disappointed. Amen!

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Philippians 1:3 NLT Parents of new born babies would agree with this scripture. I remember my experiences and the love that filled my heart for my small children. God is like this about us. The more we depend on Him the more He responds as a loving Father.  He is good! Paul wrote this scripture to a church that had been lovingly connected to him. They had the bond of live that exists between a father in the faith and his disciples. I remember my first pastor. We called him PB, because to us he was Pastor Bill (PB). A more loving father you could not want for.  Foster a good bond between you and your leaders, be humble and trust their judgement. This does not mean you become brainless, but faithfully pray for your leader and trust God to use them. Amen!

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:3‭-‬6 NLT It is not natural to have good thoughts about a person, unless you love them, then all your thoughts can be good. Paul had good thoughts about the Philippians as they had unreservedly given themselves in support to his ministry. Last night's fund raiser was for a ministry in India. The recipients will thank God for the support and be praying for those who support them. We can choose to live to fulfill the great commission in a particular country or field and give ourselves in dedication to that cause. The ones we support will be praising God for our faithfulness and continued support. ...

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and He has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. 2 John 1:6 John knew and understood love. He lived it and portrayed it. Mind you he was not always perfect. He was one of those who wanted to command fire on a village who rejected Jesus, so I guess he learned it hanging around Jesus.  As we spend time with the teachings of Jesus , and read the gospels we too hang around Jesus, and learn love. Love is patient and kind, just as Paul wrote, and more. Tonight I went to a fund raiser dinner, and sat with a bunch of people I did not know. It was good for me. All my fellow church people were elsewhere, and it was good to stretch. There were 4 Aussie men at my table and an Indian couple. I learned grace. It was a welcome exercise. We all need to be reminded of God's grace. Amen!

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. 2 John 1:6 NLT A command is an imperative: do this or this will happen. If we fail to love as Jesus commanded: love one another as I have loved you(Jn 13:34), then we will fall pret to envy, criticism, pride, arrogant boasting and character assassinations. The end result is we will find ourselves in the place that Jesus said: begone from Me, for I never knew you (Matt 7:23). In the past I heard my parents speak of those whose parents had told them, "Go away from here, I do not know you!" Parents would disown their sons or daughters for wicked behaviour, they would be cast out of the family, often never to return. If we are capable of this why do we expect our heavenly Father to do otherwise? The story of the Prodigal Son shows a father looking for his son to repent and come home, which he did. However, Jesus taught us that there will come  day when it...

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16 NLT Just as Jesus taught us to pray in secret to our heavenly Father, He also corrected the tendency to give to be seen by the Pharisees. He taught don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. However, in what seems to be a contradiction here He said that we should let our light shine, because the world needs light. We are also encouraged to be the salt, adding flavour to our world. The world needs to see how godliness works. They are used to people playing the system. For us to not need glory, gives glory to our heavenly Father. If you struggle to understand, just allow Him to rule and lead. The pattern will emerge. Amen!

In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:16 NLT There is always a fine line between doing things to be seen and doing things in obedience that will be seen. It all has to do with the motive. The challenge will always be pride. It will always be present tugging at your heart for entry. This does not mean that you stop in false humility (pride in disguise), but rather keep going humbly (there's another challenge)! I remember when I first went into business on my own. I was scared, but pushed myself, and asked a local paper to write my articles if I paid for ads. They agreed. My face was seen a lot in the articles. It was not me boasting, but being obedient.  My son, at the time, challenged me with my pride. I thought to myself, "if he only knew how small I know I am, and how I pray I am not uncovered". God continually covered me. This month I am riding my bike to raise money for research into...

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 With social media, SMS, Messenger, WhatsApp etc we can be receiving messages all day and night, if we want them, and I don't. However, there is One message I want, continually, the message from the word of God. It is the only message that gives me life the others can drain me, if I let them, and I don't.  Today I sent several messages myself. I have a younger brother who is keen to chat via Messenger.  My sisters and I tend to be the ones answering. One message I sent and it was not replied to, inviting a relative to afternoon tea. That was fine as I went elsewhere. I also received an email about a conference I am attending next week. It was full of information. Information is good when it helps. The word of God helps me the best. The message given by Jesus in th...

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 Today I am challenged to let the richness of the message of Christ fill my life. Lately I have been troubled with a critical spirit. I saw this at work in my mother, and here it is wanting to control me. Begone! I must allow the beauty of the truth in Christ to dwell,  nothing more. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom it brings. Wisdom is only found in God's word. We may think we have attained it but fall short  in attitude and grace. This is a good test for us. Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs can only happen as we listen to the songs and sing along. It is good to play utube and listen to the songs in our play list. Being involved in worship helps as we are constantly adding new songs, and having to listen to them on utube. My play list has...

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Micah 7:18 NLT Many people groups believe in reincarnation, they dare not harm or kill a certain animal for fear a loved one is now that animal. What sort of god subjects his believers into such a bondage? Yahweh is not like this. He sent His Son to die, to pay thr price for our sins, so that a perfect sacrifice would be made once and for all. Whoever believes in Him will be saved. Yahweh did not leave Jesus in death, but raised Him up as the first of all of us believers who will all rise from the dead and live with Him for eternity. What a joy to look forward to! How good is that? We can safely look at animals, and know that is just what they are, animals. Made for our pleasure. Amen!

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Micah 7:18 NLT Our God watches from on high and He sees all that is happening on the earth, yet He withholds His hand.  No other god sent His Son to die for all humanity, no other god accepts such a sacrifice for all time. Jesus, His Son came to earth to show God's grace. No other God did that! Jesus, therefore, could state: there is no other way that we can be saved, but by accepting Him as Saviour. He does not load us down with sacrifices other than dying to our own egos.  We like to think we are good enough, our actions redeem us, our self-righteousness is enough. However, Jesus is enough. This is the dying, the sacrifice we must make: not me but He! Amen!

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. Matthew 6:14 NLT Today can be a new beginning. We must move on past unforgiveness. Unforgiveness makes us bound, ill, and unpleasant. If we wonder why we have no friends, perhaps our atmosphere stinks. Today I had an opportunity to be in my home town and take photos to share with my siblings. I was unsure how they would receive it, they were fine. We have not been on very good terms but it was worth a shot. While in the town I visited a few old haunts. Some were in bad shape, some were improved. I was glad to make it home and get back to life. My nephews partner is home, but not looking good. I will keep praying. She needs Jesus. Always pray about everything and forgive often. Amen!

No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 NLT Today I did a lot of trekking, I found a lot of rocks, puddles, lagoons and waterfalls. It was glorious. The sun was out in force after a wet, rainy night. I've had three walks today, one a very long one in the wrong direction.  I saw a rock sawn in two by a tree: A little sapling can start out with a scraping of soil and put down its roots, those roots grow and before you know it, the little sapling is the destroyer of a mighty rock. I had the chance to talk to one more person about their eternal soul, two more to go. We are all sitting around the firepit awaiting the dark, and the cold. Tonight's dinner is scraps from the last few nights meals and a lot of jovial chatter. We had afternoon tea together this afternoon and talked some more. Tomorrow I head out to Inverell and Bingara, my home town, and finally on home to Tamworth.  It has been a won...

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. Matthew 6:14 NLT We all hear people say, "I will never forgive him/her!" Whilst this is often proudly said, it reveals they are not forgiven their sins by God, and are probably in a mess or heading for a mess. Forgiveness sets us free, forgiveness gives God access to our hearts and the hearts of.the offender. When the scripture tells us we will be heaping coals on the heads of the offenders, it does not speak about judgement but blessing. Offense is a trap of our enemy the devil. He wants to prevent us experiencing God's best, he even hopes to prevent us reaching a heavenly reward. Forgiveness ensures we receive our reward. Forgive today! Make sure you are not robbed by offence. Amen!

No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 NLT Who is reported as saying this, can you guess? I thought perhaps David, but on examination found it to be Hannah. Hannah had gone to God desperately seeking a son. She had been childless. God answered her cry. When we are desperate and seek God, He answers. Last night I discovered that there are three people here very ill. One has black lung disease and two have cancer.  I am praying for an opportunity to pray for them for healing. Today I will spend time in prayer and look for the opportunity. We all will face eternity, some fear it, others welcome it. All of us need a God encounter, absolutely all. Amen!

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Matthew 7:24 NLT Today I had another opportunity to share my testimony. This time with a new relative. This afternoon I went to visit he and his wife on their farm, 11kms from Tingha on the Guyra road. For most it would be the back of nowhere, but to the Lord, it was just the right place. I also spoke to another couple at the same table as the first. One liked to argue and I said, "Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." My new relative corrected me and said, "but through Me!" I said to him, "ah! You know your scripture!" The argumentive guy shut up. Praise God! Who knows what God will use for His glory! Always be willing and ready to share. Amen!

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Matthew 7:24 NLT In my street a new house is being built. The foundations took weeks, but the wall frames went up in a day.  It was a wonder to behold. The house is on the hill and much rock was dug out to pour concrete for the foundations. It was as if the builders were digging for the soul of the mountain. Having found it they lay the concrete on a level plane. I am sure this house will stand for many years. Jesus taught about a good building in the above passage. His words are the wisdom for our lives, not our own feelings or opinions. Yesterday I heard a lot of opinions, however, what is Jesus saying to me? This is my foundation. Our world is full of opinions, but only one matters,  God's opinion. Time is running short. Make sure you listen closely! Amen!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT It is always good to praise others, to praise the Lord and be kind to yourself.  You are loved by a gracious God! Today I went to a family reunion day and met many people I did not know. They were all gracious to each other. It was good to see. Then was no drunken brawling or obscenity. I did not know what to expect.  I was grateful. I even won a prize in a trivia game. Woop woop! We will have a great family reunion in eternity. There will be no room for politics there. Love and grace will be the order of the day. Best of all, our God will be there! Amen!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT I have gone away on a family get together and am staying with a cousin called Diane. Last night I heard Diane's story and know why I am here. Jesus loves this woman, and wants her to know Him. I have met various other relatives and some are quite different. I am looking for the ones I am to speak to. I suspect they are the women,  we will see. Our God is good and honourable and worthy of praise. We are in a camp ground away from city lights and the heavens are glorious.  I awake hearing, This is How I Fight my Battles, on my knees of course. Amen!