The day with dianne Louise

He is  so rich in His kindness and grace that He purchases our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. Ephesians 1:7 Adama and Eve were created free from sin, however they were trapped by their adversary and chained into sin's dominion. We their progeny were born into that existence. The Father finally had enough of the lack of spiritual children, and sent His Son to buy us back. The price was expensive, the life of a perfect sinless man would stop the needless slaughter of animals for sacrifice that only brought a temporary payment. Scripture tells us that the wages of sin is death. Jesus died for us, otherwise we were doomed to a lost eternity without Him. The futility of sin was broken in His supreme sacrifice. It was not easy for Him, His humanity suffer greatly in the process. He steeled Himself to obey the Father and fulfill the contract for our freedom. We are free from sin and the penalty of it! Praise Him!!!

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Have you ever paid someone else’s bill, a complete stranger even? I have often seen a post in the local city Facebook group saying how grateful that person was. Imagine giving you son for a stranger’s life! This is unthinkable to us, yet that is what God did. How could God live mankind so much that He made a way for them to be in fellowship with Him. For teh only way we can be in fellowship with Him is a perfect sacrifice had to be made to cover our sins. Because we have been ransomed by the blood sacrifice of Jesus, we should live for Him in gratitude, surely? How do we live for Him? By living in faith that He has overcome all sin for us, to live a life of service to mankind, to spread the word of salvation. Amen!

“There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ How do friends destroy you? They can gossip, incite you to partake in sexual sin, violence, corrupt practices and more.  Have you heard the saying, ‘choose your poison!’ This is perhaps what many do. Do we assess friends and the damage they can do to us? Are we tolerant of sinful ways, failing to confront the sin? Scriptures tells us that those who fail to confront their brother’s sin is guilty of their damnation (my paraphrase).Ezekiel 33:7-12. We are responsible to confront sin, but if we are not heard, Jesus tells us to take along another person, if then he fails to listen tell it to the church, if he refuses to listen to the church let him be as a tax collector or gentile to you (Matt 18:17,18). The hard part is following this protocol as we are reticent to confront. Do not be compromised by the sins of another! Amen!

“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭MSG‬‬ The New Living translation sys: “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I am convicted by this version as I have a friend who I could strangle and who refuses to explain his behaviour. Because he has done something abhorrent to me, I am apt to walk away. My concern is: is this what God wants or should I, rather, persevere in prayer and let God be God? This is always the question unless I myself am in danger or someone else is in danger. Always God’s point of view is important. If all mothers of rotten scoundrels gave up their prayers we would not have the song Amazing Grace. John Newton, the author, was a slave trader. He was a wicked man, but God changed him. Sometimes we forget what Godlikeness is like. Our God is mighty to save. Amen!

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ When friends do what is abhorrent to us, we may struggle to understand or give grace. I had this happen yesterday. A friend has done what I consider unconscionable, however, I need to find the full truth and make sure the problem is not me and my perfectionism. Therefore , I have contacted another friend to ask advice. This friend has been faithful and on the money in the past, and so I will trust her again. When we are perfectionists we can miss grace for that person or situation. We need to discover the full matter and God’s way of dealing with it. We cannot do this alone. If we have a godly friend who knows the full situation and has an outside perspective, then we can trust them. Then we must prayerfully listen. Grace and truth! Amen!

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”  Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Evil is ever present and wanting our souls and spirits. Satan’s traps come in disguise. He is the master of deception. We need spiritual eyes to discern his traps and avoid them. The enemy looks for chinks in our armour to use against us. Once he gains a toe hold he woke to gain a hoot hold , when he has that he sets up a stronghold in our lives and prepares for our destruction . Don’t let him in! Amen!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”  Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Strip off the weight that slows you down. What is that weight? This scripture intimates it is sin. However, what is your weight? I don’t mean scalar  weight, I mean troubling condition, sin or problem. I have been at bush fire training today. One of the segments dealt with fitness. Fitness can be soul, flesh and spirit. We often deal with our flesh and it’s appetites . How about our souls and their appetitives. What do we meditate on, read, think about and even talk about? ...

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”  Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Have you ever tried running with additional weights? Well, you probably have if you have been away from fitness, gained weight and got back into running. You puff and pant lumping along the extra weight wishing you had never stopped, and part wishing you didn’t have to go back to running in an effort to lose it. Am I right? The extra weight is caused by overeating or should I say it? Gluttony! I have a friend in Nepal who is attending a traditional wedding there. It has gone on ...

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 NLT The ability to guard my heart depends on my ability to guard my mind. If I accept an offensive or critical thought about someone then my heart is pierced with a corresponding emotion towards them. At times the impact is instantaneous, unless I am on guard and shield myself.  I notice that my enemy the devil brings things from left field, much like God does, however, his aim is to destroy my attitude of love and my peace. My God brings good surprises.  Yestersay I received a message from my autistic grandson wanting to talk. He happened to be at an interview for an after school job, and wanted to talk. As he had walked from his interview we had an extended chat on his return home, and when he arrived home he handed the phone to his siblings so I could talk to them. It was a delightful experience, and I was ve...

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I have found a worship song that I play before I pray or read my bible. It centres me on the Holy Spirit. From there I am able to pray and trust my God for all my life. I see myself pick up the messy images that represents fear, anger, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness and place them before Him, the God of miracles. He takes them and I can trust Him to make something beautiful out of all my mess, for His glory. I leave them there, and wait. A word God gave me over 20 years ago was: I am stripping the tree of all that was on it because it was wrong and then I am going to rebuild it. All the old ways cannot be put on the tree, only new ways can go there. He creates all things new, not...

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John‬ ‭8‬:‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬ A huge part of our freedom is truth in the inner man. If we constantly live in deception or disguise, we fail to live in truth and therefore true freedom eludes us. There are many troubled souls. A lot of the burden is unconfessed sin,  unforgiveness, and more. As Bunyan , writer of Pilgrim’s Progress, discovered the carrying of the burden of sin can weary one very quickly. Whereas, unburdening our souls through confession of sin can cleanse it. Pilgrim eventually discovered freedom as he came to the cross of Jesus. For me the unburdening was also through repentance and a revelation of the love Jesus had for me. Jesus is the only one who can set us free completely. We may have moments of freedom but the burdens quickly catch us in a quiet moment. Come to Jesus and allow His truth to set  free! Amen!

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” John‬ ‭8‬:‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬ A lot of times we believe we know the truth, but are operating out of soulish headspace. Yet, when the truth does come we  experience release. The soul likes to make out it knows the truth, however, it is limited only by what it has learned through experience. If it is attempting to detail God’s movements at a particular time or place it will use its own frame of reference. However, a word from the Lord through divinely inspired scripture, from a preached word or a wold of knowledge or wisdom from the Spirit, cuts through all the mess and trauma and zero in on the truth as God sees it. It is this truth I prefer at all times. This truth sets me free. I had a word from the Lord given to me last Sunday. It was telling me there would be a painful delay in me going to Nepal. I sensed there might be a delay, however, I do not know how long the ‘painful delay’ will be. Only the Lord knows, I will have t...

That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:12‭-‬13 NLT God's people continuously rebelled and went their own way. He promised a new spirit and the Christian has this. It is important that we care for this spirit and do not walk in the flesh,  if we do not care for our spirits we run the risk of slipping away into the flesh and never seeing our God-given abilities flourish. The spirit is where there is life. The flesh follows its lusts for fun, debauchery and corruption.  This is our biggest challenge. The flesh thinks it is life but it ends in death, death to the spirit. Paul, in Romans 8 spells out the differences between the flesh and the spirit. May we seek the ...

“That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.” ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The book of Joel is hard to date as the prophet gives no background information. However, it is famous for the passage above , but also the prophesy regarding an outpouring of God’s spirit as it was seen at Pentecost. We are now in a time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the result is repentance. Repentance is a gift from God. Scripture tells us that Esau sought repentance but did not find it(Hebrew 12:17). My constant prayer for those who are dying is the gift of repentance. Only in repentance can we see God. Repentance is a deep awareness of sin and a desire to be right with God. This is happening ...

“Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Those who have had children know what unwillingness to obey looks like, plain rebellion. Rebellion comes from a self-willed Individual. The parent’s role is to teach the child to obey. This is the challenging part. I am sure this is also God’s part. We can be stubborn and unrelenting and determined to follow our own path. Fortunately God has ways we have never dreamed of that teach us to obey. He is interested in a broken and a contrite spirit, which is what David is displaying. David had to be convicted of his sin, lose a child and face the consequences of his sin. However, David did repent and that is why God loved him. We discover this as we choose repentance. God’s grace and forgiveness are beautiful to receive. His mercy is the sweetest experience we can encounter in our walk with Him. Amen!

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ All that God has for me to do is possible for me to do.  God’s plans for victory in my life are possible through Christ who strengthens me. There is nothing that is impossible. I am only limited by my mind. God’s freedom for me is His desire. If I say limiting things about my life I am creating barriers and bondages for the enemy to keep me captured. God has freedom for me. Amazing freedom is mine in Christ. Last night I was speaking to a man who is well into his seventies. He would like to go with the grey nomads to work on projects in inland Australia but thinks he is too old. He has not met my friend John who is in his 80s and still going strong. John has a ‘can do’ attitude. This man has a ‘can not’ attitude. Unless he changes his confession, he will miss out on the best he could be. God has a plan for each one of us. Let us stand before Him, on that day, and know we did all He had set...

“Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Restoration is something the Prodigal Son experienced after he had selfishly taken his inheritance, moved away and squandered it on unrighteous living. When his money ran out he found himself hungry and alone. He came to his senses and realised even his father’s servants was better off than he. He returned to his father in repentance. King David wrote the above scripture, it is part of a psalm he wrote after God had revealed to him his sins of adultery and murder. God opened his eyes through a story He gave to Nathan the prophet to tell David. It is amazing how God opens eyes. He know how best to do it . We can trust Him. Today I have an instance where I have to trust God to open a persecutor’s eyes. I pray this person comes to repentance. It is the best outcome for both of us. I must trust my God who w...

““Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”  Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Doves are the symbol of peace. Doves have a good relationship with mankind. They are usually quiet and unflustered. They can be taken hundreds of miles from home and find their way back. This makes them intelligent. If Jesus is telling us to gentle as doves, then He would know their nature, and recommends us to liken ourselves to them. Being gentle is not always easy, especially with exasperating individuals. To be gentle we need His grace. At moments like this I pray and ask the Lord for His grace. Today His grace is ever available. Why not pray and ask Him to help! 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 This injunction was given to the 12 disciples as they were sent out to preach the gospel, heal the sick and raise the dead (by the way!). They were told to stay in one place in a village, and eat and drink what was provided. They were warned that they would be handed over to governors for the sake of the gospel, and an opportunity to preach the gospel to those governors.  How does being wise as a snake fit in? It would probably mean they were to be alert as their enemy the devil would be looking to destroy their ministry through deceptive or manipulative people. They needed to discern the spirit of the people who came to them. We cannot accept everyone’s motives as pure and innocent. There are hidden agendas that we are not aware of until they manifest themselves at a time that would seek to destroy God’s work. Be wise! Amen!

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ There are many times that I am out of strength. In those times I either exercise or call on the Lord for His strength. I refuse to say, ‘I am old, therefore I am tired!’ When we start saying negative things about ourselves we are drawing a cage around us in which we will be bound. This is not a good look! Use your spiritual eyes to see what damage your words are doing, conversely, what good your words are doing. Guard your mouth for out of it flows the issues of life.(proverbs 4:23).In other words your words are shaping your world. On guard!

“As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬ These words are beautiful and poetic. Imagine a deer running with it s tongue protruding and panting in the heat. Imagine that it has run from a pursuer. The heat it experiences would be caused by thirst and physically exertion. Now see yourself! Your circumstances may be piling up around you and driving you, yet you long for God’s presence to comfort you. You sense Him and run to Him to be refreshed with living water. How cool and refreshed are you?  Seek Him today! Amen!

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I have a friend who relies a lot on a ‘word from God’ even when that word contradicts one he previously had regarding direction. We must learn to discern the truth in so called words and make sure they are not just pandering to our flesh. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to guide us, when we are moving. Sometimes He uses calamity, rejection and financial failure. He uses what the enemy meant for evil and turns it for good. Praise Him! This happened to me today. I have been let down and I have been betrayed. However, both were fuel for His purposes.  Let go and let God guide! Amen!

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Holy Spirit guided lives are lives guided not just for fun and pleasure but also responsibility. Each of us has a work to do in the Kingdom. We must keep our eyes on Christ so as to not be deterred from the path we are meant to walk on. Our sinful nature craves different things: for some it is a life which lacks responsibility, for others it will be lusts of alcohol, food, drugs, sexual impropriety . Only by walking in the Spirit can we deny these pulls. The line between joy and irresponsibility is a fine one and we must discern it and refuse to venture into carnal living. Keep your eyes on Jesus! Amen!

“For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”  Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬ When God’s people pass away I rejoice for them whilst sorrow for their loss to me. What joy awaits the Christian. All eternity in the presence of our saviour. We cannot want more than that! If we do, perhaps we are hanging onto life in our present world too tight. We cannot take anything, anyone with us into eternity. Desth does not permit us to take anything with us. In fact our bodies die and decay in the ground. Our spirit and soul go into eternity. Where we spend eternity depends on one thing: is Jesus our Lord and Saviour, as He is the only way. Nothing else will work, every other avenue ends in one place, Hell.  Not a pleasant thought! We can run from this truth, however, when we accept it we find rest for our souls. Peace at last! Amen

“For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”” Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This scripture comes from a word of God restoring Israel back to their land. The prophesy goes on to say that no longer will people not know the Lord or need to be told to believe, that God will write His laws on their hearts. This concept is true for us Gentiles. When we are born again we have His Spirit within us, and His Spirit directs us to truth. Although this scripture was spoken to Israel we can appropriate it for ourselves, for God’s word applies to all. Jesus actually said: “come to me all you weary and heavy laden, take My yoke upon you and I will give you rest for your soul.”(Matt 11:28-30) Jesus’ rest involves His yoke. I take this to mean accepting Him as Saviour and walking with Him as Lord. Rest is important. Both physical and spiritual rest are both important. Jesus gives us spiritual rest, we must make room for physical rest. These past two days I have had an enforced rest. It st...

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalms 139:23‭-‬24 NLT Know my anxious thoughts! Why do we want God to know our anxious thoughts? Because Him knowing them, helps us seek Him for the solution. He is already ahead of us, Jesus spoke a lot about not being anxious, but rather seeking God for His kingdom and His ways. He taught us how to pray, give us today what we need (my paraphrase). My guest has left and I am low on food,  and I have another guest coming Friday night. Before I was asked to have the guest I gave a donation to the Earthquake survivors. Therefore,  practically, I have a problem, but God is there ahead of me. My last guest was generous and provided an answer to two prayers. I can trust God for the next! Amen!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ When we come before God He sees into our deepest parts. He is not fooled by our noise, our performances in public, our hypocracy. His word reveals truth to us, it cuts through bone and marrow and reveals the hidden agenda. Our self- efforts are no longer disguised. The word telling us the truth, helps us face God in truth, and come fo repentance. Repentance sets us free. David, a man after God’s own heart had sinned terribly. It started with lust, adultery and finished with murder. He had become so removed from God’s presence that he was no longer hearing truth. However, God loved him and sent Nathan the prophet to convict him of his sin by telling him a story. God knew it would work, and it did. However, the child born from the adulterous act died. In grace God allowed the second child bor...

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”  Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬   Is it a struggle to love and honour difficulty people? I wonder what life was like in Sarah and Abraham’s tent? They spent their lives trying to produce children and failing. Then along comes God when they are already in their latter years promising a son. This would have been frustrating. Would they ever have gotten depressed? Would they have resorted to ways and means not ordained by God? Scripture tells us they did. However, scripture in the New and Old Testament honours them for what they got right, and does not demean they for their failures. Why is that? God seems to honour the right and gentlycorrect-the   wrong. God never seemed to tell Abraham, ‘lying is not good or having sex with your slave is not good.’ Yet He calls him a man of faith. Abraham finally believed that God would provide a son, and God did . It took over 20 years before Abraham got it righ...

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:10 NLT Take delight in honouring each other. What a command! We see people honoured for music, sports, movies, knighthoods,  annual Australians of the year and such. However, here, we are urged to honour each other, and do so with delight. We must be honest that there are traits in people we would rather denigrate, not honour. Yet,  Jesus looked for faith and spoke highly of it. The man with demonised son cried," I believe, help my unbelief!" In other words he was owning up to imperfect faith. Yet, Jesus did not demean him, He answered the man's plea, and healed the son. Jesus did chastise His disciples for lack of faith and He also severely chastised the Pharisees and Saducees for their arrogant refusal to acknowledge Him as the Son of God.  However, Jesus did give honour where honour was due. He respected those who demonstrated faith.  Faith moved Him.  Today, let us hon...

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We have an idea that success means a windfall, a promotion, winning a lover, scoring a bargain. However, success can be simply seeking the Lord before exploding on a frustrating person. Today I had one of these. I already was being taxed by helping an anxious friend ready for a long stay overseas when another firmed who tends to be needy tried to gain my attention when I was already busy with anxious friend. Dealing with anxious depressive people can be very draining and I find myself longing to have a holiday from both, especially after also studying hard and doing a final exam last week. To top it off getting up at 5am daily for prayer with my church and forgoing some food, I was fit to be tied. So, I prayed for help on the way to the chemist to buy supplies for my needy friend. I was able to firmly tell my friend to do as she was advised if she continually wanted my help, deal with her anxiety ...

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Praying about our plans shows that we want the Lord’s involvement, it gives Him licence to direct and cover. When our plans are oriented by Him He delights in walking with us to their completion. At the end of the next term at uni, I graduate with a degree in linguistics. I undertook this degree to enable me to go to Nepal and stay longer to help the people there. Last night our young charge in the Chitwan area sent me a photo. I will be teaching English to the local children and those in hilly areas. This child is so keen to learn, he is outside in the cold morning under a rug studying. I love small children. They are keen to learn and innocent. This will be a delight. I do not want to waste the coming months as I finish a unit of English and another of Writing. Praise God His plans are good. Amen!

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Pleasing people is not what Jesus did. If we follow Him, neither do we. However, we are called to walk as He walked. He was not unnecessarily rude but He did not compromise. When we was with those He was sent to seek, heal and restore He was kind, but not always gentle. I remember the 10 lepers, only one, who was a Samaratin, returned to thank Him. Jesus asked bluntly, ‘were not 10 healed but only this foreigner returns to say thank you!’To heal a blind man He used spit to make mud, and then sent him to wash. We would expect a kind person to not put the weak to such distress. However, there was a purpose in it. Smiths Wigglesworth was not always gentle when he prayed for the sick, he would punch them where the disease was, claiming he was not gentle with the devil. He was definitely not a people pleaser. Let us be mindful ...

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. (‭‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Wanting the approval of people can be exhausting. It causes you to worry about you looks, you clothes, you car , your house, your jewels. These become your treasures. Jesus said: seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you(Matt 6:33). Where your treasure is your heart will be also.   ( Matt 6:21). If we are seeking God’s approval we check our hearts  being aware of the state of it, we seek His voice in the scriptures, His attitude to those in our world. His opinion is what matters, not ours or that of others. Paul knew this and walked in it. We can learn from him. Read the scriptures, have them ever before you! Amen!

“even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ What does ‘even then’ refer to? The previous verse: if I dwelt in the fartherest oceans’. To the Israelites leaving the territory of their lands was away from God. They thought He only inhabited Israel and Judah. We now know this is not true. Our God is everywhere, even in space, on the moon and mars when we make it that far. If we were floating in space, God would be there! He is in the deepest oceans as well. Nowhere, can we hide from Him. He is our constant hope and guide. Paul tells us in Romans:  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬ So, nothing can separate us! No! Nothing!

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ For a person who did not have the Holy Spirit residing in his heart , this is amazing. The knowledge of the Lord’s hand and presence is something that even some born again believers struggle with. However, there is truth here. Even when I don’t feel God’s presence, He is there. I have to, in faith, step into His presence.. I imagine His embrace and love. I tell Him how lovely He is. I find Him in His creation and tell Him so. Our God is good! Always ready to hear from us. He prefers prayers to complaints, as prayers enlist faith to solve the problems presented, and God respects faith. He always has!  Pray about it!

“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” ‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ As the world watches the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria, being safe is one thing that eludes the inhabitants, and would have been their greatest desire. Yet, over 20,000 people entered eternity at one time. My family have concerns for my safety in Nepal. I tell them that the safest place to be is where God wants me. Eternity is my future, like everybody else. Unlike many, I am prepared. Our eternity is secure when we place our faith in Jesus. He said He was the way, we can trust Him for that. He also said, ‘no man’s comes to the Father, but by me!’ Ate you ready?

“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.” ‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This scripture is so true. We must make an effort to pray together rather than go our own way. Praying together over scripture bring the Holy Spirit into that set of circumstances. Rather than allow our natural self become annoyed or frustrated, it is better to pray. This way we invite heaven into our world and make Spirit changes that bring life rather than offence or separation. This is something my God is teaching me of late. The outcome is so much better with God. He is life and light. Bringing Him into whatever problem we face changes things and changes us. Amen!

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT We all suffer at times and a word in season is just what we need. Better still is a word from the Lord. Of late when I pray with a friend, inviting the Holy Spirit into our prayers, I sense His presence and I see in the Spirit a picture, I also sense His word for that person. This is new and refreshing. I am grateful for what the Holy Spirit is doing! How good is He! The people we pray for or about need an answer and I sense the love of God for them.  Praise Him! When the word is shared they experience life. How good is that! Praying sure beats complaining! Amen!

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT I have heard God's people say some words that in the past were foul. I grew up with a dad who regularly said 'bugger or 'go to buggery,' buggery is Sodom and if you think about it, it is not a pleasant way to speak, however, it is an Australian way to speak. The F word still repulses me, however, ai have heard a modified version of this used by God's people. I have a habit of calling my friends 'old farts' because it sounds humorous, however, I have endeavoured to refrain since being convicted of this scripture, the same goes for the P word that refers to passing water. Why do we need to sound vulgar? Do we think it helps us relate? Did Jesus need to use vulgar language to relate? I think He used parables instead. What would the Holy Spirit like to hear in His temple? Think about it!

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Tonight my guest and I did a bible study and prayed for direction. Suddenly I had the urge to sing in the spirit and the presence of God descended on me. I saw a picture of what was happening to us both. Our enemy the devil was attempting to derail our vision for Nepal. We agreed and played a game, much lighter in mood. As I was washing up the enemy came again accusing my guest of not helping around the house. He was right my guest does little but was offence the right path? Of course not, prayer was, and so I prayed, and left them matter with God. Much better! Prayer is always better than offence! Amen!

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ When my heart is annoyed at a friend the word challenges that annoyance and asks the question:  should you be annoyed? Are you offended for no reason? The word of God helps us examine our thoughts, motives and actions. It helps us come to repentance better than anyone’s condemnations or suggestions. Praise God for His word! It is greater than any philosophy, any worldly wisdom. It has the first word and the last. The truth held in it challenges the status quo. The word is powerful to change! Read the word! Listen to the word! Amen!

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Character develops under pressure, much like the process diamonds experience. Character is a treasure that the Lord seeks. He is wanting us to grow into the image of His son Jesus. Jesus had character in spades. How did he develop it? He submitted to His earthy parents and also to His Heavenly Father. Scripture tells us that Jesus developed obedience through what He suffered.  We run into problems, we have difficult days and difficult people to contend with. If we handle difficulties right then we develop endurance and when it is fully matured we develop character. There is no room f...

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Why can we rejoice? Paul tells us why in the preceding verses: “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.” Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Through Jesus we are made right with God. Through Jesus we have faith and hope for a glorious future with Him. Undeserved proliviledge is ours in Christ. Without Him we sre lost and caught in...

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” ‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Some thieves simply rob you of your treasures. However, they are becoming more brazen and actually kill the husband and rape the wife (common in Port Moresby in New Guinea), also becoming the more in AliceSprings Australia.  Our enemy, the devil, seeks to maim, rob and destroy. He is after our treasure. Whatever we treasure, he seeks to steal it. Unfortunately for him, there is one treasure he cannot steal, eternal life. If we are foolish enough to value money and earthly treasure he is after that as well. Our name, the name given to us by our God is written in the lambs book of life. Satan does not have access to that book. It must enrage him fiercely, this is why he persecutes so relentlessly. We must seek first the kingdom of God, it’s righteousness cannot be removed from us. Jesus told his disciples to seek things above where the robber cannot ...

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ What a gift! A new spirit , one of power, love and self-discipline. The only spirit on offer from our enemy is fear in the same package. 3:1 ratio. Worth taking! Ideas of fear come. One came to me this morning. How will you cope financially when Warren goes to Nepal. The answer: the same way I have coped before he came to stay for the three weeks before he left. Warren, my Nepal missions buddy, had to vacate his house as he had let it and then new tenants wanted in sooner. He has been a financial blessing. I am in my last week of term at uni and studying for a major exam. At this point I am over study and longing for a break. It will come soon enough. Self-discipline keeps me from fear about my exam. Each day I study. Today being Sunday is off as my eyes are hurting . Today is for worship and rest. Amen!

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I love adventure stories and in particular enjoy a good  Cussler novel. From deep oceans to jungles to high mountains, all this are possible to a highly trained team back by a strong government. We Christians are ambassadors of Christ and have a powerful government backing us. We are called to a life of adventure with our God. Fearing what man can do to us is futile and liable to hobble us, whereas trusting God and stepping into the unknown is a chance to live a wild adventure. Live a little! Amen

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”  Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Fearing people is worrying about what peopel think. If we realise they usually don’t think about us, it helps. If they do and it is critical, that can be also good. Criticism help us determine if we need to improve or helps us move away from our critics. Rejection is probably the fear we have in worrying about people. Wanting to be liked is also dangerous. At some point we have to stop and think, ‘why do I care for others to like me?’ Jesus did not give Himself to certain people because He knew their hearts. The very ones who called out ‘hosanna’ the next day called out ‘crucify Him’. People are emotional and fickle. Fickle people are not worthy of our friendship. There is only One who is steadfast and immovrable in love for us. That One is God. He does not change according to teh season or mood . We can trust Him. Amen!

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”  1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Being strong in the Lord is a choice. We can try in our own strength, but eventually this will run out. I am sure God will make it so. He wants us to depend on Him. Often challenges come when we run ahead of God. Frustration is a good sign we are out of step. As we plan for the building of our centre in Nepal we were becoming frustrated. Nothing was working and peace was gone. Once we let go, God brought along His  solution. Now we are back on track. How do we stay strong in the Lord? Stay in step, wait on God, read His word and pray. Waiting is probably the hardest part. Amen!

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”  1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬ ‭NLT‬‬ If you hit a peg into the ground, are strong enough to hit it soundly and the soil is not impenetrable, then it will stay. Then it is immovable. This is how we are to be in our faith. Determined to stay grounded in the Lord and stay where we are planted. Staying rooted and grounded in the word of God is important, as is staying planted in the church. Wandering off and doing our own things does not work. God has a plan for each one of us and it is found as we lock into Him and His church. Yesterday I was discussing with my fellow missionary where we will have fellowship in Nepal. As we do not yet speak Nepali the idea of sitting  for hours through a service we do not comprehend is not enthusing. However, many churches in the world, including ours, now have online services. However,...

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This morning I gave two people insightful common sense responses to things troubling them. Both appreciate me for my level headed common sense. However, on reflection, it was not always so. As a young mother I was an emotional wreck. However, these past 20 years has taught me to go to the Lord, rely on His word, have faith and trust Him to provide. I am grateful for the working of God in my life.  I had to go and collect some skin care cream from my provider, a lovely 84 year old woman who still cares for he disabled son and husband. She is a fiesty , wiry little lady, smaller than me. She has a generous heart and also is practical and determined in her life. I have known this lady since 1994 or thereabouts. Her son caught a virus in South America and it affected hi...

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”  James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Trials and joy seldom go together. However, we may experience joy after the fact, as in when passing a test. The concept of rejoicing in the trial is difficult but doable. Rejoicing that God is there with us, rejoicing that He will bring us through.  We can rejoice that our faith has a chance to grow. As our faith grows we are able to climb higher mountains. Today, if you are in a trial, rejoice, the victory is yours. Amen!

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. Psalms 40:1‭-‬2 NLT Today a good friend of mine, who is a homosexual, was able to tell his pastor and a friend about his situation.  He had keep the matter private for many years because he feared rejection.  He is now seeking deliverance and a life of freedom. I was grateful as I have been on trips with this man and there are those who wondered if I was being promiscuous. Now, giving pertinent people authority to share the knowledge on a need to know basis, he will now have more prayer support and freedom. I listened to a very good message by Steve Furtick about ' you are not it!' It being the label or disability that you find yourself with. I sent it to my friend. We can so easily find ourselves labelled and pushed into a box, when this is not where God would ha...

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” Psalms‬ ‭40‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Despair at what has not happened can take out many. I have a friend who has been in despair for over 15 years and only recently found hope again. Despair is a horrible place. It can lead to suicide or a life away from God’s purposes. However, the Psalmist, probably David, waited patiently for the Lord to help Him out of the pit. Waiting patiently was something many of the saints of old did. The Lord heard their cry and came to their aid. David, Joesph and Abraham all waited on God. Waiting patiently with a faith in God brings us through. I have been waiting on God for almost 20 years. It trust God for His victory. Amen!