The day with dianne Louise

“But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭25‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Jesus taught this as James and John had their mother come to Jesus and ask that her two sons be able to sit with Him in His kingdom, one on the right and the other on the left. When the other disciples heard about it they were indignant. This was not the only wicked thing they did, their request came just after Jesus had told them He would be beaten and killed by the leaders in Jerusalem. There seems to have been no compassion for His suffering just greedy desire. As I read these passages I am mindful that two people have w...

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Jesus is the ‘word of God’. As I study scripture I see Him everywhere. He holds the Old Testament and appears randomly among men. I can see Him walking with Old Testament saints. In the New Testament I see Him fully in the gospels and then His influence remains in the Epistles. In the above scripture John was testifying about the Jesus He knew for three years on this earth. There were others who knew Him the longest: his mother Mary and her children. However, He was not accepted as Messiah by His siblings until He rose from the dead. Now we can read their experiences in James and Jude. John has captured Jesus the best. He has been given divine insight. How he describes Jesus here is deep and meaningful. We know how treasured the Bible is by watching persecuted Christian’s receive their first Bibl...

“As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭36‬-‭38‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Today is Palm Sunday. Today begins the final week leading up to the cross. Jesus’ disciples and His followers were shouting praises because they believed He was the Messiah king who would deliver them from Roman occupation. They failed to realise He was about to do something abhorrent , they had failed to recognise their deeper need to be free from the penalty of their sins. We can come to God wanting Him to do something amazing, in our eyes, when He is more interested in our heart transformation. The only way we could become sinless is by the sacrifice of a perfect lamb. Jes...

“But in the depths of my heart I truly know that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield; You take me and surround me with yourself. Your glory covers me continually. You lift high my head.” Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭TPT‬‬ I can know this as I become more aware of the Holy Spirit within me. He is for me and not against me. He is interested in my welfare. He is listening to my heart cry. The more I wait on God,the more I know He is for me. He goes before me, He surrounds me with His love. I do not need to fear, He is with me. The more I read His word, the more that truth is in me, the more time I spend in worship the more my innermost being resonates with His songs. My spirit is alive! It is well within me! The psalmist goes on to say: “So now I’ll lie down and sleep like a baby— then I’ll awake in safety, for you surround me with your glory. Even though ten thousand dark powers prowl around me, I won’t be afraid.” Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Daivid wrote this Psalm when he fled from his son Absalom. ...

“Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One.” Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Our relationship with Jesus causes us to love others with patience and endurance. In ourselves we are impatient and selfish, whereas, Jesus patiently taught His disciples how to live in unity. At the last supper He took a bowl of water and washed their feet: “After washing their feet, he put his robe on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I just did?” Jesus said. “You’ve called me your teacher and Lord, and you’re right, for that’s who I am. I  speak to you timeless truth: a servant is not superior to his master, and an apostle is never greater than the one who sent him. So now put into practice what I have done for you, and you will experience a life of happiness enriched with untold blessings!” ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭12-‭17‬ ‭TPT‬‬ The disciples were contifnually fighting as to ...

“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Jesus gave us an example of looking. He told about a woman who had lost one silver coin and searched diligently throughout the house until she found it. When she found it she gathered her friends and told them about the find (Luke 15:8-10) I am challenged by this! Is my search for the Lord wholehearted? What is stopping me from this wholehearted search? When my search is wholehearted I find Him and my delight is complete.

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.  (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” John‬ ‭7‬:‭38, 39‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We are offered the ability to drink from living waters. This is a divine gift. The cost is humility, that’s all. Coming in humility we find delightful waters that satisfy better than any drink ever made by man. Yesterday I saw an add for Pepsi Cola, it was made to be the world’s version of living water. It’s not! It is a temporal satisfaction of a natural thirst. However, deep within us is a thirst for the divine. We can attempt to satisfy this thirst with natural treats but they only minister to our flesh. Our spirit needs ‘living water’. The Lord is drawing me into His world, I am desiring more of Him. When I fast and press into Him ...

““Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The criteria is to continue asking, seeking and knocking. Jesus goes on to say: ““You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We can then assume that our Heavenly Father hears us and knows how to respond when we ask. We must ask in faith, believing that He will respond to us and we also must ensure that what we ask for is not to spend on our flesh. For example, “God give me a car, a house, a good job etc” how w...

“I long to drink of you, O God, to drink deeply from the streams of pleasure flowing from your presence. My longings overwhelm me for more of you!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭1‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Being in Nepal and away from delights back in Australia, I could find myself longing to see the sea; longing to shop in a grocery store that had all the things available that are not here in Nepal;’longing to see family. However, I must say my greatest longing is for the river of God. Finding spirit filled English speaking churches has been hard, in fact I haven’t found one yet. I’ve been here almost three years. So, for me, I be determined to find the river in my bedroom. I am willing to fast and pray until the breakthrough comes. There are so many of my prayer that have had no answers, but when I fast the answers come. Saturday I fasted and that night I had a call from a grandson saying, “Nan I have had a huge revelation in my relationship with God!” It was not where I expected it to come but it was most welcome....

“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”  2 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Do you know the difference? Does your sorrow prompt change or does the problem continue? This is the test! Is their fruit of repentance? Sometimes to find the sorrow that results in salvation we might need to fast. Yes fast! Food should not have such a strong hold on us. Ask the Holy Spirit to help. Yesterday I wanted to fast, as there were many things I wanted to see broken in my life and those around me. I had a godly desire. The fast was easy and it took me to a hunger for more of God. I love it when I find Him in the fast. Last night I heard from a family member, who was one of those I had been praying for. He had a ‘big-time’ encounter with God. That was quick! I now have a greater desire to fast, not for myself or weight loss but fo...

“But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬ These verses come from a Psalm David wrote over 3,000 years ago. David had escaped from Saul who was trying to kill him. He went to Gath in the Phillistine territory. However, when it was reported that this man, David, was a mighty warrior from Judah, the same one who had killed Goliath, he knew he was in trouble. He feigned madness and escaped. David was in real trouble and had good reason to be afraid. Not only was King Saul trying to kill him, King Achish of the Phillistines would have done him harm also had he not pretended to be mad and escaped. Right now we watch the war against Iran unfold. Israel is being bombed, relentlessly. The Middle Eastern countires are also under attack from Iran. Shipping through the straight of Hormuz (the sea between Iran and United Arab Emirates) has come to a...

“So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.” Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The rest here is a deep soul rest, it has nothing to do with what I can contrive, but what my God gives me as I come to Him. I have just woken from sleep and do not, naturally, feel rested, due tot eh fact that for over a week Inhad been battling a nasty cold. Although I had plenty of sleep my body craves more. It can have it tonight. Yet my spirit is at rest knowing God has me and He is in control. He knows exactly where He is taking me. Today I attend college. The lesson may be difficult but I will press on as I am in Nepal to learn the language and use it to communicate with the Nepali people. How long I will be here is His decision, not mine. I will trust Him to take me forward.

“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalms‬ ‭23‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Being pursued by a lover is good, in fact the greatest lover pursues me. He is faithful, loving and kind. He has sent goodness and mercy after me, He goes before me! What more could I want? Many are pursued by evil out to destroy them and those around them. However, having God in our lives ensues He replaces evil with Himself. Elisha was a prophet of God. When the king of Aram found out that Elisha knew every move he was making he determined to kill Elisha. However, even though the Aramian army surrounded his house, he saw the armies of heaven surrounding them. (2 Kings 6). Elisha saw what we need to see, God is with us! God is for me! Who can be against me? Amen!

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” 1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬ A Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, we are His temple. The Holy Spirit is victorious. We need to trust Him to lead us victoriously! As we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us, we change atmospheres, change the world we live in just by being there. Open our eyes Lord to the greatness within us! Flow through us Holy Spirit! Amen!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬ All usually means ‘all’, unless you’re used to calling the shots and have parked God in the side paddock. How difficult it is to submit all? I am an ex-nurse and think like one in regard to my health. I am also driven to overcome every obstacle in my path. Laying both of these down and asking for help is a challenge.   I knew last week I probably needed antibiotics but pressed on until I crashed on Sunday. I had to face the fact that I needed help.  The antibiotics are working and I am healing, slowly but surely. Even through I still have a bit of an annoying cough it is lessening and I know I will recover. Meanwhile I am resting,  reading and doing catch up study for college. I keep stopping and asking myself: ‘is there something I should be doing?’ Probably not! Rest will cure me. My flatmate...

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭105‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬ For the past week I have struggled with a headcold and it proceeded to become worse, so yesterday, I visited the doctor and received a script for antibiotics. One day later I am rapidly improving. How often do we continue to struggle with things in our lives believing we must fix them. Instead, we should take them to the Lord or to someone who can help? Some things we are not able to sort. Some things only God can sort and some things He wants us to take to another person for reasons only He knows. Often, here in Nepal, it is so we can bring light, connect with them in some way. At the doctor yesterday, my hearing was greatly affected and he was treating me badly. My Nepali friend stepped in a remonstrated. She told him I had been a nurse and that my hearing was temporarily affected. Straight away his manner improved. Who knows what lessons people may need? God kn...

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”  James‬ ‭5‬:‭13-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Usually when we suffer hardships we complain and when we are happy we sing songs, but when we are sick we go to the doctor we do not ask the elders to pray for us. Time for a change! Let us worship when we are suffering and ask for prayer when we are sick. In the psalms we read how, time and again, the Psalmist would worship God after revealing their suffering and complaint. Let’s destroy complaints! Amen! https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=f2oxGYpuLkw&si=zegrQQ1wcP35pZXc

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I have astronomer friends who mock this statement and ai constantly pray that their eyes will be opened. To believe the universe came into being without divine intervention requires a lot of faith or blind foolishness the order and the laws that govern space cannot be random. When have we ever seen radom order be created out of nothing? And Yes it requires faith to believe in a God who created all things, but first you need a revelation of His love to understand. All things seen have been created, but the big WHY hangs. When we see the smallest of creatures perfectly formed and most beautiful of flowers how could they randomly come into being. If I wanted to bless my children and create a world they would constantly wonder at, I could do no better. Our God has done just that! We may not love Him, so why would He love us? The answer is, because He is love. The question is now, can ai believe such perfect, ...

“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. 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 ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Today’s verse is just verse 1, but it does not stand alone, 2 and 3 must be added, and then 4 and 5 begged to be admitted. So here thay all are, in their glory! What power is presented to us! As I believe in the finished work of Jesus on the cross, I stand whole and complete in Him ...

““I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬ In Australia the sheep farms are huge and the sheep are generally unprotected, apart from fences. Wild dogs, foxes and human predators are common. In the time of Jesus sheep herds were smaller and the shepherd was given charge over the sheep. Jesus spoke about hirelings who were employed to care for the sheep who did not care when wolves came. Whereas Jesus called himself the door. He lay in the opening to prevent the thieves and wolves from entering. How does that apply to me? I can be confident that Jesus is blocking the way from the enemy of my soul. Scripture tells me He sits at the right hand of the Father and gives intercession for me. He is not way off and aloof, but very present through His Holy Spirit that He has given me. The Holy Spirit comforts and guides me. He leads me to trust The word of God; to praise; to worship; to faith; to prayer. I am not alone! Psalm 23 tells me ...

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I still have a photo of my debut as a 17 year old. The difference between then and now are marked. Whilst I was young and beautiful then, and old now the place of beauty has changed, the inner parts of me now carry the beauty of the Lord. I know this has to be true as so many say they see that beauty, whereas I look in the mirror and see age. A young woman who carried godly beauty is even better. I have a lovely friend who does just that. She is serene with His beauty. This young woman is about to be married to her first boyfriend, at 29. She is a virgin and has never dated until now. This I cherish for her. Our God is beautiful! Imagine the beauty that Jesus carried. He was sinless and stayed close to the Father. What an attractive mix.  The woman in the passage above was praised by her family. A woman who clings to the Lord is beautiful indeed. Amen...

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Whist this thought applies to all Christians we must consider where this verse falls. From verse 5 Peter is addressing young men. He says: “In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” 1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬ The first four verses are addressed to elders: “And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are ...

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” Proverbs‬ ‭31‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I love this scripture. Strength and dignity are not found unless the Lord clothes us first. If He is the focus they are automatically present. Laughing without fear of the future are character traits of the daughter of a king. She is secure in the knowledge He reigns. Words of wisdom are found in the mouth of a student of the Lord. Knowing Him and His ways brings wisdom. Knowledge is found in the fear of the Lord. Giving instruction with kindness are traits of one who has been disciplined by the Lord and schooled in righteousness. Training others in His ways, is an act of love, neglect is an act of selfishness. When we are preoccupied with self, we neglect others. The lady in this passage is not a self-centred woman. On the contrary, further reading of the full passage reveals that her husba...

“Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.”  2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ These verses are interesting. First Paul asks for prayer and then promptly answers himself. It appears he is talking to the Thessalonians but in fact his statement answers his own request. Jesus taught us to pray, in the Lord’s Prayer He instructed us to ask the Father for deliverance from evil and temptation. It, therefore, is prudent that we pray thus. I often forget, and then when I remember I do. I am not so spiritual that I can avoid evil, I need the Lord’s help, we all do. Recently Bethel church in America wrote an apology letter for not publicly dealing with the sin of an associate. Pastor Bill mentioned that he is so reluctant to accuse a brother that it became a weakness for him. He has shown us that a strength can be used against us by our enemy. We can asses...

“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬ There are plenty of troubles to be found, if we are looking for trouble. If our mind is bent on ‘oh! Poor me! However, a heart of gratitude sees a different perspective. What can I be grateful for? What is God doing in my life? What is He asking me to be involved with, right here, right now? I have spent the last week doing not much at all, in a remote village in Sindhulpalchok, Nepal. I had a week off college and decided to visit friends and stay in a village to experience village life. It has been quiet, apart from an initial setting up of the flat I am staying in and sorting clothes for donation, daily I am the cook. I have one gas burner on which I cook daal, rice, vegetables, meat or eggs, and pickle. The amount I cook lasts all day and some leftovers. ...

“But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ What does this mean? Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing? It means give when your heart prompts you without ruminating over the rightness of the gift. The Lord fills our heart with compassion and that compassion urges us to act. In reading the gospel of Matthew we see Jesus regularly moved with compassion for the sick, the hungry and the lost. He promptly reaches out and heals, feeds and comforts. When Jesus involves us, we are blessed. Jesus asked the disciples what did they have, twice, when confronted by large hungry crowds. They only had a few loaves of bread and a few fish. To them these were not enough, but to Jesus they were all that was required. Is the Lord prompting you to use what you consider small? I find that as I obey He stretches the small and creates enough for the task at hand. I am delighted by His ability to stretch t...

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.” Psalms‬ ‭143‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I love the early mornings when I awake and spend time with the loving presence of the Lord. All I can do is worship! His favourite song is Worthy by Elevation Music, at present, as is mine. My heart burns for souls to hear the Good News. I want to shine His light in dark places. My prayers are for souls in lands where the Gospel being preached is forbidden. It is happening! Here in Nepal I pray that people see Jesus. The amazing thing is, He shines through me, I am possessed with His love for the lost. He is working! People here are not used to being loved by a god. However, my Jesus passionately loves them. I love them. May it show! Amen!

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Last night I heard the testimony of a young woman born into an Iranian family who were close to the Ayatollah Khamenei, the previous leader of Iran. She came to know Jesus in 2024, as did her sister. Living in such a family was dangerous and when discovered her family turned against her, her grandmother wanted her killed. Fortunately one of her brothers gave her a phone with a number to call. That call brought her deliverance from certain death and Iran. Becoming a Christian in many countries where Islam dominates mean death. Today, many suffer because of Christ in China, North Korea, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and more. In Nepal, in some areas of the east it is so. Proselytising is a crime. Foreigners are investigated for why they are here, I have been. Why are the enemies of Christ persecuting those who choose to follow Him? He is...

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Evil is all around us, tempting us, attacking us. What do we do? We recognise how it is interacting with us and respond appropriately. If I am being tempted I use scripture, just as Jesus did, to fight off the enemy. If I am being attacked I pray, diligently and strongly for the souls of those attacking me. I bind the spirits driving their attacks and rebuff the spirits. The last part of the above scripture says: ‘by doing good’. What good can I do? I must recognise my own flesh and subdue it, I can recognise the flesh of others and confront it, I can go outside of both of these and find people who need good doing to them. I am in Silnhulpalchowk helping set up a flat there. My bed is almost as hard as concrete and my back is rebelling. The food is plain dhal bhaat twice a day. If I want to avoid ‘piro’ (chilly, very hot chilly) my fare is white rice and cooked lentils. The alternative is junk food i...

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I just read a report that The Iranian leadership had been pretty much destroyed in the first few minutes of the Israel:US strike against them. This strike had been weeks in the making and it seems as if the US were dragging their feet. However, they gave diplomacy the best chance and then when it failed they acted. In the waiting many Iranian people were killed by their own leaders.  More so our God waits for souls to repent and come to Him. Many dear saints, meanwhile, are slaughtered  or imprisoned amd cry out for justice. In the Book of Revelation we see a scene where the saints before the altar are crying out, “How long Lord?” God replies, “until the full number have come”. He knows how long and how many, not us. Then He will act. Amen!