The day with dianne Louise

“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We can come to view the Law of God as a task master, however Paul tells us it is good and holy: “But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.” Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Jesus summaries the Law as:  ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭39‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Jesus taught that the Law was deeper, He said  “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someo...

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.” Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬ This verse can be confusing, as we still adhere to the laws of the land; we still obey our God and His ways. However, we do not live to just be a law-abider, we live in faith for what Jesus has won for us. Keeping the law will not make us holy, He did that. Our relationship with Him is what matters. He is not only our saviour, He is our friend and lover. Our good deeds are a result of that relationship. Yesterday, my friend Chelle and I travelled for 14 hours over a landslide deveststed terrain in a Jeep. My deriere attests to the journey, it is bruised and sore. Twice we stopped to allow excavators to clear the road. Huge boulders sat proudly on our thoroughfare, causing the excavator to create a path around it for the traff...

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬ We are free from sin’s hold. We do not need to submit to our fleshly reactions ans appetites anymore. Jesus died for sin, once and for all times. Our sin was nailed on the cross. We do not need to lives as if it is in control. Not only have we died with Christ we have been raised with Him. His victory over sin and death is ours by faith. I do not need to sweat or struggle anymore. Praise Him! Today my friend Chelle and I travel in a keep all day up through the midlands of western Nepal. Our trip will take two days. Both of us went to bed with an upset stom...

“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 If we walk in faith for what Jesus has done for us then we are at peace. No condemning or critical judgement made against us will stand. We have been acquitted and stand in a glorious robe that glows and exudes peace with God. This robe is the robe of righteousness that Jesus gives us as we enter the door (He is the door). Nothing the accuser throws at us will be heard in heaven. We can flick it off! If God is happy, we should be happy. He has made us right with Him. Now, to walk with Him! Today an American friend of mine called Chelle and I embark on a journey up into the highlands here in Nepal. We go bearing gifts for children but also plan to...

“But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.” Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬ ““Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬ Abraham figures heavily in this chapter; and David’s Psalm 32:1,2 are used I. Verse 7,8 of Romans chapter 4. Abraham lived before the Law and David lived inside the Law. Abraham is therefore the Father of faith as he walked with God in faith. Although circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of the covenant between him and God, he did not know the Law, this came through Moses. David was after Moses. In verse 9, chapter 4 of Romans, Paul says ‘faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness’. Abraham is an example to us Gentiles. Abraham was called by God out of Iraq as his chosen ‘father of a multitude’. When he was called he was 75 and did not have the promise...

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬ “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.” Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬ I can say that obeying the law did not free me from the uncleaness I felt within; however, accepting Jesus as my saviour and way to freedom did. I could not earn my salvation, I still cannot, even though I constantly feel obligated to try. I keep falling back down from the wall of self-righteousness to repentance and belief that Jesus was and is enough. Only Jesus is pure and undefiled. There is no pride in Him. He said, ‘learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart’ (Matt 11:29). We who are pr...

“Do the riches of his extraordinary kindness make you take him for granted and despise him? Haven’t you experienced how kind and understanding he has been to you? Don’t mistake his tolerance for acceptance. Do you realize that all the wealth of his extravagant kindness is meant to melt your heart and lead you into repentance?” Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭TPT‬‬ This chapter is written to Jews in Rome. Paul is scathing in his attack on their self-righteousness. This reminds me of what it was like to be a Catholic. We believed we were right with God because we were Catholics. This chapter dismantles such arrogance. Self-righteousness slaps Jesus in the face and rejects His sacrifice as not enough. How dare we assume our own righteousness can be acceptable to God. If we live by the Law then we are judged by the perfect law, not our own. The law reveals sin.  Without Jesus’ sacrifice we are under the wrath of God’s judgement. I do not want that option. I, rather, want the deliverance Jesus gave me...