The day with dianne Louise

“She has been forgiven of all her many sins. This is why she has shown me such extravagant love. But those who assume they have very little to be forgiven will love me very little.” Luke‬ ‭7‬:‭47‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Jesus said these words to a Pharisee named Simeon. When Simeon invited Jesus to dinner he did not offer Him water to wash His feet or  oil to annoint His head. A former prostiture came in with expensive ointment and washed His feet with her many tears and wiped His feet with her hair, she then annointed His feet with her ointment. Simeon represented those who thought they were sinless, the woman represented those who knew they were sinful. Today we have many who estimate themselves to be righteous, and they are not church attenders, they have made themselves god. They have deemed church-goers as weak and emotionally needy, themselves as self-sufficient and strong. They believe that if there is a God in eternity He should accept them as righteous. They will be very dismayed when the...

“Peter replied, “Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed. Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Here is no soft-peddling here! Peter confronts the question given to him: ‘what then must we do?’ The people who came together at the sound of the Holy Spirit coming heard they were responsible for the death of Jesus. Rather than deny it, they were contrite and asked what to do. When we have the opportunity to speak for Jesus and the gospel we must be straight with the truth. Repentance is the way to eternal life with Him. Repentance is the only way. Accepting Jesus as saviour and Lord and being baptised in water gives access to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers us to live and speak for Him.  Baptism in water shows the world around us that we have died to our old life and walk into the new. It is not a sprinkling affair, ...

“I’m obviously not trying to flatter you or water down my message to be popular with men, but my supreme passion is to please God. For if all I attempt to do is please people, I would fail to be a true servant of Christ.” Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭TPT‬‬ When I went to the village of Magri I knew I wanted to return there to conduct my research project that looks at how music affects learning. I plan to bring the music of heaven to them. The village is isolated. To reach the village I must trek. The reception we received when we went there was good, as the guide had lived there for 2 1/2 years as a teacher. I am praying into the project and seeking God for His way. My friend, who initially was willing is now unwilling and rather than cause me to vere away it has caused me to strengthen my purpose. My concern is my ability to communicate. I want to communicate well. My friend wants to go to another people group. I am not sure how she is being influenced by the man who took us as his passion is...

“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭TPT‬‬ Being in Nepal, and not having a full grasp on the language, I do not fully know the ideals and customs of the people around me. Whilst I know they live in fear of their many gods, I imagine their ideals are to be as affluent as the west. There are a growing number of motor vehicles on the road and those who drive them are smug and self confident. The disparity between those who have and the who do not is huge. Outside of Kathmandu, the further one travels, the poorer the inhabitants become. However, there are people in remote western Nepal who are content, without motor cars and fancy houses. This is where I want to go.  Today I begin my language learning again. I am not waiting for colleg...

““Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬ We have a whole 366 days ahead of us, what will unfold? I am trusting for great things. Last night we celebrated the New Year and gave thanks for the old. At our flat we had a vibrant bunch of neighbours in the welcome in the New Year. We ate daal bhat, roti, tharkari, and finished with cake, on which two fire crackers were lit. After eating we played games, such fun. I saw a funny and beautiful family from upstairs perform together. A smaller family from downstairs was more subdued,  perhaps it was because they were the servants to those upstairs, perhaps it was other reasons. We prayed to Jesus for our food and finished the night with thanks to the Father for a wonderful year and bequests for this New Year. This was my first cross-cultural, cross-faith celebr...

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Beofre coming to Jesus my life was not joyful, I had happy times because of happenings, but the joy that bubbles from deep within eluded me.  The night I encountered Jesus was the happiest and most joyful moment of my life. Whilst happiness has come and gone, joy remains. The joy of knowing my future is in His hands, not mine, is satisfying indeed. Yesterday my missionary friend and I spoke of visiting China, particularly Tibet. I have longed to visit China for a long time. Maro Polo revealed a new world to me as a child, the stories of the faithful missionary men and women inspire me as an adult. China is a huge land of beauty and full of faithful followers of Jesus. They have been beaten, imprisoned and abused and yet they love the Lord with a passion. These beautiful people inspire me and challenge all self-pity I experience.  If I had never co...

“So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬ I needed to read this! I have been struggling to overcome a fleshly appetite and found myself powerless. However, this scripture reminds me that by abiding in life-union with Jesus I have His power to overcome. The Lord has a work He wants to accomplish and as I abide with Him I see an impact that I could only dream about.  My flatmates and I are conducting a New Year’s Eve outreach. We have sent out our invitations. All except one are Hindu folk who we live in community with. They are lovely, cherished folk. We will do the expected Daal Bhat and I...