Boldness

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I want more boldness for Christ. Being wary of prosecution makes me cautious. I don’t want souls to miss God’s best for them.

I want my life to honour Christ. Only He knows if I have been successful. I am aware that recently I was in a coffee shop and one Nepali man was trying to engage me in conversation. I carry a small card on which is written: ‘Jesus loves you’ on one side and on the other: ‘for God so loved the world that He gave His Son’. I had purposefully put that card in my bag that I take swimming. I felt a prompt to give the man the card but didn’t because I was unsure of the environment. I should have trusted the Lord. Please bring the man back Lord!

I have a friend who has lived here for 16 years and she has been expelled for proselytism. Her voice is ever in my head.

I need to find the Holy Spirit’s boldness and step up when He commands. I have to trust Him for my safety. Amen!

Recognition

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”John‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

John was able to recognise Jesus as the Messiah. How was he able to do that?

“And John testified, “I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on — He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God! ”John‬ ‭1‬:‭32‬-‭34‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Jesus was John’s cousin. As John had grown up in the wilderness perhaps they had little to do with each other, John’s parents were old at conception and although they knew about Jesus, John may have not. Or else he was stating that he received his revelation from God and not man.

How do we know Jesus is the Messiah? We also have a divine revelation, our eyes are opened to the fullness of Jesus in the scripture. The Holy Spirit also works in us to reveal Jesus. I remember the day it happened for me. Suddenly I could read scripture and know that Jesus was all it said He was and He was my personal saviour.

This same revelation is wanting to be made available to all mankind, and it so our task to take the good news, just as John had done. Amen!

Shelter

“The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Several nights ago I was awake early praying for my children and grandchildren who we caught in the path of cyclone Alfred. I saw the Lord as a great bird with wings spread shelling them from the damage intended. I had a wonderful time of fellowship with the Lord and sensed His intense love. I knew He had this, and He did, the cyclone lost strength and was downgraded to a low. Praise Him!

I must always run to Him for shelter.! Yesterday whilst helping a good friend move house Kathmandu had another earthquake. We did not feel a thing. My friend is moved into a beautiful new flat, the first and only one to occupy the units as the landlord lives in America and wants the flats upstairs to be his holiday home. She has complete control of the whole building. Now, that is a blessing for my dear friend!

My two flatmates are troubled with constant colds and cannot break free. My Jesus has an answer! He is God and we must run to Him in faith. Amen!

Great gratitude

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord! ” And she told them what He had said to her.”John‬ ‭20‬:‭18‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Mary had had several demons cast out of her. She knew such gratitude and love because of the freedom Jesus gave her. She was at the tomb early on Easter Sunday morning and when she found Jesus gone she was grief stricken. Jesus had compassion on her and met her need to find Him. He had not ascended to he Father and told her not to hold Him, or attempt to. 

We find that people who know great deliverance love much and those who have come from a relatively good life love less. I am one of the latter but am grateful Jesus revealed my sin to me before I came to Him. I am grateful for Him rescuing me when I see so many caught away from Him. I look at my siblings and know I would be just the same if not for Jesus.!I grieve for them and pray they find Him.

Right now my family are caught in the midst of cyclone Albert. They are safe praise God. I am grateful!

Take time to be grateful! It will save your soul! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=_8Y_zR_om9c&si=rYfgBQFFIk4wdOxJ

Every part

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Every part means every part not just those areas that are ever present before our eyes. I cannot take liberty whilst in Nepal and ignore the road rules. If I cause an accident and people are injured how will they be compensated? If I am driving illegally then I will face prison and eventual deportation.

I know foreign nationals who flaunt these rules. What is their behaviour saying about their hearts towards others? Towards their God? The above scripture saying to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in all areas. 

If we say we cannot hear Him correcting our behaviour what does that say about our hearing? Have we dulled our ability to listen because of self-will?

Because I am sensitive to following the law I am not free to walk around in critical judgement of those who do flaunt the rules. My challenge is to get out of the way of the Spirit and let Him rule. 

Lord I ask for Your focus for me today, to allow you to rule in my heart. May a your kingdom come, Your will be done. Amen!

Set free

“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

We cannot comprehend God’s holinesss. We think we know holiness by our own judgement of what we think that looks like. Every judgement we make is from a selfish point of view. 

Yet, it takes a revelation from the Holy Spirit to understand what holiness really is. He does this as He reveals our sin and we then know we have fallen short of God’s glorious holiness. Only repentance opens the door to God’s holiness. We now become set apart for Him. As we read our bibles we gain insight and understanding of how holy God is and what His plan for us is. He transforms us from sinner to saint as we become more like His Son Jesus.

Only Jesus can set us free from the penalty of sin. As we accept His gift we are liberated from the penalty of our sin. No amount of self-righteousness is good enough. We have no righteousness worthy of our God. Jesus was the only one good enough. I must accept His free gift and live in faith towards Him. He is enough. Amen!

I believe

“Jesus, the Anointed One, is always the same—yesterday, today, and forever.”Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Jesus is revealed throughout the Old Testament as a golden thread, in the New Testament He is the manifestation of God as the Son. The gospels show us His character. He came to heal, restore and deliver, to manifest the true nature of God, and to ultimately die a cruel death in our place, only to rise again victorious on the third day.

As we read the gospels we find Him in opposition to religious hypocrisy, having compassion on the people who He called ‘sheep without a shepherd’. He offered Himself as the shepherd. Although God He humbled Himself to the role of servant. His authority, nonetheless, cut through the darkness. The demons recognised Him even if the religious leaders denied Him.

He gave life to all who believed in Him and this life continues now. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to heaven. He is the answer to all questions, the eternal God. He is coming back to rule and reign as king.

I believe! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wohdq7YCPWk&si=g6uvM41VqVGFRM_u