Study the book

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Let’s be honest, once a day usually suffices. Yet, here is God telling Joshua, a leader, to study the word of God continually (meditate upon it).

I am learning the Nepali language so that I can speak to the people. I spend a lot of time studying it and attempting to converse in it. 

If I want to know God and His word then I need to spend a lot more time in His word.

Lately I have been listening to more sermons, studying scripture day and night and in spare time. I have been beset with all manner of sickness and determined to free myself. Healing scriptures throughout the Bible carry life.

Today I meet with a man who is in business in Nepal. He is a Christian. I need to know what I will face if God does open the way to create a business in Sindhulpalchok to help the poor.

I am aiming to go to Pokhra to look at a PET recycling plant. I am also aiming to return to Sindhulpalchok this month to start school presentations. I need God’s wisdom, presence and provision.

Telling children about human trafficking is not enough, I must help solve the poverty that causes it. I pray for guidance. Amen

Others and pride

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I must say this is the greatest challenge! We are a selfish generation! Everything is viewed through the lense of me.

Jesus spent much time teaching His disciples humility, servanthood, forgiveness, and giving. We need to be disciples in the same way. That is why we have the Holy Spirit and scripture. Our role is to craft an ear that hears and a heart that obeys.

Often, I will sense a trouble-making spirit in the house. It attempts to cause fights among us. By resisting him we become closer. After all, it is our flesh that becomes annoyed, not our spirit. If we become annoyed we can recognise the areas we need to work on and yield to the Lord.

Yesterday, I returned from college with red marks through some of my homework. One of my flatmates is my tutor. Initially when this happened I was miffed with my tutor. However, when I told her she humbly went to work to show me the big picture. I respect that! My flesh was proud and was not impressed with being wrong. Turns out I wasn’t as either answer would have been right, however, the teacher had his set way of teaching.

It was my turn to be humble and I was. My tutor then gave me a wonderful resource for college that I could share with the class. This I did and received much gratitude. All because of my tutor who is a good, humble woman.

Learning to be humble and not proud is a good lesson indeed!

What is a sin?

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”James‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you are to forgive, then forgive, if you are to repair a relationship, then repair it! If you are to repent of bad behaviour, repent! If you are to give and refuse, repent and give!

God prompts each of us in the right way. Our Bible tells us we will hear a voice behind us saying: ‘not that way, this way!’ (Isaiah 30:21). If we are being stubborn and refusing to follow the promting of the Holy Spirit we need to repent!

Repentance is a gift from God, if we continue to refuse it we may find ourselves like Esau. Scripture tells us ‘he sought repentance and could not find it’(Hebrews 12:17). God will not struggle with us forever. Then, with hardened heart we follow our flesh and not His spirit. 

We need God’s spirit! He is good and leads us into all truth. Amen!

The light

“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”John‬ ‭8‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus said He was the light of the world. Do we believe this? Or is a nod all this truth gets? If Jesus is the light He brings truth to my world. His words are powerful, He sets captives free. Hebrews tells us that: “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

Jesus cut through the darkness and the lies of our enemy. Paul tells us: “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What do we use to capture every proud thought? The word of God. Do not survive on one spiritual meal a day, read the word regularly, feast on it, speak it, sing it! Amen! There is power in the word of God! Satan would distract you with social media, don’t fall for his traps, turn to the Word of God for His release, healing, and deliverance! Amen!

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭105‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Giving up burdens

“Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When we have heavy burdens and someone comes along and offered to carry them, do we yield? If we know the burden is way too heavy of course we will. However, we can be convinced it is good for us to carry those burdens and foolishly carry on to our own detriment.

Satan attempts to rob us of peace. He pursues us with thought about our own inadequacies and failures and condemns us. We do not need to listen. We have a saviour!

When we are being attacked by our enemy it is because we are walking towards a godly victory. Don’t yield! Stand and wait to see the clouds disappear and confess God’s word over your life.

Be strong! Be bold for the Lord our God is with you! (Deuteronomy 31:6).

A faithful God

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I am grateful that my God has spoken to us through the Bible, that He has used simple people to do great things. I am grateful He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins and complete the just requirements of the law, so that we can choose to live by faith in Him.

I am not required to do to earn righteousness but to live by faith in what has been bought for me. Being right with God is not about self-effort, but faith in Jesus who finished the work for me.

Today I awoke to a message from a Christian friend in England saying: “I have blocked your posts about Israel as they are lies, shame on you!” My friend has judged me and found me wanting. I am sad that England believes Israel to be the villain in Gaza, however, I will still support and pray for them. As for my friend, I pray for truth to arise. No amount of self-defense will satisfy. We live in a world awash with conflicting reports and we must trust our God for the right source. I praise God I will not be barred from heaven because I support Israel or Palestine, greater things are at stake here. Will I live by faith in the Son of God? Yes!

Making allowances

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Making allowances for faults can be challenging at times, especially during times of stress. Little things can annoy us: tidiness or untidiness; cleanliness or uncleanliness, eating habits. 

Nepalis do all of these differently. In some things they go overboard and others they simply do not see. I flat with two Nepalis. Dishwashing is a big issue with them, but many other things do not rate. For me cleanliness is important. However, I must always remind myself: does this really matter in the big picture? Does the Lord care? The answer is probably not as much as I do. 

Jesus took the Pharisees to task: “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I must allow scripture to tell it like it is! I must constantly focus on my motives and attitudes. These are the things that matter to the Lord not whether something is clean or not. If it bothers me so much I should clean it.

Fault finding is a sin, it is wrong in my own life as well. Find God! His perspective is a lot more loving! Amen!