Tender hearted

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My attitude is probably the area I struggle with most. I have to be so tough on myself that I become somewhat impatient with the frailties of others. Grace and patience is then needed. Praise God He has it in abundance and I can access it.

Being tender hearted means I reall must seek God’s love for people. Fortunately He has it in abundance. Jesus remonstrated with the disciples for their impatience and lack of grace. James and John wanted to call fire down on a group of people who would not accept Jesus. “But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭55‬-‭56‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If He was present with me He would be giving me the eye, which would say, “seriously, I am patient with you, you be patient with others!” It is easy to overlook our own faults, but they are still there.

Forgive one another. Not only am I called to be kind, tender hearted but also forgiving. Yes! Forgive others their faults! I’ve noticed that living in Kathmandu foreigners can develop a cushy lifestyle and think that is enough. I am being a missionary! I live in a third world country. Are you? Isn’t there a mission to take the gospel to the lost?

I am glad that I am now able to go into the countryside of Nepal. It keeps me focused. It makes me aware that many live in poverty and in need. It makes me grateful. 

Lord help me to keep my eyes on You!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=rn9-UNer6MQ&si=ndTMycGxE9fTHMZn

He goes before us

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

People may abandon us, but God does not. People may be disinterested in what we are doing but do we do it for them or God? I will spend enternity with the One that matters and whose opinion really counts. It is His ‘well done’ I seek, not man’s.

When we expect close friends to rejoice with us and mourn with us and they are not there, we can be disappointed, however, God was with us when we went and He was vitally interested in what we did. It was He who used our simple efforts for His glory.

I notice that God is moving ahead of me in the work He wants me to do. I anticipate a need and He goes before me to provide, miraculously. I have researched many entities for the work in Nepal and realised we needed to create an NGO (non-government organisation), I am excluded from being named because I am a foreigner, but I can apply to do voluntary work with said NGO. The day before we left on our first mission to teach in schools in Sindhulpalchok, my colleague Thomas was given an NGO. Not just any NGO but one which spells out the work we will do. I was amazed. Praise God!

This Saturday we will meet Thomas’ uncle who deals with motor vehicles. We need a 4WD. I am praying for a miracle. May God provide! Amen!

Always

“Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Always is something we promise in wedding vows, but seldom is it something we abide by. I rejoice when I see marriages that last the distance. Mine didn’t. The enemy of our souls knows how to lay traps. During a time of extreme pressure the attacks come. However, our God is eternally faithful. He does not depart.

No matter what I endure, my God is faithful. I am not alone in the problems I face. Many are here in this place. Not having an easy life is not an excuse to abandon our faith. Jesus told His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. This they did with most dying at the hands of those who hated the gospel.

As I write this many in Nigeria are losing their lives because they follow Jesus. Many in India, the country below Nepal, face the same fate. We cannot expect a cushy life from following Christ. However, we can expect the beauty of the Lord to be with us. He is worth any sacrifice. Amen!

An unusual prophesy

“His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise I will come and strike the land with a curse.”Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I had to get out my Bible and a commentary to discover who ‘He’ was. This verse refers to the previous Vera about a Elijah the prophet coming again. Now, John the Baptist was referred to a second aelijah the prophet, but did he reconcile sons to fathers? He was more about repentance from sin as a whole. The Bible does not mention healing of relations between fathers and sons. 

My Bible commentary and the Bible Hub commentary indicate another figure coming who will reconcile sons and fathers. May that be so! I have some reconciling to do myself.

I have been away on a weekend mission to Sindhulpalchok in northern Nepal. I saw families living in community and saw my colleague meet his mothers sister and his mothers brother on a bus when we were travelling to a school to conduct a presentation. It was lovely to watch.

Thomas, my colleague lost his mother many years ago. All his relatives say I look like his mother, but I have white skin. I am amazed, and happy for Thomas. The Lord has given me a second son. A son who will work with me here in Nepal.

On Saturday I preached twice in local churches. I know God’s heart is that first we be reconciled to Him. Then may we be reconciled to each other.

Lord may Your kingdom come, your will be done! Amen!

Trusting the Lord

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yesterday, I was up early and ready to preach at two churches. I had one message, but in the first service the Lord gave me one word, ‘faith’’ for the second. Fortunately, I am an avid blogger and used to writing sermonettes on the spot. At the first church I preached about us being salt and light. The Lord ensured it was a humorous message. The pastor got up after me and built upon my message. In the second church I taught on faith. Fortunately, it all went well as it is what I have had to live. The people responded well. I have been asked back to teach a group of pastors on faith.

Last night I presented the Jesus movie to a third church high up in the hills. I had arrived early and they were just finishing their service. Some stayed on all afternoon, mainly children. I could see the small two had nothing to do but hand around adults talking. I understook to make a doll and some cars out of rubbish lying around. The children loved them. They came alive. My translator told me I should be resting and I replied, “creativity is a good form of rest for me!”

The movie did not finish until after nine and by then I was very tired. I discovered I had a family sleeping in the church with me. They were up late talking and left the main light above me on. This was a little disconcerting. I improvised with scrap material and made a blind fold. I had been told that tigers may roam around at night. I wondered how I would secure the door and found that my co-inhabitants stacked chairs against it. Through the night loud bangs could be heard on the roof. It was not tigers or intruders, it was fruit falling from a tree nearby.

Today I do presentations at two schools then board a bus back to Kathmandu. I have college again tomorrow. However, Tuesday is Woman’s Day and I get a reprieve. Praise God!

I have made many new friends this trip and enjoyed God’s people. I know I am going to enjoy my future times with these people.

Our confident hope

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have just been reading about king Jehoshaphat, one of the good kings of Judah. He relied heavily on the Lord is all things but his relationship with the kings of Israel. He continually tried to work with them, each time disaster struck. However, God always rescued Jehoshaphat. Unlike his grandfather Asa, who was faithful to the Lord in most things, but developed a disease in his feet, and he did not seek the Lord for help. King Jehoshaphat encounter attacks by enemies but he sought the Lord and God fought for him, he just had to show up.

Today I am in Chautara. My journey here last night was tortuous. We were to catch a nice micro bus but the bus failed to appear and then torrential rain began. We waited in a lean-to cafe along with many Nepalis. I entertained a small girl. We finally found a bus, an old, groaning beast that entertained us with loud Nepali music. There were huge black car tyres up the centre aisle. We were dispatched about 20kms from our destination and needed to call a taxi. What were the odds in the rain far from anywhere we needed to be. But God provided. Five people were squashed into a small car and off we went. 2500R later we arrived, in the rain, to our destination. At 9pm at night we had our daal Bhat and went to bed.

Today will be a big day. I am to preach at two churches and present a Jesus movie in Nepali in another tonight. I sleep on the floor in that church and tomorrow go to two schools to do presentations on human trafficking. At 4 in the afternoon we catch another bus back to Kathmandu. Monday I am back at college.

This morning my head is ringing but I am going to fight for souls. May the kingdom of God come to Chautara. Amen!

The Kingdom of God

““So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.”Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We are told to seek God’s Kingdom. Where is that and what does it looks like? God’s Kingdom came among the people Jesus interacted with. They saw grace, forgiveness, deliverance, healing and miracles. Daily Jesus sought the Father in private prayer. He asked what His ways were for the day, His priorities.

What does God’s righteousness look like? Righteousness is right living, right with God. We cannot produce this in ourselves but we must live it by faith in Jesus. He alone was sinless and lived sinless. He sacrificed Himself for our freedom from sin.

My focus cannot be stuff. Jesus classes things as less important. He provides these less important things as secondary and not needing focus, God would provide them when needed.

My challenge is relegating things to ‘not important’ and God’s kingdom to ‘very important’.

Today after college I pack and leave on a bus to Chautara where I will spend the night. Tomorrow I am down to preach in two churches in the morning and present the Jesus movie in another at night. I plan to give three altar calls. I pray for souls!

Sunday I present teaching on trafficking in two schools then bus it home again. Monday I am back at language college.

I am 71 and believe the kingdom of God is important. How about you??