The promise

““The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. “In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’”Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jeremiah lived in the time when kings refused to listen to word of God. Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern, jailed and abused for the words he brought. Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would fall into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The people looked for prophets that would tell them otherwise, but they did go into captivity for seventy years.

Nonetheless, God also gave Jeremiah words of hope. The above scripture is speaking of Jesus. However, this then caused them to look for a future king who would deliver them from their enemies. Jesus didn’t come as a king when He came first, that is for a future day. He came as a deliverer from sin and a witness to what the Kingdom of God looked like.

 

Jesus came as a small baby and grew up in Galilee for 30 years before He went public. Then, for three years He preached about the kingdom of God, healed many and gave His life on the cross for the sins of all. Three days later He rose from the dead, conquering death. He then confirmed to His disciples and family He was indeed the Son of God. His brothers who had opposed Him now became ardent followers.

We can refuse to believe that the baby celebrated at Christmas is the Son of God, but the day is coming when we will face Him and know we made the wrong choice. Today I choose to believe. Eternity is waiting! Amen!

Guard your heart

“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I want to focus on the last sentence here, because it is explains why the first. I have an old friend who used to say to me, “Di let peace be your governor”. It was easier said than done. I was going through some very difficult times when he told me that. However, he was right.

Yesterday was a difficult day in part. I had determined to give my body a day of rest. I walked several kilometres to church and attended the prayer meeting. Unfortunately, after the prayer meeting I was best by refugees wanting my help. It became very frustrating and by the time the service started my insides were a mess. Afterwards I knew I should have waited until after church to talk to them and I should have places boundaries in place. Even though I do not represent all the refugees they see me and come to me. This increases my load, and I do not have authority to act for them as they have their own advocates. Unfortunately their advocates are not always there. Some have ministry away from Kathmandu and stay in touch with their charges on WhatsApp.

I had spent Friday and Saturday morning studying and was tired. Tomorrow the exams start. By the weekend it will be all over. Praise God! 

However, I need to navigate this week well to maintain peace. My heart does not function well when not at peace. Peace is important. Peace with God and man are all important. I cannot abuse people because I have lost peace. I need more of God each day. Being filled up with His spirit will keep me safe. Worship will keep me there! Amen!

Endurance and Comfort

“Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One.”Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭TPT‬‬

God gives us, through the Holy Spirit endurance, comfort and grace. We can be unified in faith as we refuse the thoughts from the enemy of our souls and run to our God. He is our rock, our safe place, our strong tower over all our fears and anxieties.

As I prepare for my exams the enemy is determined to disrupt. I see him coming and refuse his advances. I am equipped for battle. This battle is for the establishment of the Kingdom of God. As I take ground in this small way now, I make room for miracles. I am praying for miracles this week as I need to remember difficult texts, hear the teacher in dictation and read with clarity. This week is the last week of term. In one week I am free. However, this week is integral, this proves God is the God of miracles.

Yesterday my friend Chelle took me for a walk to Kathmandu Uni. This will be where I study pottery next term, starting February. I want to study pottery so that I can enable the poor in Sindhulpalchok to earn money, that’s the plan.

I enjoyed the walk and knowing it is my next step. When I am at the uni I will attend class two days a week and continue to study language on three with a tutor. There will be no more exams, praise God!

As I am now 72, I need less stress. Exams are stressful! I can learn language in a stressless environment. Amen!

Close

“The Lord is close to all whose hearts are crushed by pain, and he is always ready to restore the repentant one.”Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

It is interesting that sometimes we need the Lord to be close in a trial because it hurts us, another time we need Him to guide our response, another time He uses us to heal the bringer of the pain.

Yesterday I realised things that broke me last year do not this year. My heart has been healed. Offence was caused by me yesterday and when the offended one attacked me I spoke to her heart. “Do not be offended by me or my behaviour!” I was not attempting to act in pride, but rather reconciliation.

However, waking at 3am the Lord showed me I had let that spirit in by a conversation I had with an American friend. I had been cross about the behaviour and policies of a support group I am in. I was critical about the groups policies and behaviour. Well, criticism walked in then and it attacked my innocent friend who did not need it. She then found fault with me. Needless to say I repented. I cannot afford to allow darkness into our home.

I have to be careful around certain friends as they love to criticise and often see the dark side of things. My role is to not give room to the enemy.

Lord, today I ask for grace to keep my mouth sweet! Amen!

Love, where did it start?

“We love each other because he loved us first.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John had a handle on love, especially the love of God. He knew Jesus loved him. He even said in his gospel, he was ‘the disciple who Jesus loved’. Therefore, anything that John writes about love is worth noting, and in fact breathing in.

John wrote one gospel, three epistles and the Book of Revelation. Why did Jesus reveal the end times to John? Perhaps He loved him and trusted him.

We can think we wal in love but later discover how fleshly our love has been. I had that experience this morning. I awoke around 5 and lay snuggled in my warm bed being aware that God was wanting to clean house. I began to see the past with the eyes of truth, and came to repent for my previous understanding of love. As someone who functioned as a pastor for 13 years I saw my selfishness in the mix. At the time I thought my heart was pure, however in hindsight I see the mistakes. It led me to repentance.

I want to be trusted by my God to love those He gives me to love. I want to do this in purity and holiness. I see my grandchildren battling sexual sin and look at the doorways that sin walked through. What movies did we allow, what licences did we take? What stands did we fail to take? I am now battling for my grandchildren and the first part of it is my own repentance. I want to shut all doors that open to uncleaness.

Forgive me Lord for the wrong and the licence I gave! Amen!

Praying in tongues

“You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Half-hearted prayer are a waste of space. If we are going to pray we need to be engaged with our heart. As I have prayed for the same 27 things for several years I have to find this engagement with the prayer or they fall flat. When I am struggling praying in the Spirit (praying in tongues) is essential.

The gift of tongues is for every believer. I received this gift when I was 19 on a youth camp. No one prayed for me to receive it.  The worship was powerful and each song ended in singing in the spirit. When we returned home on Sunday I was asked if I had been baptised in the Spirit. I replied, “I think so!” I asked what the baptism in the Holy Spirit was and when told I said yes that has been what I’ve been doing. I was prayed for but had already received it. My hungry heart stepped into what it had longed for, communion with my saviour, for the longest time.

I am grateful that I can pray in tongues. It encourages me, lifts me and fills me. It completes my prayers. I am not alone in my prayer. I believe I am praying for things that sit on my Lord’s heart and the Holy Spirit is happy to help.

Seek it today! Amen!

Pray always

“Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people.”Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬ ‭GNT‬‬

Prayer is so vital! I make a habit of praying for 27 people or groups of people every day, plus as my Lord prompts me. Each of those 27 needs are inportant to the Lord. They cover family, friends, the persecuted, the unborn, the oppressed, the government, the church, Nepal, Muslims, Buddhist’s, Israel and dying and more. I long to see souls in heaven. 

Today is my birthday. Being an Aussie I awoke to birthday blessings from friends and family there. One in particular was from my autistic grandson Ryan. He is a loving young man. He wanted to inform me he had a job and a girlfriend. Both of these I have prayed for him.

I regularly ask the Lord to show me answers to prayers, and He does. This encourages me to keep praying.

 

Get on the Lord’s payroll today! It is the best place to be. Tonight I have Bible study in my flat and have some unsaved friends coming! I am praying they have ears to hear tonight! Amen!