Faith

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Hearing about Jesus is a beautiful gift we can give to the people of the world. If they do not hear, faith cannot arise. We must look for ways to share the good news.

I like good news! I believe everybody likes good news. We don’t like to hear about the people that are killed because they are Jews or Christians, or just because they are children. Yesterday, in Australia 12 people were killed, 11 were of the Jewish faith, one was the gunman.

However, last night a group of us gathered to sing Christmas carols and celebrate Christmas here in Nepal. It was a joyous occasion.

In Africa many are killed because they are Christians. The enemy of our souls is hatefully seeking to main, kill and destroy. Praise God Jesus came to bring life and it is the news about Him that brings change.

We are blessed to know Him! Let’s tell others about Him! Amen!

His coming

“You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.! James‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

To the many persecuted Christians the cry of, “how long Lord!” Will be frequent. We see this in the book of Revelation. “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.”Revelation‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The cost of the outpouring of the Spirit of God is the relentless attacks on the saints of God. Satan is angry and he is attacking Gods people, but all his attacks do is purify the church and win more souls. Yes he kills our babies and children and saints of God, but the fire grows stronger.

May the fire fall Lord! Amen!

Living in love

“We have come into an intimate experience with God’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us. God is love! Those who are living in love are living in God, and God lives through them.”1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This verse is speaking to people who have accepted Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Those who have not done so do not experience His love, because it comes in relationship. It is likened to a marriage. The love between two married people is different and more intimate than between casual friends.

I have the best times when I am immersed in God’s love. I then enjoy loving others and life to the full. It is a wonderful experience. The opposite is not a pleasant place to be at all. Selfishness is a horrible and unlovely place.

Today I have successfully passed through a week of trial. I endured four exams in the Nepali language. They were hard but my God was with me all the way. He lifted me. He told me what text to study and carried me through the difficult patches. 

Today I look forward to the next exciting chapter. I will learn to make bonsai pots. There is a market for these in Nepal and I believe it might be a business opportunity which carries with it a business visa and ability to employ the poor. This will free up my time to do presentations in the hills of Sindhulpalchok on human trafficking, and perhaps save some children who otherwise would be destined to be sex slaves.

God has a plan and His plan is fun! It stretches me but what an adventure!

The good shepherd

““I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him.”John‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Here, Jesus is teaching the listeners about good leaders. The Pharisees and Sadducees loved position and recognition, but did not care for the people.! Jesus often referred to the people as lost sheep without a shepherd. He then tells them He is the good shepherd as He lays down His life for them, unlike the hireling who runs away when trouble comes.

In this day of ‘me first’ do we find many good shepherds? Or do we find hirelings. We ourselves must consider our role and know what it means to lay down our lives for the sheep. The sheep are the people God has given us to care for. 

Laying down our lives can be a matter of denying self and thinking of those we care for. Selfishness does not cut it with our Lord. He gave His all, and wants us to give our all also. Amen!

Forgiven

“You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins.”Psalms‬ ‭85‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This verse is from a Psalm written by the sons of Korah. The sons of Korah had the task of being the gatekeepers in the temple of God. They also had the task of standing up in the people and singing praises to God. One of their beautiful psalms is psalm 42:

‘As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, God!’ The psalmist is deeply depressed and seeking God.

‘Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls, all the breakers of Your billows have swept over me’. The psalmist answers himself:

‘Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope to God, for I will still praise Him, my saviour and my God’. (HCSB)

 

The writer had a revelation that salvation only comes from God. We need to be mindful of this!

Yesterday I did the second lots of exams. I did fine. Today I have an unknown text to listen to in Nepali and questions to answer in Nepali. I have an inkling what it will be, I believe the Lord has reminded me of one such exercise we did a few weeks ago. Tomorrow I am interviewed by my teacher and have to respond to his questions in Nepali. That is the finish!! Yay!! Holidays are coming!!

I have to continually trust my God with all I experience here in Nepal. The future is His! Amen!

His coming foretold

““ ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. “ ‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’”Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is a prophesy about Jesus’ coming. It was given hundreds of years before the event of His birth. Yet, this prophesy is still to be fulfilled when Jesus returns to rule and reign.

All the Old Testament predictions about Jesus either have come to fruition or will come to fruition. God is faithful to His promises. We can then know He is faithful to the promises He has given us.

Yesterday, I had my first exam, it was grammar. The Lord promised me I would pass, I will pass. I answered all the questions and know some were easy to complete. Today we have dictation, comprehension and writing. I will be fine as I trust the Lord and His promises to me.

I would rather focus on Jesus and His coming. May His kingdom come, His will be done! Amen!

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!