The day with dianne Louise

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod. Wise men from the east arrived unexpectedly in Jerusalem, saying, 'where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.' Matthew 2:1,2 The wise men were maji. Eastern maji mixed Zoroastrianism with astrology and black magic. They are described in Daniel 2:2,4-5,10, where they are associated with diviner priests, mediums and sorcerers.(HCSB) I have never really looked into what these characters represented. Have you ever had New Age mystics be attracted to your 'aura'? I have! I did not know what to do with them. Some of the very first people to acknowledge Jesus were people we would say fellowshipped 'the dark side.' In fact demons had no problem acknowledging Jesus, they would shout out 'you are the Christ', or beg not to be tormented before their time. What does this mean? Jesus came for the gentile, the sinner, those total...

Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18 I have dear friends and family going through the most trying of circumstances, I am called to pray, not judge. There are times when I am really busy, my heart becomes hardened because of my fleshly self-preservation and I have to go to the Lord for cleansing as I know these dear ones need me to stay in the fray and pray. What do I focus on in these times? Christ and His word. I cannot look at the problem as it is a robber, the destroyer is there and I know my bible tells me he is the defeated foe. He is a liar and a cheat. I cannot speak defeat, I cannot give the liar reality, I must speak, pray and think Christ. The blood of Christ has great power, the word of Christ has great power. My bible tells me they overcame him(the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. I must release my Jesus to be gr...

Stand therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armour on your chest, and you feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is God's word. Ephesians 6:14-17 This sounds like someone totally 'in Christ'. If I am in Christ then His truth wraps around me, His righteousness is emblazoned on my chest, I am every ready with willingness and openness to share the gospel. It is Him I turn to when the enemy comes roaring around me, shouting insults, it is the Word of God I run to, live in, feed from, rejoice in. It is my faith in Christ that I raise like a shield against the fiery darts of the enemy. As I live out of my being in Christ I am victorious, blessed, covered, surrounded by His truth, His love, His Ways. No weapon formed against me shall prosper...

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armour of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armour of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Ephesians 6:11-13 I need the Lord's strength and His wisdom. Rather than fret about my decision making ability I must come to Him and petition Him for His Way. The above verse tells me who my enemies are and they are many, they wish to destroy me. The tactics of the devil are constant, ever present, but always the same. I cannot win in my own mind and strength, I must go to the Lord for His mind and His strength. What is the Way? Jesus said He was the Way. I hear the Lord constantly telling...

And masters treat your slaves (workers) the same way, without threatening them, because you know that both their master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him. Ephesians 6:8 When William Wilberforce fought against slavery he used the above and preceding scriptures to show we are all equal before God. In a world where flesh likes to categorise and label sections of society God does not see the same things. He sees creatures He has made, all in sin, all needing His Son's gift of forgiveness. Last night I went to an auction dinner held as a fund raiser for the drug and alcohol centre our church supports. The organisers had invited a speaker who was a footballer and he definitely was not used to a church crowd. His language was very colourful (full of expletives) and he struggled to tone himself down for us and basically failed. Underneath the rough exterior was a man who needed Christ just like we do.  Perhaps the organisers will have red faces today but I ...

Slaves (employees) obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. Don't work only while being watched, in order to please men, but as slaves of Christ. Do God's will from your heart. Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord. Ephesians 6:-8 Are you in employment that is difficult? I have been. Are you mistreated? I was! What do you do? I had to go to work and trust the Lord that I would find him there. I cared for my bosses clients like they were my own. My boss could see that I was good to his clients but that did not cause him to release me into what I had asked for nor did it cause him to pay me more. For two years I worked in a place that was humiliating and depressing yet I went to find the Lord there. I found Him there. I would walk around a corner and smack straight into His glory, He would fellowship me ther...

Children obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. Honour your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. Fathers don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 Fathers are to take the lead and be involved in the discipline and raising of their children and not do so whimsically or arbitrarily but with purpose. I watch the effect anger has on children. It crushes them and a rage begins deep inside. My father disciplined in anger and many times I would receive the strap without knowing why. At 15 He hit me across the face for something I did not do and my anger and resentment exploded. When Chirist came into my life I knew I had to respect and honour my father and it was very difficult. I lashed out once in rage and wrote a letter to my dad but because it was not related to a particular in...