The day with dianne Louise

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my father in heaven. For when two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:18-20 These verses come after dealing with a brother who offends you. Our judgements are binding. I wonder if that is why Jesus told the disciples it was not good to say to someone 'you fool'. Jesus actually said there was a penalty for condemning a person. If we continually say to someone 'you are so stupid' then we have labelled them and they are put in a cage called 'fool'. So when they behave as we have labelled then we become more frustrated, but it is us who put them there. We underestimate the power of our words. If we condemn ourselves with this statement then we have basically doomed ourselves to being a fool forev...

If your brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you you have won a brother over. But if he will not listen take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them take it to the church, if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17 How many people in your world are treated like a pagan or tax collector without going through due process? How many brothers and sisters have been isolated by offense and not reunited by good conflict resolution? The very fact that we have been offended is an offense to us and the thought of restitution an insult. Why? Perhaps we have not taken the matter to the Lord and forgiven them who trespass against us. God alone is the worker of miracles and every broken instance in our lives need a miracle, be it body, soul or spirit, He is the only...

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:5, 6 Being a grandmother I have special interest in this scripture. It holds me accountable in what I put before my grandchildren. Here Jesus is saying He cherishes innocence. Innocence can be found in a new believer as well. It is important that they are cared for without loading them up with dogmas, rules and regulations that bind rather than free. It is also important that I do not show an indulgence in persuits that would bind them or take them away from Christ. It is interesting that Jesus goes on the talk about lost sheep in verse 12 and ends the discourse in verse 14 saying that the Father is not willing that any of the little ones’ should be lost. What is He saying? Is He saying that little children mu...

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-4 What was Jesus saying?   When I think of little children, say 0-4 and how dependant they are on their parents, they believe what their parents say. I remember my son once asking what made the windows go up and down in our car. He was told,” you just tell them windows up and they go up and windows down and they go down.” Excitedly he wanted to try. So of course when he said ‘windows up’ the up lever was pushed and likewise when he said ‘windows down’ the down lever was pushed. He was so excited about being able to control the windows. As he became older he discovered the truth. As a little chi...

Peter said to Jesus ‘”Lord it is good for us to be here. If you wish I will put up three shelters –one for You , one for Moses and one for Elijah”. While he was still speaking , a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said,”This is my Son   whom I love, and with Him I am well pleased,listen to Him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified, but Jesus came and touched them, “Get up “ He said, “Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 17:4-7 Peter was excited to see what he was seeing and in his excitement he blurtered forth, assuming that what he saw was going to stay perhaps. He makes me smile because I see me. So many times I have run on with a thought assuming something that has happened was going to stay and meant something other that what it did, right then. Learning to read the mind of the Lord takes practice and a cool spirit. The only time I come close is when I wait and am still, then I can catch what is really happening. I sense ...

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them to a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. Matthew 17:1 Why after 6 days? Did it take that long for Jesus and Peter to sort out their stuff? Did Peter need that time to understand why Jesus rebuked him? (16:23) if he was anything like me he would. I take things in and they go down deep and have to work their way up to my conscious understanding and then ‘I get it’. Why did Jesus only take Peter, James and John? Why not the others? Is this saying that these three were the closest? Were they the ones that He could trust? Trust with the revelation of His Godhead. What does Jesus reveal to us? Does He give us His heart? Do we know how He feels about those around us? Does He show us His secrets? What are the criteria to being chosen? We see Peter with foot and mouth disease yet he was chosen. Why? Perhaps because he tried, he loved and wanted in on what was happen...

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it. What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?" Matthew 16:24-26 This seems a heavy scripture at time when men and women live to enjoy life. So often people would say to me, 'You will find someone to share you're life with, after all you deserve to be happy.' This is said by well meaning individuals who believe I am better re-married and yes it is good to share your life with someone but it is not the ultimate ideal that these dear people propose. The same can be said for the belief, 'you deserve to do well, you're going to make it.' Again the idea that an abundance of goods is happiness. If I measure myself by these yardsticks I must be truly miserab...