The day with dianne Louise

I, John your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God's word and the testimony about Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet saying, "write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: Ephasus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philidelphia, and Laodicea. Revelation 1:9-11 John was. declaring himself to be a brother and partner in the tribulation that the church was experiencing; kingdom and endurance that are in Jesus. John was close to Jesus yet he suffered for the gospel. He was boiled in oil then banished to Patmos. Alone on an island, without anyone to fellowship with. Do you ever complain of loneliness? John was a relational, loving man. I think he would have been lonely but on the Lord's Day he still celebrated and honoured his God. John declared he was 'in the spirit' on the Lord's Day. You c...

On the seventh day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzer king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the commander of the guards, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned the Lord's temple, the kings palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem; he burned down all the great houses. 2 Kings 25:8,9 Freedom was gone to a people who rejected their God, bondage and destruction had come. The Lord swore he would destroy Judah because of the sins of Manassah and the blood he spilt in Jerusalem. After Manassah there was only Josiah who followed The Lord, the remainder of kings were evil. The rot had set in. How foolish we can be! What makes a people think they can treat their God as a puppet, an extra and live lives steeped in wickedness?  As we shun The Lord our covering leaves and we are at the mercy of all that is evil, and there is an abundance of wickedness. As Christians we have protection but we need to dwell in it, stay in it and not venture from it....

Before him there was no king like him who turned to The Lord with all his mind and with all his heart and with his strength according to all the laws of Moses, and no one like him arose after him. 2 Kings 23:25 Manasseh who was evil sired Amnon who reigned for two years and died at 24, yet his son Josiah took up the kingship at 8. Josiah was tutored in God's ways because he was diligent to follow The Lord. When he discovered the scriptures he had them read out and cleansed Judah from all defilement. He reigned for 31 years and was killed by Neco. His son Jehoaz began to reign and Judah was back to idolatry. Who can pick who will follow and who is wayward and wanting to walk his own ways? What determines who will stay the distance and who will turn away to follow the lusts of life? What does parenting and example have to do with how our children make their own decisions and subsequently how our grandchildren follow Christ? Scripture tells us: train up a child in the way he should go...

Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king and reigned 55 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, imitating the detestable practices of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed and re-established the altars for Baal. He made an Asherah, as King Ahab of Israel had done, he also worshipped the whole heavenly host and served them. 2Kings 21:1-3   Hezekiah had been given a death sentence and pleaded for his life. God gave him 15 extra years. In that time he fathered Manessah. What destruction he brought upon Judah.   We have to be careful what we pray for. When God rebuked Hezekiah about his pride and showing the Assyrians his kingdom's wealth he did not mind because he would have peace.   As individuals we must be careful what we pray for and what we do with what we receive. What led Hezekiah to marry someone who wo...

At that time Merodachbaladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah since he heard that he had been sick. Hezekiah gave them a hearing and showed them his whole treasure house- the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil-and his armoury, and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace and in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Then the prophet Isaiah came to king Hezekiah and asked him, "Where did these men come from and what did they say to you?" Hezekiah replied, they came from a distant country, from Babylon." 2 Kings 20:12-14 Hezekiah went too far. He may have been flattered and in the process wanted to show off. God did not think that was wise and through Isaiah rebuked him, going so far as to tell him that his sons would go into captivity. The shameful thing about it is he didn't care because he had peace. Ever been flattered, it tends to open you up like a can of worms, doesn...

In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, this is what The Lord says: "put your affairs in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover."  Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to The Lord, " please Lord, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and wholeheartedly and have done what pleases You." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Isaiah had not gone out of the inner courtyard when the word of the Lord came to him. "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, This is what The Lord God of your ancestor David says: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. look, I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the Lord's temple. I will add 15 years to your life. I will deliver you and this city from the hands of the king of Assyria. 2 Kings 20:1-6 Hezekiah must have been very ill because he needed a sign that this word would come to pass and  gracious...

The Rabshakeh stood and called out loudly in Hebrew. Then he spoke,"hear the word of the great king , the king of Assyria. This is what the king says: 'don't let Hezekiah deceive you; he can't deliver you from my hand. Don't let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in The Lord by saying: Certainly The Lord will deliver us! This city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria." 2 Kings 18:28-30 This enemy is no different to any enemy we face as Christians. We are oppressed by a hateful foe who says he is in control and that God cannot save. If it was in the movies it would look like the battle for middle earth in The Lord of the Rings. Nasty spirits, hateful spirits come against us but God is in control. Hezekiah sough there Lord about what his enemy was saying. He asked for divine guidance. God did not fail him and He will not fail you. Hezekiah sent for the prophet Isaiah. He sent the following message: " Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace, f...