Two or three

“For wherever two or three come together in honor of my name, I am right there with them!”Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This promise is true. I see God fulfill the prayers we pray in our flatmates and my fellowship each night. We read the Bible and pray together. Our prayers are for the lost, mainly. Our Lord continually gives us opportunities to touch the lives of others. 

Recently I visited local cheese-makers. These people make the tastiest ricotta cheese I have ever tasted. I bought some cheese and butter from them yesterday and came home and made my first pasta then lasagna. I invited a friend to share. It was tasty. I believe the connection with the cheese-makers was God ordained. I had trouble using my phone app to pay and said I would need to go to an atm and get cash. The man said I could take my products and return, however, I remembered money I had hidden for my tithe and I said, ‘I’ve remembered money I had put aside for my tithe’. He stopped and looked at me. This man knew what a tithe was. I am now praying for  an opportunity to share more with him. I can easily get more money for my tithe on the way to church on Sunday.

My flatmates and I prayed for this man and his wife. We are expecting an opportunity. God does not waste a moment. Amen!

Harvest

“So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.”1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬ ‭TPT‬‬

There are times when we see nothing, hear nothing. It is easy to assume we have failed, however, when I seed is in the ground nothing is visible. At the right time the rains come, the sun shines and the plant grows. We are encouraged to not be weary in well doing, in due season we will reap (Gal 6:9). Paul tells us: “God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.”Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Our challenge , then, is to continue planting good seed. It is winter here in Nepal, yet, I see young seedlings for sale. The local people here know when to plant so that they can produce food for their families. As Christians we must be aware that all we do and say are seeds. We cannot let frustration cause us to plant wrong seeds. The seed we sow will benefit or destroy us and our families.

I am watching my son flourish in the gospel and evangelism. I am grateful for the seed that was down is bearing fruit. The seed he is sowing is bearing fruit. I am waiting for his sister to fruit as she will flourish as a great leader. I must trust the Lord that nothing is wasted. Amen!

His way

“So above all, constantly seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself.”Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭TPT‬‬

We can make our plans and they seem tight and fool-proof, however, circumstances change and cause us to rethink. When our plans fail we can become anxious. Fortunately, as a child of God I can go to Him for my needs and He will provide. I have noticed that His measure of what is a need, or merely a want, is sifted by Him.

When I conceive a plan, I am fully aware that God may have deviations; or different outcomes in mind. If I let go my hand from control and allow Him to drive the car, all is well.

When I began my long—term residency in Nepal I purchased a single bed. Little did I know how difficult it would be to find fitted sheets. The mattress came with one fitted sheet, however, it quickly fell apart. Yesterday, after much searching, I took possession of two newly made fitted sheets. They were made according to my measurements. I praise God they are well-made. It took one of my flatmates coming with me to a large store and organising a king-size flat sheet to be cut into two and made up into fitted sheets. I almost did not receive them as they were to be delivered, but the delivery man wanted payment before delivery and I want to inspect before purchase. We arranged for him to return the sheets to the store and for me to go there to collect, only he did not keep to the agreed time (a common orrurrence in Nepal). A compassionate young staffer took it on herself to bring them to a meeting place, not my home, to deliver them. Praise God all worked out well.

 

Rather than me ranting and raving, but allowing God to provide I was blessed. The store only saw me as a good customer. Praise God!

The adulteress

“She has pierced the souls of multitudes of men— many mighty ones have fallen and have been brought down by her.”Proverbs‬ ‭7‬:‭26‬ ‭TPT‬‬

This proverb deals with promiscuity, adultery and sexual sin. The Passion Translation also connects the proverb will religion, false religion, that steals hearts away from a relationship with Jesus.

Religious observation without a relationship is dead and will lead to eternal separation from God. Beofre coming to Christ, I believed in Him and practised my belief in a Catholic religion which was empty of relationship. The night Jesus brought me to Himself was the most joyous ever. He cleansed me of all my self-efforts, and brought me into a relationship with Him.

I now live free of religious observation. I have a loving relationship with Him. I trust Him to be by righteousness, my life, my standing with the Father. I cannot save myself by being ‘good’, but only by accepting His free gift of salvation. I have been set free of all self-efforts and can now live free in love with Him.

Jesus thank You for setting me free from sin and religious rituals. Thank You for being my saviour. Help me live for You now. Teach me Your ways. Amen!

Finding truth

“But those who love the truth will come into the Light, for the Light will reveal that it was God who produced their fruitful works.”John‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is now not common. Truth is evaluated internally in a person and that person will speak what they think is the truth, and what part of the truth needs to be heard. In court this fact is the cause of long trials as lawyers attempt to uncover the full truth.

Here in Nepal full disclosure is uncommon, you must know what questions to ask to obtain the full truth, and perhaps even then it may evade you. It is therefore very important that the Holy Spirit’s discernment be employed.

We ourselves may not know the full details about a matter in our own hearts. If we do not, then we are constantly amazed when the Holy Spirit reveals our hearts to us. Knowing the full truth allows the light to shine fully; having no hidden doors and compartments allows the full beauty of Jesus to shine through to others. Amen!

Forgiven

“She has been forgiven of all her many sins. This is why she has shown me such extravagant love. But those who assume they have very little to be forgiven will love me very little.”Luke‬ ‭7‬:‭47‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Jesus said these words to a Pharisee named Simeon. When Simeon invited Jesus to dinner he did not offer Him water to wash His feet or  oil to annoint His head. A former prostiture came in with expensive ointment and washed His feet with her many tears and wiped His feet with her hair, she then annointed His feet with her ointment.

Simeon represented those who thought they were sinless, the woman represented those who knew they were sinful. Today we have many who estimate themselves to be righteous, and they are not church attenders, they have made themselves god. They have deemed church-goers as weak and emotionally needy, themselves as self-sufficient and strong. They believe that if there is a God in eternity He should accept them as righteous. They will be very dismayed when they discover Jesus’ sacrifice is the only sacrifice that was acceptable to make mankind righteous enough for heaven.

No matter what we believe about Jesus, He is God, we are not. No matter how good we think we are, we are not the standard He is. Simeon and his colleagues deemed themselves to be righteous, then had been taught that if you follow the law diligently then you are righteous, however, Jesus came and disrupted their precious views.

When Jesus convicted me of my sin, I knew I was not righteous enough and asked Him for forgiveness. He came into my heart and has lived there ever since. I trust Him for my righteousness, my goodness, my acceptance. He is the way, the truth and the life! Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OS6btlSLS6o&si=vUAmsGZGT6yNJa-T

Repent

“Peter replied, “Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptized in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed. Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Here is no soft-peddling here! Peter confronts the question given to him: ‘what then must we do?’ The people who came together at the sound of the Holy Spirit coming heard they were responsible for the death of Jesus. Rather than deny it, they were contrite and asked what to do.

When we have the opportunity to speak for Jesus and the gospel we must be straight with the truth. Repentance is the way to eternal life with Him. Repentance is the only way. Accepting Jesus as saviour and Lord and being baptised in water gives access to the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers us to live and speak for Him. 

Baptism in water shows the world around us that we have died to our old life and walk into the new. It is not a sprinkling affair, it is a dunking. This represents death of the old and rising to new life in Him.

Salvation opens the door to all God the Father has for us as His children. We then begin a walk of faith, trusting Jesus to be our righteousness, our salvation and strength. He has won the victory and this victory is ours by faith. Amen!

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=iI81b5y-QgE&si=NR9pz26R20lJASUx