Love, where did it start?

“We love each other because he loved us first.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John had a handle on love, especially the love of God. He knew Jesus loved him. He even said in his gospel, he was ‘the disciple who Jesus loved’. Therefore, anything that John writes about love is worth noting, and in fact breathing in.

John wrote one gospel, three epistles and the Book of Revelation. Why did Jesus reveal the end times to John? Perhaps He loved him and trusted him.

We can think we wal in love but later discover how fleshly our love has been. I had that experience this morning. I awoke around 5 and lay snuggled in my warm bed being aware that God was wanting to clean house. I began to see the past with the eyes of truth, and came to repent for my previous understanding of love. As someone who functioned as a pastor for 13 years I saw my selfishness in the mix. At the time I thought my heart was pure, however in hindsight I see the mistakes. It led me to repentance.

I want to be trusted by my God to love those He gives me to love. I want to do this in purity and holiness. I see my grandchildren battling sexual sin and look at the doorways that sin walked through. What movies did we allow, what licences did we take? What stands did we fail to take? I am now battling for my grandchildren and the first part of it is my own repentance. I want to shut all doors that open to uncleaness.

Forgive me Lord for the wrong and the licence I gave! Amen!

Praying in tongues

“You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭18‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Half-hearted prayer are a waste of space. If we are going to pray we need to be engaged with our heart. As I have prayed for the same 27 things for several years I have to find this engagement with the prayer or they fall flat. When I am struggling praying in the Spirit (praying in tongues) is essential.

The gift of tongues is for every believer. I received this gift when I was 19 on a youth camp. No one prayed for me to receive it.  The worship was powerful and each song ended in singing in the spirit. When we returned home on Sunday I was asked if I had been baptised in the Spirit. I replied, “I think so!” I asked what the baptism in the Holy Spirit was and when told I said yes that has been what I’ve been doing. I was prayed for but had already received it. My hungry heart stepped into what it had longed for, communion with my saviour, for the longest time.

I am grateful that I can pray in tongues. It encourages me, lifts me and fills me. It completes my prayers. I am not alone in my prayer. I believe I am praying for things that sit on my Lord’s heart and the Holy Spirit is happy to help.

Seek it today! Amen!

Pray always

“Do all this in prayer, asking for God's help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God's people.”Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭18‬ ‭GNT‬‬

Prayer is so vital! I make a habit of praying for 27 people or groups of people every day, plus as my Lord prompts me. Each of those 27 needs are inportant to the Lord. They cover family, friends, the persecuted, the unborn, the oppressed, the government, the church, Nepal, Muslims, Buddhist’s, Israel and dying and more. I long to see souls in heaven. 

Today is my birthday. Being an Aussie I awoke to birthday blessings from friends and family there. One in particular was from my autistic grandson Ryan. He is a loving young man. He wanted to inform me he had a job and a girlfriend. Both of these I have prayed for him.

I regularly ask the Lord to show me answers to prayers, and He does. This encourages me to keep praying.

 

Get on the Lord’s payroll today! It is the best place to be. Tonight I have Bible study in my flat and have some unsaved friends coming! I am praying they have ears to hear tonight! Amen!

Generosity

“Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭TPT‬‬

Being generous with your time, favour, money, your smile, your voice pays dividends. As you live as a fountain of love you will be loved.

Withholding what you have in fear of running out causes you to lose even what you have. I find the more I give the greater the stretch is available with my finance.

I have given and given some more. Yesterday, as my flatmates and I were at table I looked out our front window and a man came carrying two large mats. One was the exact colour I loved. I had planned, for a long time, to buy a large mat for the lounge room as the floor has a thin vinyl cover on it and winter here is cold. We have Bible study here often and I wanted my guests to be warm, and us also. I asked one of the girls to run out and ask the man ‘kati ho?’ (How much). I went out to see the man unravelling the mat on the carport floor to show its design. I liked what I saw and asked Monika (my flatmates) how much does he want. She told me and then I asked what should we offer? She told me and we did. The man accepted. What is amazing is it in only 2,000R dearer than a much smaller mat I bought when we first came to live here. (1,000R equates to around $10AU) This was an unexpected blessing! The seller was also happy!

The stretch had just happened in my finances and I knew I could afford the blessing. It makes us so smile when we come into the room.

We are now praying how we can be a blessing to our neighbours as we approach Christmas. Lord guide us! Amen!

Keep watch

““Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Some versions say: ‘stay awake’. In the Old Testament we read about watchmen. Watchmen had the role of watching out for enemies, but also for runners who were the postmen of the day. They would bring news of the wars being fought and other important pieces of news. Watchmen could not fall asleep. I suspect this is where we derive the word ‘night watchmen’. Night watchmen keep an eye on the property they are employed to protect.

Here in Nepal you may walk past large properties such as schools, factories, government buildings where watchmen or guards are employed. I walk by a factory where there are several watchmen in raised boxes with guns to protect their employers property.

We are the Lord’s watchmen. We must keep watch over our souls and the souls of our community of believers. We must protect them and make them aware when the enemy is prowling around to destroy them.

Paul regularly addressed the fact that we are being built into God’s house. We are His temple, jointly. We must care for each other.

Encouraging Christians to see themselves as belonging to a community is important to me. When we hurt our friends care for us. When we laugh together it is much more fun.

See

“See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am learning how much my God has come to save me! When faced by insurmountable odds He is there. Sometihing Joyce Myer said in a message struck a chord with me: “if the problem seems too big for you, it is, it is not your problem it is His!” Amen to that.

I face so many things that are too big for me. I will give them to the Lord! He is well able to solve them!

Nepali language is one such problem, caring for refugees is another. Buying a four wheel drive with no money is another. Praise God He is able!

Give it all to Him! Give it up, give it up! Amen!

He has come to save me

“See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The Lord God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse comes from a song of salvation. The chapter before speaks about Jesus and all He would do. It is fitting that this chapter comes directly after the description of Jesus.

How does this apply to me, now? It aptly describes what Jesus has done for me. For all He has done, is doing and will do, I praise Him.

Yesterday college was difficult. My teacher speaks in Nepali as if he is speaking to another Nepali and this is very challenging. However, in the previous night’s homework I had to write about a friend. I chose my friend Chelle, an American who has lived in Nepal many years and speaks the language very well. He had taught Chelle and when he saw her name he became very excited. He asked after her and I was able to satisfy his curiosity. At the end of class he was telling us about our upcoming exam. At one point he looked at me and said something deferential. I don’t know what he said so I will have to wait and see. However, I do know my God is going before me. I will pass onky because of Him.

I cannot be afraid but step out in faith and trust my Lord! Amen!