Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves…”Learning to be obedient changed my life. In the past, when there was conflict, I was easily sucked down the plug-hole of defending myself, or explaining myself, or excusing myself etc! Jesus is actively teaching me that obedience is an essential key to staying humble and gaining victory over all my faults. Prior to learning that — when conflict or temptation occurred, I concentrated on getting what I thought I needed, or even on winning arguments. I did not care about the cost of losing a relationship in the heat of the moment. I will be honest with you, it often felt to me like I had to WIN arguments or I would lose ME … …So much for dying to self!!

Before the Lord taught me these things, I was easily provoked if someone hurt me. I had spent my life practising trying to preserve myself, and fighting for my rights – and that meant that I had not cultivated His power to overcome. Those two things are totally oppositional and incompatible – trust me! But when I took obedience seriously, it was hard — it was almost like pulling out wisdom teeth without an anaesthetic! I’ve learnt, from experience, that it is far too easy to jump into judgment about other people’s actions, and reactions, and minimise our own. That’s what logs and specks is all about. (Matthew 7:1-5.)

I also found out that when we sincerely want to overcome, even if we fail, the Lord is so gracious… He will help us. That’s how precious our faith is to Jesus. The church at large can no longer go forward together with passive or inactive faith. We have the opportunity to take what Jesus said in the book, and make it flesh for everyone around us. We are privileged to show them, as well as demonstrate to them … the boundless love of God. That’s what Jesus Christ did for us and He wants us to mirror His ways to others — “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.” John 1:14 MSG

Today I wanted to illustrate my experiences with the Lord’s Grace, by talking about some things that have occurred in my very ordinary life. Apparently I have had a small number of what the doctors call TIA’s (trans-ischaemic attacks). What that means is that old age, plus some really heavy medicines, have worked together to blow up tiny connections in my brain that would normally be used without even thinking about it. (‘Scuse the pun!)

The result is this… I can clearly remember most things that happened years ago, but I sometimes I can’t remember what I said 2 seconds ago.  Right now I have had to dictate this blog to my dear hubby. By the time I get up from what I am doing and go and wash my hands, then walk up the stairs, it is very likely that I will have forgotten what I was thinking about! I literally cannot find that info again, it just kind of vanishes! Which is why my dear hubby is taking dictation for me! Caring for the disabled is a vastly undervalued career path, trust me! 👏 🙌

Many things that seemed very important to me in the past, have had to be discarded by the wayside because I simply can’t remember them, and I no longer have the energy to find them! 😂 I decided you need to be young to hold a grudge!!  There’s other people’s SIN problem solved, BTW. This has also relieved me of any confidence to rely upon my own thinking … Now I literally have to utterly rely upon the Holy Spirit for what I write down here, or I’m staring at a blank page, every single day, with not a clue about what to write on it! 

In the meantime, I have had the Lord’s help to learn to make alternate thought connections. It’s all rather frustrating but on the plus side, it has absolutely increased my utter dependence upon Him. It is also why I have woken up for the past 2500+ days feeling like I couldn’t possibly write a blog today, and then … …He speaks to me. I have proof that God does not just speak to your brain, because mine malfunctions! There’s a short-circuit in there somewhere!! I have also learnt, firsthand, that He actually does speak to our hearts.  I often feel like I’m grabbing at stars when He says to me, “What about this.. what about that..” and He brings up bible verses.

Interestingly enough I have studied His Book all these years, and I am here today to tell you that if you hide His Word in your heart, it will always be there.  I discovered that faith definitely comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God … not necessarily by what we remember! The Holy Spirit wrote all this stuff on my heart when I wasn’t looking and now it is still IN there. This is how I learnt that obeying His Word writes it on our hearts, and boy does that keep me humble!  “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength. of my heart and my portion forever. “ Psalm 73:26.

Bye. 👋