Have you ever faced a situation that seemed impossible? You felt like you couldn't take it any more? Then today's devotion is for you.
I have been in such situations many times. I just wanted to quit, lay down and give up everything; I have even wanted to die.
But fortunately that was never the end of it. I have always come through these situations or periods in my life with God. Never on my own, but with God.
Paul was a man who knew many sorrows and difficulties, and in his letter to the Philippians, chapter 4 and vers 13, he says: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".
"How many things, Paul?"
"All things."
"You mean all the good things?"
"No, I mean all things, both good and bad. I can do all things, meaning, I can come through in victory no matter how dark it may seem or how difficult it may appear. With God everything is possible."
Do you feel that you've reached the end of your tether? You have NOT. God is not over, and you are not over. As long as God lives, there's hope for you, there's victory for you, there's strength to come through every day for you.
Go to Him with your situation today, ask Him to be your guide through the difficulties you experience, and give yourself to Him, and you'll find that you can do all things through Christ, because He stengthens you.
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torsdag 30. desember 2010
søndag 19. desember 2010
God loves you!
Today I just want to say one short sentence;
GOD LOVES YOU!
That's why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for you, and that's why He upholds everything. He wants you to have the best life you can ever have, and He wants you to live your life through Jesus Christ.
Are you about to give up on life? Don't quit - cling to Jesus! He's the only sure foundation for your life, and HE LOVES YOU!
fredag 17. desember 2010
When it seems like everything is shifting, God's Word stands firm
These are volatile times. You never know from one day to the next what's going to happen, weather conditions shift like they never seem to have done before in thousands of years, and there seems to be uproar and wars everywhere. Is there anything that is stable and firm? What is there to hold fast to that does not shift, change and turn?
The answer is GOD'S WORD. God never changes and His Word never changes. Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the Bible, and many people don't want to read it because it's too long. However, Psalm 119 contains the most profound truths about God's Word and God's faithfulness. Let's look at just a few verses,
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v 105). Don't know where to turn? Follow God's Word, it will show you the path to take like a flashlight shows you the path in a dark forest.
"The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (v.130). Is it difficult to understand what's going on around you? God's Words give you light, they give you understanding. It has nothing to do with mental capacity, it has to do with HIM giving Himself to you through His Word.
"This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life" (v.50). Are you afflicted? Are you afraid of the shifting tides and volatile situations around you? God is your comfort. Let His Word fill you, (meaning; read His Word daily), let Him speak to you through His Word, and life will come back to you. Fear, uneasiness and restlessness have to flee for God's Word.
This Holiday Season, let God's Word, the one who was born on Christmas Day, Jesus Christ, fill you with His peace.
Let God's Word fill you with faith and steadfastness, and you can look any circumstance in the eye with confidence and peace.
The answer is GOD'S WORD. God never changes and His Word never changes. Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the Bible, and many people don't want to read it because it's too long. However, Psalm 119 contains the most profound truths about God's Word and God's faithfulness. Let's look at just a few verses,
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v 105). Don't know where to turn? Follow God's Word, it will show you the path to take like a flashlight shows you the path in a dark forest.
"The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (v.130). Is it difficult to understand what's going on around you? God's Words give you light, they give you understanding. It has nothing to do with mental capacity, it has to do with HIM giving Himself to you through His Word.
"This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life" (v.50). Are you afflicted? Are you afraid of the shifting tides and volatile situations around you? God is your comfort. Let His Word fill you, (meaning; read His Word daily), let Him speak to you through His Word, and life will come back to you. Fear, uneasiness and restlessness have to flee for God's Word.
This Holiday Season, let God's Word, the one who was born on Christmas Day, Jesus Christ, fill you with His peace.
Let God's Word fill you with faith and steadfastness, and you can look any circumstance in the eye with confidence and peace.
mandag 13. desember 2010
How to become a success
Do you want to become a success in life? I'm sure you do. Everybody does. The question is, however, how do I become a success? What does it take to succeed in this world? What do I have to do to become successfull?
The question is not so much what you do, as how you do it.
God has a plan for everybody's life, yours and mine as well. You might be well endowed by nature to do a specific job, like working with children, teaching, engineering, carpenting or nursing. But how do you really become a success in your profession? Is it enough to have a natural ability and/or an education in your field to succeed?
To really become a success at anything you do, you need to "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. (Prov.16:3, King James). The NIV translation says it this way, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. To really succeed, we need to commit everything we do to the Lord. Then our plans will succeed, or as the King James translation puts it, thy thoughts shall be established. When my thoughts are established, I am at peace, I know there's nothing to fret and worry about, because my work is committed to the Lord. I will succeed.
So today, if you haven't done so before, committ your way to the Lord. Give Him all you are and all you do, and He will make you a success.
The question is not so much what you do, as how you do it.
God has a plan for everybody's life, yours and mine as well. You might be well endowed by nature to do a specific job, like working with children, teaching, engineering, carpenting or nursing. But how do you really become a success in your profession? Is it enough to have a natural ability and/or an education in your field to succeed?
To really become a success at anything you do, you need to "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. (Prov.16:3, King James). The NIV translation says it this way, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. To really succeed, we need to commit everything we do to the Lord. Then our plans will succeed, or as the King James translation puts it, thy thoughts shall be established. When my thoughts are established, I am at peace, I know there's nothing to fret and worry about, because my work is committed to the Lord. I will succeed.
So today, if you haven't done so before, committ your way to the Lord. Give Him all you are and all you do, and He will make you a success.
onsdag 8. desember 2010
You shall draw water with joy!
What was your first thought when you saw today's headline? Maybe you thought, "Joy, wish I had it!" I believe many Christians lack joy in their lives. Joy is a commodity in short supply, to put it that way. Yet, we strive to be happy and we long for joy in our lives. However, the sad thing is that many people don't know how to get joy in their lives.
Today's text is from Isaiah 12:3, "... with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation". According to this Scripture, where do we find joy? In the wells of salvation! Wells is in plural, and the meaning is that each one of us has his or her own well of salvation. If Jesus lives in you, you have a spring of water inside you. Jesus said so in John 4:14, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Salvation is the admission ticket to joy. Salvation means that Jesus comes to live inside you, and Jesus IS the living water that we find in the well of salvation. And with Him living inside you, you have the joy that comes with Him.
Think about it - you'll never be thirsty again with Jesus living in you! "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water (the natural water from a natural well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14, my emphasis).
Yield to Him today, and let Him fill you with His joy.
Today's text is from Isaiah 12:3, "... with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation". According to this Scripture, where do we find joy? In the wells of salvation! Wells is in plural, and the meaning is that each one of us has his or her own well of salvation. If Jesus lives in you, you have a spring of water inside you. Jesus said so in John 4:14, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Salvation is the admission ticket to joy. Salvation means that Jesus comes to live inside you, and Jesus IS the living water that we find in the well of salvation. And with Him living inside you, you have the joy that comes with Him.
Think about it - you'll never be thirsty again with Jesus living in you! "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water (the natural water from a natural well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14, my emphasis).
Yield to Him today, and let Him fill you with His joy.
mandag 6. desember 2010
Want change? Make a change!
It's this time of year - again; a time for New Year's resolutions and wishes for a better life next year. How many New Year's resolutions have you not kept? I stopped making those resolutions many years ago. They never worked. And breaking a promise I made to myself was not a good thing to do.
It is legitimate to want to change things. And many things in our lives need to be changed; overeating, too little exercise, complaining, murmuring, grumbling, backbiting, laziness, cheating on your spouse, etc, etc.
It's not easy to change the way we live. We may know that things need to be changed, but we don't seem to have the wisdom, will or power to change. What do we do?
First of all; wishing doesn't change anything. And New Year's resolutions are often just that - wishes for a better life.
Someone has put it this way: The life you live today, is the result of the choices you made yesterday. The choices you make today, determine the life you will live tomorrow. It's foolish to believe that living the same way today as you did yesterday, will give another result than what you see today.
How true! If we want to see changes in our lives, we need to make changes in the way we live.
If you want to lose ten pounds or five kilos, then you need to eat and excercise differently than you did yesterday. If you want to stop cheating on your spouse, you need to stop seeing the other person. If you want to save more money, you need to spend less than you used to spend.
Change doesn't come by it self. To change things, we need to make changes. It requires that we're active, it requires that we do things differently.
It sounds difficult, but it's not impossible. If Jesus lives on the inside of us, we have an all-powerful, allmighty and omniscient Person right there with us and in us all the time. He knows what changes we need to make in our lives, and how we can make them. Ask Him! "You (and I) can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you (and me)" (Phil.4:13). All things! That includes change.
This Christmas season, don't make a New Year's resolutions, make a change!
It is legitimate to want to change things. And many things in our lives need to be changed; overeating, too little exercise, complaining, murmuring, grumbling, backbiting, laziness, cheating on your spouse, etc, etc.
It's not easy to change the way we live. We may know that things need to be changed, but we don't seem to have the wisdom, will or power to change. What do we do?
First of all; wishing doesn't change anything. And New Year's resolutions are often just that - wishes for a better life.
Someone has put it this way: The life you live today, is the result of the choices you made yesterday. The choices you make today, determine the life you will live tomorrow. It's foolish to believe that living the same way today as you did yesterday, will give another result than what you see today.
How true! If we want to see changes in our lives, we need to make changes in the way we live.
If you want to lose ten pounds or five kilos, then you need to eat and excercise differently than you did yesterday. If you want to stop cheating on your spouse, you need to stop seeing the other person. If you want to save more money, you need to spend less than you used to spend.
Change doesn't come by it self. To change things, we need to make changes. It requires that we're active, it requires that we do things differently.
It sounds difficult, but it's not impossible. If Jesus lives on the inside of us, we have an all-powerful, allmighty and omniscient Person right there with us and in us all the time. He knows what changes we need to make in our lives, and how we can make them. Ask Him! "You (and I) can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth you (and me)" (Phil.4:13). All things! That includes change.
This Christmas season, don't make a New Year's resolutions, make a change!
Want to become new?
There are many people who want to become new. They go throu plastic surgery to get the "right" features, they spend thousands of dollars or pounds on apparel, make-up, jewelry and accessories. "Been there, done that" might be your reply.
I guess most people, and especially women, have tried some of this to renew themselves. And a good figure, nice clothes, and other things are fine. There's nothing wrong about that. It's when these things are the only way to improve yourself that it gets wrong.
The Bible has a quite different approach to becoming new, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor 5:17).
All things are new! Wouldn't you like that? ALL THINGS! Not only your nose or your thighs or whatever you want to change, but ALL THINGS!
"Does my nose change when I become a Christian?" you might ask. No, of course not. But the way you see you nose, or any other thing about you, changes. Your nose is no longer the focus of your attention, Jesus has become the most important aspect of your life. That doesn't mean that Christians cannot go through plastic surgery, buy nice clothes and wear make-up. It simply means that these things are no longer the most important thing in your life. You can live without these things, you have become new inside. When Jesus gains more and more territory in your soul, your thinking changes and your priorities change.
You become more satisfied and focus more on the spiritual side of life than the physical.
Want to become new? Let Jesus change you, inside out! He's the great Transformer!
I guess most people, and especially women, have tried some of this to renew themselves. And a good figure, nice clothes, and other things are fine. There's nothing wrong about that. It's when these things are the only way to improve yourself that it gets wrong.
The Bible has a quite different approach to becoming new, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor 5:17).
All things are new! Wouldn't you like that? ALL THINGS! Not only your nose or your thighs or whatever you want to change, but ALL THINGS!
"Does my nose change when I become a Christian?" you might ask. No, of course not. But the way you see you nose, or any other thing about you, changes. Your nose is no longer the focus of your attention, Jesus has become the most important aspect of your life. That doesn't mean that Christians cannot go through plastic surgery, buy nice clothes and wear make-up. It simply means that these things are no longer the most important thing in your life. You can live without these things, you have become new inside. When Jesus gains more and more territory in your soul, your thinking changes and your priorities change.
You become more satisfied and focus more on the spiritual side of life than the physical.
Want to become new? Let Jesus change you, inside out! He's the great Transformer!
tirsdag 30. november 2010
Set, let, put!
Today's headline is rather strange, don't you think? Set, let and put. If you know some grammar, you know that these words are verbs, meaning action. Something happens. And we find all three several places in Colossians 3. I'll give you the list of all the sets, lets and puts in the chapter, and then I'll explain my meaning with this.
However, in most of these verses, the subject is missing. When it says put to death your members ..., who is the subject? Who is going to do the putting to death? The "hidden" subject is YOU. So the first point would be "You set your mind on things above!" It's actually not optional, it's a command. The headline of chapter 3 of Colossians in my Bible, is NOT CARNALITY BUT CHRIST. That means that to live Christlike and not in carnality, I must set, let and put all these things I have mentioned.
However, I have my free will to do so or not; but to reach my highest potential in Christ and to be able to fulfill God's will for my life, I have to be willing to do all the setting, letting and putting that God has laid out for me. It's in my willingness to do His will, and actually doing it, that my progress and victory lies.
So today I determine to set my mind on things above, to put to death my members, to put off anger etc., to put off the old man, to put on the new man, to put on tender mercies etc., to put on love, to let the peace of God rule in my heart and to let the word of Christ dwell in me richly!
I hope you'll do the same.
- Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (verse 2)
- Put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication ... (verse 5)
- Put off all these: anger, wrath, malice ... (verse 8)
- You have put off the old man ... (verse 9) and you have
- Put on the new man ...(verse10)
- Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering (verse 12)
- Put on love (verse 14)
- Let the peace of God rule in your hearts (verse 15)
- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (verse 16)
However, in most of these verses, the subject is missing. When it says put to death your members ..., who is the subject? Who is going to do the putting to death? The "hidden" subject is YOU. So the first point would be "You set your mind on things above!" It's actually not optional, it's a command. The headline of chapter 3 of Colossians in my Bible, is NOT CARNALITY BUT CHRIST. That means that to live Christlike and not in carnality, I must set, let and put all these things I have mentioned.
However, I have my free will to do so or not; but to reach my highest potential in Christ and to be able to fulfill God's will for my life, I have to be willing to do all the setting, letting and putting that God has laid out for me. It's in my willingness to do His will, and actually doing it, that my progress and victory lies.
So today I determine to set my mind on things above, to put to death my members, to put off anger etc., to put off the old man, to put on the new man, to put on tender mercies etc., to put on love, to let the peace of God rule in my heart and to let the word of Christ dwell in me richly!
I hope you'll do the same.
mandag 29. november 2010
Glory to God!
This is the time of Advent - we're expecting someone to come. We're expecting the King of glory!
Who is the King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah (Psalm 24:8+10).
He came as a baby, but the glory of God was upon Him. And because He gave us God's glory, we can give Him glory; "Give unto the LORD the glory [due unto] his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Say among the heathen [that] the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously (Psalm 96;8-10).
In this time of Advent, let's be joyful and thankful and give God GLORY! He's worth it and He deserves it!
Who is the King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah (Psalm 24:8+10).
He came as a baby, but the glory of God was upon Him. And because He gave us God's glory, we can give Him glory; "Give unto the LORD the glory [due unto] his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Say among the heathen [that] the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously (Psalm 96;8-10).
In this time of Advent, let's be joyful and thankful and give God GLORY! He's worth it and He deserves it!
fredag 26. november 2010
Who are you named after?
Names identify us. Names say a lot about our heritage and who we are. If you go into a hotel and present yourself as Mr. Rockefeller or Mrs. Kennedy, you might get more attention and better service than if you're Mr. Brown or Mrs. Black.
My name is Anne Hove Sunnarvik. Anne is after one of my "foremothers", Hove is my maiden name, and Sunnarvik is after my husband. My three names tell a lot about my family and background.
But my names don't give me any privileges, they just identify me.
However, I have other names, names that give me enormous privileges in the spiritual world. I am called after my Father God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Surprised? Let's get it from a more reliable source than me, "... I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (Ephesians 3:14-15, my emphasis). I am part of God's family through Jesus Christ, and I am named after Him. When I married my husband, I entered into covenant with him, and took his name. When I became a Christian, I entered into a blood covenant with Jesus, and took His Names.
What are His Names?
They are Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, just to name a few.
A name is more than letters on paper, more than something that we need to get a passport. A name is who we are. A name is all that belongs to us. My natural names don't give me high standing in the natural world, but my spiritual names give me right standing with God, they give me eternal life and all I need for life and death. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil.4:13) because "Strength" is one of His names. "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil.l4,19) because provision is one of His names.
The list of God's names goes on and on, I have just mentioned a few here.
Next time someone asks you: "Who are you named after?", you can answer with conviction, I am named after my Father.
My name is Anne Hove Sunnarvik. Anne is after one of my "foremothers", Hove is my maiden name, and Sunnarvik is after my husband. My three names tell a lot about my family and background.
But my names don't give me any privileges, they just identify me.
However, I have other names, names that give me enormous privileges in the spiritual world. I am called after my Father God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Surprised? Let's get it from a more reliable source than me, "... I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (Ephesians 3:14-15, my emphasis). I am part of God's family through Jesus Christ, and I am named after Him. When I married my husband, I entered into covenant with him, and took his name. When I became a Christian, I entered into a blood covenant with Jesus, and took His Names.
What are His Names?
They are Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, just to name a few.
A name is more than letters on paper, more than something that we need to get a passport. A name is who we are. A name is all that belongs to us. My natural names don't give me high standing in the natural world, but my spiritual names give me right standing with God, they give me eternal life and all I need for life and death. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil.4:13) because "Strength" is one of His names. "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil.l4,19) because provision is one of His names.
The list of God's names goes on and on, I have just mentioned a few here.
Next time someone asks you: "Who are you named after?", you can answer with conviction, I am named after my Father.
torsdag 25. november 2010
Thanksgiving!
It's Thanksgiving Day today, and people all over the US and Canada are celebrating. "Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the US and Canada. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. While it may have been religious in its origin,Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday" (from Wikipedia).
The Bible has a lot to say about thanksgiving, and I really like the idea of having one day every year where people are supposed to thank God for His mercies and goodness. The Pilgrim Fathers, who first started this practice in 1661, had a lot to be thankful for. And so have we today, both in the US, in Canada and in other countries.
Here are two Scriptures from the Bible about being thankful,
The Bible has a lot to say about thanksgiving, and I really like the idea of having one day every year where people are supposed to thank God for His mercies and goodness. The Pilgrim Fathers, who first started this practice in 1661, had a lot to be thankful for. And so have we today, both in the US, in Canada and in other countries.
Here are two Scriptures from the Bible about being thankful,
- "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Col. 3:15)
- "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe" (Hebr.12:28).
onsdag 24. november 2010
What is the kingdom of God?
I believe today's headline is something many people ask every day. What is the kingdom of God - really?
Is it right conduct? Is it going around with a smile on your face? Is it to wear shabby clothes and no make-up? Is it to live in poverty and have low self-esteem?
No, no, no!!! None of the above has anything at all to do with the kingdom of God.
The Bible is very clear about what God's kingdom is. Let's read in Romans 14:17,
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
To know what something is, it sometimes proves useful to know what it is not. Here it says very clearly what the kingdom of God is not. It is not meat and drink. The Greek words for meat and drink, are bibrôskô, meaning food, meat, the act of eating, decaying and corrosion; and po'sis, meaning drink, to drink, the act of drinking. God tells us that what we put in us through our mouths are not His kingdom. We need food and drink to live and sustain our lives, however, we should never let eating and drinking be considered part of God's kingdom (except for communion, of course). I believe we could say that the kingdom of God is not material things.
What then is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
I have chosen God's kingdom, and I hope you have, too.
Is it right conduct? Is it going around with a smile on your face? Is it to wear shabby clothes and no make-up? Is it to live in poverty and have low self-esteem?
No, no, no!!! None of the above has anything at all to do with the kingdom of God.
The Bible is very clear about what God's kingdom is. Let's read in Romans 14:17,
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
To know what something is, it sometimes proves useful to know what it is not. Here it says very clearly what the kingdom of God is not. It is not meat and drink. The Greek words for meat and drink, are bibrôskô, meaning food, meat, the act of eating, decaying and corrosion; and po'sis, meaning drink, to drink, the act of drinking. God tells us that what we put in us through our mouths are not His kingdom. We need food and drink to live and sustain our lives, however, we should never let eating and drinking be considered part of God's kingdom (except for communion, of course). I believe we could say that the kingdom of God is not material things.
What then is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
- Righteousness, or right standing with God, is obtained in one way, and one way only, namely through faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for you and me through His death and resurrection. And I know that very many Christians don't know fully (or partially) what righteousness really means. It is so grand, so over our carnal minds to understand it, that we need the Holy Spirit to enlighten us. But it means that you and I, who are born in sin and totally unworthy of God's grace, may come to God through Jesus' sacrifice for us. We can stand clean and free of sin before God and come boldly to the throne of Grace, as it says in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Maybe I'll come back to our righteous standing with God in later pieces here on the blog.)
- Peace. God's kingdom is peace. Do you see peace around you today? If there's one thing this world lacks, it's peace. Jesus said, "And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for [such things] must needs be ... (Mark 13:7). Jesus said that there will be wars (absence of peace), but that we (His children) should not be troubled. To not be troubled is to have peace. Jesus also said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27).
- Joy is the third ingredient in the kingdom of God. Many people mix joy and happiness, but they are far apart. Happiness is something you feel because of some external situation. Maybe you've been offered a salary increase or you've bought a new house or have a new boy- or girlfriend. Those situations are reasons to be happy. However, when the money is spent, the house is too expensive to live in or the new friend is gone, what then? Happiness is also gone. Happiness follows external situations. Joy, however, comes from within. Joy is independent of external situations or happenings. Joy comes from God. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 (and so is peace). Real joy can only come from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Joy is from God. Happiness is of the world; joy is of God.
I have chosen God's kingdom, and I hope you have, too.
tirsdag 23. november 2010
Fear not!
Are you fearful? Are you afraid something bad will happen to you or your family, your country or the world? Well, naturally speaking it doesn't look good. The future prospects for this world are grim, and if you only see things the world's way, you're in trouble.
However, God's kingdom is not this natural world, and we who are born again are not of this world, even though we are in this world. The body of Christ, the Church or the saved ones (whatever you want to call it), is a group of people that doesn't have to be afraid no matter how dark it seems around us. Why?
Because "... ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Rom.8:15).
Can you imagine anything more peaceful and safe than a little baby in his or her father's arms? No matter what happens, the father protects and takes care of his baby. No need for the baby to fear anything around him, because "Daddy takes care of me!"
That's how safe we as God's children are supposed to be in this world. We are in His arms, and He will never forsake us and never leave us. He said so in Hebrews 13:5: "... For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
What is fear? Fear is a spirit, an evil spirit. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim.1:7). And the spirit of fear does not come from God. Jesus was very adamant about fear, He did not tolerate it at all, and He told everyone He met to "fear not!" How could He do that? Because fear is an evil spirit, and in Jesus we have power over evil spirits! So when fear comes and knocks on your door, take your authority in Jesus' name and command that "sucker" to leave, and he has to obey. Don't allow fear to enter into your thoughtlife. The second you feel fear knocking at your door, send it out in Jesus' name. Fill your thoughts with God's Word and see yourself in your Father's arms, safe as a little baby.
Don't let fear overtake you, you overtake fear!
However, God's kingdom is not this natural world, and we who are born again are not of this world, even though we are in this world. The body of Christ, the Church or the saved ones (whatever you want to call it), is a group of people that doesn't have to be afraid no matter how dark it seems around us. Why?
Because "... ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Rom.8:15).
Can you imagine anything more peaceful and safe than a little baby in his or her father's arms? No matter what happens, the father protects and takes care of his baby. No need for the baby to fear anything around him, because "Daddy takes care of me!"
That's how safe we as God's children are supposed to be in this world. We are in His arms, and He will never forsake us and never leave us. He said so in Hebrews 13:5: "... For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
What is fear? Fear is a spirit, an evil spirit. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim.1:7). And the spirit of fear does not come from God. Jesus was very adamant about fear, He did not tolerate it at all, and He told everyone He met to "fear not!" How could He do that? Because fear is an evil spirit, and in Jesus we have power over evil spirits! So when fear comes and knocks on your door, take your authority in Jesus' name and command that "sucker" to leave, and he has to obey. Don't allow fear to enter into your thoughtlife. The second you feel fear knocking at your door, send it out in Jesus' name. Fill your thoughts with God's Word and see yourself in your Father's arms, safe as a little baby.
Don't let fear overtake you, you overtake fear!
mandag 22. november 2010
Don't know what to pray?
If you are like me, you don't always know what to pray or how to pray according to God's will. However, there is one prayer in the Bible that is always according to God's will and wish for you and me, and that is what we call The prayer of Jabez. Several years ago a book about the prayer of Jabez became very popular, and "everybody" talked about Jabez. Then, when the news was gone, "nobody" talked about him any more.
However, I believe the two verses in 2 Chronicles 4 have a lot to teach us. So I want to review them today. Verses 9 and 10 read,
And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Here we have two verses of Scripture about a man that seems to come from nowhere, and then disappeares into nothing. But Jabez' life was very real, and he left a mark on his contemporaries and also on us.
It says he was more honorable than his brethren. We don't know how or why he became that way, but I'm pretty sure it was a choice on his part. He chose to stay and live near God, and for that God gave him honor and granted his request.
What did he pray? The prayer in vers 10 is divided into five parts, let's look at them. Jabez' requests were
Have you ever prayed "Let Your hand be with me"? It's a strange prayer, but very "Biblical". The Bible has lots to say about the hand of God, (which is another study). God's hand might be outstretched both to judgement and to blessing. Jabez saw God's hand bless him.
He also prayed that God would keep him from evil. Evil and grief belong together. Where there is evil, there is grief. The only way to stay out of grief, is to avoid evil. And according to Jabez it is possible to stay out of both. How do I know that? Because at the end of vers 10, it says that "God granted him that which he requested".
Does God grant all requests that we send up to Him? No, not mine, anyway. But the five requests Jabez sent up to God, were granted. That means that they were according to God's will for Jabez, and I believe they are according to God's will for all of us. If we pray like Jabez prayed, we get results like Jabez did.
Don't know what to pray? Pray like Jabez and see the results!
However, I believe the two verses in 2 Chronicles 4 have a lot to teach us. So I want to review them today. Verses 9 and 10 read,
And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep [me] from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Here we have two verses of Scripture about a man that seems to come from nowhere, and then disappeares into nothing. But Jabez' life was very real, and he left a mark on his contemporaries and also on us.
It says he was more honorable than his brethren. We don't know how or why he became that way, but I'm pretty sure it was a choice on his part. He chose to stay and live near God, and for that God gave him honor and granted his request.
What did he pray? The prayer in vers 10 is divided into five parts, let's look at them. Jabez' requests were
- Bless me indeed
- Enlarge my coast (or territory)
- Let Your hand be with me
- Keep me from evil
- Keep me from grief
Have you ever prayed "Let Your hand be with me"? It's a strange prayer, but very "Biblical". The Bible has lots to say about the hand of God, (which is another study). God's hand might be outstretched both to judgement and to blessing. Jabez saw God's hand bless him.
He also prayed that God would keep him from evil. Evil and grief belong together. Where there is evil, there is grief. The only way to stay out of grief, is to avoid evil. And according to Jabez it is possible to stay out of both. How do I know that? Because at the end of vers 10, it says that "God granted him that which he requested".
Does God grant all requests that we send up to Him? No, not mine, anyway. But the five requests Jabez sent up to God, were granted. That means that they were according to God's will for Jabez, and I believe they are according to God's will for all of us. If we pray like Jabez prayed, we get results like Jabez did.
Don't know what to pray? Pray like Jabez and see the results!
onsdag 17. november 2010
Let peace rule!
Yesterday's text was titled Let peace be the umpire! The focus was on God's peace. Today I want to focus on the small word LET. There are many Scriptures in the Bible where we find the word let. Let is a verb, and a verb needs a subject; someone to do the "letting".
Who is the subject in the following Scripture? "And let the peace of Christ be ruling in your hearts, as it was the purpose of God for you to be one body ..." (Col.3:15)? The subject is YOU, you let the peace of Christ be ruling in your heart.
I believe a lot of Christians miss out on many of the things God has promised us in the Bible because we think that it comes naturally, without an effort on our part. Unfortunately, that's not the case. To be saved, it takes an active accpetance of Christ on our part; to be forgiven, it takes an active asking of forgiveness; to be filled with The Holy Spirit, it takes our active involvement; and to receive God's peace, we need to let peace rule. We need to let peace in. It's like opening the door when someone knocks. You hear the knocking or the doorbell, you go to the door, open it and let that person into your house. God has made His Word so easy to do that not the simplest person can go wrong. You actually need a lot of help to miss out on God's best, and the "helper" in this case, is Satan. He tells us that it's so difficult to receive from God, it's almost impossible to do so.
But we know that when God says: Let peace rule, He has made a way for us to do so. And God's way is to say "yes", and open up our hearts for that peace.
However, to let something in, we must let something out, and if we harbor bitterness and hostility in our hearts, we must be willing to let that go first. Peace and bitterness cannot "camp in the same tent", so to speak. If we're willing to let go of our bitterness, we can then receive God's peace. As it says in Romans 14:19, "So then, let us go after the things which make peace, and the things by which we may be a help to one another". (My emphasis).
My prayer for you today is that you go after God's peace, and let it into your heart. Let peace rule! Let peace be the umpire!
Who is the subject in the following Scripture? "And let the peace of Christ be ruling in your hearts, as it was the purpose of God for you to be one body ..." (Col.3:15)? The subject is YOU, you let the peace of Christ be ruling in your heart.
I believe a lot of Christians miss out on many of the things God has promised us in the Bible because we think that it comes naturally, without an effort on our part. Unfortunately, that's not the case. To be saved, it takes an active accpetance of Christ on our part; to be forgiven, it takes an active asking of forgiveness; to be filled with The Holy Spirit, it takes our active involvement; and to receive God's peace, we need to let peace rule. We need to let peace in. It's like opening the door when someone knocks. You hear the knocking or the doorbell, you go to the door, open it and let that person into your house. God has made His Word so easy to do that not the simplest person can go wrong. You actually need a lot of help to miss out on God's best, and the "helper" in this case, is Satan. He tells us that it's so difficult to receive from God, it's almost impossible to do so.
But we know that when God says: Let peace rule, He has made a way for us to do so. And God's way is to say "yes", and open up our hearts for that peace.
However, to let something in, we must let something out, and if we harbor bitterness and hostility in our hearts, we must be willing to let that go first. Peace and bitterness cannot "camp in the same tent", so to speak. If we're willing to let go of our bitterness, we can then receive God's peace. As it says in Romans 14:19, "So then, let us go after the things which make peace, and the things by which we may be a help to one another". (My emphasis).
My prayer for you today is that you go after God's peace, and let it into your heart. Let peace rule! Let peace be the umpire!
tirsdag 16. november 2010
Let peace be the umpire!
Have you ever wondered where to turn, what direction to take in life, or simply what to make for dinner?
I have. I have faced situations that seemed impossible, I didn't know where to turn or what decision to make. Some decisions, like choosing what to make for dinner, are fairly easy to make, and they don't carry too many consequences. Other dicisions, on the other hand, are vitally important; the decision we make at a certain point, might mean life or death for ourselves or someone else, or they decide what direction our life will take.
How do I know what is right at any given point? How can I be sure that the dicision I've made is the right one?
The headline for this text is Let peace be the umpire! I have found out that God's peace is the only sure and reliable guide or answer to all my questions, to all my decisionmaking and to all my uncertainties.
My line of approach is this: Let's say I have to make a decision about whether or not to go on vacation. I consider my finances and my timetable, and find out that I have the money and the time to go. But should I go? I certainly want to go (I always want to travel, so that's not a deciding factor), but should I? Is it right to spend the money and time on vacation now? Is is in God's plan for me to travel now?
I pray about it, and ask God to show me His will in the matter. I ask for His peace for the right decision.
If I feel God's peace for what I should do, fine; then it's up to me to follow that peace or not. If, however, I don't feel God's peace, and am uncertain as to what to do, I usually make a decision based on what I know and how I feel about the situation. Let's say I decide to go on a two week vacation to Spain. I make the decision, make plans, maybe look for options concerning transportation and lodging, while I search for the peace I know follows the right decision. If the peace comes, I go ahead with the plans, if not, I know that it wasn't God's will for me to go on this trip at this time.
Why is God's peace a reliable umpire? Because "... the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom.14:7), "... for God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor.14:33), "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Phil.l4:7) and "The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Phil.4:9) (My emphasis).
In all these Scriptures, we see that the peace of God is a deciding factor. If peace is present, the Kingdom of God is present and confusion is gone. I don't need to understand why, how and when if I have God's peace; I can rest!
Do you have to make a difficult decision today? Let peace be the umpire!
I have. I have faced situations that seemed impossible, I didn't know where to turn or what decision to make. Some decisions, like choosing what to make for dinner, are fairly easy to make, and they don't carry too many consequences. Other dicisions, on the other hand, are vitally important; the decision we make at a certain point, might mean life or death for ourselves or someone else, or they decide what direction our life will take.
How do I know what is right at any given point? How can I be sure that the dicision I've made is the right one?
The headline for this text is Let peace be the umpire! I have found out that God's peace is the only sure and reliable guide or answer to all my questions, to all my decisionmaking and to all my uncertainties.
My line of approach is this: Let's say I have to make a decision about whether or not to go on vacation. I consider my finances and my timetable, and find out that I have the money and the time to go. But should I go? I certainly want to go (I always want to travel, so that's not a deciding factor), but should I? Is it right to spend the money and time on vacation now? Is is in God's plan for me to travel now?
I pray about it, and ask God to show me His will in the matter. I ask for His peace for the right decision.
If I feel God's peace for what I should do, fine; then it's up to me to follow that peace or not. If, however, I don't feel God's peace, and am uncertain as to what to do, I usually make a decision based on what I know and how I feel about the situation. Let's say I decide to go on a two week vacation to Spain. I make the decision, make plans, maybe look for options concerning transportation and lodging, while I search for the peace I know follows the right decision. If the peace comes, I go ahead with the plans, if not, I know that it wasn't God's will for me to go on this trip at this time.
Why is God's peace a reliable umpire? Because "... the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom.14:7), "... for God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor.14:33), "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Phil.l4:7) and "The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Phil.4:9) (My emphasis).
In all these Scriptures, we see that the peace of God is a deciding factor. If peace is present, the Kingdom of God is present and confusion is gone. I don't need to understand why, how and when if I have God's peace; I can rest!
Do you have to make a difficult decision today? Let peace be the umpire!
lørdag 13. november 2010
Problems? Here's the "fixer"!
Have you ever had problems? I guess you have. I certainly have had lots of problems; some were small and everyday irritations and obstacles I had to face and overcome; others were huge, seemingly unsurmountable mountains. However small or big our problems, there is one remedy for all of them. Read on, and I'll tell you!
This morning I woke up early, and the first thing I heard in my spirit was God telling me,
He spoke right into a present situation that, for a long time, have seemed a big problem. And I knew exactly what He meant. If I let go of my own will, my own feelings and emotions, and let HIM fill me with HIMSELF, no problem can stand against me.
Why?
Because God is love! "And we have seen and had faith in the love which God has for us. GOD IS LOVE, and everyone who has love is in God, and God is in him" (1 Joh.4,16). God is love. And He showed us His love by giving us Jesus to die for us so we could have restored fellowship with Him. But how does God's love help me and you fix our problems? How does it help me that God is love? How do I get this love? How does God's love come from Him to me?
The good thing about God is that He is a giver. And if He wants me to have something, He gives it to me freely. So also with love. It says in Romans 5:5 that
"... hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (My emphasis). God has poured out His Love into my heart. Love is in my heart, and I can freely use this love in my daily walk with God and with everyone I meet. Actually, I decide if I want to live in God's love or not. It's like turning on or off a faucet. Turn on, the water flows; turn off, the water stops flowing!
What does love do in connection with my problems?
1 Cor. 13:4-8 tells us all that love does. I encourage you to read it, preferably in the Amplified Bible. Because of space, I will quote only one verse here, vers 4, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily." (Amp.). Let me ask you a question, that I have asked myself; If you lived like vers 4 says, would you have more or less problems? Or let me ask you the question a bit differently, What causes your problems?
If I were to answer that problem, I would say that most (maybe all) of my problems are caused by my human nature, my will, my emotions and my thoughts. If I let God's love in me be the leading force in my life, would my problems go away? In most cases (maybe all) YES!
So why don't we do it? Because "... we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.(Ef.6,12). Our battle is actually not against our "enemies", wether they be human or inanimate objects, but our battle is against Satan and his demons.
The good thing is, however, that Jesus won a perfect victory on the cross, and He is the Victor over all demon powers. We just have to partake in the battle by letting God's love rule in our hearts. That's where our victory lies, that's where our problems diminish and we are free!
Remember this today: There's nothing love cannot fix!
This morning I woke up early, and the first thing I heard in my spirit was God telling me,
"There's nothing love cannot fix!"
He spoke right into a present situation that, for a long time, have seemed a big problem. And I knew exactly what He meant. If I let go of my own will, my own feelings and emotions, and let HIM fill me with HIMSELF, no problem can stand against me.
Why?
Because God is love! "And we have seen and had faith in the love which God has for us. GOD IS LOVE, and everyone who has love is in God, and God is in him" (1 Joh.4,16). God is love. And He showed us His love by giving us Jesus to die for us so we could have restored fellowship with Him. But how does God's love help me and you fix our problems? How does it help me that God is love? How do I get this love? How does God's love come from Him to me?
The good thing about God is that He is a giver. And if He wants me to have something, He gives it to me freely. So also with love. It says in Romans 5:5 that
"... hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (My emphasis). God has poured out His Love into my heart. Love is in my heart, and I can freely use this love in my daily walk with God and with everyone I meet. Actually, I decide if I want to live in God's love or not. It's like turning on or off a faucet. Turn on, the water flows; turn off, the water stops flowing!
What does love do in connection with my problems?
1 Cor. 13:4-8 tells us all that love does. I encourage you to read it, preferably in the Amplified Bible. Because of space, I will quote only one verse here, vers 4, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily." (Amp.). Let me ask you a question, that I have asked myself; If you lived like vers 4 says, would you have more or less problems? Or let me ask you the question a bit differently, What causes your problems?
If I were to answer that problem, I would say that most (maybe all) of my problems are caused by my human nature, my will, my emotions and my thoughts. If I let God's love in me be the leading force in my life, would my problems go away? In most cases (maybe all) YES!
So why don't we do it? Because "... we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.(Ef.6,12). Our battle is actually not against our "enemies", wether they be human or inanimate objects, but our battle is against Satan and his demons.
The good thing is, however, that Jesus won a perfect victory on the cross, and He is the Victor over all demon powers. We just have to partake in the battle by letting God's love rule in our hearts. That's where our victory lies, that's where our problems diminish and we are free!
Remember this today: There's nothing love cannot fix!
onsdag 10. november 2010
How does faith come?
Many years ago I worked in a small office with only three people. We became very well acquainted and the other two knew that I was a Christian. Once in a setting where there were only my boss (an elderly man) and I present, he said: "I wish I could believe as you do, but I cannot. It's not in my ability to believe in God. I just cannot do it."
Of course this made me sad and I tried to tell Him about Jesus and how simple it was to just accept Him, but to no avail.
I have never forgotten that situation, and his sad opinion about how difficult, or impossible, it seemed to him to believe.
Is it really that difficult to believe in God? Has God made it almost impossible for us to believe in Him?
No, finding God is so simple that "... the simple will not stray from it" (See Isaiah 35:8). Are you a simple person? Then God's way is easy for you to find. But the question is, How do we find God; how does faith come?
When I want to bake a cake, I need a recipe if I don't remember how much flour, butter and sugar I need. And God has given us His recipe for believing. We can read it in Romans 10:17: "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." It says that "faith comes ..." Faith is not something that is there naturally; faith in God comes through hearing the Word of Christ. In modern vernacular we would say that "faith comes when I read or listen to the Bible". There's no easy shortcut to faith. You can't push a couple of buttons to believe. You have to hear something to believe. It's the same way with the things of this world. You hear on the Weather Channel that it's going to snow, and you prepare for snow. You believe that what the weatherman said, is true, because he has scientific evidence that cold and snowy weather is on its way.
If you never listen to or watch the weather forecast, you will not know what the weather's going to be tomorrow.
It's the same way with faith. You have to hear it to believe it. The sad thing is that most people don't want to read the Bible to obtain faith. And they make excuses and say that "It's so difficult to believe, I just can't do it". No, the thing is they don't want to believe it. Just like my boss, he didn't want to read the Bible, and excused himself into a continued state of unbelief.
Don't be that way. Don't excuse yourself any longer, but read the Bible on a regular basis. And you'll find that The Word does its work. The Word makes faith arise in you, and you'll become a believer!
Of course this made me sad and I tried to tell Him about Jesus and how simple it was to just accept Him, but to no avail.
I have never forgotten that situation, and his sad opinion about how difficult, or impossible, it seemed to him to believe.
Is it really that difficult to believe in God? Has God made it almost impossible for us to believe in Him?
No, finding God is so simple that "... the simple will not stray from it" (See Isaiah 35:8). Are you a simple person? Then God's way is easy for you to find. But the question is, How do we find God; how does faith come?
When I want to bake a cake, I need a recipe if I don't remember how much flour, butter and sugar I need. And God has given us His recipe for believing. We can read it in Romans 10:17: "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." It says that "faith comes ..." Faith is not something that is there naturally; faith in God comes through hearing the Word of Christ. In modern vernacular we would say that "faith comes when I read or listen to the Bible". There's no easy shortcut to faith. You can't push a couple of buttons to believe. You have to hear something to believe. It's the same way with the things of this world. You hear on the Weather Channel that it's going to snow, and you prepare for snow. You believe that what the weatherman said, is true, because he has scientific evidence that cold and snowy weather is on its way.
If you never listen to or watch the weather forecast, you will not know what the weather's going to be tomorrow.
It's the same way with faith. You have to hear it to believe it. The sad thing is that most people don't want to read the Bible to obtain faith. And they make excuses and say that "It's so difficult to believe, I just can't do it". No, the thing is they don't want to believe it. Just like my boss, he didn't want to read the Bible, and excused himself into a continued state of unbelief.
Don't be that way. Don't excuse yourself any longer, but read the Bible on a regular basis. And you'll find that The Word does its work. The Word makes faith arise in you, and you'll become a believer!
søndag 7. november 2010
Learn to swim before you're drowning
You might be thinking, "What a strange headline!" But let me explain.
Your best friend has told you to learn to swim for a long time. He has tried to convince you that knowing how to swim can actually keep you from drowning, should a situation arise when you're out in a boat. But you refuse. "It's too much hassle, I'm almost never in a boat and I'll wear a life vest in case I'm on the lake."
Sounds ok? No? Why not? "Because it's stupid not wanting to learn to swim!"
Well, maybe the guy who refuses to learn to swim is just like so many people who don't want to learn to live by faith until they need it. When the doctor's report says that you've got 90 days to live, then you'd wish you'd "learnt to swim" earlier. When your spouse leaves you after 15 years of marriage, then you'd probably wish you'd "knew how to swim".
I'm talking about faith. When life is pleasant and you don't encounter the big challenges, you don't need much faith to survive. Just being saved and going to church on occational Sundays is ok. Your life is fine, and you're going to heaven!
However, if - or I should say when - some disaster strikes, that's when you need your faith. And you don't build your faith after disaster has struck, you build your faith before you need to use it. Exactly like knowing how to swim. You don't need to know how to swim when you're not in the water, but you certainly need to know the art of swimming when you're in the water and there's no-one around to help you.
Jesus referred to peoples' faith on several occasions. Actually, He said that it was the peoples' faith that healed them! Isn't that amazing? It wasn't HIS faith that healed people, it was THEIR faith that performed the miracle. Like in Matthew 9:22 and Luke 18:42, "Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you. And the woman was healed from that moment." And "Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." (There are many more examples of the same in the Bible, I just quote two).
When do you believe these people got their faith? I believe they had heard about Jesus and decided to believe that He was the Son of God and that there was power in Him to heal. And they acted according to their faith.
They had "learnt to swim before they were drowning", and when the situation arose when they needed to use their faith, it was right there.
Is your life fine today? No big situations that you need your faith to resolve? Fine! But this is the time to build your faith. Because sooner or later you'll need it!
Your best friend has told you to learn to swim for a long time. He has tried to convince you that knowing how to swim can actually keep you from drowning, should a situation arise when you're out in a boat. But you refuse. "It's too much hassle, I'm almost never in a boat and I'll wear a life vest in case I'm on the lake."
Sounds ok? No? Why not? "Because it's stupid not wanting to learn to swim!"
Well, maybe the guy who refuses to learn to swim is just like so many people who don't want to learn to live by faith until they need it. When the doctor's report says that you've got 90 days to live, then you'd wish you'd "learnt to swim" earlier. When your spouse leaves you after 15 years of marriage, then you'd probably wish you'd "knew how to swim".
I'm talking about faith. When life is pleasant and you don't encounter the big challenges, you don't need much faith to survive. Just being saved and going to church on occational Sundays is ok. Your life is fine, and you're going to heaven!
However, if - or I should say when - some disaster strikes, that's when you need your faith. And you don't build your faith after disaster has struck, you build your faith before you need to use it. Exactly like knowing how to swim. You don't need to know how to swim when you're not in the water, but you certainly need to know the art of swimming when you're in the water and there's no-one around to help you.
Jesus referred to peoples' faith on several occasions. Actually, He said that it was the peoples' faith that healed them! Isn't that amazing? It wasn't HIS faith that healed people, it was THEIR faith that performed the miracle. Like in Matthew 9:22 and Luke 18:42, "Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you. And the woman was healed from that moment." And "Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." (There are many more examples of the same in the Bible, I just quote two).
When do you believe these people got their faith? I believe they had heard about Jesus and decided to believe that He was the Son of God and that there was power in Him to heal. And they acted according to their faith.
They had "learnt to swim before they were drowning", and when the situation arose when they needed to use their faith, it was right there.
Is your life fine today? No big situations that you need your faith to resolve? Fine! But this is the time to build your faith. Because sooner or later you'll need it!
onsdag 3. november 2010
No need to be worried about age
Are you old? Well, the answer depends on who's asking. When I was a child, I thought my grandmother was very old. She'd always been old in my mind. And now that I have become a grandmother, my grandkids think that I am old, and I am a younger grandmother than my grandmother was. But my mother, on the other hand, thinks I am young!
Old or young - it has less to do with the number of years we've lived, but a lot do with what we think about those years, and how we see ourselves.
Psalm 92 in the Bible has some wonderful words about old age. And I believe the Psalmist was thinking about old in terms of many years in this Psalm. Listen to these verses from Psalm 92, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him'" (Verses 13-16).
There are some people who will bear fruit in old age (and obviously some that won't) and stay fresh and green and proclaim praise to the Lord. Who are these people? They are the righteous. If you and I are among the righteous, we can expect to live vibrant, fruitful and blessed lives when we get old in years.
But how do we get to be among the righteous? By being born again, by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and believing God's Word as His Word to us personally.
So today, if you're old in years, don't let that stop you from living life to the full, from being fruitful and stay youthful and healty, always ready to proclaim the Lord's goodness.
There's no need to be worried about age!
Old or young - it has less to do with the number of years we've lived, but a lot do with what we think about those years, and how we see ourselves.
Psalm 92 in the Bible has some wonderful words about old age. And I believe the Psalmist was thinking about old in terms of many years in this Psalm. Listen to these verses from Psalm 92, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, 'The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him'" (Verses 13-16).
There are some people who will bear fruit in old age (and obviously some that won't) and stay fresh and green and proclaim praise to the Lord. Who are these people? They are the righteous. If you and I are among the righteous, we can expect to live vibrant, fruitful and blessed lives when we get old in years.
But how do we get to be among the righteous? By being born again, by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and believing God's Word as His Word to us personally.
So today, if you're old in years, don't let that stop you from living life to the full, from being fruitful and stay youthful and healty, always ready to proclaim the Lord's goodness.
There's no need to be worried about age!
søndag 31. oktober 2010
What's your vision?
Helen Keller was blind and deaf. She was once asked: "What is worse than being blind?" She answered: "It's having eyes, but no vision."
It's amazing what she achieved during her 88 years of living as a blind and deaf person. However, if she hadn't had an inner vision for her life, she probably would never have achieved what she did.
You and I are in the position that we can both see and hear. We're blessed with physical sight. But do we have a vision for our life? Do we have a goal and a "mission", so to speak? Or are we just floating through life on a cloud of luck and fortune and hope for the best?
Moses prayed in Psalm 90:12, Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. He knew that our days are numbered. We don't live forever on this earth, and it's important that we spend each day in pursuit of the goal that is set before us.
What's your vision for your life? What legacy do you want to leave behind? What do you want to present to Christ when we're to appear before His judgement seat?
I have a clear vision for my life. I know what God has put in my heart to do, and I pursue that vision every day. I expect to grow in that vision and to reach my full potential before I leave this earth.
Do you have a vision for your life? Is there something you really want to do? Maybe your vision and your dream is something that seems too far fetched, too difficult to achieve? Don't turn down an idea because it seems impossible; God is the God of impossibilities. It looked kind of impossible to create what He did in six days out of nothing, don't you think? But He did it, He thought it, spoke it, and it materialized. And He has given us the same ability to 1) think it, 2) say it, and 3) see it materialize.
Our life is short, our days are numbered, but each day is valuable and each life is important for God. He has put a vision in your heart. Reach for it, go for it in Jesus' name. Pursue your dream!
It's amazing what she achieved during her 88 years of living as a blind and deaf person. However, if she hadn't had an inner vision for her life, she probably would never have achieved what she did.
You and I are in the position that we can both see and hear. We're blessed with physical sight. But do we have a vision for our life? Do we have a goal and a "mission", so to speak? Or are we just floating through life on a cloud of luck and fortune and hope for the best?
Moses prayed in Psalm 90:12, Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. He knew that our days are numbered. We don't live forever on this earth, and it's important that we spend each day in pursuit of the goal that is set before us.
What's your vision for your life? What legacy do you want to leave behind? What do you want to present to Christ when we're to appear before His judgement seat?
I have a clear vision for my life. I know what God has put in my heart to do, and I pursue that vision every day. I expect to grow in that vision and to reach my full potential before I leave this earth.
Do you have a vision for your life? Is there something you really want to do? Maybe your vision and your dream is something that seems too far fetched, too difficult to achieve? Don't turn down an idea because it seems impossible; God is the God of impossibilities. It looked kind of impossible to create what He did in six days out of nothing, don't you think? But He did it, He thought it, spoke it, and it materialized. And He has given us the same ability to 1) think it, 2) say it, and 3) see it materialize.
Our life is short, our days are numbered, but each day is valuable and each life is important for God. He has put a vision in your heart. Reach for it, go for it in Jesus' name. Pursue your dream!
Possess your soul
"In your patience possess ye your souls" (Luke 21:19).
Jesus told His disciples to "possess their souls". What does it mean to "possess one's soul"?
The context in which we find this statement, is a rather sinister one. Jesus prepared His disciples for hard times ahead. He knew His time on earth was drawing to an end, and He told His disciples that they would be tried and persecuted for their faith; He talked about difficult times ahead. And in the middle of this, He told them to "possess your souls". Before we look into what it is, let's look into how they were to do it; they were to possess their souls by their patience. Jesus told them to be patient during whatever was ahead of them, and through this patience they would "possess their souls".
To understand what Jesus meant, we have to know how a human being is made up, so to speak. A human being consists of three parts; body, soul and spirit. (See 1 Thess. 5:23).
The body is the outer "shell" if you will, it's what we display to the world, it's our "coating". The body doesn't have a will of it's own, but does what it's told to do by our soul and our spirit.
The spirit is the innermost part of our being, it's the part that is being saved when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, or being born again, as we like to call it. It's where God resides. When God talks to us, He talks to our spirit.
The middlel part is our soul or our mind, as some people like to call it. The soul consists or our thoughts, will, and emotions. When we are born into this world, we have our own thoughts, will, and emotions. And whatever our mind thinks and wants to do, that's what the body does. Whatever our mind feels, that's what the body feels. An unsaved person is being led by his or her thoughts, will, and emotions.
However, when that person gets saved, God comes into his or her spirit, and He begins to work by His Spirit through that person's spirit into the person's soul or mind. And the more of God's Word the person feeds into his or her spirit, the more the Spirit of God has to work with to change that person's thoughts, will, and emotions into God's thoughts, will, and emotions.
Back to Jesus and the disciples. Jesus knew that the disciples would encounter difficult times, and what He said to them was something like this, "When I'm gone, you will face some difficult times. But be patient, let the Word that I have given you be strong in you, let My Spirit that I will send to you, be your guide. Don't let what you face take your faith away from you. Let your spirit be stronger than your soul. Don't lose your soul, possess it!"
"Can I lose my soul?" Yes, you can. Let's look at someone who lost his soul, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luk.9,25) "His very self" is his soul. This man was busy taking care of everything but his soul. He was busy gaining "the world" (material things? friends? a good job?) but he had no thought for the eternal things.
I want to "possess my soul", and I hope you do, too. It happens through patiently obeying and living according to God's Word.
Jesus told His disciples to "possess their souls". What does it mean to "possess one's soul"?
The context in which we find this statement, is a rather sinister one. Jesus prepared His disciples for hard times ahead. He knew His time on earth was drawing to an end, and He told His disciples that they would be tried and persecuted for their faith; He talked about difficult times ahead. And in the middle of this, He told them to "possess your souls". Before we look into what it is, let's look into how they were to do it; they were to possess their souls by their patience. Jesus told them to be patient during whatever was ahead of them, and through this patience they would "possess their souls".
To understand what Jesus meant, we have to know how a human being is made up, so to speak. A human being consists of three parts; body, soul and spirit. (See 1 Thess. 5:23).
The body is the outer "shell" if you will, it's what we display to the world, it's our "coating". The body doesn't have a will of it's own, but does what it's told to do by our soul and our spirit.
The spirit is the innermost part of our being, it's the part that is being saved when we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, or being born again, as we like to call it. It's where God resides. When God talks to us, He talks to our spirit.
The middlel part is our soul or our mind, as some people like to call it. The soul consists or our thoughts, will, and emotions. When we are born into this world, we have our own thoughts, will, and emotions. And whatever our mind thinks and wants to do, that's what the body does. Whatever our mind feels, that's what the body feels. An unsaved person is being led by his or her thoughts, will, and emotions.
However, when that person gets saved, God comes into his or her spirit, and He begins to work by His Spirit through that person's spirit into the person's soul or mind. And the more of God's Word the person feeds into his or her spirit, the more the Spirit of God has to work with to change that person's thoughts, will, and emotions into God's thoughts, will, and emotions.
Back to Jesus and the disciples. Jesus knew that the disciples would encounter difficult times, and what He said to them was something like this, "When I'm gone, you will face some difficult times. But be patient, let the Word that I have given you be strong in you, let My Spirit that I will send to you, be your guide. Don't let what you face take your faith away from you. Let your spirit be stronger than your soul. Don't lose your soul, possess it!"
"Can I lose my soul?" Yes, you can. Let's look at someone who lost his soul, "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" (Luk.9,25) "His very self" is his soul. This man was busy taking care of everything but his soul. He was busy gaining "the world" (material things? friends? a good job?) but he had no thought for the eternal things.
I want to "possess my soul", and I hope you do, too. It happens through patiently obeying and living according to God's Word.
fredag 29. oktober 2010
What's the issue - really?
Do you struggle with sin? Do you struggle with living a pure life? Well, I think we all do. What can we do about sin? Is there a "cure"?
I came across a sentence in John Eldredge's book Walking with God the other day. It said the the issue is never the presenting sin, the isue is the surrender of our hearts. How true. If I surrender my heart to the Lord - I mean really surrender - then sin will not be an issue. If I surrender my heart completely to the Lord, the Lord will fill me with Himself, and sin will not be an issue in my life. Sin will not tempt me, and Satan will not have an open door into my life.
The enemy tries all he can to steal, kill and destroy me and you, but Jesus came that you and I might have life, and not only life in the ordinary sense, but an abundance of life (See John 10:10). That kind of life is only available when we surrender our hearts 100 % to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is more than willing to receive us today, so why wait?
I came across a sentence in John Eldredge's book Walking with God the other day. It said the the issue is never the presenting sin, the isue is the surrender of our hearts. How true. If I surrender my heart to the Lord - I mean really surrender - then sin will not be an issue. If I surrender my heart completely to the Lord, the Lord will fill me with Himself, and sin will not be an issue in my life. Sin will not tempt me, and Satan will not have an open door into my life.
The enemy tries all he can to steal, kill and destroy me and you, but Jesus came that you and I might have life, and not only life in the ordinary sense, but an abundance of life (See John 10:10). That kind of life is only available when we surrender our hearts 100 % to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is more than willing to receive us today, so why wait?
tirsdag 26. oktober 2010
Jesus came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord
What is "the acceptable year of the Lord"? The word acceptable is the Greek word dektos and it means accepted.
The background is this: In the Old Testament, every 50th year was the year of jubilee, or the acceptable year of the Lord. We read about it in Leviticus 25:10-13,
"Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you ... In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property."
Every 50th year, people got their properties back, and they were set free from bondage. Maybe we can put it this way, Every 50th year they were accepted back to their original state.
Our original state in God was that we were without sin, because sin was not "invented" yet. Adam and Eve were created without sin and put in a wonderful garden to grow and tend it and the animals that were in it. But we know that they sinned, and were thrown out of the garden. Jesus came to restore our righteous standing with God, and I believe that's what Jesus was referring to when He said He was to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The good thing, though, is that we don't have to wait 50 years for that to happen. The accpetable year of the Lord is every year and every day of the year. Jesus came to restore us to our righteous place in God.
Don't put it off, but accpet Him today if you haven't already done so. And if you're a Christian and living below your God-given standard, accept Jesus' offer to restore you back to the place of abundance. "I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty," declares the LORD" (Jer.31,14. my emphasis).
The background is this: In the Old Testament, every 50th year was the year of jubilee, or the acceptable year of the Lord. We read about it in Leviticus 25:10-13,
"Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you ... In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property."
Every 50th year, people got their properties back, and they were set free from bondage. Maybe we can put it this way, Every 50th year they were accepted back to their original state.
Our original state in God was that we were without sin, because sin was not "invented" yet. Adam and Eve were created without sin and put in a wonderful garden to grow and tend it and the animals that were in it. But we know that they sinned, and were thrown out of the garden. Jesus came to restore our righteous standing with God, and I believe that's what Jesus was referring to when He said He was to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
The good thing, though, is that we don't have to wait 50 years for that to happen. The accpetable year of the Lord is every year and every day of the year. Jesus came to restore us to our righteous place in God.
Don't put it off, but accpet Him today if you haven't already done so. And if you're a Christian and living below your God-given standard, accept Jesus' offer to restore you back to the place of abundance. "I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty," declares the LORD" (Jer.31,14. my emphasis).
søndag 24. oktober 2010
Jesus came to set at liberty the bruised
Today let's look at the next thing Jesus came to do, set at liberty them that are bruised (Luke 4:18).
I remember when I was a child. I was never the nice, quiet girl who played with dolls; I was more of a tomboy. I loved to climb trees and do other "boys' stuff". However, once in a while I fell down from a tree or stumbled over a log or a stone, and the result was a bruised leg or arm. What did I do? I ran home to my mother as fast as I could, and when she had put on a band-aid, everything was ok. She liberated me from the pain from the bruises.
I don't climb trees or stumble over rocks any more, however, I do get bruised. These bruises may not be as visible as a cut in the leg, but they can hurt just as much, they can even hurt more. These are the internal bruises that we all get during our walk through this life. These bruises can come through a thoughtless remark from a friend, a negative comment from a spouse or ill-treatment from a person in authority, and many other sources.
What Jesus says here is that when we are bruised in any way, He will set us free from the results of these bruises. He will heal us. He will mend us.
Think about an antique vase that you've inherited from your grandmother. You really cherish that vase. It's really valuable to you. Then someone breaks the vase. You're devastated. You look at the pieces on the floor, and think, "I really wish someone could fix this vase for me." It would be one of the very rare occasions if Jesus walked into the room and glued the vase together again. He doesn't usually do that. However, when we're broken inside, He absolutely wants to come in and "glue us together". That was one of His assignments for His earth walk. He loves to liberate us from our bruises.
Are you bruised? Do you feel there are wounds inside like open sores? Let Jesus heal them. He's more than willing and more than able to set at liberty you who are bruised.
I remember when I was a child. I was never the nice, quiet girl who played with dolls; I was more of a tomboy. I loved to climb trees and do other "boys' stuff". However, once in a while I fell down from a tree or stumbled over a log or a stone, and the result was a bruised leg or arm. What did I do? I ran home to my mother as fast as I could, and when she had put on a band-aid, everything was ok. She liberated me from the pain from the bruises.
I don't climb trees or stumble over rocks any more, however, I do get bruised. These bruises may not be as visible as a cut in the leg, but they can hurt just as much, they can even hurt more. These are the internal bruises that we all get during our walk through this life. These bruises can come through a thoughtless remark from a friend, a negative comment from a spouse or ill-treatment from a person in authority, and many other sources.
What Jesus says here is that when we are bruised in any way, He will set us free from the results of these bruises. He will heal us. He will mend us.
Think about an antique vase that you've inherited from your grandmother. You really cherish that vase. It's really valuable to you. Then someone breaks the vase. You're devastated. You look at the pieces on the floor, and think, "I really wish someone could fix this vase for me." It would be one of the very rare occasions if Jesus walked into the room and glued the vase together again. He doesn't usually do that. However, when we're broken inside, He absolutely wants to come in and "glue us together". That was one of His assignments for His earth walk. He loves to liberate us from our bruises.
Are you bruised? Do you feel there are wounds inside like open sores? Let Jesus heal them. He's more than willing and more than able to set at liberty you who are bruised.
lørdag 23. oktober 2010
Jesus came to preach recovering of sight to the blind
I can hear someone say: "I'm not blind. This does not concern me!"
Ok, but before you go away, please read on and at least see "who is the blind".
When Jesus walked the earth, He healed people of physical ailments and diseases. There are several stories in the Bible where physically blind people were healed. And since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebr.13:8), He also heals physically blind eyes today. So if you cannot see, Jesus came to give you sight.
However, the Bible also talkes quite a lot about spiritually blindness. Let's look at some of those examples.
"Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep" (Jes.56,10). This is not talking about physical blindness, this is talking about a blindness that occurs when one does not have knowledge. Ignorance is the same as blindness. If I don't know that Jesus died for my sins, I am blind to the fact that I can be saved by believeing on Him.
Another example: "Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead" (Jes.59,10). These people groped along the wall as if they were blind. They stumbled because they could not see with their spiritual eyes.
And look at these two Scriptures from the New Testament:
"You blind guides! (Jesus was talking to the Pharisees.)You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matt.23,24) and "Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean" (Matt23,26). We see clearly that it was the pharisees' "dirty" inside that was the problem and why Jesus called them blind. It had nothing to do with their physical eyesight. They might have a 20/20 vision, but Jesus still called them "blind".
Isn't it just wonderful how the Lord wants to come into our lives and heal all aspects of it? He says in Psalm 46:8, "The LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous."
He beckons to you and says, "Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!" (Jes.2,18).
We have all been blind at one point or another, and we probably still are to certain truths. However, the good thing is that Jesus came to preach recovering of sight to the blind. If we let Him, He'll give us perfect eyesight, both physically and spiritually. Why not receive it from Him today?
Ok, but before you go away, please read on and at least see "who is the blind".
When Jesus walked the earth, He healed people of physical ailments and diseases. There are several stories in the Bible where physically blind people were healed. And since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebr.13:8), He also heals physically blind eyes today. So if you cannot see, Jesus came to give you sight.
However, the Bible also talkes quite a lot about spiritually blindness. Let's look at some of those examples.
"Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep" (Jes.56,10). This is not talking about physical blindness, this is talking about a blindness that occurs when one does not have knowledge. Ignorance is the same as blindness. If I don't know that Jesus died for my sins, I am blind to the fact that I can be saved by believeing on Him.
Another example: "Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead" (Jes.59,10). These people groped along the wall as if they were blind. They stumbled because they could not see with their spiritual eyes.
And look at these two Scriptures from the New Testament:
"You blind guides! (Jesus was talking to the Pharisees.)You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matt.23,24) and "Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean" (Matt23,26). We see clearly that it was the pharisees' "dirty" inside that was the problem and why Jesus called them blind. It had nothing to do with their physical eyesight. They might have a 20/20 vision, but Jesus still called them "blind".
Isn't it just wonderful how the Lord wants to come into our lives and heal all aspects of it? He says in Psalm 46:8, "The LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous."
He beckons to you and says, "Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!" (Jes.2,18).
We have all been blind at one point or another, and we probably still are to certain truths. However, the good thing is that Jesus came to preach recovering of sight to the blind. If we let Him, He'll give us perfect eyesight, both physically and spiritually. Why not receive it from Him today?
torsdag 21. oktober 2010
Jesus came to preach deliverance to the captives
We continue in Luke 4:18, and read that Jesus came to preach deliverance to the captives. A captive is someone that is in some kind of prison, he or she is a prisoner. What kind of captivity is Jesus talking about?
For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin (Acts 8:23). Being in sin is likened to being a captive. Sin can take us captive. We can become so entangled in sin that we see no way out. But there is a way out: And that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26). Who takes us captive? The devil. He sets traps for us so we should follow him, and when he has lured us into his trap of sin, he does everything he can to keep us captive. This can happen through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8).
Can human tradition take me captive? Yes, absolutely, and it does. That's why it is so vitally important to check what you believe. Are your doctrines sound, Biblical doctrines, or are they merely doctrines you have inherited from your family, friends or your community? Check your beliefs, behaviors and everyday life against God's Word, and see if Satan has succeeded in trapping you.
Jesus came to preach deliverance to the capitives. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and does the same thing today as He did when He walked the earth. Ask Him to set you free today, and you will be free indeed.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).
For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin (Acts 8:23). Being in sin is likened to being a captive. Sin can take us captive. We can become so entangled in sin that we see no way out. But there is a way out: And that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26). Who takes us captive? The devil. He sets traps for us so we should follow him, and when he has lured us into his trap of sin, he does everything he can to keep us captive. This can happen through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8).
Can human tradition take me captive? Yes, absolutely, and it does. That's why it is so vitally important to check what you believe. Are your doctrines sound, Biblical doctrines, or are they merely doctrines you have inherited from your family, friends or your community? Check your beliefs, behaviors and everyday life against God's Word, and see if Satan has succeeded in trapping you.
Jesus came to preach deliverance to the capitives. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, and does the same thing today as He did when He walked the earth. Ask Him to set you free today, and you will be free indeed.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).
onsdag 20. oktober 2010
Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me," Jesus said, "to heal the brokenhearted..." (Luke 4,18). Who are the brokenhearted? Are there any brokenhearted people around today? Yes, I believe there are more brokenhearted people around today than ever before.
To be brokenhearted means to burst, break down, break in pieces, break up, crush, destroy, hurt and quench. It covers much more than "chagrin d'amore" or an unhappy love affair. I believe it means to be without hope, everything seems to be taken away from you and you can see no way out. That's the kind of situation that Jesus wants to come into and heal. He not only wants to comfort and console you, He wants to HEAL you, make you new. He wants to repair your broken heart and give you new life, new hope and a new outlook on life. And He can do it, because He is the only real life there is. He is the way, the truth and the life, and only through Him and His healing can you and I experience true healing.
To be healed from a broken heart, however, you need to give your heart to Him. It's the heart that is given to Him He can heal. If we want to keep control of our lives and continue our sinful living, Jesus can do nothing. But if you and I give Him our hearts, and ask Him into our lives to stay, He will perform a miracle in us.
If you're brokenhearted and want to give up on life, give Him a chance. You have nothing to lose and everything to win.
God bless you!
To be brokenhearted means to burst, break down, break in pieces, break up, crush, destroy, hurt and quench. It covers much more than "chagrin d'amore" or an unhappy love affair. I believe it means to be without hope, everything seems to be taken away from you and you can see no way out. That's the kind of situation that Jesus wants to come into and heal. He not only wants to comfort and console you, He wants to HEAL you, make you new. He wants to repair your broken heart and give you new life, new hope and a new outlook on life. And He can do it, because He is the only real life there is. He is the way, the truth and the life, and only through Him and His healing can you and I experience true healing.
To be healed from a broken heart, however, you need to give your heart to Him. It's the heart that is given to Him He can heal. If we want to keep control of our lives and continue our sinful living, Jesus can do nothing. But if you and I give Him our hearts, and ask Him into our lives to stay, He will perform a miracle in us.
If you're brokenhearted and want to give up on life, give Him a chance. You have nothing to lose and everything to win.
God bless you!
tirsdag 19. oktober 2010
Jesus' assignment and how it affects me and you today
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18-19).
In the last text we saw that Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill His assignment here on the earth, and we also saw that we need the Holy Spirit to fulfill our assignments.
Today we'll look more closely at what Jesus was sent to do.
Jesus was sent to this earth to
Preach the gospel to the poor. Who were "the poor"? If I tell you that "I am so poor", what's your first reaction? You think that I lack something, right? May be money, food or clothing; but it could also be other things, such as family, friends, education, or love. The one who is poor, lacks something. Jesus didn't say that He wanted to preach the gospel to "the poor in finances" or "the poor in relationships". He just said "the poor".
My next question is: What does the gospel have to do with being poor, or, with getting out of the state of being poor?
Since Jesus was preaching the gospel to the poor, it must mean that He meant that His preacing would get them out of the poor state they were in. Is that true? Can the gospel free me from being poor?
Galatians 3:8 says that "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."
The gospel was announced to Abraham, and through the gospel all nations will ble blessed. Galatians 3:13-14 says that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
From these scriptures, it seems like the gospel is supplying us with the blessing given to Abraham. What was this blessing? I don't want to spend time on all the blessings here, but you can read them in Deut. 28:1-14. There you'll find a long list of GOOD thingst that God promised Abraham, and that, through Abraham, we can receive through Jesus Christ. Are there any blessings that can make the poor not poor any more? Absolutely. The gospel is called "the good news", and the good news is that everyone who is poor can get out of his or her poor state by tapping into the blessings promised us through the gospel.
More on Jesus' assignment next time.
In the last text we saw that Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to fulfill His assignment here on the earth, and we also saw that we need the Holy Spirit to fulfill our assignments.
Today we'll look more closely at what Jesus was sent to do.
Jesus was sent to this earth to
- Preach the gospel to the poor
- Heal the brokenhearted
- Preach deliverance to the captives
- Preach recovery of sight to the blind
- Set at liberty them that are bruised
- Preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Preach the gospel to the poor. Who were "the poor"? If I tell you that "I am so poor", what's your first reaction? You think that I lack something, right? May be money, food or clothing; but it could also be other things, such as family, friends, education, or love. The one who is poor, lacks something. Jesus didn't say that He wanted to preach the gospel to "the poor in finances" or "the poor in relationships". He just said "the poor".
My next question is: What does the gospel have to do with being poor, or, with getting out of the state of being poor?
Since Jesus was preaching the gospel to the poor, it must mean that He meant that His preacing would get them out of the poor state they were in. Is that true? Can the gospel free me from being poor?
Galatians 3:8 says that "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."
The gospel was announced to Abraham, and through the gospel all nations will ble blessed. Galatians 3:13-14 says that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree. He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."
From these scriptures, it seems like the gospel is supplying us with the blessing given to Abraham. What was this blessing? I don't want to spend time on all the blessings here, but you can read them in Deut. 28:1-14. There you'll find a long list of GOOD thingst that God promised Abraham, and that, through Abraham, we can receive through Jesus Christ. Are there any blessings that can make the poor not poor any more? Absolutely. The gospel is called "the good news", and the good news is that everyone who is poor can get out of his or her poor state by tapping into the blessings promised us through the gospel.
More on Jesus' assignment next time.
What was Jesus' mission really all about?
Many people believe that Jesus lived on this earth; they believe in Him as a historical person, and even as a prophet. However, what was Jesus really sent here to accomplish? Well, the best person to answer that question, would be Jesus Himself, don't you think? And He described His mission in Luke 4:18-19:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
And these words did not come from His own mind, they were not words and nice formulations so He could attract more followers. These words were spoken by the prophet Isaiah about 700 years before Jesus walked the earth, and they predicted that God would send His Son to "set people free", to sum it up in my own words.
Over the next days I will try to look more deeply into what the meaning behind these words of Jesus is, and how they apply to your and my daily life.
Let's start with looking into the actual words that He spoke, and the facts about them.
Jesus said that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, and the reason for that was that He had an assignment to fulfill. The implication is that Jesus needed the Spirit to fulfill his assignment. No Spirit, no accomplished assignment.
Is that something for us to consider? Yes, absolutely. Jesus said in John 15:5 that we can do nothing without Him, and He also said that "John baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost ..." (Acts 1:5). And what was this baptizing with the Holy Ghost for? Acts 1:8 gives the answer: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me ..." Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to accomplish HIS task, and we need the Holy Spirit to accomplish OUR tasks.
In the next texts, we'll look more deeply into what Jesus was designed to do.
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
And these words did not come from His own mind, they were not words and nice formulations so He could attract more followers. These words were spoken by the prophet Isaiah about 700 years before Jesus walked the earth, and they predicted that God would send His Son to "set people free", to sum it up in my own words.
Over the next days I will try to look more deeply into what the meaning behind these words of Jesus is, and how they apply to your and my daily life.
Let's start with looking into the actual words that He spoke, and the facts about them.
Jesus said that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, and the reason for that was that He had an assignment to fulfill. The implication is that Jesus needed the Spirit to fulfill his assignment. No Spirit, no accomplished assignment.
Is that something for us to consider? Yes, absolutely. Jesus said in John 15:5 that we can do nothing without Him, and He also said that "John baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost ..." (Acts 1:5). And what was this baptizing with the Holy Ghost for? Acts 1:8 gives the answer: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me ..." Jesus needed the Holy Spirit to accomplish HIS task, and we need the Holy Spirit to accomplish OUR tasks.
In the next texts, we'll look more deeply into what Jesus was designed to do.
mandag 18. oktober 2010
A more excellent way
Every human being wants to live a good life, the best life possible. However, many of us are tied up with daily chores and struggling to make ends meet. We race through life like a long freight train with many carriages filled to the brim with heavy, useless objects. And we race towards a goal that we don't know what it is. "Some day, some where I'll reach my destination and I'll be happy, full of joy and rest."
S-T-O-P!!! Don't race through life that way another day. There is a better way to live, a more fulfilling and excellent way to live. That way is called LOVE.
Lets read from 1 Corinthians 12:31: "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit in this chapter of 1 Chorinthians. And we do right in seeking the spiritual gifts that God offers. However, there is something that is better, higher and more excellent than healing the sick, speaking in tongues and the other gifts of the Spirit. And that is love. To walk in love is a higher form of life.
I like to read the Bible from different translations, and the Amplified Bible quotes vers 31 this way: "Bur earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts, and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all - love]." Love is the best way, the far better way to live. And this love is found only in Jesus Christ.
"How can I partake in something that is in Jesus Christ?" you may ask. Because when Jesus came to this earth, sent by God, His Father, to redeem mankind from sin and Satans dominion, He came not only with freedom from sin and all its consequences, but with love. "... the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God sheds His love in our hearts. All we have to do, is start using it.
S-T-O-P!!! Don't race through life that way another day. There is a better way to live, a more fulfilling and excellent way to live. That way is called LOVE.
Lets read from 1 Corinthians 12:31: "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit in this chapter of 1 Chorinthians. And we do right in seeking the spiritual gifts that God offers. However, there is something that is better, higher and more excellent than healing the sick, speaking in tongues and the other gifts of the Spirit. And that is love. To walk in love is a higher form of life.
I like to read the Bible from different translations, and the Amplified Bible quotes vers 31 this way: "Bur earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts, and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces). And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one that is better by far and the highest of them all - love]." Love is the best way, the far better way to live. And this love is found only in Jesus Christ.
"How can I partake in something that is in Jesus Christ?" you may ask. Because when Jesus came to this earth, sent by God, His Father, to redeem mankind from sin and Satans dominion, He came not only with freedom from sin and all its consequences, but with love. "... the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God sheds His love in our hearts. All we have to do, is start using it.
søndag 17. oktober 2010
Without Me (Jesus) you can do nothing!
All human beings have an urge and a will to achieve things in life. "What's my life about?", "What's the purpose of my life?", "Will my life account for anyting?" are questions we have asked at one time or another. And we believe that we can and should do everything in our power to fulfill our destiny to be happy and fulfilled in life.
However, Jesus showed me that without Him I can do nothing, as it says in John 15:5; "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing". (My emphasis).
The way He showed it to me was thus: I was sitting in a service in my church, and the speech was about the Holy Spirit and His work in our life. At the end of the service, during the benediction, I "saw" a story unfold before my inner eyes.
I saw a tanned and muscular young man standing in front of a lot of bricks, ready to begin building his new home. He started out by laying one brick upon the other, and it looked all right. He was very satisfied with his own work. When it was time to end for the day, however, and he turned his back towards his foundation wall, the whole wall collapsed, just like that!
The next day when he came back, he found the wall was gone, but he started again and laid brick upon brick until night, and then he went home. But no sooner than he had turned his back on his work, the whole thing collapsed. This also happened the third time. When he came back the fourth morning, he understood that there was something very wrong, and he fell to his knees, lifted his arms to heaven and said: "Lord, I thought I could do this on my own, but I can't. Please, Jesus, help me build this wall the way You want me to build it. I give it to you. Amen."
Then he started to build again, however, this time he didn't really put much effort into it, he just "cuddled" the bricks, looked at them, and walked among them while the foundation wall seemed to build itself.
The next picture I saw was the young man sitting in his new home with his family, enjoying the house and the peace and love of Jesus Christ.
This "film" that the Lord showed me, made a huge impression on me. I understood that no matter how much strength I put into "God's work", it won't be successful until I surrender both myself and my work to Him. Only then will I succeed in life, both as a human being among other human beings, and as a Christian.
I hope this will help you who read this to see that it's not my own effort that accomplishes things, but it's God's blessing when I surrender my life and work to Him that is important.
God bless you today to put your life in His hands.
However, Jesus showed me that without Him I can do nothing, as it says in John 15:5; "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing". (My emphasis).
The way He showed it to me was thus: I was sitting in a service in my church, and the speech was about the Holy Spirit and His work in our life. At the end of the service, during the benediction, I "saw" a story unfold before my inner eyes.
I saw a tanned and muscular young man standing in front of a lot of bricks, ready to begin building his new home. He started out by laying one brick upon the other, and it looked all right. He was very satisfied with his own work. When it was time to end for the day, however, and he turned his back towards his foundation wall, the whole wall collapsed, just like that!
The next day when he came back, he found the wall was gone, but he started again and laid brick upon brick until night, and then he went home. But no sooner than he had turned his back on his work, the whole thing collapsed. This also happened the third time. When he came back the fourth morning, he understood that there was something very wrong, and he fell to his knees, lifted his arms to heaven and said: "Lord, I thought I could do this on my own, but I can't. Please, Jesus, help me build this wall the way You want me to build it. I give it to you. Amen."
Then he started to build again, however, this time he didn't really put much effort into it, he just "cuddled" the bricks, looked at them, and walked among them while the foundation wall seemed to build itself.
The next picture I saw was the young man sitting in his new home with his family, enjoying the house and the peace and love of Jesus Christ.
This "film" that the Lord showed me, made a huge impression on me. I understood that no matter how much strength I put into "God's work", it won't be successful until I surrender both myself and my work to Him. Only then will I succeed in life, both as a human being among other human beings, and as a Christian.
I hope this will help you who read this to see that it's not my own effort that accomplishes things, but it's God's blessing when I surrender my life and work to Him that is important.
God bless you today to put your life in His hands.
lørdag 16. oktober 2010
Spirit of adoption, not the spirit of bondage to fear
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15).
I am 100 % sure that every human being on this earth wants to live the good life. And we go to extreme lengths to achieve happiness and joy for ourselves and our families. How do we do that? By working long hours to earn enough money to buy nice things, to crave for better houses and cars and improve our standard of living to the best of our ability. And none of that is bad, actually, it's good to go after a better life.
However, all our striving and working takes us just so far, and with it comes the aches and pains of a stressful life.
To really experience the good life, the good life that Jesus talked about, we need to get a new mindset, so to speak. We need to be adopted into a new family with new values and ideas. God is a Father who wants to adopt us into His family. In His family are people of all walks of life, all skin colors and all different backgrounds.
This contribution is all about changing your family background. In the natural, Satan is our father, and he operates in fear. Fear of not being good enough, fear of not being accepted by people, fear of losing your job, losing your spouse and so on and so on. To get out of that state of fear and striving in our own strength, we need to change fathers, so to speak. God is THE only good Father. And He is more than willing and eager to accept you into His family.
Have you made God your Father? If not, I urge you today to give God a chance in your life. Give Him your life, come to Him in Jesus' name, and be translated from a life of the spirit of bondage to fear and come over to the life of the Spirit of adoption, where you can experience the only good life - life with God.
I am 100 % sure that every human being on this earth wants to live the good life. And we go to extreme lengths to achieve happiness and joy for ourselves and our families. How do we do that? By working long hours to earn enough money to buy nice things, to crave for better houses and cars and improve our standard of living to the best of our ability. And none of that is bad, actually, it's good to go after a better life.
However, all our striving and working takes us just so far, and with it comes the aches and pains of a stressful life.
To really experience the good life, the good life that Jesus talked about, we need to get a new mindset, so to speak. We need to be adopted into a new family with new values and ideas. God is a Father who wants to adopt us into His family. In His family are people of all walks of life, all skin colors and all different backgrounds.
This contribution is all about changing your family background. In the natural, Satan is our father, and he operates in fear. Fear of not being good enough, fear of not being accepted by people, fear of losing your job, losing your spouse and so on and so on. To get out of that state of fear and striving in our own strength, we need to change fathers, so to speak. God is THE only good Father. And He is more than willing and eager to accept you into His family.
Have you made God your Father? If not, I urge you today to give God a chance in your life. Give Him your life, come to Him in Jesus' name, and be translated from a life of the spirit of bondage to fear and come over to the life of the Spirit of adoption, where you can experience the only good life - life with God.
fredag 15. oktober 2010
What is Jesus to you?
I know that many people believe in Jesus - maybe not as their personal Savior, but as a historical person who lived on this earth 2 000 years ago and was a prophet. Even believers in other religions accept the fact that Jesus really lived.
But who is He to YOU?
Let's say you have given your life to Jesusy, you're saved, as we like to call it. And you're asked: What is Jesus to you? What's your answer?
Jesus is a good friend; He's my security of a life in heaven when I die; He's God's Son.
All these answers are good and I hope He's all that to you. However, I want to ask another question:
Is Jesus the Lord of your life and not only the Savior of your soul?
Let me explain. As Savior of your soul, Jesus is your surety for your eternal life in heaven. However, for your life to be lived to the full here on earth, you need Him to be Lord of your life HERE AND NOW.
"How can Jesus help me live the good life here and now", you may ask. Because He is the way, the truth and the life. (See John 14:6). He is the way I have to walk in this life, in addition to being the way to God; He is the only truth there is; (there are lots of facts, but Jesus is the only truth); and He is the life. Not any life, but the life, the good life, the only satisfying life.
He is, however, not only the way, the truth and the life, He is also The Word. (See 1 John 1:1-3; John 1:1).
What does Jesus' being the Lord of your life have to do with the way, the truth, the life and the word? Everything. If you want to walk the best way, to know the only truth and to live the good life, you have to know the only Word, which is Jesus. You not only have to know about the Word, you have to have intimate knowledge of Jesus, you need Him to be Lord over your life.
How do you do that? Ask Him into your life to begin with, and we'll take it from there in future contributions here on my blog.
But who is He to YOU?
Let's say you have given your life to Jesusy, you're saved, as we like to call it. And you're asked: What is Jesus to you? What's your answer?
Jesus is a good friend; He's my security of a life in heaven when I die; He's God's Son.
All these answers are good and I hope He's all that to you. However, I want to ask another question:
Is Jesus the Lord of your life and not only the Savior of your soul?
Let me explain. As Savior of your soul, Jesus is your surety for your eternal life in heaven. However, for your life to be lived to the full here on earth, you need Him to be Lord of your life HERE AND NOW.
"How can Jesus help me live the good life here and now", you may ask. Because He is the way, the truth and the life. (See John 14:6). He is the way I have to walk in this life, in addition to being the way to God; He is the only truth there is; (there are lots of facts, but Jesus is the only truth); and He is the life. Not any life, but the life, the good life, the only satisfying life.
He is, however, not only the way, the truth and the life, He is also The Word. (See 1 John 1:1-3; John 1:1).
What does Jesus' being the Lord of your life have to do with the way, the truth, the life and the word? Everything. If you want to walk the best way, to know the only truth and to live the good life, you have to know the only Word, which is Jesus. You not only have to know about the Word, you have to have intimate knowledge of Jesus, you need Him to be Lord over your life.
How do you do that? Ask Him into your life to begin with, and we'll take it from there in future contributions here on my blog.
Reaching for the good life
Welcome to my blog on the good life.
First I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a wife, a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 5 wonderful children. I live in Kristiansand in Norway, and I have a passion for Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and in my life. The good life I want to introduce you to, is the life that Jesus describes in the gospel of John, where He says that "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
To live as human beings in today's world, is not an easy task. And as the scripture quoted above says, we have a thief who does everything he can to steal, kill and destroy as many of us as he can. But, Thank God, Jesus came to give us an abundant life, a good life. And in my almost 50 years of walking with Him, I have learnt a few things that I want to share with you. So check in ever so often, and you'll find small pieces of gems to guide you into a deeper and closer walk with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
First I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I am a wife, a mother of 2 and a grandmother of 5 wonderful children. I live in Kristiansand in Norway, and I have a passion for Jesus Christ and what He has done for me and in my life. The good life I want to introduce you to, is the life that Jesus describes in the gospel of John, where He says that "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
To live as human beings in today's world, is not an easy task. And as the scripture quoted above says, we have a thief who does everything he can to steal, kill and destroy as many of us as he can. But, Thank God, Jesus came to give us an abundant life, a good life. And in my almost 50 years of walking with Him, I have learnt a few things that I want to share with you. So check in ever so often, and you'll find small pieces of gems to guide you into a deeper and closer walk with our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
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