What is your immediate reaction to this headline? Is it, "Yes, I know, but ...", "It sure doesn't feel like it ..." or "Thank you, Jesus!"
How you think about the day (or anything else for that matter), determines how your day will turn out. Proverbs 23:7 says that we are as we think. That means that our thoughts set the standard for how our lives will turn out.
You can think yourself happy and you can think yourself sad - it all comes down to what YOU decide to think - which thoughts you harbor and meditate on.
Today I encourage you to think on good things, things that Philippians 4:8 encourages us to think on. Look it up in your Bible and start thinking good thoughts. Light dispels darkness, good overccomes evil, and good thoughts get rid of bad thoughts.
I wish you a blessed day!
lørdag 23. august 2014
onsdag 8. januar 2014
From "give me" to "make me"
Have you ever watched small children play? I have. And the words you hear the most, are "give me" or "it's mine".
And we think that's childish. Grown-ups aren't that way. But wait. Are you sure you're not a "give-me-person"?
There's an account in the Bible of a young man who was a "give-me-person". We find the story in Luke 15:11-32. It's the story of the prodigal son.
You probably know the story, so I will only point out the "give me" and the "make me" parts.
In verse 12 the younger of two boys asks the father for his inheritance. "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me'."
And his father gave him and his brother their share of the inheritance. The young man left his father's house and spent all his inheritance on prodigal living. After some time he "came to himself" and decided to go back to his father and he would say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."
The young man had changed through the ordeals that he went through, and he went from a "give-me-person" to a "make-me-person". And his father rejoiced when the lost son came home, and made him to be more than he asked for.
Are you going through tough times? May be it's time for you to go from "Lord, give me ..." to "Lord, make me ...".
"Lord, make me ..." is a prayer the Lord longs to answer, to your benefit and His glory!
And we think that's childish. Grown-ups aren't that way. But wait. Are you sure you're not a "give-me-person"?
There's an account in the Bible of a young man who was a "give-me-person". We find the story in Luke 15:11-32. It's the story of the prodigal son.
You probably know the story, so I will only point out the "give me" and the "make me" parts.
In verse 12 the younger of two boys asks the father for his inheritance. "And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me'."
And his father gave him and his brother their share of the inheritance. The young man left his father's house and spent all his inheritance on prodigal living. After some time he "came to himself" and decided to go back to his father and he would say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."
The young man had changed through the ordeals that he went through, and he went from a "give-me-person" to a "make-me-person". And his father rejoiced when the lost son came home, and made him to be more than he asked for.
Are you going through tough times? May be it's time for you to go from "Lord, give me ..." to "Lord, make me ...".
"Lord, make me ..." is a prayer the Lord longs to answer, to your benefit and His glory!
torsdag 2. januar 2014
Are you righteous?
"Am I righteous? I don't know. I never thought about it. I sure don't feel righteous."
These might be your thoughts when you see today's headline. Let me ask you again,
Are you righteous?
"I sure hope so," you might say.
Hoping doesn't get you righteous. Feelings don't make you righteous.
Then what does?
Genesis 15:6 says: "And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."
Who is "he" who believed in the Lord? He is Abram who later became Abraham. The margin in my Bible reads, "God did not evaluate Abraham as righteous because everything he did was right, but because he had faith in God's ability to make him righteous."
The key word here in the Bible verse is "accounted it to him" and in the margin "make him".
Righteousness is not something I become when I strive, work and do the right things, righteousness is something that is "accounted" to me or given to me, something I am made. How? By faith. Abraham believed that God had the ability to make him righteous, and that was all he needed to be righteous.
Are you discouraged and on the verge of giving up on God because you find it difficult to please Him? Don't! Just believe in God's ability to account righteousness to you. How? Through Jesus. Believe on Jesus, that He died for you, that He lived the righteous life for you, that He lives today to strengthen, support and pray for you.
Stop striving to live "right", accept God's righteousness in Jesus Christ, and you will be right. Then you will live right because you love the Lord, not because you're striving to become His righteousness.
Accept, relax and enjoy!
These might be your thoughts when you see today's headline. Let me ask you again,
Are you righteous?
"I sure hope so," you might say.
Hoping doesn't get you righteous. Feelings don't make you righteous.
Then what does?
Genesis 15:6 says: "And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness."
Who is "he" who believed in the Lord? He is Abram who later became Abraham. The margin in my Bible reads, "God did not evaluate Abraham as righteous because everything he did was right, but because he had faith in God's ability to make him righteous."
The key word here in the Bible verse is "accounted it to him" and in the margin "make him".
Righteousness is not something I become when I strive, work and do the right things, righteousness is something that is "accounted" to me or given to me, something I am made. How? By faith. Abraham believed that God had the ability to make him righteous, and that was all he needed to be righteous.
Are you discouraged and on the verge of giving up on God because you find it difficult to please Him? Don't! Just believe in God's ability to account righteousness to you. How? Through Jesus. Believe on Jesus, that He died for you, that He lived the righteous life for you, that He lives today to strengthen, support and pray for you.
Stop striving to live "right", accept God's righteousness in Jesus Christ, and you will be right. Then you will live right because you love the Lord, not because you're striving to become His righteousness.
Accept, relax and enjoy!
onsdag 1. januar 2014
Are you weary?
Weariness and the desire to give up come to all of us from time to time. Are you weary right now? Wanting to give up? Don't! Let us look at ONE who really had every reason on earth to give up, but never did - Jesus.
Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
It says to lay aside every weight and evey sin. "Easier said than done," you might say. "How do I do that?"
Let's read on. "... looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
You do it by looking up in stead of down. Jesus had every reason to look down. He was unjustly accused of blaspheming God and betraying His Father. He knew what was ahead of Him - a terrible death on the cross. In spite of what His feelings and emotions told Him, He looked up to His Father, the only One He could trust. He put His whole life in His Father's hands, and He came out victorious!
When life seems unfair, you're treated unjustly, friends betray you, sickness takes it's toll, and you want to give up and cave in, DON'T! Look UP unto Jesus. From Him comes your help. From Him comes your redemption, your comfort, your strength and your joy! Let Him fill you with His hope, strength, love and joy today. He is always willing and present to help you in your time of need.
I have never found Him to leave me nor forsake me. When I cling to Him, He's always faithful. When I believe His Word, the Word always does what it says to do.
Are you weary? Look UP unto Jesus!
Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
It says to lay aside every weight and evey sin. "Easier said than done," you might say. "How do I do that?"
Let's read on. "... looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
You do it by looking up in stead of down. Jesus had every reason to look down. He was unjustly accused of blaspheming God and betraying His Father. He knew what was ahead of Him - a terrible death on the cross. In spite of what His feelings and emotions told Him, He looked up to His Father, the only One He could trust. He put His whole life in His Father's hands, and He came out victorious!
When life seems unfair, you're treated unjustly, friends betray you, sickness takes it's toll, and you want to give up and cave in, DON'T! Look UP unto Jesus. From Him comes your help. From Him comes your redemption, your comfort, your strength and your joy! Let Him fill you with His hope, strength, love and joy today. He is always willing and present to help you in your time of need.
I have never found Him to leave me nor forsake me. When I cling to Him, He's always faithful. When I believe His Word, the Word always does what it says to do.
Are you weary? Look UP unto Jesus!
fredag 27. desember 2013
What do you do when you don't know what to do?
Have you ever been in a situation when you're surrounded by difficulties and problems on all sides, and you don't know where to go, what to do, or where to turn?
I have. Many times. I have been so depressed by circumstances and people that I found it hard to go on living. But I did. What kept me going, and what can keep you going in the middle of seemingly unbearable circumstances?
There's only one answer to that question, and the answer is GOD. God kept me going, God kept me from ending my life, and God keeps me going every day.
When I'm in the midst of a difficult situation, I can hear Him say, "Don't give up. I am with you. I love you. I gave my Son to die for you, and He lives to interceed for you - always" (Hebrews 7:25).
That gives me comfort. That makes me go on and not give up. HE is my strength. HE is my conforter. HE is the answer to every question. Without Him I am lost. With Him I am a winner, I don't give up and I don't cave in and quit.
Today I will live with Him and He lives in me and strengthens me. Hallelujah!
I have. Many times. I have been so depressed by circumstances and people that I found it hard to go on living. But I did. What kept me going, and what can keep you going in the middle of seemingly unbearable circumstances?
There's only one answer to that question, and the answer is GOD. God kept me going, God kept me from ending my life, and God keeps me going every day.
When I'm in the midst of a difficult situation, I can hear Him say, "Don't give up. I am with you. I love you. I gave my Son to die for you, and He lives to interceed for you - always" (Hebrews 7:25).
That gives me comfort. That makes me go on and not give up. HE is my strength. HE is my conforter. HE is the answer to every question. Without Him I am lost. With Him I am a winner, I don't give up and I don't cave in and quit.
Today I will live with Him and He lives in me and strengthens me. Hallelujah!
fredag 25. oktober 2013
torsdag 8. august 2013
Seated with Christ ... where?
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:6 that "... God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him ..." Who are "us"? It's you and I who are saved and have received Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior. We are seated with Jesus ... where? Let's look at the rest of the verse, "... in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus".
You and I are seated in the Heavenly realms!!!
What does that mean for you and me in Our daily walk here on earth? And how can I be seated in heaven when I am living here on earth?
To answer the last question first: We are more than physical beings, we are a spirit (which is born again), we have a soul (our will, emotions and thoughts, or our mental faculties), and we live in a physical body.
When I was born again, my body was the same, my feelings were the same as before initially, but my spirit was born again. And it is my spirit who is seated with Christ in the Heavenly realms.
What does this mean for my everyday life?
Many Christians live from the outside in, like all non-believers. They are dependent upon what happens to them in the Natural to determine what kind of life they are living. We, however, who are born again, should live from the inside out, meaning our spirit should be the "boss" and determine our situation, our feelings, thoughts and actions.
How can this happen? By focusing on God's Word. What the Word says, is what I should be living by. Yes, bad Things happen in the world around us, but if I keep my spiritual eyes fastened on my seating with Christ in Heavenly Places, and what the Bible says about my situation, I will become an overcomer in this life.
This is what Colossians 3:1 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."
Set Your hearts (or think on) Things above.
Does this come easy? No. Is it possible? Yes!
Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." All Things mean ALL THINGS.
If you haven't begun Your life "seated with Christ in Heavenly Places" before, start today. Ask God to help you, and you're in for an exciting and rewarding Journey here on eart.
God bless you today!
You and I are seated in the Heavenly realms!!!
What does that mean for you and me in Our daily walk here on earth? And how can I be seated in heaven when I am living here on earth?
To answer the last question first: We are more than physical beings, we are a spirit (which is born again), we have a soul (our will, emotions and thoughts, or our mental faculties), and we live in a physical body.
When I was born again, my body was the same, my feelings were the same as before initially, but my spirit was born again. And it is my spirit who is seated with Christ in the Heavenly realms.
What does this mean for my everyday life?
Many Christians live from the outside in, like all non-believers. They are dependent upon what happens to them in the Natural to determine what kind of life they are living. We, however, who are born again, should live from the inside out, meaning our spirit should be the "boss" and determine our situation, our feelings, thoughts and actions.
How can this happen? By focusing on God's Word. What the Word says, is what I should be living by. Yes, bad Things happen in the world around us, but if I keep my spiritual eyes fastened on my seating with Christ in Heavenly Places, and what the Bible says about my situation, I will become an overcomer in this life.
This is what Colossians 3:1 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God."
Set Your hearts (or think on) Things above.
Does this come easy? No. Is it possible? Yes!
Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." All Things mean ALL THINGS.
If you haven't begun Your life "seated with Christ in Heavenly Places" before, start today. Ask God to help you, and you're in for an exciting and rewarding Journey here on eart.
God bless you today!
onsdag 13. februar 2013
But the Lord ...
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen (2 Timothy 4:17-18, my emphases).
Paul was under tremendous pressure during his service for the Lord. I don't think any of us can imagine what he went through.
Many of us are also under pressure, some more, some less, but every human being experience some pressure during their life.
And we who are Christians, have an enemy who is more than willing and eager to add to those human and natural pressures, to make them seem unbearable.
However, notice what the apostle Paul said in the Scriptures above. When considering the past, he said; "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength ...". He testified that the Lord was there with him during the trials and pressures he went through. He came out victorious. "I was delivered from the lion's mouth!" That's amazing!
But not only was Paul looking back and thanking God for what He had done for him in the past, he was also looking forward to situations, pressures and trials that he knew would show up, and said: "The Lord will rescue me ...".
What do you and I say when we're facing tests and trials and pressures? Do we succumb to the temptation to give up, give in and give everything over to the enemy, or do we expectantly say with Paul: "The Lord will rescue me!"
Yes, the world is a dangerous and difficult place to live, but the Lord ....
Was it not for the Lord, I would have given up a long time ago. But the Lord delivered me from the hand of my enemies, He delivered me from my fears and He delivered me from my distresses. (See Psalms 18:1;134:5; 107:6 among others).
Today, if you feel the pressure all around you and in you, remember: But the Lord ...
Don't give the devil foothold in your life anymore, but give the Lord room. He will deliver you!
Paul was under tremendous pressure during his service for the Lord. I don't think any of us can imagine what he went through.
Many of us are also under pressure, some more, some less, but every human being experience some pressure during their life.
And we who are Christians, have an enemy who is more than willing and eager to add to those human and natural pressures, to make them seem unbearable.
However, notice what the apostle Paul said in the Scriptures above. When considering the past, he said; "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength ...". He testified that the Lord was there with him during the trials and pressures he went through. He came out victorious. "I was delivered from the lion's mouth!" That's amazing!
But not only was Paul looking back and thanking God for what He had done for him in the past, he was also looking forward to situations, pressures and trials that he knew would show up, and said: "The Lord will rescue me ...".
What do you and I say when we're facing tests and trials and pressures? Do we succumb to the temptation to give up, give in and give everything over to the enemy, or do we expectantly say with Paul: "The Lord will rescue me!"
Yes, the world is a dangerous and difficult place to live, but the Lord ....
Was it not for the Lord, I would have given up a long time ago. But the Lord delivered me from the hand of my enemies, He delivered me from my fears and He delivered me from my distresses. (See Psalms 18:1;134:5; 107:6 among others).
Today, if you feel the pressure all around you and in you, remember: But the Lord ...
Don't give the devil foothold in your life anymore, but give the Lord room. He will deliver you!
fredag 1. februar 2013
Be refreshed!
Do you feel a little tired? Down? Depressed? I know - we all do from time to time. That's part of life, it's part of being a human being. But for you and me who are born again children of allmighty God, we don't have to stay that way! We can be refreshed! And we can also refresh others who need it.
Don't believe it? Read these scriptures from the Bible, and see for yourself. Here we see people who have been tired, down and depressed, and they are refreshed or refreshing others!
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)
... so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. (Romans 15:32)
For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition. (1 Corinthians 16:18)
By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. (2 Corinthians 7:13)
May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. (2 Timothy 1:16)
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. (Filemon 1:7).
No need to stay depressed any longer. God wants you to be refreshed! And if you don't know anyone who can refresh you, why don't you go out and find someone whom YOU CAN REFRESH?
He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed!
Don't believe it? Read these scriptures from the Bible, and see for yourself. Here we see people who have been tired, down and depressed, and they are refreshed or refreshing others!
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)
... so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. (Romans 15:32)
For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition. (1 Corinthians 16:18)
By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. (2 Corinthians 7:13)
May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. (2 Timothy 1:16)
Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. (Filemon 1:7).
No need to stay depressed any longer. God wants you to be refreshed! And if you don't know anyone who can refresh you, why don't you go out and find someone whom YOU CAN REFRESH?
He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed!
torsdag 6. desember 2012
The fruit never lies
How do you know if a piece of fruit is good or bad? You taste it. And it doesn't take more than a split second to determine if the fruit is to your liking.
To find out how God is, He encourages us to "taste" Him. He says:
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:9).
Taste and see ... Have you "tasted" the Lord? I have, and I have found that he is GOOD - all the time.
That is good to remember when times are bad:
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
God is always in control, if we let Him.
So today I encourage you to "taste and see that the Lord is good". Let Him into your life - 100 %, and let Him change your situation from bad to good!
He loves you!
To find out how God is, He encourages us to "taste" Him. He says:
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:9).
Taste and see ... Have you "tasted" the Lord? I have, and I have found that he is GOOD - all the time.
- When I am down, He helps me up
- When I am sad, He gives me joy
- When I am sick, He heals me
- When I am poor, He supplies my needs
- When I am lonely, He is my best companion
That is good to remember when times are bad:
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
God is always in control, if we let Him.
So today I encourage you to "taste and see that the Lord is good". Let Him into your life - 100 %, and let Him change your situation from bad to good!
He loves you!
onsdag 19. september 2012
The Word of God is powerful
For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
It says in the above verse that the Word of God is powerful. What does that mean? Let's look at it in more detail. Powerful here is the Greek word energes. We recognize the modern words "energy" and "energetic", which come from energes. If something is full of energy or someone is energetic, we immediately think of action. Something is being done or someone is doing something.
The Word of God is like that - it does something, all the time and every time.
When God created the heaven and the earth, He used words. God said, and things happened. Has God changed? No, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). If His Word was active and achieved what He willed then, His Word is still active and achieves what He wills today. Does God walk around on the earth saying things today? No. Today you and I are the ones God has sent to proclaim His Word. His Word in our mouths has the same power today as His Word in His mouth had then. Amazing? Absolutely!
The question that comes to mind, is of course: If God's Word is as powerful, i.e. so full of energy and active as if God Himself spoke, why don't we see more of God's acts around us?
Good question.
I believe the reason is that we don't believe that God's Word works. We don't have faith in His Word.
You see, for God's Word to work and achieve what it is sent to achieve, it needs to be backed by faith. It's not enough to recite "by His stripes I am healed", and then leave it at that. You need to believe that by Jesus' stripes you were really healed. You need to say it with force, not necessarily with a loud voice, but with a firm conviction.
Faith comes by hearing (see Romans 10:17), and the more you say God's Word, the more you hear it and the more you believe it.
To encourage you to exercise you faith muscle and say God's Word on a daily and continuous basis, remember that
EVERY WORD FROM THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH THE SAME POWER THAT RESURRECTED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD AND CREATED THE UNIVERSE.
Now that is Good News! That is powerful news!
It says in the above verse that the Word of God is powerful. What does that mean? Let's look at it in more detail. Powerful here is the Greek word energes. We recognize the modern words "energy" and "energetic", which come from energes. If something is full of energy or someone is energetic, we immediately think of action. Something is being done or someone is doing something.
The Word of God is like that - it does something, all the time and every time.
When God created the heaven and the earth, He used words. God said, and things happened. Has God changed? No, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8). If His Word was active and achieved what He willed then, His Word is still active and achieves what He wills today. Does God walk around on the earth saying things today? No. Today you and I are the ones God has sent to proclaim His Word. His Word in our mouths has the same power today as His Word in His mouth had then. Amazing? Absolutely!
The question that comes to mind, is of course: If God's Word is as powerful, i.e. so full of energy and active as if God Himself spoke, why don't we see more of God's acts around us?
Good question.
I believe the reason is that we don't believe that God's Word works. We don't have faith in His Word.
You see, for God's Word to work and achieve what it is sent to achieve, it needs to be backed by faith. It's not enough to recite "by His stripes I am healed", and then leave it at that. You need to believe that by Jesus' stripes you were really healed. You need to say it with force, not necessarily with a loud voice, but with a firm conviction.
Faith comes by hearing (see Romans 10:17), and the more you say God's Word, the more you hear it and the more you believe it.
To encourage you to exercise you faith muscle and say God's Word on a daily and continuous basis, remember that
EVERY WORD FROM THE BIBLE IS FILLED WITH THE SAME POWER THAT RESURRECTED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD AND CREATED THE UNIVERSE.
Now that is Good News! That is powerful news!
søndag 16. september 2012
Faith - how it developes
It's some time since my last post. It's due to summer and lots of activity. But I believe I will be coming back with more posts this fall.
Today I want to take a look at faith and see how it developes. Let's start by reading from Romans 4;19-20:
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God ...
Abraham was an old man when God told him he was going to become a father and his old wife would be the mother. How would you and I have reacted in the same situation? We probably would have laughed it away with a shrug, and gone one with our lives as before. But not Abraham. In the two verses above, we see that he took 3 steps that led to Isak's miracle birth:
2. In spite of these obstacles, he did not waver. What does that mean? He held fast to God's promise in spite of the physical evidences.
3. In stead of thinking in his mind that he was impotent and his wife was past the age of child-bearing, he was thinking of God's promise. "God will give me a son. God is going to bless my wife and me with a son." These thoughts threngthened his faith and led to them having Isak.
I am reminded of a couple of verses from 2 Chorintians 4:17-18:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The clue is where we fix our eyes (meaning our thoughts, our attention). For Abraham, the seen were the actual facts of age, but the unseen was God's promise: their son. Abraham fixed his eyes on God's promise. Where do you fix your eyes?
Today I want to take a look at faith and see how it developes. Let's start by reading from Romans 4;19-20:
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God ...
Abraham was an old man when God told him he was going to become a father and his old wife would be the mother. How would you and I have reacted in the same situation? We probably would have laughed it away with a shrug, and gone one with our lives as before. But not Abraham. In the two verses above, we see that he took 3 steps that led to Isak's miracle birth:
- He faced the facts
- He did not waver
- His faith was strengthened through his persistence
2. In spite of these obstacles, he did not waver. What does that mean? He held fast to God's promise in spite of the physical evidences.
3. In stead of thinking in his mind that he was impotent and his wife was past the age of child-bearing, he was thinking of God's promise. "God will give me a son. God is going to bless my wife and me with a son." These thoughts threngthened his faith and led to them having Isak.
I am reminded of a couple of verses from 2 Chorintians 4:17-18:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The clue is where we fix our eyes (meaning our thoughts, our attention). For Abraham, the seen were the actual facts of age, but the unseen was God's promise: their son. Abraham fixed his eyes on God's promise. Where do you fix your eyes?
mandag 30. juli 2012
Diligence
Diligence - a word many younger people are not familiar with. But the Bible uses it several times, and having diligence, or to be diligent, is a great virtue in our Christian walk. Let's look at a few verses to see how important it is to be diligent.
Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. (Proverbs 10:4)
Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. (Proverbs 12:24)
The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.(Proverbs 12:27)
The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. (Proverbs13:4)
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (1 Timothy 4:15)
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. (Hebrews 6:11)
All these Scriptures show us that diligence, or to be diligent, leads to wealth, rule, posessions, satisfaction, profit, progress, and a sure hope.
So what exactly does it mean to be diligent? According to Oxford Advanced Learner's dictionary, diligent means to show care and effort (in whatever one does); hard-working. And diligence means steady effort; careful hard work.
I picture in my mind someone who never gives up and who does the best he or she can no matter the task ahead.
Do you want the good qualities that are mentioned above? Then you have to be diligent about your Christian walk. (And by Christian walk, I mean your life as a Christian). Everything you do should be done with an earnest effort to do it the best way possible.
Another verse in a somewhat other context, shows us an even more important side of diligence. In 2 Peter 1:1-10 we see a list of "qualities" that should be a normal progression for a Christian person. The progression is thus:
Faith - virtue - knowledge - self-control - perseverance - godliness - brotherly kindness - love.
And then in verse 10 Peter says: Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things, you will never stumble. (My emphases).
The way I read this is; if you want to never stumble, (and who doesn't?) you have to be diligent in pursuing the qualities above. That means that diligence and to be diligent in these matters, is not an option, but a must if we want to live a Christian life that is up to God's standards.
Is it hard? Yes! To live the Christian life is hard - if you do it in your own strength. Is it impossible? No! To live the Christian life is NOT hard if you live it in the power of Jesus Christ. Ask Him today to help you achieve these qualities, and be diligent about it!
søndag 22. juli 2012
What does it mean to choose life?
Deuteronomy 30:19 says, I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
God recommends us to "choose life", and when He recommends something, it's a good idea to do what He says. But what exactly does it mean to choose life? How do I choose life and not death?
In The Believers Voice of Victory magazine Victory for July 2012 there is an interesting article about choosing life. And according to this article, there are two things we must do to choose life. First of all we must choose Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. That's pretty obvious, nobody would argue against that. The other thing we must do to choose life, is choosing our words. Yes, you read correctly, to choose life you need to choose the right words.
Why is choosing the right words so important? Because Proverbs 18:21 says that Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. That means that with my words I determine whether I want life or death to rule my life.
Terri Savelle Foy has said that your life goes in the direction of your most prominent thought. And where does thoughts come from? Words. Words form your thoughts. If your words are negative, destructive and evil, your life tends to go in a negative, destructive and evil direction. If you think that you don't amount to anything and you're a good-for-nothing individual, you are headed towards "nothingness". However, if you read in the Bible what God says about you and think about God's thoughts and say them, you're headed towards a bright future.
Today God has set before you and me life and death. And to be sure we choose the right option, God says: Choose life!
God recommends us to "choose life", and when He recommends something, it's a good idea to do what He says. But what exactly does it mean to choose life? How do I choose life and not death?
In The Believers Voice of Victory magazine Victory for July 2012 there is an interesting article about choosing life. And according to this article, there are two things we must do to choose life. First of all we must choose Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. That's pretty obvious, nobody would argue against that. The other thing we must do to choose life, is choosing our words. Yes, you read correctly, to choose life you need to choose the right words.
Why is choosing the right words so important? Because Proverbs 18:21 says that Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. That means that with my words I determine whether I want life or death to rule my life.
Terri Savelle Foy has said that your life goes in the direction of your most prominent thought. And where does thoughts come from? Words. Words form your thoughts. If your words are negative, destructive and evil, your life tends to go in a negative, destructive and evil direction. If you think that you don't amount to anything and you're a good-for-nothing individual, you are headed towards "nothingness". However, if you read in the Bible what God says about you and think about God's thoughts and say them, you're headed towards a bright future.
Today God has set before you and me life and death. And to be sure we choose the right option, God says: Choose life!
fredag 22. juni 2012
When is it too late?
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near ... (Isaiah 55:6).
Is it ever too late to call upon the Lord? Will it be too late for me and you to find Him?
According to this Scripture, it will. We cannot seek the Lord when He's not to be found. We cannot find Him when He's not near. Do we know when that will happen? No, we don't. And that's the reason it's so important to choose Him TODAY!
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deut. 30:19).
"This day" means TODAY. Don't postpone choosing God!
"But I'm already a Christian," you might say, "I have chosen Him. What more can I do?"
You can choose Him (=His Word) EVERY DAY. Is there a difficulty, a problem, or a sickness in your life? Don't settle for anything less than God's Word for your situation. Choose Him over your circumstances. Choose His Word over your problems. Look to Him for help. If your situation looks impossible to get out of, look to Him, look to His Word. Was Jesus ever in "impossible" situations? Were His disciples ever in "hopeless" circumstances? Absolutely. But what did they do? Did they settle for the "impossible" and the "hopeless"? No, they looked to God for help, and He came through for them; not through human help and intervention only (although God some times uses people to help us out), but through supernatural means.
Are you facing an "impossible" situation today? Don't settle for mediocre or failure, press on according to God's Word, and choose TODAY that you will follow the Lord.
God bless you!
Is it ever too late to call upon the Lord? Will it be too late for me and you to find Him?
According to this Scripture, it will. We cannot seek the Lord when He's not to be found. We cannot find Him when He's not near. Do we know when that will happen? No, we don't. And that's the reason it's so important to choose Him TODAY!
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deut. 30:19).
"This day" means TODAY. Don't postpone choosing God!
"But I'm already a Christian," you might say, "I have chosen Him. What more can I do?"
You can choose Him (=His Word) EVERY DAY. Is there a difficulty, a problem, or a sickness in your life? Don't settle for anything less than God's Word for your situation. Choose Him over your circumstances. Choose His Word over your problems. Look to Him for help. If your situation looks impossible to get out of, look to Him, look to His Word. Was Jesus ever in "impossible" situations? Were His disciples ever in "hopeless" circumstances? Absolutely. But what did they do? Did they settle for the "impossible" and the "hopeless"? No, they looked to God for help, and He came through for them; not through human help and intervention only (although God some times uses people to help us out), but through supernatural means.
Are you facing an "impossible" situation today? Don't settle for mediocre or failure, press on according to God's Word, and choose TODAY that you will follow the Lord.
God bless you!
søndag 3. juni 2012
Confidence in God
Have you ever felt unsure of wether God was for real? Or if He would be there for you when and if you really needed Him?
I guess we all have felt more or less uncertain about God at some time in our lives; after all, we don't see Him and we don't hear Him, at least not with our natural eyes or ears.
However, when you have walked with God for some time, you just KNOW that you can trust Him, no matter what.
David was a man who really needed God's help in his life. His life was litterally in danger of being taken by Saul, and he had to flee from his enemies and hide in caves and pretend he was mad to save his life.
But in spite of the dangers and difficulties he encountered, he never lost his confidence in God. See what he says in Psalm 27 verse 1:
"The LORDS is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
David didn't look at the outward dangers, but at the inward strength and confidence that came from God. This is what David said:
1. The Lord is my light (v.1)
2. My salvation (v.1)
3. My trust (v.1)
4. My strength (v.1)
5. My life (v.1)
6. My confidence (v.1)
7. My protector from the wicked (v.2)
8. My protector from enemies (v.2)
9. My refuge from the multitudes (v.3)
10.My help in war (v.3)
Was this for David only? No, God is no respecter of persons; what He says to one and does for one, He says to all and does for all. So you and I can confidently say with David: The LORD is MY light and MY salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of MY life; of whom shall I be afraid?
God bless you today to rest in God's protection and love for you.
mandag 28. mai 2012
Angels watching over me ...
I remember a song by Amy Grant: Angels watching over me everywhere I go.
It might be twenty years since she recorded that song, may be longer, but I never really forgot it. Why? Because it is true. Angels are actually watching over me and you every day.
Question: If God's angels are watching over me everywhere I go, why do accidents and bad things happen to people?
The answer is just as simple as the answer to the question: If God wants everybody to be saved, why aren't all human beings saved?
Because not everybody accepts Jesus as their Savior!
And why do accidents and bad things happen to people when God's angels are watching over us?
Because not everybody asks them to take care of them!
To activate your angels' protection, you have to be active.
See these verses from Psalm 91:
" He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in whom I trust. (Verses 1-2)
For he will give his angels charge over thee,
To keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands,
Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Verses 11-12).
What is the basis for this protection? It is that we dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty and that we SAY ...
We activate everything in the Kingdom of God by SAYING it. If you want your angels to protect you, you SAY it, you thank Him for it, and you go about your life knowing that you're in safe hands.
According to Romans 10:9, you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth to be saved. It's the same way with everything in the Kingdom of God. You read or hear something from the Bible, you believe it in your heart and you say it with your mouth. And it's yours!
So today, if you don't believe in angels, find Scriptures that show you how angels operate, fill yourself with "angel words" until faith comes. Then say it with your mouth to seal your faith. And you can be safe from all kinds of danger.
To see what God's protection is all about, read all of Psalm 91. It covers every situation you will encounter.
God bless you today!
It might be twenty years since she recorded that song, may be longer, but I never really forgot it. Why? Because it is true. Angels are actually watching over me and you every day.
Question: If God's angels are watching over me everywhere I go, why do accidents and bad things happen to people?
The answer is just as simple as the answer to the question: If God wants everybody to be saved, why aren't all human beings saved?
Because not everybody accepts Jesus as their Savior!
And why do accidents and bad things happen to people when God's angels are watching over us?
Because not everybody asks them to take care of them!
To activate your angels' protection, you have to be active.
See these verses from Psalm 91:
" He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in whom I trust. (Verses 1-2)
For he will give his angels charge over thee,
To keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands,
Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Verses 11-12).
What is the basis for this protection? It is that we dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty and that we SAY ...
We activate everything in the Kingdom of God by SAYING it. If you want your angels to protect you, you SAY it, you thank Him for it, and you go about your life knowing that you're in safe hands.
According to Romans 10:9, you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth to be saved. It's the same way with everything in the Kingdom of God. You read or hear something from the Bible, you believe it in your heart and you say it with your mouth. And it's yours!
So today, if you don't believe in angels, find Scriptures that show you how angels operate, fill yourself with "angel words" until faith comes. Then say it with your mouth to seal your faith. And you can be safe from all kinds of danger.
To see what God's protection is all about, read all of Psalm 91. It covers every situation you will encounter.
God bless you today!
lørdag 26. mai 2012
Bigger than myself
Have you ever faced a situation that was so big, so difficult or so beyond all you can think that you just wanted to give up? I have, and it's not a pleasant place to be. You have prayed, fasted, cried, may be yelled, and nothing seems to work. Nothing seems to happen. Everything seems to be deadlocked, unmovable and stale.
But don't dispair; don't lose hope. What it seems like it not what it is.
Remember Daniel in the Old Testament? He prayed for twenty-one days, and nothing seemed to happen. However, in the spiritual realm, lots of things were happening, he just didn't see it with his natural eyes. And after twenty-one days he received answer to his prayer. You can read about it in the book of Daniel, chapter 10.
Often when we pray, we try to figure out how God shall answer our prayers; we use our human minds with our human capacities and we think about how things have been solved before. STOP! Don't make plans for God. He is SO much bigger than your and my human minds, experiences and ideas. He is the Creater, the Upholder and the Inventor of the whole universe. My and your problems are not difficult for Him, but there's an enemy that's trying to hinder God's answers.
However, like Daniel, we must not give up; we must see with our spiritual minds and eyes beyond our human reasonings and experiences, and let God be God, and He will give the answer and the solution in His time and in His way. And it will all be good.
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). I PRESS ON. I don't quit. I don't give up, but I press on till I receive my answer.
God bless you today to press on toward your answer.
But don't dispair; don't lose hope. What it seems like it not what it is.
Remember Daniel in the Old Testament? He prayed for twenty-one days, and nothing seemed to happen. However, in the spiritual realm, lots of things were happening, he just didn't see it with his natural eyes. And after twenty-one days he received answer to his prayer. You can read about it in the book of Daniel, chapter 10.
Often when we pray, we try to figure out how God shall answer our prayers; we use our human minds with our human capacities and we think about how things have been solved before. STOP! Don't make plans for God. He is SO much bigger than your and my human minds, experiences and ideas. He is the Creater, the Upholder and the Inventor of the whole universe. My and your problems are not difficult for Him, but there's an enemy that's trying to hinder God's answers.
However, like Daniel, we must not give up; we must see with our spiritual minds and eyes beyond our human reasonings and experiences, and let God be God, and He will give the answer and the solution in His time and in His way. And it will all be good.
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). I PRESS ON. I don't quit. I don't give up, but I press on till I receive my answer.
God bless you today to press on toward your answer.
onsdag 23. mai 2012
Holy and without blame
How would you like to be holy and without blame?
"Is that possible?" you might ask.
Yes, it is possible. It is not only possible, but we're bought with a price to be holy and without blame.
Look at Ephesians 1:3-4: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love."
Can you see yourself in this Scripture? I am sure you can see God and you can see Jesus.
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, He has chosen us, and He did it in His Son, Jesus Christ. But can you see yourself there in this picture? I mean - really SEE yourself as chosen, blessed, holy and without blame? Or are your shortcommings, sins and failures blocking your sight of yourself so you cannot see you as God sees you?
Today I want to encourage you to get rid of your self-magnifying glasses and encourage you to put on God's Jesus-magnifying glasses. You see, you're not holy and without blame in yourself, you are holy and without blame IN HIM, in Jesus Christ. HE is the holy-and-without-blame one, and when you take your refuge in Him and make Him your Lord and Savior, you take on His holyness and blamelessness.
All it takes is a "yes" from you when God calles you, and then keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith (see Hebrews 12:2).
Holy and without blame? Yes, IN HIM!
søndag 20. mai 2012
Carnal or spiritual?
Carnal or spiritual? That's the question. Or we can put it another way: Do you walk in the flesh or in the spirit?
To show what I mean, let's look at a few Scriptures.
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." (Romans 8:6-9).
Here we see contrasts: carnal vs. spiritual; death vs. life and peace. I guess you are like most born-again believers, you know that it's God's will for you to live in His will and have life and peace, however, you find it difficult, if not impossible to do so.
If that's you, I have good news for you. It is impossible! Don't even try to live the spiritually righteous life one more minute - in your own power. You cannot do it. If we could live the spiritual life God wants us to live on our own, and in our own might, Jesus died in vain. But the good news is that we cannot do it.
"Did you say 'good news', Anne?"
Yes, I did. The good news is that there was one person who lived the spiritually righteous life that we all want to live, and His name is Jesus. And the secret of living the spiritual life the Bible tells us to live, is to keep our minds on the things of the Spirit and to keep our minds off the things of the flesh.
It's simply put a question of your mindset. What are you filling your mind with?
Are you constantly letting the news fill you with fear and trembling about the future? Are you worried about your family all the time? When your children are out with their friends, are you picturing in your mind all the terrible things that can happen to them?
Stop doing that!
Jesus paid the price so you don't have to be afraid - never again.
"But isn't that irresponsible," you might say. "It's dangerous out there."
Yes, it's dangerous, but no danger in this world is greater than God's protective care and His power. It's just a question of what you set your mind on. Read Psalm 91 and see for yourself how God takes care of His children in every situation that might occur. Just one verse is enough to give me peace: "A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you..." If that's what you meditate on and put in your mind, no evil thought from the devil can shake you.
So what is your choice? Carnal or spiritual? Death or life and peace? It's up to you! Choose life today!
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