Christmas 2008

Here are some pictures from Christmas. I am at home with my family.

Family


Siblings

God wants to gather His sheep

I really like the verses in Romans 10:9-17. It starts like this:

9 That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

This is clear and simple, isn't it? The statement is at least clear, but it's easy to fail. We must confess by the words we speak, the sentences we say, and how we act like humans; that Lord Jesus is the one that we believe in. But we can't confess if we do not believe in our hearts, that God has raised Him from the dead. Then it says "you will be saved". Unbelievable!

But it doesn't end here…

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

The last sentence makes it even clearer. We have to call on the name of the Lord from where we have our belief. Then he will hear us. But if we want to hear Him, we have to renew our minds and not hold on to things, but hold on to God alone.

Romans 12:2 says: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

God warns us to not be conformed to this world. Why? Because it is not in harmony with His will. We have to renew our minds and prove what is good and search for Gods will.

"15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." (1 Joh 15-17)

We do not find Gods will by searching for it in the world. We have to turn our eyes up to heaven and look upon Jesus, what He did hear on earth. He is the great example how the human beings should live.

We should beware of the things in the world. To find out of Gods will, we have to let Him talk to us. That will be easy for God to do, but difficult for us to hear, because of all noise that comes from this world, into our mind. We make choices all the time what we want to put into our mind. We can't hear God clearly in the midst of all noise. We have to live a Godly life daily by studying His word, praying and doing everything to Gods glory.

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

God tells us to believe in Him first, and then we can call on Him. But we can not believe in Him if we not have heard Him.

15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
" How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God is ready to send us out to tell others what we know and what God wants with our lives. But first we have to get ourselves faith by hearing the word of God, and obey it.

Jesus Himself said:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

(Matthew 28:19-20)

Stand firm

This was written one year ago...

I want to share some of the things that came to my thoughts this Sabbath day. I came to church, and God answered my prayers. It was a very Godly and inspiring church service. First he blessed me with uplifting songs. And then a couple of people shared some events from last week, in their walk with God. Very interesting! By the way, I love to hear testimonies. I think we should have more of that in church.
The speech was about to have roots, that we have to have strong roots in our walk with God.
Where do you have your foundation stones? Are they built on what they should be built on? Do you have enough strong roots to stay firm in the Lord?

God is telling us in His word, that it is so important to stand firm to Him and his word if you want Him to be in control in your life.

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all'" (Isaiah 7:9)

"...but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. " (Matthew 24:13)

I think that we all can learn something from these verses. We have to do what it takes not to do our will but Gods will. We will be exposed to temptations and testing, and in situations like this, we have to stand firm to Gods word. We cannot stand firm if we are not close to God.

Jesus talks about the importance of standing firm in the parable of the sower (Luke 8)

⁵A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. ⁶And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. ⁷And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. ⁸And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

In verse 11, Jesus explains the parable:
¹¹Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹²Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. ¹⁵But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

God is telling us to be on our guard, that we first of all have to receive the word by hearing, make a strong root, that needs water to bring forth fruit with patience. He warn us to fell among the thorns and choke with cares and riches and pleasures of this life.
It is so easy to focus on the things in this world, but Jesus tells us that be shouldn’t do that.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1Jo 2:15)”

This is so clear, but difficult. But if we stay firm in Him it is easy. We have to became doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving our own selves (James 1:22)

"By standing firm you will gain life. " (Luke 21:19)

I will close with these verses:

"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings…" (2 Thessalonians 2:15)

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.(1 Thessalonians 3:8)

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

May God bless you!

Christian