Waiting is -as we all know- hard. But if we see it as an art form or a spiritual practice it gets easier. Not easy but easier. I find it helpful to use the distinction found in the New testament between chronos time and kairos time. We are familiar with chronos time, something we can measure with clocks and calendars. But kairos time is more essential when we learn to practice the art of spiritual waiting. Kairos is the God’s…
I love the Bible. But it does condemn me pretty much on every single page. What to do then? Do I have any chance 4 eternity? Do you remember the story of the rich man who asked what he needs to do to get eternal life? Jesus lovingly told him to sell everything, give it to the poor and follow him. The man’s face clouded over. This was the last thing he expected to hear, and he walked off with…
Are you on your way to heaven? Do you know how we are supposed to spend our time waiting for the second coming of Jesus? Let’s find out! I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar…
Do you have weird dreams? What do you do with them? God has been speaking to his children through dreams from the beginning (the Genesis). What should we know about dreams today? I am not an expert dream interpreter but I want to share a practical way to deal with bad dreams. It’s not magic, it’s not a secret but unfortunately in today’s world fewer and fewer Christians know about/use it. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So…
We all know God is love. But God is also Joy! All the joy in the world derivatives from God. And there is no joy apart from God. No matter how hard people try to tell you so. All the attempts to have fun are poor substitutes for joy. God was, is and will be JOY. “God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic— before he did anything else. I was brought into being a long time ago, well before Earth got…
As we enter this fall season I invite you to do little self-examination: How is your relationship with God? Hopefully not on the rocks! Where is God in your life in this season? Hopefully not in the margins or in the back of your mind! (But even then remember God is only a whisper away. A fresh start is always possible!) I’ve come to understand that if we approach God only when we need something from him our relationship with…
Grace invites us to try on a new kind of wardrobe. One that God has chosen for us: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Did you just audibly sigh? Don’t worry, I know. The godly wardrobe doesn’t quite fit! But I know a Master Taylor who can help us: The Holy Spirit. When we invite Jesus to live in our heart the Holy Spirit starts working on our new kind of wardrobe. Gently he keeps on working on us and…
Do you remember Hannah who yearned to have a child? How she felt crushed in soul but prayed to God anyway. How she prayed for a son and promised to give him back to God. (1 Sam. 1) Her prayer was an authentic plea right from her heart. Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to Samuel. Hannah did what she had promised to God. After she had weaned (much later than today) the much wanted…
Living in grace is liberating and empowering. Grace gets us into the loving presence of God and it validates our existence. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is in relation to God: We are God’s children and we love because God loved us first. I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure…
Do you sometimes wonder whether God is late? Do you sometimes ponder whether his timing is off? It is hard to wait for God’s timing. It might seem God’s timing is off. But we can rest assured God knows what he is doing. When we read the whole Bible we get a better glimpse of what God is doing in the world. Jesus came into the world exactly at the right time. The world was not ready for the Messiah…
