The world news seems to be getting more horrific all the time. Suicide bombers, kidnappings, massacres, wars, murders, accidents. It all feels terrible, it’s easy to get discouraged. How can we go on like this, we ask. How can we continue to enjoy living when the world is full of tears and heartbreak? But don’t we then forget this is not all there is? Don’t we forget why Jesus came into the world? The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on…
As part of my morning devotions today, I was reading Isaiah 49 and loved reading how God will never ever forget us. The text said that even if our mother would forget us, he will not forsake us. You see, God has engraved each of us on the palms of his hands. That’s pretty special. There’s nothing that can separate us from God’s love. You can’t beat that. But it was much later than I realized how special it was…
Downsizing seems to be a big trend these days. I find it delightful that people are starting to think less is more. So far people have been wanting more and more stuff (like stuff could ever bring real happiness). But I really do think less is more. Not only when it comes to material things but also when it comes to spirituality. So less is more in spirituality also. Hence, the recipe for fulfilling life is simple: Less junk, more…
Has God flooded your heart with his love and grace? Do you love Jesus in a new and fresh way? Why don’t you sing to the Lord? And, please, sing a new song. If Christ has rescued you from the land of death, do not sing those old songs from there anymore. You see, it’s time for a new song. I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy…
Have you ever wondered what it means to live for Christ? It is very contradictory to what we hear otherwise. The world wants us to find ourselves and live for ourselves and go after what we want. Yet, the Bible tells us to live for Christ. Nothing less, nothing more, nothing else! What does it mean though? For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that…
How is your faith doing? Are you excited about your salvation and eager to work with Jesus? Or are you rushing around like crazy without any chance to slow down to spend time with Jesus? And losing your interest in faith stuff in the process? Let me tell you: it doesn’t have to be that way. Do not settle for a mediocre version of faith. With the words of John Ortberg “For many of us the great danger is not…
If we insist we are the makers of our own happiness, we fool ourselves. It might take decades for us to discover the truth: our happiness depends on God. As long as we deny the fact that our well-being depends on God, we are sidetracked. Often we get frustrated and stressed out when nothing makes sense and there’s no purpose to live for. But it all changes when we get to know God. Because our happiness does not depend on…
This week I have not been enthusiastic at the gym. Somehow, I’ve been dragging my feet to get there and while there I’ve not done my best. There hasn’t been any spring in my steps for sure. While exercising today, I was wondering what was going on and what I could do to lift the veil of cheerlessness. And then I remembered. The antidote to anything trying to drag us down is praise. Whatever it is, we need to embrace…
The Christian way of doing things is the opposite of what the world things is successful. We don’t use our elbows to get ahead. And we don’t sweet talk our way to the top. Instead, we are called to love others as we love ourselves. And love does not give us permission to selfishness. Instead, it urges us to become deep-spirited friends. Wesley Hill writes “God never meant us to be purely spiritual creatures. That is why He uses material…
God has promised to never abandoned us. Quite a promise! Hallelujah! If God is this good to us, why then do we abandon him? We might think we are fond of God but our everyday choices speak otherwise. Somehow, God is far from our mind when we decide how we spend our days. In the western world Christians can live freely. But the enemy knows how to tempt us in this freedom. Too much of wanton pleasure shreds our integrity….
