Do you have a favorite place? A sweet spot where you’re the happiest? A reading chair or maybe the beach nearby? Or maybe your favorite place is your summer cottage or a rose garden? No matter how sweet and wonderful your favorite spot is, it doesn’t compare to the best place in the world: the foot of the cross. Because it has healing powers. It gives life upon life for anyone who wants to receive them in Jesus’ name. The…
I think I’ve been living in denial. You know, thinking the western world would not be so immoral or post-Christian. But a few things have forced me to open my eyes and the view is daunting. Lord, have mercy on us. I can see why people start questioning the Bible and their beliefs when everyone around them is living like Jesus never existed. But they are mistaken. Please, do not let the world fool you. Do not let the world…
The first day of Lent and Valentine’s Day do not collide that often. It creates an interesting situation this year. Valentine’s Day is full of chocolate and feasting. Ash Wednesday invites us to repentance and fasting. How can we combine Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, fasting and feasting? Or do we need to choose one over other? Let’s find out. Fasting and Feasting Both fasting and feasting are part of Christian life. There is time for both. But the question…
Sometimes we forget how big of a gift and privilege grace really is. We easily take it granted because it was given freely to us. And we forget how amazing it is that God – who is holy and almighty – does everything to make it possible for sinners to come to him. It’s grace from start to finish. It’s his idea and it’s his power that makes it happen. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave…
Often I tell people to collect Bible verses to quickly remind them of God’s goodness in a time of need. Because when you’re feeling distressed you don’t have much energy to dig deep. Then it’s a huge blessing to have a first aid kit for weary pilgrims handy. Your own collection of special Bible verses that you know work time after time. Make sticky notes, type notes on your smartphone, collect them in a beautiful box or memorize them. Whatever…
I don’t know about you but I feel I am so far behind in my Christmas preparations. I don’t even dare to tell my American friends how behind I am. It’s not the first time either. The first year I was teaching at Concordia College (at Moorhead, MN) I bought my gifts – other than from the college bookstore – at the airports on my way home. I just had been so busy with teaching and grading and everything else…
Sometimes Christians seek God for the gifts and blessings God gives to his children. But God is so much more than his lavish gifts. Sometimes we get way more excited about doing things for God than being with God. Yet only by being in God’s presence, we are at our best. Only by being in God’s presence, we bloom. And only by being in God’s presence, we are truly happy. In Your presence is fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11, AMP)…
Would you like to discover more of God? Good for you. My number one recommendation for you is to spend more time with God and he will reveal more of himself to you. The more time you spend with God, the more you get to know him. Getting to discover more of God firsthand is always the best approach. He wants to be found. I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me. (Proverbs 8:17, NLT,*)…
Would you like to have a moment free from everything that bothers you? Just a minute of freedom, that’s all you ask for. It’d a bliss for sure. Just getting a glimpse of heaven would be fantastic, right? Guess what? It’s possible. You can experience heaven already here on earth while you pray. Prayer gives you a moment of peace you desire. It also provides a place to experience harmony right here, right now. (If you don’t believe it, just…
A few days ago, I was reading an older translation of the Finnish Bible and encountered something beautiful in the last verse of Psalm 5. It declares ‘You will cover them with grace like a shield’. My heart rejoiced to know that we are covered by the shield of grace. How wonderful is that? We are safe under the shield of grace! I was so thrilled about the shield of grace that I immediately wanted to share it with you….
