Lately, I have been contemplating on wholeness. It seems to be the goal for every person on earth. According to Victor Frankl meaninglessness in our lives is a hole, an emptiness, in our lives. Whenever there is a vacuum we rush to fill it with things. We keep on trying one thing after another – shopping, money, work, sex, drugs, entertainment, relationships, hobbies – but nothing fills the hole. But God. Look at that man, bloated by self-importance— full of…
Does the call to holiness intimidate you? Do you feel it’s beyond your power? Do you know what? You’ve got that right. Holiness is something we can’t attain through effort. But it is possible to obtain holiness by God’s grace. It does not happen without the Holy Spirit’s presence is our life. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (Romans 6:22, NKJV, emphasis…
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, spiritual 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…
Did you know that Jesus did not die only for our salvation? According to the Bible he also died so that we would ‘die to sin and live to righteousness’ (1 Peter 2:24). Being saved by grace is not the end. It is the beginning of holy living. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside. (1 Thessalonians 4:7, MSG) Grace does not excuse us from…
The world news are very upsetting, don’t you agree? Every week we read about some horrific news. It makes us homesick to God. We long for a place where righteousness is at home, where we can all be at peace. Blessedly, heaven is such a place and we are all invited. Even the price has already been paid by Jesus. Hence anyone who believes in Jesus is more than welcome there. Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow,…
Do you remember when Jesus called Peter to follow him? Jesus asked him to let down his nets after a night without any success. When Peter did what Jesus asked him to do, they had a huge haul of fish. Peter was awestruck. And he asked Jesus to leave him alone because he could not handle that much holiness. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m…
As you probably know, there’s no false advertising in the Bible. The Bible promises us difficulties, right? But that’s not the end of the story. The Bible also promises us (among other things) that God will always be with us. Awesome, you say. Just remember this does not mean that we could live however we please. In order to be strong in and through upcoming difficulties, we need to be built up in the Lord. Only when we abide in…
Lately God has been waking me up (literally) to see my sinfulness. God has reminded me of some choices I have made in my life and led me to repent for them. Even though during that time of my life I did not even think they had been questionable. I did not know any better then. Selfishness does not produce good fruit. Selfishness paves the way to destruction whether we realize it or not. Go home and wash up. Clean…
Are you a citizen of heaven? How does it affect your everyday affairs? Or does it? Maybe it should. Because if Christ is in you, everything changes. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christfrom the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells…
Did you know that the first half of the lent is already over? Less than 20 days for Easter! Let’s continue to ready our hearts, minds, and souls for Jesus. Today I want to talk about something we very easily want to forget or, at least, downplay its importance in a life of a Christian. But the Bible does not want us to forget. If we want to mature in our faith, we need to be done with every trace…
