Do you feel God’s nearness? Is your faith flowing? Or are you wondering how on earth did you end up with this penalty loop once more? Faith journey does not have to resemble the Israelites’ journey through the desert. That’s not Biblical living. The journey to the Promised Land could have lasted just a few weeks but it lasted 40 years because all the penalty loops they took. Because they did not obey God. They grumbled instead. They took idols…
Are you marked by joy? Is it evident in your life that Christ lives in you? If he lives in you, your life should be brimming with joy. Because God is joy. God is indeed the source of joy. All joy comes from him. When we stick close to God, joy is present in our lives no matter how dark the world around is. When we dare to embrace the cross of Christ, we are filled with overflowing joy. And…
We can’t force holiness on people. No matter how we would like to do it. There’s no way we can dictate how people should act. That’s not how grace works. That’s law all over again. That’s living like Christ had not died for our sins. That’s like saying Christ died in vain. When we force outwardly changes on ourselves or others, we have not truly understood grace. If we could create a living relationship with God by good behavior, then…
This is a wonderful time of year in Finland. Our summers are not that hot but we really do have light in abundance. You’ve probably heard of the Midnight sun when the sun remains visible at the local midnight. Those of us who love light have a hard time understanding why some people don’t share our enthusiasm for light. There are people who prefer darkness. Like Jesus said 2000 years ago: “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into…
If you’ve ever needed proof that God’s thinking is not the way the world thinks, here it is. Just read the story of the great commission and be amazed: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing…
Do you remember the Bible story of Jesus coming back to separate people from each other like a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-)? At the first glimpse it looks like the reason why some are saved is based on their works when Jesus reveals ‘I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you…
Blaise Pascal’s famous quote “Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; We do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ” gives us a lot to ponder. It states that Christ is the only way to God. But that’s not so surprising. It is one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. But the second part -that states that we can’t even know ourselves without Christ- can sound a bit odd for many. How could our identity…
Father, Son and Who? Way too often we are missing the Holy Spirit in our lives. We do believe. But we’re uncomfortable when it comes to the Spirit of God. Why? Is it too wild? Too unpredictable? Too intangible? I hear you. But would you really prefer a tamed God in a cage? Of course not. The Holy Spirit is a gift, it’s God here and now. This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has…
Today our quest for what it means to “Live well, Live wisely, live humbly” (James 3:13, MSG) continues. We started our quest yesterday. Today we talk about how ‘living well’ can help us on our quest for God’s will. And, yes, you guessed it, tomorrow we tackle ‘live wisely’ and the day after tomorrow ‘live humbly’. In essence, following God, being a disciple of Jesus Christ and living in the Holy Spirit, is what leads us to find God’s will….
Today it’s been 40 days since Easter. Something very important happened on this day. Something worth of celebrating. Something that establishes Jesus as Lord of all. Something that affirms our identity and place in God’s plans. As a result, those who had gathered together asked Jesus, “Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now?”Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority. Rather, you will…
