We did it! FC København won against Manchester United!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
"My God is so big..."or is he?
”My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there is nothing that he cannot do – for you” a well-known children’s song with the deepest theological message. “Jesus loves me this I know – for the Bible tells me so”. So simple. So profound. So true. That’s really all we need to know. We need to know, understand and believe that God is big, strong and mighty. And we need to know that Jesus loves me. That’s it. That’s Christianity. That’s what basic Christianity is all about. Living this out is living the way Jesus wants us to live. If I go about my day whether I’m in Oslo, Ohio or Oostende truly believing these simple yet difficult to believe truths my life will change day by day and I’ll get to know and live more and more like Jesus and people will see and respond to the change.
Hmm...isn’t that a bit simplified? No, I don’t think so. I truly believe that this is what we need to know and believe. This is what the Bible talks about. The Bible talks about God’s awesomeness, power and radical love. And it’s funny that the truth is in the songs we sing as kids, but doesn’t appear too much once we get older and wiser. Or do we get wiser? Don’t we just complicate things more and more for ourselves?
If I truly know and believe that God loves me, I will also know what it is to walk in the Spirit as it is described in Romans 8 and many other places. I would understand that walking in the Spirit means to take God seriously. I would understand that walking in the Spirit is extremely practical and not theoretical at all. I would know what it is to walk in the Spirit, because I would be doing it. So many millions of Christians are very confused about what it is to walk in the Spirit. They think it’s something extremely supernatural, and that you’re only walking in the Spirit if you hear God’s audible voice, receive an e-mail from god.com or see the writing on the wall or billboard. But that’s not Biblical, practical walking in the Spirit. Sure God can speak those ways and loads of other different ways, but most of the daily walking in the Spirit is simply believing God’s truths and walking and living them out.
Timeless truths
What truths? The timeless truths stating that there is no habit, no problem, and no sinful pattern in my life that can’t be broken! The timeless truth saying that there is not a single relationship, no matter how messed up it may be, that can’t be redeemed and forgiven. The timeless truth saying that there is nothing that has happened to you or will happen to you that can’t be turned around to be your most important ministry tool and your greatest weapon against Satan. But we don’t believe this do we...? Do we honestly believe this? I have met loads of Christians who don’t. Loads of well-meaning Christians who say they believe in God (and I’m sure they do), yet say that this relationship in their life cannot be redeemed and healed, this thing that happened to me in school was too terrible and I’ll never get over it and always use it as an excuse, etc. But if we say all of this and believe it, we don’t really believe in God! If God is big and mighty he can heal every relationship and every personal wound. If God is big and mighty he can heal your past so you don’t have to be held down by whatever problems you’ve been in.
Practical freedom
Let’s get practical...if God is big and mighty and if there is nothing that he can’t do for you that means that:
- you can get out of all sexual sins or other sins, large or small, you’ve been trapped in no matter how long you have been trapped in them, if you’re willing to: a) bring them to the light (1.John 1), and b) walk in the Spirit and say no to your old habits (Romans 8)
- you can get over all abuse (sexual, verbal, physical) that has happened to in your life. You can come to a point where you truly forgive whoever harmed you, and where you accept that God loves you and doesn’t see any shame on you, and that you can walk in complete forgiveness and freedom. No matter how horrible it was, what happened to you, it does not have the power to control your life, unless you give it that power!
- you can turn away from any old thought or action-pattern that has been controlling your life. You can get away from smoking, drug-abuse, alcohol, idol-worship, evil and lustful thoughts, talking behind someone’s back, stealing, lying, etc. You can receive complete forgiveness, and you can decide to walk in the light, helped by the Holy Spirit and walk in victory in any of these areas.
- you can come to a point where you can use all the bad things that have ever happened to you in your life as your best ministry tool and your most effective weapon in spiritual warfare against Satan. You can walk in the light and show other people who are still trapped, that it is possible to break free and walk in God’s light and you can wave your story at Satan and tell him to take a hike – you’re free now!!
Powerful statements. But all of this can only happen if we come to a point where we truly believe that God is who he says he is, and that I can walk in victory because of Jesus’ victory over Satan. If we only believe that God can help all other people, we will never ever come to a point of freedom. God doesn’t force you to dig deep and look at the deepest wounds in your life. You can always choose to cover them up and try to get on with your life. But there is a sad yet strong spiritual truth that says that Satan will ALWAYS use whatever circumstances you have been in or will come in, if you don’t live in the light with this problem or this horrible thing that happened to you. He will attack you with it, if you try to cover it up. Always. Satan walks in darkness, and whatever you keep in darkness, he can use as a weapon against you. You can be saved today and on Judgment Day and still live a life in depression and misery because you kept things in the dark and never dared to believe that you can walk in victory and freedom in that area. There is another profound truth saying that things, good or bad, always multiply. If you have some things in the darkness, they’ll multiply. The second lie is always easier than the first. The second person you sleep around with is always easier than the first. The second thing you hide from your spouse is always easier than the first.
Free from sin?
I’m not preaching a message saying that you will never sin again. We live in a world filled with sin. The consequences of the human race’s sin affect all of us, and we can’t get completely free from sin on this side of the eternity on the new earth. But if you look at the New Testament, and examine the teachings of Jesus, Paul, Peter and especially John you’ll see that they knew that as a Christian you can come to a point where a righteous and godly life is the norm in your life and sinning is something you do less and less. That’s a natural part of growing to become more like Christ. When you become more like him, you will naturally sin less. You can’t say that you are becoming more and more like Jesus, while still sinning at the same level and remaining as entangled in sin and evil desires as before. That doesn’t work.
There is freedom in Christ, but we have to step out into the fullness of the freedom that Jesus bought for us. Don’t stay in the darkness. Come out into the light. Light will hurt you at first, but you have to do it in order to come and experience healing. Jesus said that he came to: “ (...) preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight of the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4: 18-19).
Freedom is available. Freedom is bought at a high price. Come out into the freedom of Christ. I have tasted some, and it’s great. I want to taste more and break even more free from fears and troubles that hold me down from experiencing more of the abundant life that Jesus promises all of us. (John 10:10)
Jesus has promised the abundant life for all of us, but too many Christians stay in mediocrity and lack of life, joy and power because of fear.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1)
Hmm...isn’t that a bit simplified? No, I don’t think so. I truly believe that this is what we need to know and believe. This is what the Bible talks about. The Bible talks about God’s awesomeness, power and radical love. And it’s funny that the truth is in the songs we sing as kids, but doesn’t appear too much once we get older and wiser. Or do we get wiser? Don’t we just complicate things more and more for ourselves?
If I truly know and believe that God loves me, I will also know what it is to walk in the Spirit as it is described in Romans 8 and many other places. I would understand that walking in the Spirit means to take God seriously. I would understand that walking in the Spirit is extremely practical and not theoretical at all. I would know what it is to walk in the Spirit, because I would be doing it. So many millions of Christians are very confused about what it is to walk in the Spirit. They think it’s something extremely supernatural, and that you’re only walking in the Spirit if you hear God’s audible voice, receive an e-mail from god.com or see the writing on the wall or billboard. But that’s not Biblical, practical walking in the Spirit. Sure God can speak those ways and loads of other different ways, but most of the daily walking in the Spirit is simply believing God’s truths and walking and living them out.
Timeless truths
What truths? The timeless truths stating that there is no habit, no problem, and no sinful pattern in my life that can’t be broken! The timeless truth saying that there is not a single relationship, no matter how messed up it may be, that can’t be redeemed and forgiven. The timeless truth saying that there is nothing that has happened to you or will happen to you that can’t be turned around to be your most important ministry tool and your greatest weapon against Satan. But we don’t believe this do we...? Do we honestly believe this? I have met loads of Christians who don’t. Loads of well-meaning Christians who say they believe in God (and I’m sure they do), yet say that this relationship in their life cannot be redeemed and healed, this thing that happened to me in school was too terrible and I’ll never get over it and always use it as an excuse, etc. But if we say all of this and believe it, we don’t really believe in God! If God is big and mighty he can heal every relationship and every personal wound. If God is big and mighty he can heal your past so you don’t have to be held down by whatever problems you’ve been in.
Practical freedom
Let’s get practical...if God is big and mighty and if there is nothing that he can’t do for you that means that:
- you can get out of all sexual sins or other sins, large or small, you’ve been trapped in no matter how long you have been trapped in them, if you’re willing to: a) bring them to the light (1.John 1), and b) walk in the Spirit and say no to your old habits (Romans 8)
- you can get over all abuse (sexual, verbal, physical) that has happened to in your life. You can come to a point where you truly forgive whoever harmed you, and where you accept that God loves you and doesn’t see any shame on you, and that you can walk in complete forgiveness and freedom. No matter how horrible it was, what happened to you, it does not have the power to control your life, unless you give it that power!
- you can turn away from any old thought or action-pattern that has been controlling your life. You can get away from smoking, drug-abuse, alcohol, idol-worship, evil and lustful thoughts, talking behind someone’s back, stealing, lying, etc. You can receive complete forgiveness, and you can decide to walk in the light, helped by the Holy Spirit and walk in victory in any of these areas.
- you can come to a point where you can use all the bad things that have ever happened to you in your life as your best ministry tool and your most effective weapon in spiritual warfare against Satan. You can walk in the light and show other people who are still trapped, that it is possible to break free and walk in God’s light and you can wave your story at Satan and tell him to take a hike – you’re free now!!
Powerful statements. But all of this can only happen if we come to a point where we truly believe that God is who he says he is, and that I can walk in victory because of Jesus’ victory over Satan. If we only believe that God can help all other people, we will never ever come to a point of freedom. God doesn’t force you to dig deep and look at the deepest wounds in your life. You can always choose to cover them up and try to get on with your life. But there is a sad yet strong spiritual truth that says that Satan will ALWAYS use whatever circumstances you have been in or will come in, if you don’t live in the light with this problem or this horrible thing that happened to you. He will attack you with it, if you try to cover it up. Always. Satan walks in darkness, and whatever you keep in darkness, he can use as a weapon against you. You can be saved today and on Judgment Day and still live a life in depression and misery because you kept things in the dark and never dared to believe that you can walk in victory and freedom in that area. There is another profound truth saying that things, good or bad, always multiply. If you have some things in the darkness, they’ll multiply. The second lie is always easier than the first. The second person you sleep around with is always easier than the first. The second thing you hide from your spouse is always easier than the first.
Free from sin?
I’m not preaching a message saying that you will never sin again. We live in a world filled with sin. The consequences of the human race’s sin affect all of us, and we can’t get completely free from sin on this side of the eternity on the new earth. But if you look at the New Testament, and examine the teachings of Jesus, Paul, Peter and especially John you’ll see that they knew that as a Christian you can come to a point where a righteous and godly life is the norm in your life and sinning is something you do less and less. That’s a natural part of growing to become more like Christ. When you become more like him, you will naturally sin less. You can’t say that you are becoming more and more like Jesus, while still sinning at the same level and remaining as entangled in sin and evil desires as before. That doesn’t work.
There is freedom in Christ, but we have to step out into the fullness of the freedom that Jesus bought for us. Don’t stay in the darkness. Come out into the light. Light will hurt you at first, but you have to do it in order to come and experience healing. Jesus said that he came to: “ (...) preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight of the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4: 18-19).
Freedom is available. Freedom is bought at a high price. Come out into the freedom of Christ. I have tasted some, and it’s great. I want to taste more and break even more free from fears and troubles that hold me down from experiencing more of the abundant life that Jesus promises all of us. (John 10:10)
Jesus has promised the abundant life for all of us, but too many Christians stay in mediocrity and lack of life, joy and power because of fear.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)