The love of God was so overwhelming!

Visits: 537

Throughout his upbringing, David’s heart was passionate for Islam and he was a jihadist who wanted to get Christians to convert to Islam. But God brought him from his home country to Sweden – where he met God. The emptiness he had felt disappeared and for the first time in his life; he felt loved.
33-year-old David, likes to carry the Bible under his arm. It’s “my weapon,”as he describes it. But there was a time in David’s life when he was searching for completely different weapons.

Born and raised in a strict, Muslim family in Afghanistan, it was Islamic thoughts that characterized him. He tried to be the best Muslim he could. All he did was to honor Muhammed. David, born with a Muslim name, hated Jews. He thought Christians were “poisonous” and felt that they were not following God’s path properly.
But deep in his heart he felt an emptiness, he felt that there had to be something deeper and he have always had a longing for it.

David tried to fill the void inside in different ways. First by investing in kung-fu, where he got a black belt. Then in kickboxing, where he also reached the top. In both sports he discovered that there was a “roof” that could not be lifted – then there was no more. The emptiness persisted. He have been at the top of the martial arts, but still his soul just got weaker.

Later he joined forces with jihadists and wanted to go to Syria and to fight in the war, assured that this was the path the Quran urged him to take if he wanted to come to paradise. He wanted to go out in jihad [holy war; red note]. He needed to kill another man to get to heaven, that was the promise of Allah. So he was convinced and desired to die in battle. But he never came to Syria. Thanks to the grace of God, David explains today. Continue reading “The love of God was so overwhelming!”

Why you need to study the Bible (and more)

Visits: 1012

The knowledge of Jesus (who is the Word in the flesh, see John chapter 1) and the knowledge of the written Word, they cannot be separated. To know the Bible is to know Jesus, and vice versa. It is like knowing the author when reading one of his books.
Further more, Academics (knowledge) must lead to Application (wisdom) which must lead to Compliance (obedience). When you hear the Word you must Obey.

It is elementary and of most importance, that we move from carnality into spirituality. This can only happen when you receive the Holy Spirit. That’s called to be Born Again. When the new Spirit starts to live inside us, our new being, it will not completely destroy the old creature (our old man, bond to sin). They coexist and struggle for control (Romans 7:22-25). “Head knowledge” does not change us. “Heart knowledge” is the objective of the teaching gift. We need a change of heart; from a stony heart into one of flesh. One that is open to God, one that loves God above everything. A heart that truly loves people. Which loves to exercise righteousness (do what is right and pleasing to God). Christianity is really a heart (love) issue. A Christian faith and community should be constituted by personal relationship with God through Christ, a relationship known in the heart rather than through the mind. Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26,27

Bible studies draws the students (disciples) into the Word. It allows us to see how we, and our families and our churches measure up. “Mind the gap!” was the mantra of the prophets, who constantly warned God’s people when they went astray. Reading the Scriptures (Bible) should inspire and encourage others to have the same peace and joy we have, as adopted children of God, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, our King and Lord.

Reading the word and meditate on the Bible verses, should encourages us to press toward the mark when we stumble. It helps us to keep the faith and to have patience while under trouble times. The Bible convicts us when we are wrong – and it mirrors us, we can through the stories see the problematic state (fallen nature) we are in. But it also shows us the way out, and gives us joy when we claim and see the promises of God being fulfilled, for those who listen, obey and fear Him. Continue reading “Why you need to study the Bible (and more)”

Jesus blood and righteousness

Visits: 726

Jesus blood and righteousness


Lyrics:
Jesus your blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
with joy I lift up my head!

Bold shall I stand in your Great Day;
for who a charge to me shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am.
From sin, fear, and guilt and shame.

Through your blood and righteousness,
I am so richly blessed.
By grace I am justified,
redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus be endless praise to You,
whose boundless Mercy did pursue,
and for me full atonement made,
Your blood my ransom paid!

When from the dust of death I rise,
to claim my mansion in the skies,
then this shall still be all my plea,
He lived and died for me!

Oh let the dead now hear Your voice,
now bid the banished ones rejoice,
their beauty this their glorious dress,
Your blood and righteousness.

Love God yes, but do you still following your own desires?

Visits: 13272

There is one major root problem for today’s Christians. That’s why I like to address “We who love God but at the same time choose to follow our own desires.”

Jesus said; “- Go away you workers of iniquity!”
(You say you know me – but I say I don’t know you. There is nothing of me in you) Luke 13:27
What does Jesus mean? And what should we not do?

What we should do is to get away from our crocked ways and behavior. Instead we should get closer to God. Because when we draw ourselves closer to Him – He will get closer to us. And when we have spent time with the Lord, when we continually are filled with His Holy Spirit, we don’t have to resist our fleshly desires in the same way we otherwise would. Continue reading “Love God yes, but do you still following your own desires?”

The power of Forgiveness

Visits: 573

There is power in forgiveness. If for example when you are out evangelizing, ask the person if they are angry or bitter with anyone.
It can be within the family, in school or work place, in past relations. Ask if he or she can forgive. If the person says “yes I can forgive”, then have the person speak it out, by repeating your prayer to Jesus, for example; “- Jesus I forgive the person who have hurt me. Jesus please also forgive me for my wrongdoings.”

What’s in our hearts should come out in a confession, either it’s a confession of sin, wrongdoing, binding or losing e t c, anything you like to declare or proclaim.
Sometimes the person have difficulties in forgetting the past, then remind him that it’s better to let go, and instead to be set free. Remember it’s a difference between forgetting and forgiving.
Some people may say they have forgiven, but as soon as they speak it out, they have difficulties and may suddenly cry. So we are not telling them to forget, but to forgive, so they can let go (and move on and thereby not think of it that much so their hurt and their feelings and emotions can get healed).

Sometimes it can be difficult to forgive someone and speak it out. I usually suggest then, what if we ask Jesus Himself to help us? Like this; “- Jesus help me forgive this person, because I can’t do it on my own.”
You see, when someone sins, he is in debt (and the debt of sin is death). So when we forgive a person who have done anything wrong to us, and hurt us, we set them free from their debts! Continue reading “The power of Forgiveness”

When are you saved?

Visits: 554

Is the salvation in Christ instantaneous or is it an ongoing process?
Are you saved at the very moment, when you accept Jesus with your mouth, and believe in Him? Many argue it is so, they believe in “once saved – always saved”. “Salvation is a gift, it can’t be earned” or worked for”.

Those who argue that you are saved forever,  from the very moment when you open yourself up to Him and receive Him, and that this blessing and salvation can never be cancelled, that it’s an instant and eternal validation that God will not withdraw, they don’t believe in an ongoing saving rescue process (they can’t understand it); they refer most of the time to these Bible verses:

John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Romans 10:9, 13 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. … For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

David Pawson wrote these lines in his book “Understanding the water baptism”:
“Too many want to be happy in the next life (and in this life; my note) rather than holy in this one. They want to be safe rather than saved.
They are usually looking for an instant, even instantaneous, salvation that can be guaranteed as soon and as quickly as possible. Continue reading “When are you saved?”

Prayer life & conviction of sins

Visits: 434

Prayer Life by Andrew Murray

”Let the believer think not only of what redemption has cost Christ, but also of the fact that Christ is offered to him, by the Holy Spirit, as a gift of inconceivable grace, through whom divine forgiveness and purification and renewing have taken possession of him; and let him ask himself with what return such love should be repaid.

If only time were taken to tarry in God’s presence and ask such questions, the Spirit of God would accomplish his work of conviction of sin in us and would teach us to take an entirely new standpoint, and would give us a new view of sin.

The thought would begin to arise in our hearts that we have in very deed been redeemed, so that in the power of Christ we may live every day as partners in the great victory which Christ obtained over sin on the cross, and manifest it in our walk.

What think you? Do you not begin to see that the sin of prayerlessness has had a more terrible effect than you at first supposed?

It is because of this hasty and superficial converse with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have power to help you to hate and flee from sin as you ought. Nothing, nothing except the hidden, humble, constant fellowship with God can teach you, as a child of God, to hate sin as God wants you to hate it. Continue reading “Prayer life & conviction of sins”

What is an Evangelist?

Visits: 402

You must have heard of the term evangelist, but have you ever met one?
What images comes to mind when you think of an evangelist? Maybe you are influenced by the Hollywood stereotypes?
Let me take on the task to bring out some clarity and explanation, what the characteristics are of an evangelist.

Historically the church has not been good in adapting the five-fold ministry; Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd/Pastor and Teacher. We read about this ministry in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter 4:11;

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11

The Bible talks about the gifts of services, or positions, for the functioning of the body of the church. What we can see in today’s church, is that almost every church, uses only two of them and that is the Shepherd and the Teacher.
When you stretch out your hand, you can see your hand has five fingers. How useful is it if you only use two of your fingers and not all of them?
The gifts of services are five;
1. the apostle, 2. the prophet, 3. the evangelist, 4. the shepherd and 5. the teacher.
Many of us are a mixture of them all, but usually we are stronger in one or two of them. Continue reading “What is an Evangelist?”

Förklara Evangeliet för mig!

Visits: 1517

Har du någon gång hört någon säga till dig:
“- Kan någon förklara vad Bibeln och Jesus handlar om, så jag förstår!”
“- Varför har ingen berättat detta för mig tidigare?”

Eller har du vänner och familj som inte vill lyssna, som inte förstår evangeliet?
Kanske du själv har svårt att presentera de Goda Nyheterna, ja då kommer här en video.
Du kan dela med den till andra.
Men varför inte själv öva på att lära dig hur du kan presentera Gospeln, så som du vill förmedla den?

Videon är på 10 minuter, och visar hur du med bildkort samt med ett manus, visuellt kan presentera Guds Frälsningsplan. Du kan göra det hemma med någon, eller ute på ett café.

På slutet av videoklippet dyker det upp ett tips på en annan video. Där används läsk och muggar. Röst och visuell presentation förstärker budskapet, och gör det enklare att komma ihåg.

Flera är det som när de hör Ordet predikat, känner Andens Kraft som manar dem till att ta det viktigaste beslutet i sit liv; att följa Jesus Kristus!

För vi har alla syndat och är i avsaknad av Guds Härlighet & Karaktär.
Och syndens lön är döden.
Ty så högt älskade Gud världen, att Han utgav sin enfödde Son, för att var och en som tror på Honom icke ska gå förlorad, utan ha evigt liv.
Men åt alla dem som tog emot honom, gav Han makt att bli Guds barn, åt dem som tror på hans namn.
Om vi bekänner våra synder, håller Gud sitt löfte och handlar med oss på ett rättfärdigt sätt, så Han förlåter våra synder och renar oss från all orättfärdighet.

The Gospel presented in 10 minutes

Visits: 294

Visual presentation of the bad & the good news

In this video I will share with you…
the story of the Bible in 10 minutes.
I will use cards that we have printed with friends…
to make things more visual.
Imagine that we are playing a game of chess together,
those are my pieces…
and these are yours.
I will make the first move, now it’s your turn to move.
Imagine now that I have the perfect strategy…
to finish the game and do checkmate.
I will do this, then this…
and this…
You would probably say to me:
“Come on! That’s not fair”
Why? Because there are rules!
Everybody knows that we wait our turn to play.
I move, you move…
With God it’s the same, God made his first move.
He created the world. He create each one of us unique.
And when it was our turn to move…
the move we made was that…
we disobeyed God. We have sinned.
God saw this move He saw that it was not a good move,
but He said now it’s my turn to play,
I will also make my move.
I will send my son Jesus to pay the price of their sins. Continue reading “The Gospel presented in 10 minutes”