I cannot help but wonder what went through God’s “mind” between the time of completing creation and the events of Genesis 6. Even more – what changed from Genesis 6 to Genesis 9? There’s little we can know about it, besides that God set off on a mission – a mission that’s one of a kind.

See, when, let’s say your TV breaks down and you want to continue watching TV – you have two options. Either repair it or get a new one, the latter being the more convenient, easier one. While the flood was God’s way of starting all over again – more convenient and certainly quicker, his covenant with Noah and later on with many others is rather astonishing. He basically said “I won’t get rid of you, but will do whatever it takes to fix you up – make you look good again; as good as you were when I first looked at you.” This might also seem easy until you grasp the scale of the repair that needed to be done. Consequentially, that decision didn’t come at no expense for God. The toll was the death and resurrection of His Son – a rather high price, but as I said – a lot needed fixing.

Today we look at the story and it changes our lives. We get closer to it and realize – we’re invited to participate in it; to fellowship with God, to be part of his repair team. Little do we know about the task ahead of us, but that doesn’t seem to stand on our way of getting matters in our own hands. Yes, Jesus did say to go and teach, disciple and love, but He never said we ought to do it alone. Just because we have the manual doesn’t mean we know how to make everything work again. Neither are we capable of making this even remotely possible… without God’s enduring, faithful and loving leading. Reverse-engineering is not an option here.

We set off building churches and raising communities back on their feet until one day we (as inevitable as it seems) fail. It’s one of those devastating moments when we think “It’s all gone in vain; we messed up so big, there’s no hope of recovery.”

Because we believe we’re the ones who can make things look good again. We seem be deep in the belief that if we don’t do it – it can’t be done. Therefore, when we failed, it all failed.

But not God’s mission – it’s a different kind of a mission. It’s first of all – God’s mission in which we’re just participants. He initiated it, he sustains it, he envisions it, he guides it… he completes it. Period.

Take Jonah for example – God called him to fellowship with him, to participate in making things look good. He ran away. God shook him up on that ship, woke him up to the reality – he did repent and spoke words of hope and thanksgiving. So God thought – I might was well use him anyhow and called him a second time. As hesitant as we often are, Jonah set off to do the work. He didn’t only end up doing 1/3 of what he should have done, but he didn’t even do this right. Yet, this didn’t stop God from bringing the people of Nineveh to repentance.

So could we get it right for once? Can we look at our mission as what it really is – God’s mission? Can we endure the failure while standing on our feet with sheer confidence that what God has started God will finish? We’re not in this to win, it’s not a race. It’s a marathon and we’re in to finish.

Today we tend to take relationships for granted. The Internet offers them at practically no cost, and so does the local school, sports club… oh, yes – even the church. So far – nothing wrong. Sadly enough, the fragrance of the koinonia seems to have faded away. Instead of being like a fresh Spring bloom, it’s more like a frozen vegetable which has then been microwaved – you wouldn’t know it smells like something if it weren’t for the big fat colored label on the package that tricks your mind into believing it does. We’re either really dumb fools or really lazy and indifferent to our own lives.

We like having partners in life as long as they don’t require much of us. As long as they don’t disturb out comfortable and well planned and organized living. It seems to me that the fancier mobile phones one can buy, the less we care about sincerely maintaining our relationships. Perhaps this would be quite a shock to Johann Philipp Reis (whom I credit as the inventor of the telephone). Nevertheless, my point is – the things that ought to draw us closer to each other seem to actually scatter us apart.

I believe the answer is to be found in Matthew 6:21 where Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (NIV). So long as we place other things at the top of our life, instead of God, we won’t be able to enjoy that hard-core, pure bread koinonia that the first believers had in Jerusalem shortly after Pentecost.

The Bible says in Acts 2:42, that they were προσκαρτεροῦντες (proskarterountes) or earnest towards, constantly diligent, continually giving themselves upon the teachings of the Gospel, remembering Jesus through communion, sharing the precious time of meals with each other and last but not least – praying. It’s that kind of devotion towards God that enabled them to be devoted to each other as well. It’s that kind of devotion that allowed them to flourish in what appears to have been a rather hostile environment. It’s that kind of devotion that empowered them to sacrifice without constraints and barriers, so that the needs of the people around them may be met.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV)

Seriously, when was the last time you saw a brother sell his iPod in order to feed another? When was the last time you heard of a sister selling her collection of unused t-shirts, so that a child somewhere else may have the chance to go to his first day of school wearing shoes as opposed to wearing the dust from the road on his bare swollen feet? That’s just about whre the believers in Jerusalem started – some went as far as selling their land, cattle, estate property – knowing that they could meet a need, and knowing that God will faithfully deliver. Moreover, they didn’t just do it – they were diligent in constantly doing their best in selling stuff away as they saw needs emerging from around them. Not foolishly, but as the Holy Spirit led them.

While most scholars agree that these events could be described as an ongoing revival, they also claim it’s rather improbable that this can occur in our culture and society today. I beg to differ. If people could be changed by God so much that they could be true partners in life, I see no real reason why we could not undergo the same transformation. But then again, we Christians often fall back on the “unreal” and “insignificant” as reasons for why we don’t do the things we should do.

image by: Morozova Tatiana | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Jesus uses the example of worrying to show us how strong our faith ought to be and how we need to live and consequently – pray. Let us turn to his words from Matthew 6:19-34:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:19-34, NIV)

The worrying which Jesus is talking about leads to division between us and God. In fact, the Greek word translated as the very “worry” means  “to part, to disunite, to divide, to distribute between.” Simply said, the more we worry about things different from God’s kingdom and our holy living, the farther we go from God. Instead of Him, we place money clothing, food and all the rest in first place.

So, it is necessary to keep an eye on how we’re doing in this aspect of life. It is important to check-up on our prayers as well. It is far too easy to drift away slowly in our prayers and one day end up being far from God’s way. Do you pray that it will be God’s will first or do the daily troubles and worries take His place? Is your faith strong enough to enable you to ask for His will, even when this means that you’ll face even more sufferings and struggles?

It’s a well known fact that we’re all standing before material needs and this continuously. However, it is our reaction to them that reflects our faith in God, not the needs themselves. Jesus’ promise to us is not for a flawless life and absolute safety and independence. If that was the case, it would actually draw us away from Him because there would be little need of a mighty God. But our Savior promised and gave us peace like no other. If we believe Him for our salvation, then we are also able to place Him at the top of our lives and prayers. Seek God’s kingdom first!

Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting

If there’s one thing I wish God would keep away from our free will it’d be selective reading. In the context of human behavior it seems to be that part of us that ignores all that causes discomfort or even change. It’s the stuff that’s most of the time is essential, yet we chose to not regard it as such. It’s what makes us almost Christians in the most important of times.For the past few weeks the words of Jesus from Matthew 10 can’t get out of my head. They’re like a mosquito bite – you’ve just thought it’s dealt with and then you accidentally touch it… There it goes again – itches for ages. I figured I must investigate deeper the question of Why do Christians seem to never give up trying to get people into heaven?

It’s a question not so much regarding the continuous carrying out of the mission of spreading the Gospel. It’s the issue of us not taking no as an answer. We go, tell people about Jesus and should we get a negative response, then we don’t move on but get stuck, doing everything possible to sneak the other person into heaven. Funny enough, this doesn’t seem to be our task. It’s not what we’re made for and it’s not what we’re responsible for. Our task is to get the message through as clearly and responsibly as possible – to plant the seed. It’s far beyond our job description to actually grow the plant and harvest the fruits.

As Jesus gives authority over deamons to the twelve and notes some other tips for their journeys, He makes one thing sure: if they accept you, stay and be a blessing to them; if they reject you – leave and leave for good. The shaking off of dust is where the power of the message lays. While Israel was a holy land, the land of the Gentiles wasn’t. This is why Jews would shake the dust off their clothes and shoes on leaving a Gentile area. It was a symbol of disregarding any connection with the pagans. So what Jesus is actually saying to the twelve is: if they welcome you, get in and do well; if they don’t – get away and make sure you let them know you’re not coming back. Outrageous, isn’t it? Paul and Barnabas actually did it, just have a look at Acts 13:51.

Today we seem to be carrying the responsibility for everyone’s salvation. When, in fact, all we’re responsible for is telling them about it. With time the Christian message seems to fade and mingle with culture because we’re trying everything and anything to somehow get them to believe it. How much clearer would the Gospel be if it was proclaimed but not imposed? Because imposing is exactly what we seem to be doing most of the time – through material things, relationships, even through changing our own selves. We just sit there and wait till the dude finally gives in and prays the prayer, quits smoking and starts a home group.

If we only were able to let the seed grow in its own time. If only we were able to make it clear that people who don’t welcome God won’t be welcomed in heaven, but in hell. If only we were able to get out of out market mentality – picking out only the fruits that are sweet and flowers that smell nice. If only we were able to shake the dust off when necessary.

Being actively involved with photography for more than two years now, I’ve realized more than ever before how powerful a visual image can be. Moreover, how much an image can reflect and at the same time direct our perceptions of a certain subject. Take a bottle of Coke, for instance – it’s never advertised static, dry and lukewarm, with dull colors… ‘Cause, frankly, who wants a Coke like that. It more sounds like being British tea at 4pm – boring and a thing from the past (for most people, that is). The energetic and fresh Coke image also makes you wish the Coke be that way – it kind of sets the standard for you.

There’s so much thought going into graphic design when it comes to advertising. Sadly, though, there’s little thought put into the graphics and design accompanying our faith.Most imagery selected for church activities, youth camps, or even publishing is chosen based on a feeling… and quite likely, the direction given by imagery seen in the past. It’s not that it’s never thought about, but it’s hardly ever thought through. As long as it’s got a blue sky and clouds, some fancy bright sunshine and a cross – it’s just gotta fit as a background for the songs. ‘Round Christmas we add some red and green, because it’s the colors of the season, and we’re set again. As Spring comes it’s time to pull up the flowers from the gallery – they seem fitting, don’t they?

I say NO. Most of those images reflect a desire for escape from reality. The truth is, our faith isn’t always shining, nor is it always a sweet smelling flower. Furthermore, what direction are these images leading us to? Closer to what God? The one that just sits up in the clouds and listens to good music?!

Properly selected imagery should be leading us God’s way. The way that Jesus walked, the way that the apostles walked, the way we headed on this one day of our lives… but then started wandering along while being a bit confused.

Does the visual content we expose ourselves and others on Sunday actually show compassion? And how about love, endurance, suffering, victory, needs, tears and prayers… Or is it always polished with the effects that only make life look nicer and more attractive?

I believe that there’s enough talent and brain in every church to be able to select visual content worthy of the event and the God it is meant to lead us to. After all, we claim to be living the principle of giving our best for God – we ought to actually give our best in selecting proper images. The only other option is to show none, but there isn’t space for anything in between.

image by: Davinci | agency: Dreamstime.com

One of the biggest problems before the Christian faith today is that all Christians claim they believe in God, but not all of them live according to their own claims. In other words, many of us daily call ourselves Christians, but far too many of us don’t live like Christians.

Let’s look at the relationship between a child and his or her parents as an analogue of ours with God. When a child truly trusts his or her parents, he or she waits patiently and faith till their promises come true. When mummy and daddy promise their son a new bicycle he doesn’t immediately run out, seeking for ways to buy it himself earlier than it’s promised to him. Where there is trust in a relationship between two sides, there is also patience and faith.

Between many believers and God, however, the trust is little… so, naturally, many Christians quickly run out of patience and lose faith. God, on the other hand, doesn’t cease caring for us, but how is it possible to feel Him caring if all the time we’re trying to solve our problems on our own and pay more attention to them than we do to God?

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7, NIV).

Apostle Peter encourages us to humble ourselves before God. In other words – to confess that without Him there is nowhere we can get to; without Him there’s no feature for us; without Him our lives will be an endless fight against yet bigger problems. It’s about time for us to realized that we are the weak and God is the strong one. Doing this doesn’t mean that all of a sudden our lives will be flawless and problems will be nowhere to be seen. If we are humble before God, however, the problems will not dominate our lives but daily we will be above them, with our focus turned to what is of true matter – God.

When we start trusting God as much as we claim that we believe in Him, then we will begin to feel his care in a different, for some of us even unknown way. If we really have trust and faith in God, then as a problem comes before us we will first turn to God with a prayer for help. We will wait on His answer patiently and full of faith. And because God Himself has promised us – the answer will come, undoubtedly.

If, on the other hand, we chose to first go and try fix everything ourselves, with our own strength… or even worse – with money, then we better get ready for catastrophic consequences. Not only materially, but also spiritually. Although God will not cease caring for us and loving us, should we continue living our lives in such a way, we will one day wake up with more faith in ourselves than in God. And this is the day God will become unnecessary. We can easily lose our faith, the people around us, but worse of all – our future.

Our life with God requires daily care and a continual communication with Him. Two or three quickly put together prayers just won’t cut it. We ought to first establish our trust in Him. When this trust is real, then it won’t be hard for you to turn to God even for the smallest of things in life. It will be a joy to tell Him even of the biggest issues and troubles in your life. So, cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. Then you will have even more time to spend growing in your faith and relationship with God.

The preacher finished his sermon and before closing the service asked the people before him “Do you want to be with Jesus right now? – Raise your hand if you are.” The multitude raise their hands, except for one man at the back row. The preacher was slightly concerned, so he decided he’d repeat the question. The result was the same. Odd, he thought, maybe the man didn’t hear the question. So he asked a third time, even louder – Do you want to be with Jesus right now? That didn’t do it either.

So after the service was finished he struggled through the crowd to find the man who didn’t raise his hand and ask him what was stopping him from wanting to be with Jesus. When he finally asked, the reply was “Oh, I do want to be with Jesus! But I don’t want to go there right now, I quite like it out here.”

It’s an example I recently heard in a sermon and it bewildered me. So I took a note of it in my mind and gave it some further thought in the days after that. Today, as I think about it again it scares me – because it’s so true.

We have made our world far too comfortable. Well, the areas I’ve lived in, at least. We’ve managed to surround ourselves with far too much stuff that doesn’t challenge us. And yes, unfortunately, as the man from the back row – we quite like it out here. Even with the financial issues much spoken of lately; even with the gloomy weather which we’re only making worse; even with the government officials we don’t quite approve of. One would think that not having to work, not having to pay taxes, not having to deal with expensive heating, not having to worry about food… that all of these will somehow make us eager to move on. Indeed, one would think.

But no. Christians in the (non-Wild) North seem to be indifferent to the image of a heaven waiting arrivals. In fact, the very thought of death freaks us out… When it shouldn’t! That’s because we think of death as it has been portrayed to us by the world we live in. Not as a beginning, but as an end: the end of being with our friends and family; the end of being a football fan; the end of using the Internet; the end of enjoying hot summer days in the freshness of the mountains. The end of the things which contribute to us feeling comfortable and nice, cozy and easy.

Where is apostle Paul to come and kick some butt?! Cause he got it right. He desired to depart and be with Christ, which is, as he says – better by far (see Philippians 1:23). Yes, he did end up hanging in there for a little more as it was God’s will. But we seem to be telling God “Don’t you dare touching my life cause I ain’t done living it just yet!” Way far are we from being “torn” as Paul was.

When I realized the truth about God’s love and decided to surrender my life in His hands, I wasn’t afraid to die. As a matter of fact, I was anticipating the day I’d go and be with Him, because I knew there was so much more to have, to experience, to be up there – where the days are brighter and the nights (if there’s such) – filled with the magnificence of God’s creativity. I was looking forward to being in a place where our breakfast will be peace, our lunch will be joy, and every day for dinner we’ll get God’s delicacy of love. A place where the radio doesn’t get boring with the same songs playing over and over and you don’t have to pay 99cents to iTunes to download something different. A place where having a walk at night doesn’t insist you carrying a gun in your pocket. I so wanted to be in that place where seeing God doesn’t require creatively molded word metaphors, cause He’s just right there – in front of me.

Then, as the years passed by and everyone else was giving me A’s and B’s for knowing God better and better I was waking up in the morning with a strange new and somewhat bothersome feeling – the one of being afraid to die. I’ve gone over this so many times in my mind, analyzed it from so many different angles, that I know today – it’s the feeling of quite liking it out here. That’s how, in the midst of everything else I lost my anticipation to be with Jesus. So without even noticing it, I became the man from the back row, who might raise his hand, but just out of politeness to the preacher.

How do I get my anticipation back? How do I become a fearless believer again? Why does it feel like I’m the only one in the non-Wild North?

Anyways, it features a song called My Savior My God by Aaron Shust. It captured me from the first time I heard it, so I decided I’d investigate on the lyrics… It turns out it’s basically an old hymn with the chorus added to it and apparently one verse changed. More about the story of this new song and the complete lyrics of it you can read here: www.aaronshust.com.

Here’s the original lyrics of the hymn which is written by Dorothy Greenwell and first published way back in 1873 in England.

I am not skilled to understand
What God hath willed, what God hath planned;
I only know at His right hand
Stands One who is my Savior.

I take Him at His word indeed:
“Christ died for sinners”—this I read;
For in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my Savior!

That He should leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die,
You count it strange? So once did I
Before I knew my Savior!

And, oh, that He fulfilled may see
The travail of His soul in me,
And with His work contented be,
As I with my dear Savior!

Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring—
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior!

This text reminded me of how simple, complete, and full of power our relationship with God is intended to be.

I hope it will be a blessing to you as well… one way or another.

This verse is a part of a passage from the Gospel according to John in which Jesus teaches a lesson on faith to one of his 12 chosen disciples. Although the described event took place newarly 2000 years ago, Jesus’ answer is just as relevant to us today as it was back then to Thomas. Let us question ourselves sincerely – do we walk by faith or by sight? Do we pray by faith or by sight?

The truth is, for many Christians the saying “Gotta see to believe” has become a way of life. Don’t also skip the fact that the society around us encourages us to not trust anything or anyone, before we can touch and see first… And that goes on daily basis. Thus, slowly but steadily many forget about the true meaning of the word faith. This becomes an even greater problem when it comes to prayer. There is a real danger that each of us can lose faith if it is not being nurtured by a continual fellowship with God through His Word. One day you or I can wake up with an unsolvable problem in our lives and offended or even angry turn to God with the words: “Show me and I’ll believe that you have not abandoned me!”

A significant part of the non-believers today use precisely this argument for their unbelief – God has not shown himself in this and that way and that’s why I don’t believe He exists. Sometimes God choses to show Himself in a supernatural way and the faith of those who believe then is counted – just as Jesus reaffirmed Thomas’ faith. But as He said in that same passage – blessed are those who first believe.
A brief look at God’s Word reveals that all who were healed by Jesus had faith before that healing took place. Nowhere is it to be found in the Bible something like: “You have been healed because you first waited to see me and only after that you believed in me.” We should, instead take a lesson from what we can read in Luke 7:1-10 as a part of the dialogue between a Roman centurion and Jesus: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. … When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” So, do you have the faith to say in your prayer “Lord, I know you hear me. If it is your will, do heal… do provide… do save…”?

Sometimes God does not answer our prayers. Other times His answers have nothing to do with how we thought He will answer… One thing is for sure though – if you and I approach prayer with faith and not with requirements or demands, then whether God answers or not we will be drawn closer to Him. And our faith will grow as well.
If, on the other hand, we pray wanting to see a miracle, so that we may believe, then there is a chance we will lose even the little bit of faith that drives us to pray.

Pay attention to how you pray! Move forward fearlessly and in confidence with faith in God through prayer. Only then nothing and no one will be able to stand on the way between you and God.

The word Amen has a Hebrew origin and after it has entered Greek through the first century Church, today it is a part for almost every language. Generally speaking, Amen means a strong agreement with something, or a strong affirmation. It can also be translated as “verily”, “truly”, “let it be” or “so let it be.” The use of this word as a part of God’s worship dates back to the times of the Old Testament. This is where today’s Christian use is inherited from – its use in the Hebrew synagogues. Just as back then, today we say Amen at the end of prayers as a symbol of our affirmation thereof, as well as after we have accepted a blessing from an elder or another person, even outside of the context of the church gathering.

For many Christians, however, this small word has lost much of its meaning due to its almost automated daily usage. The question we ought to ask ourselves now is “Do we even think about what we mean by saying Amen, or do we just do it because it’s become a habit?”

In his letters, through his own experience, apostle Paul reveals to us the importance of the correct understanding of the word. And in order to understand the power of this affirmation at the end of prayers we need to listen carefully to the preceding words.

Philippians 4:20: “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (NIV).
Notice that he does not pray in a selfish way, nor does he seek benefits for his own. Paul’s prayers ending on Amen are not prayers for more money, a newer car, or even an easy and more secure life. No, his prayers are prayers for God’s glorification and the spreading of the Gospel. These are the things that apostle Paul gives his affirmation to.
So, as you pray, instead of Amen, finish with “So let it be!” and you will see yourself the difference. When the use of the word is so automatic as it has become today, it not only loses its meaning, but the words spoken before that can so easily be influenced by the world around us. You can avoid the selfish and wrong prayer as you continually remind yourself of the meaning of Amen. Also, pay careful attention to the fact that God will most likely not give His affirmation to the majority of things from this world that we often desire to pray for.

An Amen at the end of the prayer is also an indicator of your faith. Finishing your prayers with Amen hoping that by some magical and mystical way it will make your wishes come true will not get you far. Yet, praying in God’s will with faith that He alone is the one able to do all things and for Him there is nothing impossible… Then you will see the power of the words “So let it be!” These are not words of doubt or desperation, but words of hope and faith. And namely this is what God desires for your life to have – a sincere hope and faith in Him.
An example for such faith you can find in 1 Peter 5:10-11: “And the god of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (NIV).
Just a verse earlier Peter is warning about the evil plans of the devil, but his hope for the believers is just as great as his faith in God. Because of this, while knowing that it will be so difficult, he can pray powerfully for you and for me.

So, do you pray properly and with faith? As surprising as it might sound, the answer to this question you will find in the last word of your prayers – Amen.