God's handwriting

Time is God's handwriting.

Everything relates to it and nothing nor anyone can escape

it's accuracy. 

Today the world operates based on this date, December 29, 2015.

Two thousand fifteen years from what?

Not from the birth of Darwin or from the end of a World War,

but from the birth of the only capable Savior of the mankind.

All man's reliable dealings recognize His coming daily.

Even the atheistic newspapers print this date.

Every agreement, time-table, peace treaty, 

every business deal around the world is considered

valid only with God's own handwriting in it.

Have a Blessed New Year. It's another borrowed year from 

His throne of grace. 

Our times are in his hand.
Psalm 31:15

The Household of God

is God's greatest testimony on the earth.

The only thing that God will take to heaven from this world

is His own family. God is in love with his people.

We are encouraged to do good especially to those who are

of the household of faith. Gal.6:9

All spiritual gifts, charismas, are given for this purpose,

to build up the Body of Christ.

So, let's build up the Body of Christ

and continue looking for more ways to

build up the Body of Christ.

Useful

The vessel is also important, but useless without a good content.

I think that churches are full of important vessels who are just

waiting to be used, or avoiding from being recognized as suitable.

Set Your Mind On Things Above

Col.3:2

Otherwise the the dust of this world will fill all 

the chambers of your soul.

From above we see the bigger picture and understand

how small some of our frustrating battles actually are.

Immanuel

When someone says God cannot become man, he is 

questioning the character and authority of God himself.

If God didn't become man, we would not have any 

sufficient sacrifice for our sins, only man's filthy rags,

nicely folded, but useless for cleansing.

God's human nature is totally connected with His deity.

When Christ cried and suffered on the cross,

it was God himself feeling the human pain.

This brings us all close to him and him to us.

He is our Immanuel, God with us and for us forever.

Animals Don't Love You

Loving animals more than people seems to be growing 

in popularity. Pets are having a ball with their new 

calorie counting diets and latest fashion overcoats.

Why do people love animals?

I think the main reason is their human likeness.

Those characteristics amuse us and deceive us to think

that an animal could be our best friend. 

In reality the comfort and love that we receive from animals

is nothing more than the pleasure we receive from a

well-decorated ice-cream cone.

People need people to love them.

Nothing can substitute that.

Let the dogs care for dogs and cats care for cats.

There are millions of people out there who would love

to get to know you.

Thinking About Thinking

Refusal to think can be fatal.

Thinking is one of our greatest responsibilities,

if not the easiest to fulfill.

It takes time, motivation and content.

If we only have the time but no content nor motivation,

our thinking will become a frustrating burden.

Very few people think. Most of the people are just living

as victims of other people’s thinking.

God invites us to think with him.

Jesus encouraged us not to  think what to

eat and drink and what to wear.

He told us not to waste our time on that.

Thinking with God rewards us with a lot of motivation and

understanding of his plans in this world.

We are the only creatures that think about thinking.

Getting There

With man's new abilities to overcome time

he's getting closer and closer 

to his final independence of God.

His smartness is taking him to hell faster than expected.

Isaiah challenged his listeners with some impossible tasks:

"Who has calculated the dust of the earth, 
weighed the mountains in scales..."

Isaiah 40:12

It would not surprise me to find such a man in today's world.

When God saw the mankind building the tower of Babylon,

he said, "Nothing is now impossible for man..."

Our towers today are higher than ever before in man's history.

By building a high tower man thinks that he can see further, 

but what's the point of being on the top of the world 

as a blind, proud and angry man?

Go On Dying

God is continually inviting people to seek His face.

No man can see God's face and live.

That sounds like a dangerous contradiction.

That's right, Christian faith is life-threatening.

The only way to fellowship with God is through death.

Dying daily to our needy fallen nature is

the only way to enter His presence with joy.

Use It!

 "by sanctifying it with the Word of God and prayer."

I Tim.4:5

There is no reason for believers to resist the God-given

progress in technology and science. Computers and cell

phones are not from Satan, but Satan is using the modern

technology to the maximum.

In order to minister in today's world we need to constantly

study how it works.

Using the world is an important element

in our ministry.

Paul appealed to Caesar, perfectly knowing that this would 

win him a trip to Rome.

He was not just contextualizing his message,

he knew the system. He became all things to all men that he

 "might by all means save some." I Cor.9:22

If our methods are hindering us,

we should upgrade our thinking

and move on with all the exciting new 

means that God has provided.

The Earth Is Full Of His Goodness

Psalm 33:5

Our inability to define goodness is not an acceptable excuse

not to do good.

The same way as our inability to define the air would not be 

a wise reason to stop breathing.

A Good Life 

How do you define a good life?

Is it unlimited resources of money, time and freedom;

is it opportunities that reward you intellectually,

emotionally, socially?

Isn't it a well rested night and a continuing

smile on your face because you don't hate anyone.

Isn't it  a full assurance that you are forgiven and

loved without restrictions, eternally.

John 10:10

If We Cannot

If one cannot love, he cannot believe either.

For love is the first step of faith.

Happy Independence Day, Finland!

Learning to love our country, just as God loves it.

Time To Give

It's the season again when

 businesses are appealing to our

guilt and duties to fix

 our neglected relationships by giving gifts.

Where did that come from?

Why are we giving gifts?

Besides the superficial business-like giving,

 is there a deeper

need to give and to receive deep in our soul?

The value of the gift seems to be a part of the game.

Giving too little or too much can both be fatal mistakes.

Gifts can confuse, disappoint and hurt.

The whole life is a gift.

Who gave it? Why was it given? What is it's value?

Giving things can be done without any

 personal price or involvement.

Giving values is so much more expensive than money.

It requires your time, your honesty and transparency.

That kind of giving is not seasonal. It's a life-style.

Quality cannot be bought with money.

It comes from values.

Impressive Words

Smart sayings and fluent slogans impress us, but don't

always nourish.

It's amazing how much we are willing to compromise

with the truth just for the pleasure of entertainment.

Truth doesn't have to be well polished or decorated in

order for it to save us.

Satan was a lead singer in heaven, but iniquity was

found in his heart.

He's still touring the world, fully booked.

Check Your Pockets!

Sometimes we put up a whole show about God not hearing 

our prayers and hiding his will for our lives.

We have learned the right theology and the vocabulary 

that comes with it, but we still deceive ourselves by thinking

that God doesn't see everything. Our "pockets" are full of stuff

that hinder our prayers and rob our joy.

Agreeing with God about it  is the first long step towards

deliverance from this bondage.

The miracle of grace is that God sees all things and continues 

to love and defend us. 

Choose your battles well!

They are unavoidable, on all levels of life,

 people and their wants and

interests colliding on daily basis.

Certain fights you just choose not to fight,

 for they would occupy all

your time and energy.

 They will destroy your ministry by simply 

getting you busy with chasing the wind.

Don't fight with a skunk.

Let God be God

We will be disappointed,

whenever we expect God to work on our conditions.

Because of his omniscience he just cannot do it.

Christ compared "this generation" to children

who were complaining in the marketplace in Matthew 11.

The mankind had a job for Christ to rule

the world and he turned it down.

For many that disappointment has turned to frustrated anger.

The living God will always surprise the heathen mentality,

where idols are totally controlled by men.

The living God will not fit into that box.

Missing the important

discoveries when being busy with the average performances.

It's a gift to see what is important.

Unfortunately that gift is often crushed by fears and insecurities.

It's so much easier just to float in the seemingly powerful

stream of general humanity and

 hope that nobody will notice you.

Yes, there is a plan

Thank you for your question about the plan of God.

Yes, God has a plan, even though he is omniscient and omnipotent

and doesn’t really have a need to make plans.

His plan will happen. Nothing and no one can stop that,

except the elements concerning us.
 We have been placed so high

in his scale of the creation , that we, to a certain extend,
 can limit his plan from happening concerning us.

It’s possible, that something, relating to something less than God,

will miss the plan of God and parts of it.

I believe that this is what hell is all about.

Hell is not God’s inability to keep his plan,
but a guarantee of freedom

in God’s expression of love for man, who has been allowed so

much personal power that he can “ruin” the plan of God for himself.

When man thinks about a plan,
 he thinks one dimensionally, chronologically.

God’s plan is multi-dimensional,
 including a lot  of yet unknown elements to man.
 Therefore all man’s attempts to measure and figure

out God’s plan logically will fall a short.

Acts 1:7 It’s not for you to know the times
 the Father has put in his authority…”

Time is an important element in God’s plan,
 but it’s not the only frame for it.
 The concept of eternity is a hint to these other elements.

II Pet.3:1-9, Gal.4:1-5

Ignorance keeps people out of the plan of God.

How Can They Believe

Sometimes our approach to discipleship is hyper-spiritual.

We expect people to mystically learn things that they have

never heard nor studied.

Even though the call of God is supernatural, there's nothing

wrong with encouraging people in "human terms" which are

God given tools to communicate his message.

I surrender,

not in a religious rock concert
 where the lights are dim and flashy,

but in the daylight where the dishes need to be washed

and unwanted people met, where the rubber hits the road 

and failures color the air.

I surrender and look for your mercy to carry me on.

Pick me up and hold me tide,

as you've done so many times before.

Take me to your throne of grace.

That's the only thing I want to see now.

The Human Condition

It's grace whenever we can avoid being exposed

to the heartbreaking condition of the mankind:

people dying in pain, others demoralized by addictions,

others lying, stealing, torturing and being tortured,

 millions and millions suffering from devastating

 sicknesses and loneliness .

It's grace when in the midst of all these horrors and dangers 

we can say with a full assurance,"It is well with my soul."

Such a Great Freedom

Freedom characterizes God’s people.

Nothing is based on rules and restrictions, but on

a relationship which is secured by God’s unfailing character.

“Even when we are faithless , he remains faithful, for

He cannot deny himself.”

II Tim,2:13

There is no limit to our personal freedom,

 except our knowledge of him.

 Certain things we don’t do,

because we know him and love him.

Who would you be?

The fear of failure 
and the fear of disappointment are

commonly accepted reasons
 for people to choose

a risk free life-style.

But, is it really a risk,
 to live a spirit-filled life in today’s world?

It looks risky, because it’s rare,
 but it’s actually the only way

to glorify God.

All other alternatives can
 be done even “without God”.

The commonly known question

“Who would you be and what would you do,
 if you were not afraid?”

can lead to some radical,
 but healthy changes in our life-style.

The Disturbing Ministry of God

Even a false peace does last for some time.

People deceive themselves and others to

pretend certain circumstances to exist and 

only time will reveal the fraud. Sooner or later

the true condition of things will be revealed.

Elisha was a man who walked with God.

That disturbed and frustrated greatly the king of Syria.

The king was sure that there was a betrayer among

his own men until they told him that the trouble was

Elisha who "tells even the words that you speak

in your bedroom". II Kings 6:12

The world thinks the same way about the living

church today. The church is disturbing the false peace

and frustrating the well-organized, "brave new world"

when in reality we are the only thing that is still restraining

the pouring out of the wrath of God on this world.

No Stress

Time is always short when compared with eternity.

The meaning of the visible things will lose their value

the older they get. In the future eternity will totally

swallow up time.

That’s why stress is such a worthless fantasy.

Where will it take you faster?

Tired of Information

The tsunamis of information that try to invade our souls daily

are overwhelming and cruel. Like aggressive marketing ,

they don’t ask for a permission.

They come whenever they want.

Most of them are twisted, opinionated and deceitful.

Because they’re often not true, they don’t nourish man’s soul,

but consume it.

The floods of information have made a lot of people indifferent

and numb. This is a dangerous setting.

More than ever before you have be so careful with all the

papers you sign, beware of the small text that has been

hidden in the document.

The most dangerous developments are the documents that

don’t demand a personal signature anymore.

The system has already signed it, tailor -made for you.

Even God doesn’t do that.

He waits for our permission to rule over our lives.

John 6:63

Even When Nobody Knows

Personal, private integrity matters.

When nobody is around, then, what do I do?

The size of the gap between my private life

and my public life is the size of my need 
to grow in integrity.

Integrity means to love the truth and continue 

loving it without any compromises, even to 

one's own hurt.

Integrity defines the accuracy of our speaking,

the weight of our words.

One of the most serious and meaningful prayers 

in the Bible is found in Psalm 26:2-3

"Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;

Try my mind and my heart. For your loving 

kindness is before my eyes, and I have walked

in your truth."

Choices

Doing things voluntarily

 is considered to be one of the fundamental

psychological needs of man.

Even little children are taking pride

 for doing things by themselves.

It brings a feeling of success and responsibility.

This need has been distorted by 

the strong emphasis on independence.

People are advised to save themselves,

 not to depend on God.

Looking for a salvation outside of God is a dead end street.

God is the author of salvation.

God continues to love man,

 because love is the highest form of expression.

It cannot be forced.It's not possible without freedom.

Our free will is a powerful tool in sanctification,

 but it also can easily

be used as a weapon for destruction.

Submission, obedience and humility are beautiful

 principles which all are based on voluntary choices . 

Eyes Opened

 The message of God is not always a ready standard answer

nor a happy end. Often it’s a colon.

Sometimes a life-long answer will follow.

Every moment of communication with God

is unique. It’s not a replay of some original

prototype conversation.

God always encourages us to think deeper, higher and further.

Without the supernatural involvement of the Holy Spirit our

thoughts and expectations remain one dimensional.

The servant of Elisha saw a great army of the enemy

surrounding them. He missed the invisible horses and

chariots of fire around the prophet. What changed it?

Elisha’s request to open his servant’s eyes.

Life is not what it looks like. I don’t think that the horses

and chariots of fire have been taken to the garage yet.

They continue being busy around God's people today.

Come ye aside and rest awhile.

Mark 6:31

Some spots for rest are in a dangerous places.

Jesus himself rested in the storm and seemingly

shocked his disciples with his choice of time

and place for his nap.

The whole world is such a place, full of dangers and

unsure circumstances.

It's a powerful thing to lay down and rest in Him when

the whole world around you is falling apart.