Opportunities

Pastor Schaller said in his Sunday evening message, that

"The best way to live is to look for more responsibilities."

Opportunities for responsibilities are everywhere,
they come in all sizes,

in all countries and cultures.

When we stop looking for better excuses and ways to

justify our selfish lifestyles we'll have a lot of time for

new responsibilities.

So Different And So Alike

The birth of two baby girls was announced, 

seemingly not intentionally,

on the same page of our local newspaper.

The English princess was born to a palace.

The other baby was born to a migrant woman on

an Italian Navy ship after the mother was

rescued from an overcrowded boat.

Do their worlds ever meet ?

Actually, they just did, in an Omani newspaper.

And in our minds they meet and represent millions

of questions that just need to be thought about.

Endless Newness

As our flesh continues daily to humiliate and frustrate us,

 whining endlessly, we seem to always win. 

Isn't that what this message is all about,

 sinners revealing the holiness of God in their earthen vessels.

The continuing newness of life is a miracle

 that man will never be able

to figure out.

Finland

Guilt is a cruel master.

Guilt will continue haunting us as long as our souls

are connected with our earthly bodies.

I was shocked to realize that even recycling trash can

disturb my peace of mind.

Every time I left a bag of trash in the recycling spin

guilt was ready to invade my soul. Did I do it right?

Did I sort out all the substances honestly? Did anyone see

me fail in doing this right?

No wonder some people feel like jumping in themselves.

Make the foundation stronger!

Convictions are not an undefined chain around our neck

hindering us from having fun in the world. Convictions are

solid bricks in our foundation of faith.They help us to

see further.

New circumstances should not change our convictions.

The invitation to change our convictions in order to change

the circumstances is a tricky temptation.

Endless Washings

The endless washing of everything sends a strong

message of our need to be continually forgiven

and brought to the new beginning.

Washing makes life more pleasant but cannot 

make us clean enough.

Only the blood of Jesus can "cleanse our conscience

from dead works to serve the living God ". Heb.9:14