Category Archives: Bible

Bible

In the valley of deep darkness with God on you

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“Even though I walk through the valley of deep darkness, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Psalm 23:4

In times of need, David goes with God on “you”. He realizes: God is there.

When we come to the limit of understanding, the path of trust in God begins. God presents Moses himself as the one who is (Exodus 3:14). He is present yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

It is a mystery that we draw closer to God in times of need. Job confessed at the lowest point in his life: “Now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). Suddenly we experience how God carries us through and how he holds us.

When everything is getting dark, it helps to be close to the one who knows the way.

Bible

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake

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Psalm 23:3

He leads me in “circles of justice”. David chose a Hebrew word that means circle (מעגל). It looks, in some ways, as if he says God is leading him round in circles! But there is some profound truth in this.

Things in our life repeat themselves. It seems like going in circles.

When we walk with God, we are going up in a spiral of growth.

The Hebrew says that God leads us in circles, or cycles of righteousness, for His name’s sake. God is committed to our growth, and our journey with Him, so that He gets the glory. He wants us to grow in righteousness.

Bible

He restores my soul

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Psalm 23:3 – Holiday Impulse 2023

Others translate: “He refreshes my soul” or “He brings my vitality back”

The Hebrew says, “He restores my soul” or “my soul comes back to me.”

We could also say: “I feel like myself again“.

Those who commit themselves to the good shepherd will find their way back to their determination of life. Our personality is taken seriously, and we are encouraged to prosper. God wants us to supplement, encourage and appreciate each one an another.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:14-25, “The body does not consist of one member but of many. . . . God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. … that the members may have the same care for one another.”

Bible

Hold on like Philadelphia

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In his message to the church in Philadelphia, Jesus emphasizes the steadfastness of believers and the faithful proclamation of the word of God. Jesus promises citizenship in the new heavenly Jerusalem to those who continue in the faith.

Jesus not only holds the key as mentioned in Revelation 1:18, but also closes and opens (Revelation 3:7). “ The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”

The teachers of the law, on the other hand, took away the key of knowledge. They prevent people from being forgiven. Jesus says in Luke 11:52, “Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

Like in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:8-9), in which five have not to give away their oil, in Revelation 3:11 believers are asked to be careful that no one takes their crown of glory from them.

Bible

Strengthen what is dying

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In the eyes of Jesus, the Christian community in Sardis is active, but living faith is missing. “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead”. The church is told to wake up (Revelation 3:1-6).

Jesus warns against an organized church instead than an organic connection with Jesus himself.

Church can take place, but not live inwardly. Jesus’ approach is exciting, not to let the smouldering wick go out (Matthew 12:20 / Isaiah 42:3), but to kindle it again: “Strengthen what remains and is about to die”.

Revelation 3:5 “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

In the book of life are written the names of those who have a share in eternal life. The term “book of life” comes from Psalm 69:29 (“Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous”).

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The church is a shelter for human encounters

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The resurrected Jesus, in Revelation 2:18-29, rebukes the church in Thyatira for allowing a woman in their midst, who encouraged to sexual immorality and participation in idolatrous feasts.

Spiritualizing sex leads to abuse of people. Church should be a place free of sexuality. People should meet here without hidden motives. The church should be a shelter for human encounters without one person becoming the object of another and thus being misused.

Anyone who can meet other people without desiring anything from them qualifies for a position of leadership in the kingdom of God (Revelation 2:26-27).

Bible

I and the Father are one

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The Feast of Trinity is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Jesus says, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

Some people say what God can, may, and should do. The Bible shows that God can do anything as long as he keeps his promises.

The Trinity is the logical consequence of divine revelation in the Bible.

God revealed himself in three personalities. He is father because a son was born. The son carries the father’s DNA and is not a lower being by virtue of sonship, but voluntarily submits to the father by virtue of sonship. God is present because he is spirit and can be everywhere trough the Holy Spirit and act everywhere at once. God is not human and therefore outside of our thinking.

Whoever receives the Holy Spirit also receives the Father and the Son (Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. John 13:20). No of them does anything that the other wouldn’t do. A dimension of unity that we cannot understand. Jesus said, “Believe me” (John 14:11). We cannot comprehend this unity with our mind.

Bible

Pentecost – breathtaking

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The Holy Spirit moves, inspires, fills all of creation. Its impact is breathtaking. Wherever something picks up speed, develops strength or breaks out in the Bible – the Holy Spirit is involved.

At Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples suddenly understood God’s masterpiece and speak of the great acts of God (Acts 2).

John 14,26: „But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.“

Bible

Ascension – A new chapter begins

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After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day, he met over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:5).

Although these encounters had an encouraging character, nothing earth-shattering happened. Jesus’ disciples went their own way again.

Jesus sent all the disciples back to Jerusalem.

The expectation of the disciples was great that Jesus would now set up the kingdom. But Jesus did not want to set a time for this and promised them divine power through the Holy Spirit, who would lead them into the whole world (Acts 1:6-8).

As Jesus ascended into heaven before their eyes on the Mount of Olives and disappeared from their sight through a cloud, Jesus opened a new chapter.

Jesus finished his first commission on earth. He went bodily to a real otherworldly place where he promised to prepare place to live for his followers (John 14:2).

He is now seated at the right hand of the heavenly Father (Mark 16:19 / Acts 7:56).

From there he will come again to set up God’s kingdom visibly.

Jesus taught his disciples that there is a real transcendent world and has now entered it. God’s presence is experienced anew through the Holy Spirit.

The followers of Jesus live in the expectation of being accepted into this other world. They look forward to the return of Jesus when he will set up his kingdom in glory.

Perhaps the Ascension Day has become a symbol that we too want to go to another world in prayer and then come back with new eyes.