THANK YOU

Today people wish "Happy Thanksgiving" to everyone, not realizing that many recipients of this joyful and well-intentioned wish will not be happy because their thoughts and emotions are clinging to the memory of someone they have lost. Whether it was a few months ago or a few years ago, it doesn't matter. Loss is not a wound that heals, but rather a scab that breaks open every time you touch it.  And today is one of those days.

But thank God, days like this don't have to be just a reminder of what we've lost, but they can be a reminder of what a great blessing we've received.  Even if it didn't last as long as we would have liked.

Those who have faith in Christ know that our relationships aren't just for a little while, but for all eternity.  God may have temporarily interrupted our physical connection with those we love, but He has promised a reunion with them in the future.  His promise is meant to give us hope, peace, and strength right here, right now.  

Whatever pain we experience, this is not the end of the story! I believe that this is a good reason to be thankful for today.

It may not be a "Happy" Thanksgiving, but it can still be a day of gratitude, where tears of hope and joy replace despair. We are "sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10).
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

SUFFERING

Suffering and death are the harsh realities of this world and this life.  They are an inseparable part of our existence, and no amount of wishful thinking can change that fact. 

Biblically speaking, it is the consequence of sin, which infiltrates every aspect of our lives. A truth that cannot be sugarcoated.

The only hope amidst this suffering is that those who have faith in Christ, will realize that our human existence is very brief in the grand scheme of eternity, and that only through Christ we can see and accept, that this world is not our home, and that our trials and sufferings serve a divine purpose, because there is a greater plan at work.

With this perspective, we are able to face every trial with joy, peace, and hope, and we can develop a healthy, but sincere longing for the life to come.

IS GOD EVIL?

“You are an omniscient, omnipotent Creator of the universe.  You created some people, tied them up, placed them on a railroad track and make a train hurtle towards them. You promise to save them if they accept that You are the creator of this situation. Are You evil?”

Someone posted this on Facebook a few days ago and I wondered if these people were serious or if our culture is now displaying its stupidity with pride.

These are “gotcha” arguments often made by individuals who lack knowledge about God, the story of God, the story of humankind, or the story of salvation. They oversimplify their anti-God sentiment by creating a distorted image based on their irrational perception of what they believe God to be. 

But how do you respond to such nonsense?  And 'yes' I call it nonsense, because these arguments are rarely intended to initiate a genuine and enlightening conversation. Instead, they are used solely to prove a point and win an argument - a typical, flawed strawman argument.

But often it is the silent, curious observer who eagerly awaits a response to this accusation. And as a believer, we better have a compelling one.

First of all, what's wrong with this metaphor is the ‘tied people on the track’.  God did not tie people up and put them on a track to make them believe or go to hell.  No, He told them not to go near the track, but if they felt they had to, they certainly could, because they were created with free will.

God did not create evil, nor is He evil.  God created man into perfection, but man sinned and messed everything up because of their free will. God's creation chose evil, and evil was passed down from generation to generation, destroying the world itself.

We are born into sin and God has offered and not forced the opportunity to be saved from that sin by accepting the gift of salvation that comes only through Jesus.

When we came into this world we were already dead.  But God who loved the world so much wanted to give us life, and He paid a price for that - Jesus. 

What are we going to do with this gift of life? And who is truly the embodiment of evil in this world?

FEARS & WORRIES - WILL THEY EVER GO AWAY?

My fears and worries can be overwhelming at times.  They can feel like a terrifying monster lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment.

I'm aware that I have to realize that the reason I'm afraid is because I don't consider that God's presence is with me. Once I realize that God is indeed with me, my fears and worries will subside. With God's presence, I also gain access to the comfort of His promises, His peace, His protection, and His provision.  

God knows me from the inside out, and His desire is to inspire me to find my courage and strength in Him alone. But my fallen humanity is stubborn and wants to hold on to its independence and self-sufficiency. It makes it hard to let go of myself and completely fall into the arms of God.  But that's what I must do.

We are given permission to let go of fear because God assures us that there is no need to be afraid when we are with Him. (Isaiah 41:10)

AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO NEVER HEARD OF JESUS ?

I’ve often asked myself: What happens to people who have never heard about Jesus? That seems like such an important question—one that has a lot to do with God’s justice and His nearness to us, no matter where we live or who we are.

It is comforting to know that God doesn’t hold people accountable simply because of what they don’t know. Instead, His judgment is based on how we respond to the truth we already do know (Luke 12:47-48).

Every human being carries deep within their heart an awareness of God. We often sense it unconsciously—in the beauty of nature, in the order of the world around us, and in the quiet voice of our conscience.

But there is a challenge: many people make the choice to ignore this awareness and close their eyes, even though deep inside they sense that God is real. That isn’t carelessness or a mistake—it’s a deliberate decision to reject the truth.

Romans 1:20 says that such people are “without excuse.” They cannot simply claim they didn’t know, because God has already revealed Himself through creation enough for them to recognize Him. Choosing to reject that truth leads to an eternity apart from God—which means the absence of all that is good.

But what about those who live on a remote island, people who have never heard the name of Jesus—the Messiah, the way to God and eternal life?

I firmly believe that God reveals Himself to those who sincerely seek Him and follow the hints He has placed in their hearts. Jeremiah 29:13 promises: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” Today we hear many moving testimonies, especially from the Muslim world, of people who encountered Jesus through dreams or personal experiences.

God gives every person the opportunity to find Him. This assurance should encourage us to seek Him with all that we are, to embrace the knowledge we already have, and to stay open to the ways He points us to Jesus.

Jesus Himself said that He and the Father are one (John 10:30) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). This means that Jesus is God Himself, and the only way to eternal life with God—a life overflowing with love, joy, and every good thing.

When we follow Jesus, He promises us an unshakable foundation of hope and faith, one that strengthens and sustains us for this eternal fellowship with God.

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I WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU

For the most part I "walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), but too often, to my embarrassment, I seem to perceive God's faithfulness only in retrospect, and rarely when I look forward. And I ask myself, do I have faith in God only for what He has done for me?  For what I can see and evaluate, but not for what He has promised? 

Where is my faith that shows confidence in what I hope for. Faith that has assurance for the things I can't see? (Hebrews 11:1).

 

God assures me that He will never fail me, that He will never abandon me (Hebrews 13:5). Scripture is filled with God's positive promises, and I believe every one of them, yet my faith sometimes seems so small.

I guess the world with all its terror and lies can certainly distract and confuse me. That's why I have to constantly remind myself who God is and apply the things He has done in my life to the things He will do. 

 

He will never leave me and never forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:8). This is His promise, and I believe Him.

“All the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]. 

That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”
(2 Corinthians 1:20)

GOD IS GOOD - ALWAYS

 "Why trust God when he tortured Job, just to win a bet with Satan?"

Someone asked me this question a few weeks ago and I had to try to find an answer. For him, but also for myself.

The problem with finding a satisfying answer to the problem of suffering is that we are trying to figure out who God is by our own human standards of what is good and just.  

I am a follower of Jesus and I have objections and questions especially when it comes to suffering. For some of these unanswered questions that bother me as a mere human being, I will eventually find an answer, but for many other unanswered questions, I won't.  
I have to come to terms with the humbling truth that my knowledge is limited, and admit that "I don't know God, and I'm never going to figure Him out" - at least not in this life.

But here comes the thing that is beyond human understanding - Faith.

When I sum up what God has done, and what he is doing for humanity, I can only come up with the stereotypical Christian phrase: "God is good - always". Because He provided a way out of this present darkness, by suffering Himself.   This, of course, is not satisfying to those who seek to answer the never-ending questions of *why*.

The bottom line is that this life is nothing compared to what comes next for those who have found God, or rather Jesus. This life is a breath, a blip in the grand scheme of eternity. It is over as soon as it begins.  Should we risk waiting to find out if what is written, prophesied, and promised in the Word of God is true, or should we live with the hope, assurance, and joy that there is indeed an eternal life of bliss waiting for those who have walked in God's way?

There is a reason why the book of Job is in the Bible.  It tells us that we will suffer greatly in this life, emotionally and physically, but that God will restore and heal.

The inspired men who wrote the Bible weren't stupid, otherwise they would have removed all the parts that would cause objections, questions, and doubts. But questions and doubts are necessary to find answers, even if the answer is simply to trust in God (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Despite my lack of understanding of God and my many unanswered questions, I still say, "God is good - always".

A SAD GENERATION

This is a generation that cannot deal with the past and therefore cannot see a future.

A generation that claims to live in the moment, but hates the moment it lives in.

A generation misinformed about itself and its human depravity.

A generation that has never understood the power of overcoming and moving forward.

A generation that is now being forced to open its eyes to a terrible reality and its inept efforts to change the world.

A generation that will repeat history because they weren't taught to learn from it.

 

Yet - 

this is also a generation that craves authenticity and despises hollow clichés.

A generation fierce in its convictions, yet fragile with deep sensitivity, 

haunted by a profound sadness.

And still - 

a choice remains:
to turn bitterness into wisdom,
brokenness into humility,
longing into truth.

And in that truth, 

rests the seed of a hope that never fades -
a hope that reaches out and touches
the hand of something greater than themselves.

I BELIEVE IN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Someone told me that as a former Christian whose faith has waned over the years, he now believes in empirical evidence and sound logic rather than "myths" and "wishful thinking".

When I hear such statements, I always doubt the person's claim to have been a Christian at all.  The definition of being a Christian is very narrow and doesn't leave room for interpretation.

First, it is important to distinguish between being "a Christian" and being "a Jesus follower", which can be two completely different things. The latter usually has occasional doubts, which is a normal part of being human, but in the end, their faith is unshakable.

On the other hand many honest "Christians" might write touching sermons or songs, devote themselves to church, do good deeds, and so on, but they may never have experienced the faith that comes from the hope of eternal life that Jesus promised. A faith "in Jesus" that not only hopes for the good things he can give me in this world, but also anticipates the suffering he allows, and despite the prospect of suffering, finds joy in my walk with him. A faith that doesn't need all the answers the world tries to find.  A faith no matter what. (Hebrews 11:1)

When that faith is not there, it's easy to walk away and side with "empirical logic," which seems convincing but has even fewer answers to our existence than faith can give.

If you ask such Christians if they think they will go to heaven, you usually get the answer "I hope so" rather than "absolutely". 

Faith is not dependent on empiricism, it is dependent on Jesus. (Romans 10:17)

SEARCHING - AND YET ALREADY FOUND

Lately, I’ve been looking back at my very first attempts to find God, and I had questions about why an unsaved sinner could be "in the presence of God."

I wondered why God would even reach out to someone like me—a lost being trying to figure out who God was or if He even existed at all. But maybe, the fact that I was searching for Him made Him want me to find Him even more  (which may not be perfectly theological, but it’s close)—Jeremiah 29:13.

And so now, as a born again believer, I find myself asking God why I could be important enough for Him to notice me, even when I was so unworthy, rebellious and far away from Him.

Then, in my spirit, I heard God say these words to me:
"Sin doesn’t surprise Me. I’m the One who let you live in it—but I’m also the One who loves you too much to just let you die in it." (Romans 3:23–24)

Looking back, I’m grateful that God didn’t wait for me to be "perfect" or have all the answers. He met me right where I was, in my questions and my doubts. And if He’s willing to do that for me, I believe He wants to meet anyone who’s searching—even if you’re still unsure or feel unworthy. That’s the kind of love and grace that changed my life, and it’s available to all of us.

If you’re on that journey too, keep looking—He’s closer than you think.

INTO THE HEART Of GOD

Ever since my wife died a few months ago, I feel like I tripped, and fell into the heart of God.
He is comfort in a seemingly never ending discomfort.
He is there with me just as He promised to be.
Not to prevent all of my calamities, but to carry me through them.
I love You Lord!

PEACE

Have you ever experienced the peace that comes from Jesus?

A peace that surpasses all understanding?  Philippians 4:7

Peace from the man who claims to be God, the person that says before Abraham was even born - I Am!   John 8:58

What is he saying?

He is saying that He was always there, even before the world began. 

He is saying: 'I am God, and I give you peace!'  John 14:27

                         Take it!

IF YOU DON'T

Last year I went through many doubts, hopes and fears, so that I had to surrender yet again and say: "Lord, forgive me! Whatever Your will is in my life, I will still love You, and praise You".  

So I wrote this song "If You Don't", which is inspired by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego - (Daniel 3:17-18), and talks about the possibility of suffering and loss etc. but still praising God for who He is in spite of it.

I believe that this year, God tested my claim that I would praise Him no matter what, when He unexpectedly took my wife home to be with Him.
 

I still praise and worship God, even though I am sad that I am no longer with my wife. But heaven is my goal, and my hope has been lifted a thousand miles higher.

 

TEARS & TRUST

My wife unexpectedly went to heaven two weeks ago. I'm in shock, disbelief, and extreme depression. Many well meaning people are trying to encourage me by saying that I just "need time to heal". But I'm thinking what is this even supposed to mean - "healing from what?". My wife is etched into my heart and soul. We both knew that we were a gift from God to each other.  Now God has taken her home, away from me, for reasons that only He knows.

But I embrace my heavenly Father’s plan, which He is revealing only as far as I can see in the dark. I trust Him, and I hope He lets me live with an ever growing love for my wife so that I don't lose the depth of my longing to be with her again. I want my urge to be in heaven with Jesus and her to intensify, so that when God calls me home, I will have truly lived, with His strength and His guidance, for that moment.

Life will never be the same, which doesn't mean it has to be full of sadness. I'm maturing into the person God wants me to be in the end, and that's a good thing!

THE SELFISH SWEETNESS OF DEADLY BLISS

The other day I woke up and felt like I had to call an old friend in Germany that I worked with in the 80's but hadn't talked to in over ten years. So I called. He and his wife were pleasantly surprised that I was calling from the US just to find out how they were doing.

I remembered that their marriage had always been rocky, but here they were, both in their late seventies and still married. They told me that their son had committed suicide some time ago, which I sensed had brought them closer together and made them somewhat spiritual.

When they asked me how I was doing, I told them that Jesus had changed my life, and their reaction was joy and excitement. I thought, "Hallelujah, have they also given their lives to Jesus?"  But their answer was something like this: "It's a good thing to follow Jesus because you have to be spiritual in this life. That's the most important thing. We follow Buddha. It gives us so much joy and peace. We also explore other spiritual things. As long as you're spiritual, in whatever way, you're doing the right thing".

Everything inside me was screaming and I wanted to say, "Wait, you don't even know who Jesus is or what He says and who He claims to be. You know nothing about Him. If you knew who He was, you wouldn't follow anyone or anything else, because then you would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that your next life is something you can count on. An assurance that no one else can give you".
But I didn't say that. There was just no time to be a street preacher on the phone. And so the conversation went on about this and that, and then we said goodbye and hung up.

I felt guilty for not being more forceful, fearing the unpleasant repercussions of promoting Jesus' exclusivity more than their sad eternity without God.  I pray for them now. And that's what God tells us to do, to pray constantly for the lost.
But God has also opened my eyes. I know the unsaved world needs Jesus, but for the first time I experienced firsthand the selfish sweetness of deadly bliss that can only be found in false gods.

LET'S PREPARE OUR HEARTS

On Sunday mornings, we often come to church like an out-of-tune piano. We bring all kinds of baggage that has accumulated during the week, yet we want our worship to be pleasing to God.

 

The "bringing the baggage" part is fine, as long as we leave it at the foot of the cross.

When we enter the throne room, do we come with open hands or clenched fists? How can we receive anything from God if our hands are clenched in anger and/or fear? We must be in tune.

 

God is eager to get our hearts in tune. If we ask Him to empty us of the baggage that fills us up, He will empty us and make room for the worship and praise that is trapped inside but wants to be released before our God.

Our purpose on Sunday morning is to glorify God and express our love and gratitude to Him for all that He has done. This time, we give to Him.

Sunday praise and worship doesn't begin at 10 a.m. when the praise band plays its first notes.  It is a pilgrimage to the throne room of God that begins when we open our eyes that morning.

So let's come together on Sunday morning with our hearts in tune, ready to praise the Lord of our hearts.

I USED TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME.

Throughout my life as a believer, I have encountered people who claim to have been Christians at one time, but then either through reasoning, social conditioning, or personal disappointment, decided that Jesus was not the right thing for them. But it is only in recent years that I have seen people make this claim more boldly and proudly than ever before. As if being a follower of Christ is a burden to be lifted, a lie to be set free from.
I can't understand why anyone would ever walk away from Christ and declare themselves an unbeliever. I understand that religious pressure from family or the culture we live in can lead to rebellion-but to walk away from Christ, the truth you claim to have once known? It doesn't make sense. 

The apostle John explains why this is possible. He says that because we live in the last days, there are many antichrists among us. These people who once claimed to be one of us were never one of us, otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left us, it proved that they did not belong to us. -1 John 2:19
He is saying that these people were never true to what they claimed to believe. They were/are antichrists. Wow, that's a tough statement!
I have people in my own family that I love dearly that have walked away from Jesus and it breaks my heart.  I wonder if there is a way back for them. Are these people just so-called "backsliders"? I hope so, because if they are, life or death will eventually turn them around and they will run to Jesus again. But I don't think John is talking about "backsliders" here. He is talking about the seed of the Antichrist. And I believe that these people are truly lost forever. Let's hope and pray that none of our unbelieving loved ones are among them.

ISAAC LIVES

The sermon at church today reminded me of a time when God asked me to sacrifice what I love.  A while back, I was on a life-changing 30-day Daniel fast, and on day 27, God led me to a place where I questioned what I loved and what I loved doing in my life.

My profession, love and passion, all of my life was and is being a creative musician.  It is how I express myself, it is my shrink, my tear collector, my bliss and joy and even a blessing to others. And yes, of course I love Jesus.
I love Jesus and I go to church and I love doing my "Christian duties". But what if all the things I love compete with the one who gave me all these things? What if they have become a distraction and not a tool?

I just read my fasting journal and my entry for day 27 was pretty desperate. I knew God was speaking to my heart:

'God is speaking to me ... I now doubt my profession as a musician,  God is asking me "Do you love my gifts more than you love me?"... I can answer this with: "Lord You are my 1st Love", "I can not disobey You when I hear You so clearly" ... I'm pleading not to take music out of my life, but if it is His will, then it needs to be done ... God says: "Isaac lives!'

I was distraught and sad when God spoke to me like this. He made it clear to me that even though I had given my life to Christ, and even though my whole outlook on life had changed when I did, I was still holding on to other things when God says to hold on only to Him.

On the 27th day of my fast I understood that I have to be willing to unclench and be willing to let go of everything I love and instead trust the One who gave me all the things I love.  Even if it makes me sad, I have to let "Isaac die". When I understood this and signaled to God with a heavy heart that I will let go of the things I love if this is really His will, He said: "Isaac lives.

God asks us to be willing to sacrifice the very thing He gave us in the first place, not to destroy it, but to leave us with a space that can only be filled by Him.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son. But he knew in his heart that God would intervene. Abraham thought that God would bring Isaac back to life  after he sacrificed him (Hebrews 11:19), but God didn't let Abraham even go that far. He intervened when He saw Abraham's trust in God's wisdom and plan.

THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE MAN ON THE CROSS

I'm not really comfortable with images of Jesus. I guess the beauty of the man on the cross as it is displayed  in many churches, graphics, paintings and souvenirs, is meant to be a depiction of the beauty of God's love. But I can't really look at these images without thinking that the real image of Jesus is being hidden and even distorted.

No one knows exactly what Jesus looks like, but He certainly doesn’t look like the beautiful, perfectly groomed, long-haired, white man on the cross.
The Word of God gives us a glimpse of what Jesus might have looked like. It is in the book of  Isaiah:

“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem” - Isaiah 53:2–3

This is the awesome, selfless appearance of God in the flesh, who didn’t come as a king with splendor and pomp, but who becomes the eternal King for all those who see Him and understand who He is.

TREEHUGGER - A PRAISE

Every morning I go to the park nearby. It has become my meeting place with God over the years. I feel undisturbed and peaceful there and when I arrive I almost immediately start talking to God. The first words that come out of my mouth are usually words of praise and thanksgiving. Gratitude for the beautiful place He has provided for me. A place where I can rest and come to Him just as I am, and praise for His creation that obediently illustrates life and does what it was created to do.
Sometimes on my daily walks the vegetation seems to join in my praise and worship. And other times it seems like it's trying to comfort me when I'm in need of God's help.

The old hymn "In the Garden" comes to mind: "He walks with me and He talks with me". I can see His garden waking up in the spring and going to sleep in the fall. The colors He uses for His pictures are vibrant and comforting, and when you look closely, you begin to wonder if you have ever seen such colors before. Each season has its different sounds, smells, and images that are imprinted on my heart, soul, and mind so that I have a place to go when there is no park available.

The enemy is trying to rob us of these impressions of God. We are distracted by a world that is noisier than ever, an enemy that is more desperate than ever, and an arsenal of pleasures and indulgences at our disposal that no generation before us has ever seen. Our daily lives pull us in a thousand directions away from God's garden.

God's Word is like His garden.  When He tells us to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), He knows that we need these things as a shield to protect us from a world that wants to destroy us..

I want to focus on the good things around me. They are there for a reason. God is in them every day, every hour, every minute. And if there is no park for us to go to, God is still there where we are.

The beauty of creation is in the Creator Himself. My neighborhood park is a beautiful enclave for which I'm grateful, but God's garden is wherever God is.  Let Him be with you always.

ICE SKATERS

Did you know that even those who walk with Jesus still fall into sin? It may sound obvious, but it’s true: believers—Christians, disciples of Jesus—are not exempt. Every one of us sins. Yet for those who walk with Jesus, sin takes on a different shape.

It’s a bit like watching a figure skater stumble during the Olympic Games. In that first moment, the fall looks awkward and disappointing. But if you look closer, you notice something else: the way they fall is almost graceful, gliding across the ice, recovering with elegance, and rising again so quickly it feels like the fall itself was part of the performance.

That’s how it is with us. We stumble time and again—through failures, doubts, and weaknesses. And that’s okay. Because it is often in those broken places that God invites us to come to Him, to receive forgiveness, and to begin again.

Forgiveness is never something we can earn. It is the gift of God’s grace, made possible through Jesus Christ on the cross.

When we wonder if our guilt might be too great, we can rest in this truth: we are loved—no matter what. Even when we fall, God extends His hand, lifting us up to continue walking—this time with new confidence and freedom.

So we hold on to His grace and step courageously back “onto the ice.”

The performance goes on—with every step, and with hope alive in our hearts.

 “But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this:

 While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us” 

Romans 5:8

BORN TO LOSE

That title might sound like a throwback to some cheesy rock anthem from the eighties—but stay with me. It’s more true than we’d like to admit. We’re born, we form habits, and we slowly grow into someone we eventually accept as “just who I am.” Then we settle there. We tell ourselves, “God made me this way,” and use the phrase I’m only human as a convenient escape from deeper spiritual responsibility.

But when Jesus stepped into the picture, He shattered that mindset. He exposed the hard truth: if we rely on our human nature alone, we are born to lose. The world we’re born into—broken and ruled by sin—cannot produce anything but more brokenness. And that’s why Jesus’ words sound so radical.

He said that to follow Him, to find life that lasts forever, we must deny ourselves (die to our old selves), take up our cross (Mark 8:34), and be born again (John 3:3). That is not self-help; it is self-surrender. The reason so many people—even some believers—struggle with this is because His call runs against everything our ego wants to cling to.

Jesus’ teaching presses us with a choice: either grasp at our own life and lose it, or surrender ourselves to Him and truly live. Free will is a gift, but it can just as easily become our downfall. The self was never meant to be its own god.

I DON'T LIKE THE MUSIC!

Church music leaders often hear this: "Music has lost its meaning," "back in the day we used to have real worship and praise music," or "I want my hymns back." While I believe these statements are correct from a traditional viewpoint, it is similar to stating "everything was better when I was young." However, God's word, our relationship with Him, and our experience remain unchanged. On the other hand, humanity's ability to understand, act, and respond has changed significantly in the last 2000 years.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love the old hymns and I love contemporary music. However, I personally have a hard time worshiping in spirit and truth with super loud and repetitive upbeat music. But I will defend its existence.

It is sad that the human race, in its intellectual evolution, needs to simplify everything. But at the same time, I believe that those who seek God with a true heart (Jeremiah 29:13) and have a relationship with Him will never lose their longing for God and their daily expression of praise and worship. It's our root and it's systemic, but it's expressed in a different way in this century.

I believe that simply playing cool Christian songs that don't focus on the corporate praise and worship element is wrong and should not be used in corporate worship. Unfortunately, this is what is happening in our churches quite often. However, the evolutionary direction of simplifying everything in our worship culture and culture as a whole is not necessarily a means of simplifying God, it is just who we are in this day and age. We are still able to worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24), even though the music is not as "musical and deep" as it used to be. 

I think sometimes all this is just a bitter cry for what has been lost, bundled with a kind of "selfish" ambition to leave things as they are.

The ever-changing world has changed our ability to perceive, act and react, but the powerful and convicting truth of God, full of expression and stirring emotion, has not changed. Even though our corporate, musical praise and worship gatherings are expressed with fewer words and simpler melodies, God is still God, and His Spirit instilled in us is still the same Spirit as it was 2000 years ago. Our way of expressing it has changed.

THAT'S WHERE I WANT TO BE

I am a very creative person, full of ideas and with many desires in my life. Every once in a while, I come across a role model, someone whose life has made a difference and is a positive success. Then I go to God and say: "that's where I want to be" and He says: "I've already put someone there". 

     

Could it be that my pursuit of happiness and success should be a pursuit of contentment? Doesn't God know where I am and why I'm here? Maybe I should stop thinking about a purpose that hasn't found me yet and start seeing the purpose that is right where I am. 

 

My idea of success is certainly not God's idea of success. And while this thought may be disappointing at first, I must begin to see the divine legitimacy of where I am. When I do, I will be just as influential as my role models. In a different place, but just as important.

A life in Christ is a life in mission. Our hope is in Christ, not in ourselves. When our desires are surrendered to the desires of God, our life and mission in Christ becomes a source of peace that accomplishes many things.

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life"

- Proverbs 13:12

HE WHO IS IN ME

While writing "Sacrifice of One", I was under heavy attack. In just two days, I suffered from a temporary but severe hearing loss caused by my tinnitus that lasted for weeks, I suffered from an eye infection, and a painful sciatica immobilized me for a whole week. For unknown reasons, the enemy fought against me more fiercely than usual. However, I was determined to complete the song for our church's Good Friday service.  

And so I ignored the world and its pain (to put it poetically) and fought the enemy back by reaching for the peace and joy that can be found in every circumstance in our lives (2 Thessalonians 3:16) and I finished my song in time.
I don't know if my song needed to be finished in time so my church could hear it, or if anyone was impacted by it, but I know this: I had to finish the song in spite of my pain and discomfort. I had to show the enemy that 'the one who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world' (1 John 4:4).

A WELL-PAYING JOB

A few years into my redeemed life, I realized that not only was I receiving the free gift of eternal life, but I was also receiving the responsibilities of a committed relationship. I was hired for life to a well-paying job. Although there are no days off and no vacations. The responsibilities seem endless. A simple prayer request becomes an urgent task, an encounter with an unsaved person becomes an often heart-wrenching mission that can last decades or forever. Many of the tasks into which you pour your strength, your tears, and your hope may never bear fruit that you will see in this lifetime. But the job itself is a reward.  Out of tears, discouragement or weariness comes joy, encouragement and strength.

Being born again brings with it the responsibility to act on your new heart, your new thoughts, and your zeal to share what you have been given with those who don't yet have it. Worrying about your own life is kind of unnecessary because your employer says, "Do not worry, everything you need will be given to you" (Matthew 6:30-33). And the biggest bonus when your job is finally over is eternal life. A well-paying job indeed.

WHEN DOUBT STRIKES

A few days ago a friend of mine sent me a booklet by a German theologian who, without denying the necessity of Jesus for salvation, claims that Jesus wasn't divine and that Jesus' words were not translated correctly. According to the theologian, this leads to false assumptions and beliefs. This theologian studied the ancient Bible languages for decades, and everything I read in this pamphlet had the appearance of a thoroughly researched study.

How can a respected theologian write such a thing? "Jesus not divine?", "His words not the truth as I know it?".  I was about to laugh it off and dismiss it as the attempt of a "ferocious wolf in sheep's clothing" to confuse me (Matthew 7:15), when for a split second the question "What if?" popped into my mind. I was shocked. Had I just experienced doubt about my core beliefs? 

I immediately began to pray and asked God to fill me with His truth and wisdom and for some reason I began to speak out loud what that truth was. As if I needed to shout it out to the world around me.

What came out of my mouth was the unchanging Christian message. The truth so simple that some can't believe it. But we need to hear it again and again in its simplicity to be reminded of where we stand.

"It is God who wanted to make himself known to us, his creation, whom he loves. But a creation that was also on the verge of collapse because it didn't know who God was, and so in a desperate attempt to fill the "God vacuum," people decided to make up their own gods. So God, who is Spirit, sent Himself to earth in the form of Jesus the Christ (the Messiah), who had been prophesied centuries before. To live among us, to teach us who God is, and to show us a way out of our finite and miserable existence. God came to us in the form of Jesus to reveal that our deep longing for Him points to Jesus. Jesus lived for us and walked before us so that we might have a way to walk. And He died for us so that we might find eternal life through Him and Him alone. And when Jesus died for our sins, He didn't leave us alone, but sent His own Spirit to live in the bodies of the born-again believers to counsel, guide, and communicate with them. Jesus is God's final attempt to show His love for mankind before He "closes the book" forever."

After shouting out this simple and eternal truth that I firmly believe, I realized that these split seconds of doubt are actually a healthy exercise. When you do not make up your own mind, but let God do the work (2 Peter 1:20-21), it draws you closer to Him and makes you stronger and bolder.

Jesus, the man on the cross, had a moment of doubt when he cried out: "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"). So it is perfectly normal for us to have moments of doubt in our human nature. But it is imperative that we question our doubts rather than questioning God.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, 

correcting and training in righteousness,

so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped 

for every good work

2 Timothy 3:16-17

SUPPRESSING THE SPIRIT OF GOD

In recent days, I’ve been overwhelmed by sadness and anxiety, a heaviness that drains my strength both physically and mentally. One morning, as I walked to the park, I asked God why I felt this way. Why has this sudden sadness stolen my joy, and more importantly why can’t I overcome it? I pleaded, “Please speak to me. Show me how to get through this.”

I know the truth: Christ lives in me, and through Him, I can overcome. But today, that truth felt distant and hard to apply. To my surprise, God’s answer was simple: “Through me.” It wasn’t the dramatic sign I expected—no angel, no miracle—just the quiet, powerful truth I already knew.

As I walked, I opened my daily devotional. It was about drunkenness, something irrelevant to me—or so I thought. But halfway through, it pointed to Ephesians 5:18: “Be filled with the Spirit.” Instantly, I knew God was speaking to my heart. My prayers had opened me to this reminder: to overcome fear and depression, I don’t need extraordinary signs—just to let His Spirit fill me.

Being filled with the Spirit means focusing on Christ’s presence vividly and joyfully. It means rising above life’s tragedies and casting out all the fear, sadness, and stress. Today, I realized I had been suppressing that Spirit by inhaling too much of the world’s negativity.

The choice is mine: the poisonous fumes of this world, or the life-giving Spirit of God. Today, I both failed and succeeded. Praise God for His grace!

DON'T WAIT FOR GOD'S PACKAGE

When we come to God with a request, we often pray earnestly, sometimes even desperately. Then, we sit back and wait, expecting our answer to be delivered right to our doorstep.

 

But sometimes, God surprises us. Instead of just dropping the gift off, He invites us to go on a little journey to pick it up ourselves. And on that journey, we might have unexpected encounters with others, with God Himself, or gain experiences that become blessings to share with others later on.

Sometimes the blessings we most need come not just in the gift, but also in the journey that shapes us, opens our hearts, and connects us more deeply with God and those around us.

MY GOD-COLOURED VOICE

I realize that I often pay too much attention to what I’ll call my “God-colored voice.” It’s the voice that tries to say the socially acceptable thing instead of speaking spiritual truth. It’s the “churchy, feel-good voice” that aims to please everyone, even when a harder truth needs to be spoken. 

 

But there is a difference between the voice of the Holy Spirit - who never holds anything back - and my own self-shaped, God-colored voice, which only leads to lukewarm choices. 

 

Those choices may feel right in the moment, but they are usually tailored to my own comfort rather than to God’s desire, or the obedience the moment demands.

STAY WITH ME AND I STAY WITH YOU

In John 15:5-7 Jesus explains that just as a branch cannot live apart from the vine, so our souls cannot thrive apart from Christ. Jesus invites His disciples—and us—to remain in Him, for in His presence our lives bear fruit that endures. Through prayer, through the quiet of Scripture, through listening and meditating on His Word, the breath of God renews our spirit. But when we drift from Him, our hearts grow dry, and like a branch severed from its source, we slowly wither away.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." 

HOPE

What came to my mind was this: "When problems replace hope, something is wrong with your faith." Maybe that sounds a little harsh, because I do have faith. Yet sometimes that saying fits me uncomfortably well. There are moments when I feel like a prisoner. By nature and character, I have always needed the freedom to walk freely—or to walk away from things when it was time. But now I sometimes feel that my circumstances have put me inside a box.  

Still, I know very well that God is above everything, and that I should always depend on Him completely. And then, in the midst of sadness and seemingly unchangeable situations, there are those sudden moments when my spirit cries out: "IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL." In those moments, I know it truly is—and I treasure them deeply.

WITNESS

I was able to observe a beautiful scenario that perfectly complemented our youth pastor's message this morning. His theme was about caring for people and going out and telling them the truth about Jesus. After church I went to Whole Foods Market and saw two young men talking to a young woman from Pakistan who had a booth there to promote a product. One of the men had a T-shirt that said: "There is Hope - Hebrews 11". 

So I was curious to see what would happen. One of them started to talk seriously. After a while, the young woman became emotional. Then the men prayed over her and she began to cry profusely. You could tell that something or someone was tugging at her. When the prayer was over, you could see that her tears of sorrow obviously turned into tears of joy. What a beautiful picture! 

I don't know if she gave her life to Jesus today, but she definitely encountered the power of the truth of Jesus, which once you know, there is no going back. I thanked the men for their courage.

JESUS ABOUT RELIGION

"You and your religion..." I often hear remarks like this from friends, family members, or others who don’t believe. My response usually surprises them: I’m not really religious at all. That answer often leaves them puzzled, because they expect Christianity to be just another system of rituals, rules, and traditions.

But Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to restore a broken relationship—reconnecting us with God in the most personal and understandable way. Christianity, at its core, is not about ceremonies or regulations; it is about knowing and walking with Jesus Christ. It is not a Religion - it is a relationship.

Interestingly, when you read the Gospels, the people Jesus spoke most firmly against weren’t the outcasts or sinners, but the religious leaders of His day. In Matthew 23 (Matthew 23:23-28), for example, He openly rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, saying they looked righteous on the outside but were full of greed and self-indulgence on the inside. In John 8 (John 8:31-36), He exposed how their hearts were hardened by legalism, showing they cared more about rules than about mercy and truth.

Why was He so strong with them? Because religion without relationship blinds people to God’s heart. Jesus wanted His hearers to see beyond empty ritual and find true life in Him. He was passionate about breaking down barriers that kept people from approaching the Father.

That’s what sets Christianity apart. It isn’t about us climbing up to God through religious effort—it’s about God reaching down to us through Jesus. It’s a relationship offered freely, one of love, forgiveness, and daily connection with the living God.