Silent Time

A record of misery - a strange title, isn't it? After all, why would anyone talk about a record misery? Hardly anyone wants to talk about it, and yet, if we look back in our life, how many miseries have been there? Let’s not get depressed by thinking about those times, rather let’s hand it all over to God in prayer.

Have you spent recent days in sorrow or in joy? Whatever the current circumstances are, there are many things to be thankful for to the Lord, most of all for the great victory that he has won on the cross, that saves all who put their trust in him. That is the firm foundation throughout good as well as bad times.

A lot of resources are wasted in the world by rivalry, as people try to be relatively better-off than others. Envy, selfishness and peer-pressure destroy, but the ways of the Lord build up lives.

The top of the mountain.

Receiving power – what a great promise! The word of Lord tells us for example in the book of Acts that we can receive the power of the Holy Spirit, courage and energy even for the most difficult situations. And that was not only applicable 2000 years ago but still today.

Even throughout the toughest times of life, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Do not give up your confidence and the trust in the Lord God Almighty.

Throughout history and sadly still today there have been cases where many need to suffer because a few leaders or rulers egoistically try to increase their own influence and power.

In which mood do you turn to the Lord, specifically for communion? In whatever mood and with all kinds of emotions we can turn to the Lord – important is that we turn to him at all. The communion can be a particularly effective reminder of what is really important in life and can help us to readjust our mind to the right humble attitude towards the holy eternal God. In his grace he always welcomes...

“I know whom you are looking for” – is it not strange to say that? How can you know whom someone else is looking for? Sometimes we may guess by the circumstances. But in the original context of those words spoken it was known for sure. Whom do you look for?

We tend to have in mind the things that we lack in life. But considering that there have been times when people had barely enough to survive, and still today many have to live under severe conditions lacking basic needs, let’s not forget to give thanks to God every day for all that he provides. Let’s not forget how kind and merciful the Lord is, worthy of all praise.

Wealth, freedom or what counts finally?

The motivation – what motivates you, what do you essentially seek in life?

What is the heaviest weight? We may think of the weight-lifters, they can impressively lift up weights that an average person can not lift up. But the heaviest weight is something else that not even the strongest person can bear by human strength. Relevant to everyone!

In recent weeks, what has dominated your thoughts? Maybe something went wrong and you still think about it? Or positive things that you look forward to? Many things try to grab our attention, so at times we need to remind ourselves not to pay too much attention to them, if there is the risk that any such matter becomes more important in our heart than the almighty creator God, who deserves to be p...

Whoever has suffered pain for a long time of a harmful, serious disease will surely remember the day of getting healed and be thankful to the doctor who brought healing. Do you remember it?

The wild animals have their strategies to hunt and catch other animals. Some use raw violence to attack, others hide at first and wait until the prey shows signs of weakness, for example being separated from the rest of group. In the same way the enemy of God uses different strategies trying to destroy us, at times by raw violence, and many more times hiding, waiting until a person shows signs of...

Some prisoners in the world suffer pain from severe conditions or even torture. When there is news about the outlook of being set free, such prisoners may sing songs of hope, confidence and freedom. None of us humans is perfect, we all fall short of the holy God’s standards, we all are imprisoned and doomed in sin and wrongdoing, but there is the outlook of being set free, not only a vague rumour...

We have such a great news to share – the best news – the Good News about the great offer that the heavenly Father makes to everyone: the Lord has bridged the gap between us who do not deserve his grace and himself the almighty, holy, 100% just God. That offer is available to everyone of any background, no matter how much evil a person has done, anyone can humbly turn to the merciful Lord. It is su...

During Jesus’s lifetime in human form on earth, he often was not given any place. How about us nowadays? Do we give him the place in our heart that he deserves?

Military parades can be impressive. Much greater than that is the heavenly army of angles, which usually we cannot see, but sometimes is revealed, for example by that time to the shepherds. They did not bring war, curse and destruction, rather they bring peace, help and blessing. And they sing to the glory of God.

Are you sometimes astonished by special abilities of others? For example someone is able to quickly remember an unbelievable amount of names or numbers. Or about special abilities of sportspeople. Beyond the abilities of humans, God can perform even more amazing things. The special abilities of people can be explained, for example by their practice, training and exercise. God even can perform mira...

Hiking along the water – it might be a difficult path, we may have to give up some comforts, yet it can be worthwhile especially when it is nice and fresh water. God provides living water – life’s path might not be easy, we may need to give up some things, yet it is worthwhile to involve the Lord into life, to put faith fully in him and to follow his guidance all throughout life.

Do you sometimes feel as if you cannot change anything, as if being subject to fate alone? It may often feel that way considering the major topics going on in the world. Yet, that is not the case, God has given dominion and authority to each human person, no matter how little impact we seem to have. For one, we can take small steps that over time will make a surprising impact. And beyond that, eve...

Are you sometimes impressed by how much influence some people have? We typically categorize people and look at such factors: how influential someone is, how many possessions one has accumulated, how strong someone is, etc. But God does not make a distinction in such regards. He looks at another factor of each individual person: the heart’s attitude.

What is the majority of your talk over the last 1 or 2 years? Is it mainly curse or mainly blessing? Balaam did not curse the people, rather he blessed them.