Silent Time

There are many types of needs in life, for example the need for change, or the needs in case of being poor, or the need for rest when having too much work and there is also the need for forgiveness, because nobody is perfect. God offers help in all these needs.

What are your biggest doubts and fears? Several of the apostles had to go through serious trouble, pain and challenges. They learned to look to the Lord rather than to focus on the storm. We get invited to learn the same.

Jacob had wrestled long time in that night. God showed him: there are things that Jacob had done wrong. But when he understood and repented, he received forgiveness and a new name. How thankful he must have been, when the sun rose on that day. It got brighter, and also his life got much brighter. We stay in darkness our life long, when we reject God's mercy and goodness.

Think of a person with a good reputation. And of a person with a bad reputation. So many things are talked each day about others, spreading rumour and gossip.

The good news is available to people of any background, of every culture and every origin. When Barnabas saw that the people of Antioch had received the good news in their heart by the grace of God, he was amazed and very glad, then he encouraged them. Do you receive the good news today or do you reject it?

Any kinds of idols, whether hidden or obvious, can bring a lot of curse and adversity, often indirectly.  Jacob had worked for many years for his father in law. When leaving him, hidden “household gods” created trouble. Such an idol can be anything in life that becomes more important than God. What is most important to you – the almighty, living, creator God, or anything else in life?

Do you know persons who have difficulty to breath? Praise the Lord, if your lungs work properly, absorbing sufficient oxygen for a healthy body. For a healthy soul, prayer is like breathing. What stops us from praying? What separates us from God?

Does it make sense to punish the messenger who brings an uncomfortable truth?

By what do you live? It is clear that the human body needs food … we can calculate the required calories, minerals, vitamins and so on. But that is not all: we also need oxygen and a suitable ambient pressure and temperature range, etc. And much more. Even more than all that, we continually need the presence and protection of the Lord.

How easily we judge other people by their outer appearance! You may watch yourself for a couple of days: we meet someone whom we do not know yet and immediately form an opinion within a few seconds and in our mind put them into categories. Praise the Lord that he does not judge us people by such criteria as we do. 

What are your goals and targets? Some people achieve a lot, climb up the hierarchies and become successful in such a sense. Others can manage a lot of tasks within the 24 available hours per day. But to come to the father – is that a goal?

Following the foot steps - what does it mean?

In order to be successful in life – do we need to compromise the word of God? It may seem like that at times. But if we take a deeper look at how we define “successful”, things can be different to the obvious.

What do you think - are we close to the end of the world? Or will life as we know it go on for many more centuries? Both sides have their arguments. One thing is clear and much more important. Let’s hold out.

It is good to give compliments as well as to receive them. But if we are honest, that is only one side of life, there are also so many shortcomings.

For certain tasks, mechanics need to protect their body, for example the welder needs to wear special glasses to protect the eyes. As we protect the apple of our eyes, so God protects each one of our souls, even if life’s circumstances seem to suggest the opposite.

Joshua got a big task. It seemed to be too difficult. Do you also know such situations? It may look like there are too many challenges and difficulties in life. Yet there is one reason not to give up, rather to be determined and confident.

His own people did not receive him. How about us today?

What is your experience with covenants?

On what we set our eyes, we also set our mind, we fix our attention on that matter or thing. On what do you set your eyes? Our focus might be on a better job or on a better place to live. Do you focus on the past or on the future?

What is purity in heart? Can anyone achieve it?

What is righteousness? One could find long definitions and explanations. A simple way to put it is: “to be put right with God”. And that is important, because God is the almighty, the highest being, the ultimate judge. Therefore it is important that we are put right with God. But how can we get right with him? After all, in the way we are, we all are not perfect, nobody can live up to the holy sta...

Do you sometimes wish to live in a better world? Many times I would wish for that, but that is not the reality. We live in the world as it is with all its injustice and wrongdoing that is going on. Things are not perfect. And yet there is advice how to find real hope and a positive outlook.

If something is really important to someone, the person will automatically talk about it. Just remember someone who was overwhelmed by a certain thing or matter, the person automatically talks about it. Imagine a child for the first time having visited an impressive amusement park – the child for sure will talk about it to everybody. What are the things so important in your heart that you talk abo...

What are your circumstances of life? Can you live in freedom? Or are you bound or in chains or due to your physical condition cannot move freely? Whatever your conditions of life are, let’s remember and pray for those who are bound in chains and suffering.