Silent Time

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.

What remains permanently? Many things come and go. Even things which appear to us as if they were of long term nature, yet one day they will be gone, same like ourselves. What lasts permanently?

Throughout history it can be seen again and again: where injustice and selfishness gains the upper hand, the society will have tough times.

What is your motto of life, what do you aim for, what are your targets? To get promoted? To gain esteem?

Many things promise us happiness, for example the advertisement. But if at all, the smiles last only for a while. What gives us real contentment and inner joy? In order to answer that, we need to look first at the opposite: what takes away our joy? There are fears, sometimes subconsciously, that rob our joy. But all that has been overcome. Christ has won the victory!

Rejoicing in sorrow? Being happy despite problems – is that possible? Often it seems as if only the healthy, wealthy and successful can be happy. But if we dig deeper, we find out that it is not always like that, sometimes it is even opposite. Those who made the biggest career might not be joyful inside, while those who have only few possessions are often found more joyful, their hope is in the Lo...

Help for the helpless – in which points or areas of life do you feel helpless? Many claim that they do not need help, they seem to have everything under control. Others are more honest and admit that there are things in which they need help. The psalmist knew about that, we can learn a lot from his insights and prayers.

Do you know of times of so much trouble that you almost want to give up? You are overwhelmed and almost fainting away? There are many types of enemies, troubles and traps. But the one helper is bigger than all that. There is a great prayer that we should learn in order to be prepare for such times.

At which point are you in the journey of life? Do you at times feel as if things do not go ahead, there is no progress? We might be crushed or broken, yet do not give up! There is hope and help available. Whether things are perfect or whether the way is tough, remember the goal.

What is the source of life? It is obvious that the parents have given life to the child, who later grows up. But how do we find a fulfilled life?

How can we know whether a sermon tells the truth? How can we find out whether a book or an article are based on the reality?

Does your reputation matter to you? Some people care a lot about their reputation, others claim that they do not care. But somehow it matters to everybody. The question is: the reputation at whose end do we care? Do you mainly focus on what your boss thinks about you? Or your colleagues? Or what your neighbours say? Or the opinion of other people of society?

Whom do you admire? People of all times have admired the famous people, those that have special abilities, extraordinary skills. A lot of things change over the centuries, and it looks as if the change is getting faster and faster. But some things remain. The one who deserves the highest admiration, he also remains. 

What characteristics does a good relationship have between a mentor and a mentee, between parents and their children, between a good teacher and eager students willing to learn? They know each other. They trust each other. And we can learn much more from Psalm 23.

A good government will do a lot for the citizens. And even more, good parents will do a lot for their children, who in such a sense enjoy special privileges. These pictures are weak compared to what God does for his people. And everybody is invited to join and to enjoy those special privileges.

What is your philosophy of life? Do you only believe in yourself and in the things that you have under control, your own accomplishments?

What do we do amongst all the challenges, difficulties and threats in the world? What do we do if we have too many tasks but not enough time to do it all?

Whom would you like to talk to most? To a famous person, a president or a minister? To other authorities or influential persons? Or would you like to get into a conversation with a person whom you have fallen in love with but did not have a chance to tell yet?

Amidst all the challenges, darkness and difficulties that surround us – is it possible to have a deep inner joy in the heart? In order to elaborate on that question, in our modern times there are many kinds of teachings and seminars, some of them are very expensive. What really counts and gives us true joy cannot be paid for by money. True hope and a fulfilled life can be found in the Good News.

Who gets favor from whom?

Can we bring our requests to God? Does God have time for our small daily needs? Is God not busy with other things? Jesus was on his way, yet he stopped for a beggar along the road. God cares for every individual soul. He listens to all of us, no matter how big or small our requests are.

God gives us many opportunities to turn to him all throughout our life, in fact continuously every minute as long as we live we have that great undeserved offer of his mercy. All too many times we have other priorities, we reject that opportunity and instead keep us busy with other kinds of things. How do you decide today?

How much hatred and aggression is there in the world? By the time of Jesus, the soldiers made a crown of thorns. Yet bigger than all the hatred and aggression of people is the mercy of God.

"If only ..." - do you use that phase? Going the way from “if only …” towards “readily available, all done” leads us from unrest towards peace. We can find that in Jesus.

Triumphant in rejection. Triumphant despite all rejection. The good news has been rejected throughout history. Yet there is reason for triumph – the major victory has already been won.