It was said of Abraham that he was the friend of God! (James 2,23). He walked by faith! He is the archetype of the New Testament believer. We are all friends of God in Christ Jesus. We are more! We are the Father’s children! (Romans 8,15). If you know anything about Abraham, you know he was not perfect. Neither are you or I – yet by his grace he still calls us friends, he still calls us children! I think…
Here are 3 motifs from Scripture to help you in your life of faith: The Road, The Table and The Presence The road being the road God took Israel the people of God from Egypt and to the promised land of Canaan. The table being God´s provision for Israel in their desert wanderings. The presence of God referring to the angel of the Lord sent to guard Israel on the way, and to bring them to the “place that I…
Originally posted October 2019 FAITH AS A CONUNDRUM The disciples once asked Jesus: Lord, increase our faith. His answer was, as we know: If you had faith as a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry bush, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea” and it would obey you. (Lk 17,6) Jesus’ answer is open to several interpretations. But it seems as if the disciples had got their eyes on themselves, instead of the power of God We, like…
Originally posted October 2019 Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mk 11,22-23. Read the parallels in Mt 17,20 and Lk 17,6,…
Originally posted October 2019 Read: Matthew 7,7-11, Luke 11, 5-13, Luke 18,1-8 It is vital that we really take time to read and internalise these very important scriptures where Jesus teaches about prayer. POINTS TO BE DRAWN FROM THIS TEACHING From Matthew 7,7 and Luke 11,9: Ask, seek, knock! All these verbs are in the present tense in Greek, and therefore could be translated: Ask, and keep on asking! Seek, and keep on seeking! Knock, and keep on knocking! Prayer is not…
In a short while, the season of advent will be upon us! In these very troublesome times, I have decided to republish some material that I wrote some time ago! First up will be 3 blogs about Jesus teaching on prayer in the first 3 gospels. These each now have an audio file to make it easier on my Norwegian readers. Then will follow 5 blogs on texts in the Bible commonly read by Christians in the Christmas season. They…
If you need uplifting, listen to these great worship songs from Don Moen. Just published on YouTube!😀 Karl😀
FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT! I said last time that I wanted to write one more blog on healing – pastoral and practical. I stumbled upon this video on YouTube, which I want to share with you instead. It is by someone whose ministry I know and greatly respect – Nicky Gumble! Nicky Gumbel read law at Cambridge, where he also became a Christian. Having practised as a barrister, he felt called to the ministry. He read theology at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford…
A RECAP This is the last blog in a series of 3, focussing on healing and the work of the Messiah. I have been looking at Isaiah 61,1-3, Luke 4,18, and finish off today with Acts 10,38. I wrote a blog in December 2019 entitled “The Good Works of Acts 10,38”, which you can access here https://bibleandfaith.com/the-good-works-of-acts-1038/. This will be a continuation of that blog. The idea I wanted to communicate in my last text “What is the Gospel?”, is…
INTRODUCTION With my last blog, I entered the general area of healing! We looked at Isa. 61,1-3, and the role of the Messiah. Today I want to continue, by looking at Luke 4,18. And I will end with a later blog on Acts 10,38. I am thus holding these three scriptures together as summarising the ministry of Jesus: Isaiah 61,1-3, Lk. 4,18 and Acts 10,38. But before I get onto Luke 4,18, I need to clear the way for some…
Hi there! I don’t know what it is like to be you as I write my blog this morning. I do know that God loves you! There is grace and mercy from God the Father through Jesus Christ for you today – whatever your life looks like – whoever you are! I feel in my heart to write this blog to you who are living through deep and prolonged stress and turmoil in your life. If you are able to…
“……..for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” Heb. 13,9 “…….I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength…