Do´nt Worry

Do´nt Worry

So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ These are the things the pagans are always concerned about. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things.
Matthew 6, 31f

We often think God is just responsible for the big things. But that’s not at all like that. He has created the big things like the universe and the earth, but just as perfect as these also the microcosm with its atoms and molecules and even the little ants that are so wonderfully organized. He loves the tiny things! He loves the details He has wonderfully designed.
When Israel walked through the desert for forty years, the clothes was not worn out and the shoes got no holes. Every morning the bread of heaven was waiting outside. Water came from the rock. Yes, God took care of every little thing. When Israel was then living in His country, this small wonders stopped, because they should not become lazy, but take care of themselves. But God always sent enough rain and blessed the earth, so that everything could grew well. He cared for His people in every way.
I long for this childlike trust in the Heavenly Father. How often does concern about something make us trouble and stress. Even fear comes up, when I give the problems and worries to much space. There is so much that could happen!
No, I will force myself to order and trust God. He means well with me in every respect. I want to do my part and trust that He will do what is not in my power. He knows that we need to eat and drink, He knows our concerns about clothing, housing and work. He will bless and provide us well if we trust our heavenly Father!
Don’t be sad, because the joy from the Lord is your strength! – So the Bible in Nehemiah 8;10. We want to thank God and praise Him for His goodness that He has prepared for all who trust in Him! Yes, today we want all day singing praises to Him in our hearts. Then we will see Him and His care and be more grateful.

Thank You, Jesus, You’re a God “to touch”! You are not in the distance and do not have to constantly take care of big and important things, but are with me and take care of all the little things. It is so nice to manage and discuss everything with You. You really mean well with me!

Poor, but yet rich!

Poor, but yet rich!

I know your troubles; I know that you are poor—but really you are rich!
Revelation 2,9

Jesus knows us. He knows everything about us, our heart, our thoughts and our situation. He knows it because He is very, very close to us with His loving thoughts. It may be that we are not externally particularly rich or be are oppressed by specific circumstances or other people. But HE is there by helping us to bless and supplying us with all that’s necessary.
Sometimes He wants to draw our hearts closer to Him and He takes much of what seems necessary to us. Because in times of need we learn to pray and He will prove wonderful. He directs our thoughts on what is really important and necessary. By this He purifies and checks us.
Sometimes He wants to break our pride and lets things go broken, which later turns out to be very valuable to us. We should be proud of our Lord, but not about what we ourselves have done. He is the source that will bless us and that crowns our work with success! But we like to think that we are sooooo perfect..
Sometimes we get deceived and are cheated and not much is left of our belongings. But Jesus permits it, so that we find a treasure in Him. Your house, car, job, etc. won’t help you if you’re really in need, stand there alone or even must die. But Jesus, the Saviour, will be there and hold your hand.
Yes, the Lord knows our oppression! He wants to be very close to us. He is our wealth, not money or our reputation. He will save us if we love Him and trust Him. Yes, we are rich because we have Him!

Thank You, Jesus, You’re there! Even when much goes wrong in my life – You are the one who keeps me anyway. You know my secret wishes and You fulfill me somehow. Yes, Lord, I will I seek You, love You and trust You. Because You never disappoint me. With You I’m richer than any millionaire or the world! How well that I have found You!

Your mercy is great

Your mercy is great

But you are a God who forgives;
you are gracious and loving, slow to be angry.
Your mercy is great; you did not forsake them.
Nehemiah 9, 17

The ancient Israelites were a bit stupid. God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and did great miracles for them. But they were longing to return! They thought of the thin soup, which now seemed to them like the best meat; they thought of the hard beds of straw, which now appeared to them as soft four-poster beds. They forgot the blows of the supervisors, the hunger, the heat, the injustice … Egypt attracts them! They reproached Moses and God for leading them into the desert, to let them die of thirst and starvation. But God really had patience with this silly, stubborn people. He had worked so hard to free them from slavery! Again and again He forgave their debt. Even as they made another god of gold and worshiped him. He was patient and forbearing. He was gracious and merciful. Every morning He gave them bread from heaven. He let water flowing out of the rocks. Flocks of quails (a delicacy!) He let rain upon their stock. The shoes did not get wear out in these forty years wandering in the desert and the clothes got no holes or cracks. Yes, God even cares for such little things! He really provided them with everything and they should have been well. But they were so stubborn: I don’t want! I want to go back to Egypt! How beautiful the slavery was there! Here there is just sand …. terribly boring and barren!
How well that God not always takes us seriously. Because we often do look back longing for these old days. Often we do not see God’s work and His miracles in our lives. Sometimes we are incredibly blind, stubborn and stupid. That’s terrible with us! But God’s promise applies for everybody: He is the God who forgives us. He is gracious and merciful and He never forsakes us. He is patient with us. He is not abandoning us to our fate. He has hope for us!

Thank You, Jesus, for Your patience! Forgive where we are stupid and stubborn and always look back. You have hope for us, You see a wonderful presence and a marvelous future for us! Yes, Lord, I will turn to You and look forward! Because You are there!

The Tempest

The Tempest

Then He got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm.
Matthew 8, 26

Sometimes we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. It is as if we are on a lake in a tiny boat and the storm threatens to knock us down and the waves threaten to sink the boat. Then we cry out to Jesus: Lord, help us, we perish! This time Jesus kind of criticised His disciples and said: “Why are you so frightened, what little faith you have!” Then he got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop, and there was a great calm. And everyone was amazed and they said: “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!”
Jesus wants us to believe Him, that we know in any situation: He is the Lord. Thomas would not and could not believe that Jesus was resurrected. He only wanted to see the wounds of the nails in His hands. When Jesus then came back and said, “Thomas, put your hand in my side!” – Because he could believe. Jesus said to him: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed!” We also want to trust Him, even when the storm is going worse and the waves are beating into our boat. He is the Lord about our problems! We do not always know what He intends and what His plans are. But we must be silent in His arms and receive the certainty that He is the Lord!
Sometimes Jesus calms the storm in our lives and there is a great calm. But sometimes He does not calm the storm, but calms us and there is complete silence and peace in us. Because we know for sure: He will not let us perish, if He does not want to. And He will let us go down, when He has different, better plans for us. In any case, we are firmly in Jesus’ hands and nobody, not even the thickest storm, can tear us out.

Thank You, Jesus, that I am completely safe and secure with You! How many storms do You already have calmed down, and how often have You kept me in a storm and carried me through! Yes, I can trust You in all things, for You are the Lord who loves me!

God, my guardian

God, my guardian

I raise my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the maker of heaven and earth.
God won’t let your foot slip.
Your protector won’t fall asleep on the job.
No! Israel’s protector
never sleeps or rests!
The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is your shade right beside you.
The sun won’t strike you during the day;
neither will the moon at night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil;
God will protect your very life.
The Lord will protect you on your journeys—
whether going or coming—
from now until forever from now.
Psalms 121

It may be that we are surrounded by high mountains and we can not find a way out. Mountains of worry and anxiety oppress us. The problems overwhelms us, we don’t find a solution. When we look at these mountains of oppression, we quickly lose courage.
But Jesus is still greater! He has shown His power, when He saved us; – And He will do it again. Nothing, really nothing is too hard for Him! When Israel stood by the sea, the Pharaos army in the back, they saw no way out. But God split the sea and they walked into freedom with dry feet. Yes, God always knows a way!! Also for our problem He has a solution.
He is my guardian. I can relaxed do my work and leave it up to Him, what it will make. He surrounds me when I’m with Him. He encourages and comforts me and gives strength and hope. He gives new ideas and solutions. Oh Lord, help that I always listen to You!
He shelters me eternally. I will never be forgotten. I will never be really dead. He is the God of the living! Yes, I want to live and die with my Savior, in His mighty hand I will hide myself and accept whatever comes. He is my guardian, from now until forever!

Thank You that I have found You! You are my guardian and protector; with You I hide myself when dark mountains surround me. You are much bigger and stronger than they are. I give You my fear and anxiety and take Your consolation and courage: Yes, You’ll set me free and I can accept everything that comes from You. Because You mean well with me.

God’s Training for His Children

God’s Training for His Children

Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk. Anyone who has to drink milk is still a child, without any experience in the matter of right and wrong. Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.
Hebrews 5, 12ff

At the beginning of Christian life God overwhelms His new children with His love and gifts. He supplies them and covers them with grace, mercy and real fatherly love. And they feel completely at ease; there are almost no problems. But after one, two, three years God thinks: Now they are already grown a bit and have become strong. They could gradually tolerate solid food instead of always drinking only milk. And so He slowly takes away His graces and observes, how they evolve. Of course, the first shock is big, but slowly they get used to solid food: God’s training has begun! He slowly corrects His children. Some loved their soother or cuddly blanket. Some still needed diapers. Some children of God have become very accustomed to taking and have forgotten how to give. Some have trusted to much in themselves instead of believing in Jesus. For quite a few, answers to prayer have become so normally that they could not understand that others miss that.
Just as we slowly give our children more freedom and learn to carry responsibility, God educates us; – And this learning process never comes to an end. He trains us to distinguish between good and evil. He teaches us to assume responsibility for others. He makes us happy givers who live from trust in God’s care. He makes us peacemakers who have learned to forgive. He makes us strong, firm personalities who can not be shaken by a storm. The school of God is not always easy. Some turn their backs to faith and others simply stop and refuse daring new steps. But the goal is worth it! Closely connected to Jesus in faith, close to the heart of our Heavenly Father – His love, joy and peace surround us.

Father, thank You for your training! It wasn’t always easy; sometimes I thought I would lose my footing. But You yourself have always caught me. You were always there when I needed You! Thank You, I can believe You that the goal and the intentions You have for me are good. Yes Father, I will spend my life with You!

The new Man

The new Man

Don’t get drunk on wine, which produces depravity. Instead, be filled with the Spirit in the following ways: Speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Ephesians 5, 18-20

Do you want to live with God and to experience more with Him? Then follow the instructions of His word! Then, your own life will be bright and light and it will have a positive impact on your surroundings; – You’ll see miracles!
The name Jesus means: God helps. Not: God may help or: Oh God, please just help! No, it simply and directly means: God helps. If you are standing in a traffic jam and say “Jesus”, you mean: God is helping me here in traffic. If you’re sick, you say God is helping me in my illness. Whenever we lovingly say the name of Jesus, we tell the truth: God helps!
Of course, God wants us to believe what we say. Otherwise, every prayer is an empty phrase and without an effect.
The Bible tells us that we should worship and praise Him with words, prayers, songs and psalms. We should thank Him for anything, anytime. Well, then we can begin: The whole day we want to thank God, loud or quiet (depending on audience). In anything and everything, anywhere and anytime, we want to see the good side for which we can thank. It will be a workout. At first, it is a decision and it will quickly be forgotten. But after a week, we are going to thank Him in every quiet minute and after a month there is hardly a break. What do you think, does God not want to be there, where His name is glorified? Does He not want to intervene where you thanked Him? Does He himself not want to make you a good man with great charisma? Yes, He will do it!!

Thank You, Jesus, You help me to become a good person that You want to have! Your Holy Spirit reminds me of Your great deeds. He should fill my heart bringing peace and joy! And I want you to praise You all my life! For You are the Lord who loves me!

Not a wrathful, punishing God

Not a wrathful, punishing God

„Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?” asks the Sovereign Lord. “No, I would rather see them repent and live.“
Ezekiel 18, 23

It doesn’t pleases God at all, to punish a person or even left somebody to die. No, He is the love in person! When a man has to suffer because of his sin or even dies without salvation, He becomes very sad! There are really people who think that their suffering is God’s punishment for any offense. No, you just have to turn back from your wicked ways, and ask God for forgiveness – that settles the matter. If you still think He will punish you further, this is a huge distrust towards God, actually an insult and a pushing back of His love. When one of the criminals, who was crucified with Jesus begged Him for mercy, Jesus immediately said: I promise you: Today you will be in Paradise with me. So strong and full is His love and mercy! And for the rude soldiers who nailed Him to the cross, He prayed: Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing! God rather wants to forgive us than to punish us.
And how is it with us? What do we want for those who does us wrong? May we pray in silence: Father, forgive my sin and pay it back those who trespass against us??? That would be a shame for God. He has forgiven us and taught us to love! He wants to help so that this also becomes possible for us!

Thank You, Father, for completely forgiving my fault! Thank You, You’re not a wrathful, punishing God who keeps every small and great sin in good memory! You are the God who loves me limitless and that’s why You want to help me to forgive those who trespass against me and to even wish them good. Thank You, Father, forgiveness sets me free!

Our life house

Our life house

“Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock.”
Matthew 7, 24

Our God is a living, acting, practical God. He is not content with that the faith in Him is logically packed into articles and paragraphs. It may be good to know a lot about God, but if you don’t know Him and don’t live with Him, it’s completely useless. He is an acting God! Faith is, to let Him work practically in your own life. A faith which remains theoretically, is only one of many opinions about God. We want to build our life house on Him, the living rock! Jesus’ teaching about God was more of a narration, how our heavenly Father is. He told many parables to describe God’s nature. And through His acting He constantly showed the greatness of God’s mercy and how He is engaging in our lives.
When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like someone with authority and not like their legal experts. (V. 28f) Jesus always acts practically! When He finished the sermon, He climbed down from the mountain. A man with a skin disease came, knelt down before Him, and said, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to. Become clean.”
So shall be our faith: Our life house shall be built on the living rock, Jesus. Then no storm or tempest can harm it. Our faith should be an acting faith; – Because of Him we do this and that. Our faith relies on the fact that Jesus intervenes and confirms His Word.

Thank You, Jesus, You are here today! You stand by my side and take part in my life. You are helping me and care for me. With You I can talk about everything. How good that You are not a God who is sitting on the throne somewhere far away, just observing everything. No, You are my loving and caring God who is right beside me – I love You!

The Father  –  2021.06.08

The Father  –  2021.06.08

Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus, Exodus 20:12

This commandment, the fourth of the ten commandments, is often not taken seriously. And yet it is so important to God! He knows why it is so good for us.
Sunday was Father’s Day here in Lithuania and my two little ones congratulated me and gave me a little present. This made me very happy! Just a little thank you for all the effort! And: We haven’t forgotten what you mean to us. Yes, that makes me happy! Imagine if people forgot your birthday because it’s not important to anyone. That makes you feel very superfluous ….
God wants us to honour and respect our parents. HE does not set any conditions. He knows that parents have faults. And we should forgive them. HE knows that parents have sometimes done bad things to us, and we should forgive that too. We are to think of the good, even if it is only a little. Because the way we treat our father and mother is the way we treat God, the Father. Do we lack gratitude? Are we grumpy at God? Can we not build up trust in Him? Do we find it difficult to love Him? Do we perhaps see a judge in Him? Then we should take care of our relationship with our parents. It is not in order. Let us consciously forgive and ask for love for our parents, even if they have already died. Let us ask God for healing for our wrong reactions so that we don’t continue them all our lives.
Above all, let us not treat our own children badly, but learn from the mistakes of our parents and bring them up in love, kindness and seriousness to be responsible human beings. Often I see that children treat their parents the way parents treat their parents. And that would not be desirable at all for some. Unfortunately, history repeats itself.
Please treat the Heavenly Father in the same way you would like your children to treat you. Do you want them to trust you? Sure, and God wants you to trust Him too! He also wants you to be grateful to Him for what He does for you. HE wants a warm, good, intimate, friendly relationship.

Thank You, my Father in Heaven! How good that I was able to forgive my parents, with Your help. And now I love them! I would never have believed it possible, but now it is so. Thank You for helping everywhere when we want to walk in Your ways!

A thank you to all the fathers who provide for their family and make a home for them. A thank you to all the fathers who go to sea or are long-distance drivers and can rarely be at home, although they would like to be. A thank you for all the sacrifices fathers make for their children and families! Thank you for all the compassion and support when the children grow, are ill or go the wrong way. Fathers, you are important! May the Lord bless you!