Year in review

I don't know about you, but I still have some trouble getting back to a healthy rhythm in writing and posting... well, in everything really.

After almost three years of great disturbances worldwide (which affected everyone and everything, no matter where you are in the discussion) I still haven't found my flow.

👉However, I always like to reflect and look back at each year, just to make sure I am still moving forward. As you can see I made an infographic of my writing and speaking efforts in 2022.

Hm, I think I am satisfied, although I have postponed and procrastinated on some of my writing goals. Well, 2023 will bring new opportunities and chances.

Writers/bloggers... Do you review your year? Are you satisfied? Any new goals or plans? Are you working on something new? I would love to hear it.

As far as my work is concerned:

WEBSITE: www.marjameijers.com

YOUTUBE: @MarjaVerschoorMeijers

PODCAST: Fresh Insights on Ancient Truths

TWITTER: @marjameijers

INSTAGRAM: Marja Verschoor-Meijers

FACEBOOK: marja.meijers

The gift of peace

This time of year we remember and celebrate the greatest gift ever given to mankind: God coming down to earth to be among us!

The Bible tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod.

About that time some wise men (kings, magi) from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,  “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and we have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:11 says:

They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

What a sign of generosity! They opened their treasure chests. Just imagine yourself doing that. Anyway, they worshiped Jesus by giving Him expensive gifts... maybe not even knowing that Jesus came to earth with a gift for them, as a matter of fact with a gift for all mankind.

👉Jesus kept the giving going (as we should) by giving us the gift of peace.

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27).

🎄I wish you a Merry Christmas. May you open your heart to receive this gift of PEACE!

You don't have to walk in darkness

One more week and the days will be getting longer again! Yeah, I am an optimist 😀 In the meantime people are lighting up the dark days with Christmas lights and candles in their window stills.

👉Darkness doesn't last forever, it never does. After each night there is a new morning. After every winter spring comes again. Such are the seasons of life.

We might find ourselves in the night of our lives, with darkness closing in. Maybe because of an illness, loss, or pain. There can be many reasons why we feel like darkness is getting the upper hand.

But... darkness has no power over light, it does not have the last word! In the first chapter of the Bible we can read how God separated the light from the darkness and how He called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” We have this promise that after the night, a new day will come.

This is the promise of Christmas as described by the prophet Isaiah:

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine (Isaiah 9:2).

Even in our deepest darkness, a light will shine. So many people have gone before us and they wrote about their experiences. Their words are still a comfort for us today. David wrote in Psalm 18:28:

You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.

Jesus can and will do it, like no one else can. He is the light of the world. He calls every person to Himself with a wonderful promise:

⭐I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life (John 8:12).

A balanced Christian life

Extremism, radicalism, and polarization (whatever name we give it) seem to me a result of a lack of balance. Yeah, in every area of life, whether that is in politics, religious views, social issues, or ideologies.

Sometimes I read or hear stuff that makes me wonder how people got there, somewhat like the turtle on the fence post 😏

It seems to be getting more and more difficult to live a life of choices without being put in a box immediately. My goodness, it is possible to enjoy meat and vegetarian food, sunshine and snow, sports and reading, just to name a few.

It is horrific to see that even Christians struggle to find balance in life. We either act like everything is perfect while it isn't, or we cry over everything like there is no Comforter. Well, maybe it is just me...

The other day I was reminded of what is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8,

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

I realize I am somewhat radical in my worldview and if it wasn't for the teachings in the Bible I would be all over the place, probably. 👉But knowing that God wants me to learn to live well under ALL circumstances helps me a lot. The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13,

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

I am curious, how do you keep the balance?

In, but not of this world (4)

It is our calling, no matter what the circumstances are, to shine like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people (Philippians 2:14-15) I wrote in my previous post.

Is that possible? Do we have God's promise that it is possible to shine in and so defeat the darkness?

Yes, we do. In 1 John 5:4-5 it is written: For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

We achieve victory over this dark world through our faith. Note that it says 'we achieve'. It is not something we can passively obtain. We must take action in order not to let this evil world influence us and eventually overwhelm us. 

We have to make daily choices in order to shine like stars. Conscious choices in our:

• THINKING - Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2)
• TALKING - Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone (Colossians 4:6)
• ACTING - Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God (Psalm 1:1)

Easy? Nope. Possible? Yep. Otherwise it wouldn't be asked of us. We simply cannot think like everyone else is thinking (fear, crisis, defeat, anger etc.). We simply cannot talk like everyone is talking (negative, fearful, repeating the news) etc. And last, but certainly not least, we simply cannot act like everyone else is acting (selfish, greedy, proud, lawless etc.)

The Bible clearly teaches us to live a different life, to be in this world but to not adapt its ways!

In, but not of this world (3)

Jesus said: As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John 15:18-19).

Jesus has chosen us out of the world, yet at the same time, He requested that God would not take us out of the world (John 17:15). How to interpret this?

As I wrote in my previous blog, this is the rescue plan: He wants to save us from this evil world. It is possible to live in this world but not belong to it, because we belong to the Kingdom of God (Galatians 1:4-5).

This evil world... is it that bad? Yes, and we should stop acting as if that is a big surprise. 1 John 5:19 says: We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. 👉The world is under control of the evil one, scary maybe... but let's not forget that the Kingdom is under God's control!

This is the difference between darkness and light. Somehow both are present in the world we live in. We can see the evil around us clearly, daily even. But what about the light? Do we shine in this dark world? Are we visible as children of the light?

In Philippians 2:14-15 it is written: Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 

This is our calling, this is our assignment, no matter what the circumstances are. In my next post, we will look at how and what in order to make this practical!

In, but not of this world (2)

In my previous blog post, I mentioned the prayer request of Jesus: I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one (John 17:15).

It is God's will that his disciples/followers are in this world, but at the same time... not belong to it (John 17:16). I hope you took the time to read John 17:10-20 a few times. It is such an interesting prayer.

Maybe you are thinking 'Well, I never belonged to the world. I was born in a Christian family, and I've always been to church.' Whether we belong (or not belong) to the world has nothing to do with the way we grew up but everything with God's calling.

In John 15:18-19 Jesus told His disciples: If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Jesus called the disciples out of the world into His Kingdom and He is still calling people today. 👉As a matter of fact, Jesus has chosen all of mankind to come out of this wicked world and enter His Kingdom. All we have to do is say yes to Him and to His plan of salvation.

Is it that simple, Marja? Yes, it is. Let's take a look at Galatians 1:4-5 where it is written, Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

This is the rescue plan! It is possible to live in this world (as long as we're breathing) but at the same time belong to the Kingdom of God. Yeah, with our feet on the ground and our head in the clouds, so to speak 😁

In, but not of this world (1)

We live in a strange world, a world full of opposites... beautiful and heart-wrenching, breathtaking and cringing, wonderful and cruel. We love this place, but we hate what is going on. We long for heaven and yet we want to stay here.

In this new blog series, I want to stop and pause and take a closer look at this awesome, crazy, amazing, rotten, wicked, fantastic world Jesus tells us to go into...  in order to share the good news!

It might be opposed to popular Christian thinking, but Jesus actually prayed to God the Father and asked Him not to take us out of this world. We are not supposed to live on a spiritual island, safe within our little Christian circles. It is His will that we are in this world, but not without protection.

I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one (John 17:15).

Don't take 'm out of this world, Jesus prayed, because the world needs to see My disciples. Just make sure You keep them safe, Father. Just think about that, we are supposed to be in this world. However, we do not belong to it. Jesus made that very clear when He prayed: They do not belong to this world any more than I do (John 17:16).

👉Please, read John 17:10-20 a few times (preferably in different Bible translations) and let that precious prayer really speak to you. It is a prayer for all of us, for today.

If we are in this world, but not of this world, how then shall we live? How do we keep ourselves from being polluted by worldly thinking, talking, and habits? A friend of this world is an enemy of God, the Bible says.

I hope you will join me in this new blog series! Feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

Elections and the importance of taking a stand

With mid-term elections coming up in the USA and general elections in many other countries, I was reflecting on the importance of taking a stand for Biblical values and principles, if you are a Christian... or if you find yourself in agreement with Biblical values and morals.

In the Netherlands, we have 30+ political parties to choose from on which to cast your vote. Not an easy choice and much different from the system in the USA. 

Not everyone uses the right the vote, but the ones that do often vote as has been their custom for years. I know many people simply vote for the party their parents and grandparents used to vote for. Kind of out of tradition.

👉But the world has changed.

Maybe the party you always vote for no longer stands up for the values and principles it used to fight for, such as traditional family and marriage values, pro-life and pro-Israel issues, and let's not forget work and social ethics.

If there was ever a time to re-evaluate our voting behavior and choices, it is now! When we vote, we speak up. We unite in one voice, not ashamed of the very things we want to see (re)established in our countries.

I am wondering... have you changed your voting pattern lately?

Origin, existence, intention...

Life's main questions are being answered in the Word of God; that is... if one decides to take time to read the ancient words of wisdom and prophecy.

Who am I?  Where do I come from and where am I going? What is my purpose here on earth? Just a few questions that have intrigued generations upon generations. I read somewhere that many people today struggle with existential questions.

The other day I came across a scripture that I had to read at least three or four times. Wow, so much truth and revelation in one verse! I am talking about Romans 11:36,

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

There you have it, three in one.

• Origin: everything comes from Him. It reminds me of John 1:3 where it is written about Jesus, God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. Our very origin is with God, how awesome is that?!
• Existence: everything exists by His power. That reminds me of Colossians 1:17 where it is written about Jesus, He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. If it wasn't for His power, everything would have fallen apart a long time ago!
• Intention: everything is intended for His glory. And that reminds me of 1 Corinthians 8:6 where it is written, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live. Our lives are no coincidence, not random, and not to be lived without purpose. We live for God through Jesus and that brings great joy and fulfillment.

Well, I don't know about you, but I am super encouraged by the richness of this verse.

The value of Christian books

Some Christians are critical, quite critical I've noticed. Especially when it comes to judging other Christians who have some sort of ministry.

I come across critical comments about Christian authors, preachers, and musicians on social media quite often, which is pretty sad and tiring (let me know whether you agree or disagree).

👉If you don't like someone's preaching, writing, or singing... pick something else! Don't criticize the work of others, certainly not if you haven't produced anything yourself. I don't see why that is so difficult.

Personally, I 💗to listen to various teachers and preachers, and I love to read books written by believers. When I need encouragement, healing, faith, or empowerment in my own life, I read certain authors. Yes, the ones I know will lift me up and inspire me.

The other day I was contemplating the value of Christian books. We are so blessed to be able to choose from a wide variety of authors whose writing helps us in our own faith walk. I often forward books that have helped me to others. I write reviews on Goodreads and sometimes on this blog.

And yes, of course I get encouraged when I receive positive notes from people who have read my books. Whether we write, preach, pray, encourage, or make music, we minister to others. Not to everyone, but to a specific person or audience. If we would all do so, we would cover the earth with God's love.

If you are one of those who enjoys my writing, make sure to watch the promo video and the book trailer of my latest book First Love! THANKS 😀

Why a change of scenery is good

"A change of place, a change of luck."

This phrase can be found in the Jewish Talmud and it reflects the idea that when we have a change of scenery, our luck (or at least our perspective) can change as well.

I do agree! A change of scenery or, according to the dictionary a move to different surroundings, can be really refreshing. It is often a great way to bring more joy and novelty into our daily life.

Last weekend we rented a wooden cabin in the forest. It was a delightful place, and although we were only there for a few days, it was truly an enchanting and very inspiring experience. Most of all, there was silence.

A change of scenery, no matter how big or small, is like stepping back and viewing a painting from a different angle, which really helps give us a fresh look. In Genesis 15:5 we can read how the Lord took Abram outside his tent (his immediate surroundings) and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

Abram needed to broaden his perspective, his view. He was way too focussed on the impossibilities of life. Don't we often do the same? 👉We keep watching or reading the same news items over and over again, day in day out, and we just don't see how God is going to change things. But He can and He will.

Turn off the tv. Step outside. Go for a walk. Breathe. Give thanks. But most of all... let's look up. Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth! He will give us a fresh and hopeful perspective!

Review of 'Kingdom Road'

I have never been much of a reader of devotional books. That is... until last year when I picked up 'Stormproof' by John Hagee. I enjoyed the short inspirational messages that perfectly prepared the way for my daily Bible reading.

Several months ago I ordered a copy of Kingdom Road by fellow author Susan Rohrer. Susan and I are the moderators of the 'Christian non fiction lovers book club' on Goodreads. I have read several of her books and enjoy her challenging style and in-depth spiritual analysis of scripture. She always encourages the reader to invite the Holy Spirit into the reading and reflecting process.

In Kingdom Road Susan takes us on a journey pursuing the presence of God in 31 devotionals. Whether you take a day, a week, or a month to read each devotion doesn't really matter, as long as you read them. Susan's writing triggers spiritual revelation, so much so that I had to read each devotion twice!

This is no ordinary journey, it is a trip on the Kingdom road where as a reader you get to walk in the Father's presence, follow in the footsteps of Jesus, stay in step with the Holy Spirit, hear God's voice, and move in your spiritual gifts. And while traveling you will discover the powerful reality of heaven on earth that was promised to all believers.

👉If you have a desire to travel further with the Holy Spirit, don't miss this book. You will enjoy Susan's excellent writing skills as much as her insight and wisdom.

You can find Susan's books on Amazon!

We own nothing and yet...

'You'll own nothing and you'll be happy'.

It's a slogan ascribed to an elite group's ideology (I'll spare you the details). A group whose members don't include themselves in their slogan, they are above it. 'You' instead of 'we'. I hope you get the point.

Whether the slogan is really theirs doesn't really matter. One of the predictions on their agenda is that by 2030 all products will have become services. Think about that, whatever you need someone will provide for you. At first, it sounds great, just snap your fingers and it will be brought to you. 

But in reality, it will make us very dependent on the people who provide those services. In reality, it is rephrasing the slogan I started with. A slogan straight out of the mouth of Satan. Why? Because it is twisted truth, it is a deception. 

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:10, Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Now this, dear friends, is the truth. Everything belongs to God, the Creator of the Universe. So, in that sense we own nothing indeed, we never did. If it wasn't for the breath in our lungs that the Lord gives us each day we wouldn't be able to work for money to buy a car or a house.

Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 10:14).

God owns everything and we get to take care of it, which makes us stewards. This goes for the earth and all that is in it as well as for spiritual riches entrusted to us (believers). It all has been given to us to take care of as long as this earth exists.

👉We can do so joyfully, honestly, and productively (no matter how great or small our influence is) and that will make us happy indeed because we will bring glory to God!

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all (1 Chronicles 29:11).

Calling for revenge?

Love must be sincere, hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).

Hate what is evil. Duh, who doesn't? Unless you're a satanist, maybe.

Of course, we hate what is evil. But the verse doesn't end there... cling to what is good.

'What is good?' you may ask, as we live in a world where there is plenty of confusion about biblical good and bad. The apostle Paul pretty much sums it up in verses 10-19 of that same chapter:

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. He goes on and on (very interesting and practical verses to read and do, by the way!) and then it comes... do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Hold on a minute here... we can't call for revenge? You gotta be kidding, right? 😕 Well, actually that's what it says. The chapter ends with verse 21:

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Easy? Nope. Possible? Yes, otherwise the Bible wouldn't call for it. It is exactly that verse I based my latest video series on. Sixteen videos (about 2 minutes each) about 'How to stay positive in a negative world'.

'Good' in Romans 12:21 doesn't necessarily mean good deeds or good works (as we may interpret it), but more like a postive quality, a moral quality. That is what the Greek word means. In other words making good quality choices on an everyday basis. When we consistently do so, we overcome evil!

👉Make sure to check out my video series on YouTube or my Instagram channel. You will love this series. The short and practical messages will encourage and inspire you!

For the honor of His name (4)

Don't you love this topic? So far we've seen in this blog series that God brings honor to His own name by renewing our strength, guiding us along the right path, forgiving our sins, and rescuing us from danger.

Our response therefore should be thankfulness for His love and compassion, readiness to share our testimony, willingness to receive His forgiveness and to forgive others, and trusting Him to lead us to safety!

Let's take a look at Isaiah 48:9. When we read that scripture in context we notice that God is kind of mad at His people because they were disobedient, stubborn, unfaithful and what more. And then He says: Yet for my own sake and for the honor of my name, I will hold back my anger and not wipe you out.

Well, isn't that interesting? God honors His own name by being patient and by extending grace to the Israelites. 👉He is true to His nature as a good, good Father. Of course, we see the same thing in the New Testament... for God does not change, He is patient and He does not want anyone to perish.

Isn't it fair to say that when we extend grace to someone, when we hold back anger, and when we are patient, we bring honor to His name as well?

For the honor of His name (3)

In the previous blog posts in this series, we saw that God is good to us, which brings honor to His own name. He renews our strength, He guides us along the right path, and He forgives our sins.

Let's stay in the book of Psalms and go to Psalm 31:2-3, Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone.

God is our rescuer, our protector, and our defender. In essence, He is our Savior! Whatever danger we might find ourselves in (self inflicted or not), He is ready to lead us out and bring us back to safety. This is His nature, this is who He is and when He acts according to His nature, it brings honor to His name.

That makes sense, doesn't it? A savior saves, a healer heals, and a protector protects. God always acts according to His nature and this brings honor to His name. This is how people get to see Him and know Him.

Now, it is our job, as believers, to make Him known to people who have never heard of Him or have a wrong concept of who God is. 👉When we point people to the Savior, the Rescuer, the Protector... we bring honor to His name!

For the honor of His name (2)

Glad you are joining me for this new blog series 'For the honor of His name'.

We saw in the previous post that God renews our strength and guides us along right paths (Psalm 23:3) which brings honor to His name. So in a sense, His goodness and kindness bring honor to His own name.

This is a concept we can find throughout the Bible. Let's take a good look at Psalm 25:11 where it is written: For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins.

Think about that, the forgiveness of sins brings honor to God's name. When Jesus took that task upon Himself, He did so to bring honor to His Father's name. When He died on the cross for the forgiveness of the sins of the world, it was an act of obedience.

And He was honored for it. Philippians 2:8-10 says, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

We are forgiven for the honor of His name. When people refuse His forgiveness, they basically dishonor His name. I would say, that is a thought which needs some further contemplation!

For the honor of His name (1)

Summertime, for some bloggers a time to take a break, and for others time to pick up writing again. In the same way, for some readers time to take a break from social media, for others a time to catch up on reading.

Whatever the case, I decided to do a blog series 😀 on the topic: 'For the honor of His name'.  Where did I get that? Well, basically from the Lord's prayer, as can be found in Luke 11:2, Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say this: ‘Father: May your holy name be honored; may your Kingdom come.

To bring honor to the name of God is a prayer uttered by millions of believers... regularly (if all is well). It is one thing to pray those words, but how exactly can we bring honor to His name in our daily lives? 

We can read in the book of Deuteronomy for example that it was very important for the name of God to be honored in a specific place, a place where His presence dwelt. I wrote a book about that (In My Name). In this series, however, I do not want to look at where His name is being honored, but at how His name is being honored.

👉Let's get started with Psalm 23:3 (NLT), where it says: He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

The NKJV says 'for His name's sake'. When we feel weary, when we feel weak or kind of off-track... God wants to renew our strength. He wants to guide us along the right way. When we ask Him and allow Him to fill us again, to redirect us again, to sustain us again, it brings honor to His name!

That is, if we give Him the glory and thanksgiving of course. Testifying about our recovery is important. We do it for the honor of His name!

A mandate to shine

The other day I came across a sentence in one of the books I am currently reading, that really stuck with me... I mean like glue. 

Shine where you are.

Shine where you are. Four simple words that made me wonder what would happen if we all did that? Just imagine... we would live in a different world!

What if we would shine exactly in the place or position we are in right now? Not when things get better, not when we have it all together, not when we are healed, not when we are out of trouble, not when our government changes... but now, right where we are.

Maybe you don't want to shine, maybe you prefer complaining and grumbling. 👉 But for believers it is different, we have a mandate to shine! Think about that.

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky (Philippians 2:14-15, GNT).

Just imagine...

Vanity and grasping for the wind

In my younger years, my friends and I often philosophized about the meaning of life. We regularly closed such discussions with the sigh: 'For all is vanity and grasping for the wind.'

We took those words from the Bible book of Ecclesiastes, in which the writer experiences that all human efforts, hard work, and pleasure ultimately lead to nothing; after all, we all have to die. It even made him depressed.

So I came to hate life because everything done here under the sun is so troubling. Everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind (Ecclesiastes 2:17).

There is nothing new under the sun indeed if this describes a phase in life you are currently experiencing; a phase many people go through. Chasing the wind is exhausting and yields nothing of value, we will all discover that at some point.

But how then, will we live the years that have been given to us? The desire to do something with our lives is surely in our blood. We don't want to spend our lives on the couch, do we?

Well, I can reassure you. The Bible clearly provide answers to the questions of life as they are exposed in the book of Ecclesiastes. For example in Psalm 34:14,

👉 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (go after it).

I read in that Psalm a call to repentance.... turn away from evil. But also to a new way of life... do good, do the right thing. And very specifically that means… seek peace. That is in reality a challenge to go on a quest to get to know Jesus (Prince of Peace) and His teachings better.

And that is not all. We are called to seek peace AND pursue it, chase after it. Now, that is an adventure much more satisfying than chasing after the wind!

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another (Romans 14:10).

The things that occupy our time

The Bible is full of beautiful, encouraging, but also difficult and sometimes bizarre passages. Well, I am sure you all know that :)

One of the most important warnings in simple words was urged by the Master Himself when He addressed His followers about the vine and the branches. Jesus told them to stay connected to Him if they wanted to bear fruit, to be productive, and then He added: Apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5).

I always thought that was such a radical and strong statement and kind of weird at the same time. Let's face it, there are millions of people who do all kinds of stuff without Him, every day. There are millions of people who labor in their own strength and purposely keep the Lord out of their daily business. What exactly does Jesus mean when He says 'apart from Me you can do nothing?'

Of course, I understand that if it wasn't for the breath of life He gives us, we would be dead. But still... 👉I personally believe Jesus' emphasis was not on the 'doing' of stuff, but on the fruit our labor produces. Does our work bring forth fruit? Are we putting energy in things that will be gone next year, or in relationships with everlasting value? 

Are we investing money in things that will be outdated or gone over time, or in programs that build the Kingdom? Are we working for earthly success, or to serve others? Quite some introspective questions to think about.

'Apart from Me, you can do nothing'. That is not a negative statement, it is a positive promise. It is everything we trust in and hope for! It seals our connectedness with and our dependency on God. It is a reminder that we live and move and have our being in Jesus Christ alone.

His words remind us, over and over again, that knowledge, education, status, or success are not important in the Kingdom, but the measure of fruit-bearing for the Kingdom of God... a matter of eternal value!

Millions are their numbers

When my book Breath of Life was published, back in 2008, I had no idea it would remain so topical and accurate. I received many comments on the story of Sorek, as described in that book.

With the abortion debate flaring up again, reader Don Coley (CA) sent me a message recently, that said:

"In the USA there is now a renewed opportunity for Sorek and his Breath of Life. His developing personality was so engaging that, after reading Breath of Life, I wrote about Sorek as well."

Don's poem will resonate with everyone who has read Breath of Life and hopefully trigger the curiosity of those who haven't read it yet.

Who will side with Sorek? Who will set him free?

God has formed his features, God has shaped his plan

This God who holds his future, still gives a choice to Man

Choice to seek his purpose or choice to turn away

Choice that stops a beating heart, erases birth that day

No laughter in his future. No hugs, no friends, no wife

Because a choice was wrongly used and took his Breath of Life

Millions are their numbers, Sorek all their name

Lives not lived but slaughtered, choice reduced to shame

Must it always be this way? Is there nothing we can do?

To value life above false choice? What’s next is up to you.

Who will side with Sorek? Who will set him free?

I will side with Sorek, I will help him be.

And the winner is...

Thank you all who responded to my giveaway on various social media outlets. The release of a new book does call for some festivities, doesn't it? 😊

One thing festive, for sure, is receiving favorable reviews. I got one for my new book First Love from Reader's Favorite, quite a surprise to me since I did not ask or pay for it.

I'll quote from the review:

"Marja Verschoor-Meijers knows her stuff. I have been a minister for over 45 years and have read thousands of books. In my humble opinion, First Love does a better job at explaining Law #7 than any other author I have ever read. She uses the Scriptures and not only exegetes this commandment, but she also gives practical application."

Quite humbling, I must admit. If you want to read the full review, please CLICK HERE. I have been receiving some comments from readers by mail and social media as well... but I could use more!

So, when you are reading, or have finished reading, First Love, please let me know your thoughts. Did it inspire and encourage you? Did it speak to your heart?

👉And now.... the winner of last week's giveaway is Francesca Spataro (Italy). 

She will get a free copy in the mail! She has been a faithful reader of my books and even translated several into Italian, so I am sure this one will be a welcoming addition to her library.

First Love is available as e-book and paperback on Amazon in your country.

Giveaway 'First Love'

Yeah, summer is on the way. Hopefully, you will take the time to read a good book.

Why not read my latest release First Love? Especially now that you have a chance to win a free copy. I think a new book release is not complete without a blog giveaway, so let's do it!😃

Last month First Love hit the shelves. It is the ninth book in a series (all books can be read separately) about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century and it is based on the seventh commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Not exactly an easy or popular topic to write a book about, but I certainly believe that First Love holds a beautiful and inspiring message about God's faithfulness and love. His love for Israel, for humanity, and for you as a reader. 

Because our limited human love fails us, we need His divine love in our lives in order to be able to love others. It all starts with receiving His love, renewing our understanding of that love, and refreshing the way we love Him back. What God wants to establish in our spiritual lives, He will surely use in our day-to-day natural circumstances. After reading this book, you will:

• have a better understanding of God’s love for people
• know that you are loved by God
• feel encouraged about refreshing your relationship with God, your spouse, and other people
• be inspired to love others as God loves you
• be able to ban boredom from your life
• be determined to remain faithful until the end.

👉So, how do you enter this giveaway? Simply like this post when you see it on social media. Leave a comment, and share the post! Yep, that's it. I'll put your name in the hat and next week I'll ask my husband to draw a winner!

First Love is available as e-book and paperback on Amazon in your country.

Rulers of this world

It shouldn't surprise us anymore that the rulers of this world mainly exalt themselves and thus ignore God. It has been like this for thousands of years, there is nothing new under the sun.

Rulers and leaders of countries (yes even tiny countries like the Netherlands, where I live) and worldly organizations have been given (or taken) positions of importance, even though one scandal after the other surrounds them, with no one taking proper responsibility.

Although the Bible says that, in general, authority has been given by God, many do not represent God or the people for that matter, but only themselves and their far-out ideas and world views. Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist figured out what was behind such attitudes:

Why are the nations in an uproar, the peoples grumbling in vain? The earth’s kings are taking positions, leaders conspiring together, against Adonai and his anointed (Psalm 2:1-2).

👉How foolish of leaders and rulers to plot/conspire against God in their endless pride. If we look at history, none of them ended well. King David (himself a leader) wrote about this:

Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They deal corruptly, their deeds are vile, not one does what is right (Psalm 14:1).

Perhaps even more foolish is the fact that these 'rulers' can only continue to function as long as they can count on servile subjects, people who do exactly whatever they prescribe. We have to be alert and awake! We can serve only one lord: God or the world. This is a choice everyone will have to make at some point in life

This morning I was thinking of an old song: 'I Will Serve No Foreign God'. The Dutch version goes somewhat like this: I praise You Lord God of the universe; the Prince of Peace, who is to come. I bring glory to You, for You reign in me. And I serve no other lord; no idol and no king. I long for You only; my heart is your home. And with my heart, I raise my hands.

First Love: Book 9 in a series

Sometimes it amazes me how long it takes me to write a book 😏Do all writers have a tendency to procrastinate, I wonder? There are times that I don't look at my manuscript for months and then suddenly I am back at it again.

Writing is and will always be a matter of discipline and setting strict deadlines. Anyway, there's another book on my shelf!

Last week my latest book was published, I gave it the title First Love. It is the ninth book in a series (all books can be read separately) about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century and it is based on the seventh commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Not really an easy or popular topic to write a book about, but I certainly believe that this book holds a beautiful and inspiring message about God's faithfulness and love. His love for Israel, for humanity, and for you as a reader. The back matter says:

Love, till death do us part. Such words, promises, and vows… do they still mean anything at all in our world today? Is it possible to love and keep on loving? Is it possible to be faithful to the end?

If you are interested in an inspiring and encouraging view on faithfulness, please order this book and let me know your thoughts. It is available as e-book and paperback on Amazon in your country.

👉I would appreciate your reviews.

It is true!

Has it ever happened to you that you didn't believe something at first and later you did? That you first doubted something and later you knew for sure? It is not unthinkable, is it?

In fact, this is exactly what happened around the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We see it already happening at the cross.

When Jesus died there was a huge earthquake. Matthew 27:54 then says: The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” Suddenly they believed exactly what they denied at first!

Jesus was buried in a tomb, but He got out of the grave. Some women were the first to discover this. In Luke 24:9-11 we read:  So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 

Jesus came out of the grave? Nonsense! Today there are still many people who hold the same view. But the story continues. Two of Jesus' disciples also have an encounter with Him after His resurrection. They wanted everyone to know that wonderful truth.

In Luke 24:33-34 we read:  They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”

It is true! It is true after all. I hope that one day everyone gets that revelation. Why? Because it will change everything in your life and because you will get hope for the future.

Teach me (5)

In my previous blog post (part 4 in this series) we looked at Psalm 86:11. David wrote 'Teach me Your ways' and he added a request for purity of heart. Oh, may that be our prayer as well.

I truly believe it is a godly attribute when we desire to be taught. We can read the request for wisdom over and over again throughout the Bible. it was the cry of our forefathers: Teach me. Let's look at Psalm 119:66,

I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge.

Do we believe in the Lord's commands? His command to love Him above all else, to love others as ourselves, not to worry, to forgive others as we have been forgiven...? I am just naming a few. If the answer is yes, let's go on.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge. Not just judgment, but good judgment. I think we are in dire need of that. There is so much going on in the world; it is often hard to figure out what is real and what is fake. 👉We need good judgment, not so that we can judge people, but rather that we will be able to judge circumstances.

The same is true for knowledge. We do not need more knowledge so we can brag about how clever we are. No, we rather need knowledge about the ways of the Lord. Why? Because the ways of the world lead to death, we can see that all around us, but God's ways lead to life! 

Check out my Psalm 119 daily devotions on YouTube!

Teach me (4)

In my previous blog post we looked at David's prayer as recorded in Psalms 27:11: Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.

Whether we find ourselves in a military war (as David did), a spiritual war, or an emotional war... it is good to pray David's prayer. We often do the opposite, we pray for the enemy to go away... the pain, the hurt, the sickness, the fear.

But the enemy will pop up somewhere else or in a different form. 👉Asking God to teach us HOW to live, despite the enemies in this world, requires a different level of faith.

When we ask the Lord to teach us, we open ourselves up to do life His way instead of our way and that brings us to another one of David's psalms.

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you ( Psalm 86:11).

Awesome! That I may live according to God's truth, not according to the lies the world is hurling at us day after day! I don't even want to hear them anymore.

And then David adds a very personal request. The request for purity of heart, something that honors God. Oh, may it be our prayer as well. Let's get rid of the energy-draining contamination of the world.

Teach us Your ways!

Teach me (3)

'What if we would fill up on spiritual truth instead of earthly knowledge?' I asked in my previous blog. Earthly knowledge can be acquired through reading, listening, learning, and experiencing.

We receive spiritual truth basically through revelation upon reading, hearing, believing, and doing the Word of God.

Could this be the difference between 'tell me' and 'teach me', I wonder? When we say 'tell me what I need to know, tell me what I need to do, tell me what to say', we expect pre-packaged answers and quick (easy) instructions.

When we say 'teach me how to live' for example, we cannot expect a short answer, we rather prepare to commence on a journey. We can find the cry 'teach me' numerous times in the Psalms. For example in Psalms 27:11,

Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.

Now David was involved in military warfare as well as spiritual warfare. So, however we look at this, I believe we can still learn from the cry of his heart. No matter whether we find ourselves surrounded by enemies of flesh and blood, by powers and principalities, or both... we need to be led along the right path, so we won't perish.

Enemies are waiting for us, all the time. We can pray for them to go away, but they'll pop up somewhere else or in a different form. Let's pray as David prayed: Teach me how to live, O Lord!

Teach us how to live in a crazy world that You loved enough to share Your precious Son with, our Prince of Peace.

Teach me (2)

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

I love that verse (Psalm 90:12)! In order to grow in wisdom, the cry of our hearts must be 'teach me!' This basically means admitting that we do not have the answers to all of today's issues and problems.

Society today expects us to have strong opinions, to take sides, to understand complicated matters, and to know the politically 'correct' responses to every occurring problem.

Despite all the drama and confusion in our world today, many people do not believe the Bible could be relevant and useful in order to keep us on the right path. But what was written two thousand years ago has eternal value. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 👉God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

This earth could be filled with good, benevolent works (which would make it a much better place if you ask me) if we would be open to the instructions the Bible gives us. We need to be taught to do right, because human nature wants to do wrong.

Just look at little children... we often regard them as innocent, but parents have to teach children to do right, while the wrong things come naturally (being jealous, selfish, disobedient, etc.). This is because we are born with a sinful nature, in desperate need of forgiveness and change!

What if we would fill up on spiritual truth instead of earthly knowledge? What if...?

Teach me (1)

I don’t know about you, but as I grow older I have come to realize that I am in constant need of wisdom in order to deal with life as it is right now.

We live in a crazy world that seems to have lost all sense of awe and respect for God and His teachings.

How do we respond to crisis, to government decisions that go against God’s Word, to people who are filled with fear, hatred, or doubt? How do we continue to live lives of compassion and love towards the people around us?

Browsing through my Bible I came to Psalm 90:12 where it says:

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

What a great scripture! Teach us to realize that life is short… not so, that we can go around preaching death, the dangers of hell, or that the end of times is near, but in order that we may grow in wisdom. I want that, I need that!

Lately, the cry of my heart has been ‘teach me Lord’. Teach me Your will and Your ways. Teach me Your decrees and Your heart… so that I may grow in wisdom. I decided to do a blog series on this topic. Throughout the Bible we can read about people of God and the cry of their hearts: teach me!

I hope you will join me on this journey and that my musings will encourage and inspire you, especially in the time we are living in right now.