'No other gods' finalist for the 2025 CIPA Awards

It is a little more than a year ago, that I finally finished the writing and publishing of the tenth and final book in my series about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century.

Quite a relief, I might add. It took me nineteen years to finish this book series.

I have received news that No other gods is a finalist for the 2025 Christian Indie Awards. Yeah, that is an honor in itself, if you ask me.

Looking at the shortlist I noticed that there are twenty-one categories and a little over seventy finalists in the Christian Indie Awards.

Read more about this topic HERE (my new blog) and make sure to sign up! 

About developing a healthy focus

It is often said that the things we focus on will grow, whether negative (self-pity, worry, pain, lack) or positive (success, gratefulness, friends, creativity).

👉Focusing on something is like looking through a magnifying glass; it enlarges the focal point and blurs the rest.

We decide, day in, and day out, where we put our magnifying glass. Are we fixing our eyes on the positive or the negative? The choice is ours, always!

Read more about this topic HERE (my new blog) and make sure to sign up! 

About the reform of education...

When president-elect Donald Trump announced the reform of the Department of Education, I was thrilled. Why? Because I think something is fundamentally wrong with the things they have been teaching kids at school.

According to the UN the purpose of education is 'to promote the full development of the human personality and to strengthen respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.'

Read more about this topic HERE (my new blog) and make sure to sign up!

About prayer requests and such...

Do you feel overwhelmed from time to time because of all the prayer requests you are trying to keep up with?

I do. Let's be honest here. Sometimes, my prayer list gets so long that I end up praying for nothing at all. I just sit there and sigh... Yep, I admit it.

Read more about this topic HERE (my new blog) and make sure to sign up!

After 18 years of blogging...

I started blogging after my first book 'Sacred Sabbath' was published, hence the url I've used for the past eighteen years: sacredsabbath.blogspot.com 😀

Over time I posted about my books, faith, adventures, and questions. Based upon input from readers I did quite a few blog series.

At some point, I wanted to change the web address (url) of my blog because 'sacredsabbath' didn't really accurately describe the variety of topics. 

I don't know whether any of you ever tried to change the url, but it means that everywhere you posted a link to your blog, that link would be broken.

Nah, didn't want to do that. 

I asked my followers on Instagram whether they read my blogs and I received positive responses. Stopping therefore is not an option. Then, the other day I read an article that said blogging is not dead, quite encouraging.

So, this week I decided to start a new blog where I will be posting regularly. That way I will get to keep the eighteen years of blogging that are behind me. It is still kind of a blanc page there (except for one article I posted earlier today), but I hope you decide to sign up for or follow the new blog.

➔Question: Have you ever been thinking of starting a new blog or do you already have different blogs?

Heart palpitations and Jesus

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

[John 16:33]

Take heart, Jesus said. In other words: be encouraged, be comforted, cheer up. Oh, how we need to hear these words. The crazier the world gets, the more we need to hear His voice, the more we need to guard our heart and keep His perfect shalom.

I was reading in a medical article that heart palpitations are a very common experience. If you surveyed 100 people, about 90 of them would have reported heart palpitations. It's usually harmless, but stress and anxiety (as well as caffeine and medication) can cause our hearts to act funny.

We cannot change what is happening in the world; the wars, the disasters, the drama. But we can change how those happenings affect our hearts. Colossians 3:15 says:

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Did you notice the word 'rule'? Peace rules, not in this world, but in our hearts. That is where the change begins, for everyone! Jesus is the Prince of peace and He wants to reside in us. His residency in our lives makes all the difference.

Warning: There is a side effect! A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body [Proverbs 14:30a].

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (10)

And so, we have come to the end of this blog series, the tenth commandment: You shall not covet (Exodus 20:17).

The full text says: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

Let's make this simple: You shall not desire anything that isn't yours to begin with.

Maybe you're thinking: “Oh, I don’t envy my neighbor, his house, car, or wife. I don’t desire what someone else has.” But come to think of it, what do you desire? What are the desires of your heart? Are you passionate about the right things?

I believe the message behind the last commandment is both bold and obvious and of great value for today: ➤Don’t be envious of what others have, go after what God has for you!

The Bible says that nothing we desire can compare with wisdom, which is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing we can ever desire can compare with wisdom. Isn't that the very thing we should go after then?

👉The core value I have attached to the tenth commandment is WISDOM.

We do not desire the things of this world but seek spiritual virtues such as wisdom.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

For more on this topic, read my book 'MY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE' (Digging deeper to find the treasure that will satisfy the longing of your heart). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (9)

We are nearing the end of this blog series.

In the introduction I wrote; "It is one thing to say we don't steal, but are we generous? It is one thing to say we don't bear false witness, but do we speak truth when we open our mouths? Going from commandment to core value is, in essence, going from theory to application."

Let's continue with the ninth commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Exodus 20:16).

Of course, if all is well we will not lie, cheat, or falsely accuse others. But the real question is: Do we speak truth when we open our mouths?

One of the most famous questions ever asked in the history of mankind, was the one Pilate desperately confronted Jesus with: ‘and what is truth?’ That question still lingers in our courtrooms. As a matter of fact, it lingers in our homes, schools, political arenas, businesses, and even in our churches. What is truth? A very relevant question for today.

As in Pilate's time, we also live in a world that is made up of accusations, lies, and gossip. We are constantly bombarded with stories about people cheating, lying, and accusing others of being the reason for the mess they are in. Such practices even have entertainment value. It seems mankind hasn’t moved up the ladder of integrity very much.

Can we answer Pilate’s question with a certainty that would settle all dispute, all error, and all doubt? It is now more important than ever before, that we live and speak truthfully and discover how to stand up for biblical values and principles in a troubled world that seems to have taken a free fall into lawlessness. 

👉The core value I have attached to the ninth commandment is TRUTH

We will stand up for truth and boldly proclaim the values and principles of the Bible.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

For more on this topic, read my book 'SPIRIT OF TRUTH' (Finding certainty and standing firm in a troubled world). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (8)

Are you enjoying this series? I sincerely hope these blog posts will give you new insights and revelation about the depth and riches of God's Word.

Let's continue with the eighth commandment: You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15).

Surely, you are not a thief 😀

But let's take this up a notch. Are you generous? Do you rather give than take? It is a sobering fact maybe, but we spend most of our lives accumulating possessions, whether they are the house, the car, the boat, the job, the money, or the mate we desire.

We think more stuff will make us happier and give us a more fulfilled life, although Jesus had quite a stern warning against storing up treasures on earth. How can we shift our all-too-human attitude of gathering into an attitude of giving? Is it truly possible to become cheerful givers? I believe we can!

🔑The key to a fulfilled life is not gathering but giving. And this is not just about material possessions, there is a deep spiritual truth hidden within the eighth commandment. We are not just called to give our hearts to Jesus, we must give it all (wallets included)! Our spirits need to be born again, our souls need to be saved, and our bodies need to be a living sacrifice. Our lives are a generous offering to God.

👉The core value I have attached to the eighth commandment is GENEROSITY.

We live a life of generosity which is the key to a blessed life.

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For more on this topic, read my award-winning book 'GRACE OF GIVING' (Turning the key to enter and experience fullness of life). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (7)

The Ten Commandments represent ten core values, spiritual values, that will help us to live a dedicated and fruitful Christian life.

A core value is a principle or belief that a person or organization views as being of central importance. I feel free to say that the Ten Commandments describe values that would make for a happier and safer society... if applied.

Let's continue with the seventh commandment: You shall not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14).

When I first started reading the Bible in English, I struggled with words such as adultery and idolatry. I mixed them up from time to time. But you know what? There is some truth in that. Idolatry is spiritual unfaithfulness while adultery is physical unfaithfulness, which basically means to forsake our first love!

God is spirit and God is love and we are not. We are humans of flesh and blood, and we may wonder: ‘Is it possible to love and keep on loving? Is it possible to be faithful to the end?’

I believe it all starts with receiving God's 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. God is faithful, even if we are not. The Psalmist wrote: ‘Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life.’ 

👉The core value I have attached to the seventh commandment is FAITHFULNESS.

We are being faithful to our spouses and to God.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'FIRST LOVE' (Embracing the challenge to pursue faithful relationships). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (6)

How do we go from Ten Commandments to Ten Core Values? In other words, how can we go from just following rules (Law) to living by convictions (Spirit)?

That's quite a question, isn't it? I hope you are enjoying this new blog series. Let's continue with the sixth commandment: You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13).

We don't need higher education to understand this. Surely, we are not killers. The true question is: Do we value life?

As human beings, we are made in the image and likeness of God. We are uniquely designed triune beings: spirit, soul, and body. We are made in the image of a loving God who is the source of all life.

We are made in the image and likeness of a God who, at the right time, became like one of us... this is the mystery of the Christian faith.

Jesus showed us what God is like. He gave His life for us, to save us from a life of sin and self-destruction. He offers us abundant life!

Maybe they have called you an accident, an incident, even a mistake, or simply illegitimate. Whatever the public opinion; conception is no coincidence. You are wanted and cherished by God, the Creator of the universe.

Life doesn't start with conception and it doesn't end with death. Our existence is eternal, that's the way God designed it. All of life is valuable to Him and it should be to us!

👉The core value I have attached to the sixth commandment is LIFE.

We advocate the protection of life, from life in the womb to the life of the elderly.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'Breath of Life' (A journey into origin & purpose of spirit, soul, and body). This book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (5)

In this new blog series, I have summarized the Ten Commandments (and the subsequent books I wrote) in what I like to call the ‘Ten Core Values’ of a dedicated and fruitful Christian life.

👉No longer is the emphasis on dos and don’ts but on what a life, led by the Holy Spirit, could be like.

So far, we've seen that loyalty towards God, a lifestyle of worship, seeking His presence, and sabbats rest are basic values every believer should live by.

Let's continue with the fifth commandment:  Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you (Exodus 20:12).

‘Honor your father and your mother,’ is a biblical command that has been regarded as wonderful by some and as awful by others. Wonderful for those who grew up in loving households with caring parents. Awful, for those who were mistreated, abandoned, or even abused.

In my book 'Respectfully Yours' I have looked at this commandment from a New Testament perspective, from a grace-perspective if you like. I have purposely used the words of the apostle Paul, who was familiar with both law and grace, as can be read in Ephesians 6:1-4,

Children, it is your Christian duty to[a] obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. “Respect your father and mother” is the first commandment that has a promise added: “so that all may go well with you, and you may live a long time in the land." Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction.

He recites the fifth commandment and the promise of well-being and a long life. He furthermore adds a call for parents to treat their children well and to raise them according to biblical principles. Respect should be mutual.

👉The core value I have attached to the fifth commandment is RESPECT.

We show respect to our parents, children, and God and at the same time, we are deserving of respect, which will provide us with a long and healthy life.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'Respectfully Yours' (Revealing God's truth about well-being and a long life). The revised edition will soon be available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (4)

Hopefully, you are enjoying this new series based on the Ten Commandments and the subsequent books I wrote on these topics.

Although the Ten Commandments have not changed, the way we make them come true is totally different under the new covenant. Merely obeying or keeping a set of rules can turn into legalism.

However, making the teachings come true by fulfilling them in our daily lives is a whole different story. That is why I have attached core values to the commandments. 🌻Core values that would make for a happier and safer society... if applied.

So far, we've seen that loyalty towards God, a lifestyle of worship, and seeking His presence are basic values that every believer should live by. Let's continue this blog series with the fourth commandment:  Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8-11).

It might surprise you, but the book I wrote about this commandment is not a promotion for a holy Saturday, or a holy Sunday for that matter. I have left that discussion up to others. I believe that the spiritual truth hidden within the fourth commandment is about honoring God by setting one day a week apart for Him. So, which day of the week that will be, should not be the focus of discussion.

If you are active in ministry, you work on Saturdays (in Messianic congregations) or on Sundays (in most churches) as well as on other days of the week. You will definitely need a day of rest somewhere in the middle of the week, to honor the Lord. I am speaking from my own experience. The apostle Paul wrote:

So let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the New Moon Festival or the Sabbath. All such things are only a shadow of things in the future; the reality is Christ [Colossians 2:16-17].

Let no one make rules, but God of course! For He alone is Lord of the Sabbath. Throughout the centuries people did make rules though. The Jewish leaders did it, the church did it, and if you grew up in a Christian home your parents probably did it. It is sad but true that the rules we made, have often obstructed the blessing that will follow when we take a day of rest after six days of work.

👉The core value I have attached to the fourth commandment is REST

We practice sabbatical rest on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis, and experience a blessed balance in our daily lives.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'Sacred Sabbath' (God's way to multiply our time and restore our joy). The book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the Christian life (3)

Jesus taught His disciples to pray: Our Father in heaven: May your holy name be honored (Matthew 6:9).

To honor the name of the Lord comes as the opposite of misusing that name, or using that name in vain. And that brings us to part 3 in this new blog series, to the third commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain (Exodus 20:7).

It is one thing to claim we don’t use the Lord’s name in vain. We don't swear, we don't misuse His name. But for what purposes do we use His name? 

Are we bringing honor to His name? Do we have a genuine love for His name? Is everything we do and say then, done in His name?

‘Lord’ is not a word to end our sentences with when we talk to Him, nor is it a filler to make our prayers sound more holy and authentic. ‘Lord’ (YHWH) is His personal revelatory name and He gave it to us for use on a daily basis. Why?

Because God's presence is connected to His name.

• In Exodus 20:25b, for example, God says Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.
• Or, as Jesus said, in Matthew 18:20: For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
• And let's not forget the announcement of the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:23): Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.

Whenever we call on the name of the Lord, He will be right there. His presence is in His name.

👉The core value I have attached to the third commandment is PRESENCE

We seek the presence of God daily by honoring His name and His presence brings peace, healing, and revelation.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'In My Name' (Inviting God's holy presence in daily situations). The book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the christian life (2)

Come, let us bow down and worship Him; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker [Psalm 95:6].

Let's continue this blog series with the second commandment: You shall not make any idols and you shall not bow down to them or worship them (Exodus 20:4-5).

That's the second commandment in a nutshell. As we have seen in the previous post the first commandment is about not having other gods before Him. The second commandment specifies this in more detail: don't make images of other gods (idols) and don't worship them.

I truly believe the second commandment is at its core all about worship. It is a call to worship and bow down to no one else but God alone. Now, if all is well, Christians do not worship or bow down to idols (although we might never have missed an episode of Idols on TV). Yet, I have met believers who were more devoted to their church, their denomination, their dogma's and doctrines, or their preachers and worship bands, than to God!

Which brings us to a realistic and probing question. What would be left of our modern-day Christianity when all is taken away: the buildings, the meetings, the money, the power, the titles, the theology, the music, and the concerts? What would be left?

We might find ourselves on our knees again, without anything. Just us, on the floor… waiting for God to speak, waiting for Him to come. After more than two thousand years of Christianity, we might find ourselves bowing down again, empty-handed, with nothing but our time and lives to give Him.

Jesus prophesied that the time was coming when by the power of God’s Spirit people would worship the Father as He really is, offering Him the true worship He so desires. Have you ever wondered what true worship would be like? It begins where idolatry ends.

👉The core value I have attached to the second commandment is WORSHIP.

Our gratefulness and devotion towards God express themselves in a lifestyle of worship.

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For more on this topic, read my book 'True Worshipers' (Answering the Father's call for a lifestyle of pure devotion). The book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the christian life (1)

'Going from commandment to core value is, in essence, going from theory to application', I wrote in my previous blog.

If you have read one or more of my books in the series about the Ten Commandments you will have noticed that the books are not about what we can or cannot do, but about what the Holy Spirit wants to do through us.

So, let's start with the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3).

The first commandment is more than just a rule, a law, a decree, or even a mere prohibition. In essence, it is a call to holiness. My free interpretation comes down to ‘No compromise’, which is quite radical in a world full of compromises, choices, and alternatives.

We want it all and we can have it all, but in the process we are becoming more and more disoriented and less and less focused. Major confusion, whether mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually, is the disease of our time.

As Christians, we should never mix our faith in God with the enticements of this world. This is dangerous ground… unstable ground and the Bible warns us repeatedly not to go that way. ‘You shall have no other gods before me’ means much more than just refraining from worshiping idols. Of course, we have no other gods besides the Lord in our lives, if all is well.

But let’s be honest here; how big is the influence of the world in our lives? Are we refusing to let the world corrupt us? It seems this evil world is closing in on us, which can be quite a frightening feeling. All the more reason to stick with Jesus! The first commandment is therefore a call for undivided loyalty towards the Lord.

👉The core value I have attached to the first commandment is LOYALTY.

Our loyalty is to God alone and we will not be distracted by the concerns of this world. 

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For more on this topic, read my book 'No other gods' (Why undivided loyalty to the One and only living God matters in these days). The book is available on Amazon in your country.

Ten Core Values for the christian life (intro)

It has often been said, that the Ten Commandments are not the ten suggestions. I agree.

👉Although nowadays we might struggle with the idea of 'commandments' we cannot change the fact that the Bible orders believers to do or restrain from certain things. A commandment is an instruction, a directive, or an order.

God commands His angels to watch over us* (oh, how we like that) but He also commands us to love our enemies (ouch).

A happier and safer society

While writing my book series about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century, I discovered that they basically represent ten core values for a dedicated and fruitful Christian life. A core value is a principle or belief that a person or organization views as being of central importance. I feel free to say that the Ten Commandments describe values that would make for a happier and safer society... if applied.

New Covenant

Although the Ten Commandments have not changed, the way we make them come true is totally different under the new covenant. Merely obeying or keeping a set of rules can turn into legalism. However, making the teachings come true by fulfilling them in daily life is a whole different story, as Jesus had to explain many times. The apostle John understood it. He wrote:

Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining (1 John 2:7-8, NLT).

Do you see that? Jesus lived the truth of the commandments. I believe we are called to do the same. It is the way to push back darkness! No longer is the emphasis on dos and don’ts but on what a life, led by the Holy Spirit, could be like.

From theory to application

It is one thing to say we don't steal, but are we generous? It is one thing to say we don't bear false witness, but do we speak truth when we open our mouths? Going from commandment to core value is in essence going from theory to application.

So, in the next blog post, we will start with the first commandment (You shall have no other gods before Me) and discover the core value hidden within this commandment. It is my hope that you will join me in this series. Along the way, the Holy Spirit will expand our understanding of a proper balance between law and grace.

*Psalm 91:11

Expand my territory!

"I like the idea of expansion, as long as it is not my waist or weight 😁", I wrote in my blog post on January 4th of this year. The post was about my #oneword for 2024: EXPAND. You can read that post HERE.

Expand as in the prayer of Jabez: Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! (1 Chronicles 4:10).

Expand as in Psalm 119:32: I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.

Europe Teen Challenge Conference

We're talking territorial as well as spiritual expansion. I like that idea. This past weekend, we attended the Europe Teen Challenge conference in Warsaw, Poland. With our non-profit organization Traveling Light, we support Teen Challenge programs (faith-based rehab and discipleship programs) in more than 30 countries in Europe. So, the annual conference is always a great opportunity to meet with staff and students from all over Europe.

Book table

We are always present with our book table, which is a blessing as well. Several of my books have been translated into other languages (German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Farsi, and Polish, to name a few). This time I had two new books/editions on the table:

• No other gods, which is the tenth and final book in my series about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century, and
• Duch Prawdy, which is the Polish edition of my book Spirit of Truth.

Ten Core Values

While writing that final book in the series, the idea came to me that the Ten Commandments are basically the Ten Core Values for a dedicated and fruitful Christian life. I wrote a book about each commandment, and each book represents a core value that we live out in our daily lives.

👉I decided to do a blog series about those Ten Core Values. I surely hope you will take the journey with me. Along the way, the Holy Spirit will expand our understanding of a proper balance between law and grace.

PS: My books are available on Amazon in your country!

Where is your fixation?

Have you ever met someone who had a fixation with diet, fitness, shopping, or shoes, for that matter? People with an obsessive interest in something.

All they can think about, talk about, and spend money on is the very thing they have an obsession for. It can be funny, it can be worrisome.

I am not pointing fingers, we all have been there in one way or another.

Nowadays, fixation goes much further than wanting a certain pair of shoes. It plays out on a grander scale, a global scale even. Obsession with political and socio-economical matters, the climate, world population, ideologies, wars and rumors of wars. There is no end to the issues of life that are crying out for our attention.

Although all these issues can be more or less important to keep life on this planet enjoyable, they can also divert our attention, our fixation if you like, from what really matters!

👉The Bible tells us quite plainly how to stay focused and how to keep the peace (or: how not to go crazy):

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3).

I like that. I must keep my thoughts fixed on God, not on circumstances, not on the news, not even on tomorrow. When I pray, meditate, or read the Bible, I keep my thoughts fixed on Him.

Do I know what is going on in the world? Yes, of course I do. But my fixation is not there. The apostle Paul wrote about this exact same issue in 2 Corinthians 4:1,

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Think about that. It sounds crazy to fix our gaze (our eyes, our fixed look, our thoughts) on things that cannot be seen. From a rational point of view that seems impossible, if not foolish. But from a spiritual point of view, it is quite normal. Paul again (I believe he got it):

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

I'll do my best!

Divine sustainability

Fashionable words, we all know them, don't we? They pop up like mushrooms in newspapers, magazines, and online.

You don't remember reading or hearing them quite as often before, but suddenly they're trending on X, and using them in any essay or article guarantees a successful reading.

Such a word is 'sustainable'. There is sustainable energy, sustainable fashion, sustainable development, and sustainable economic growth. I am sure you can come up with more.

I remember I had to look up the meaning of the word 'sustainable' when I first read it (as English is not my first language). It means as much as: 'To be able to continue or maintain something at the same rate or level for a period of time.' Hhm, quite a nice definition.

It comes from the verb 'to sustain' which means to assist, comfort, continue, encourage, help, preserve, or save. A good meal sustains us. Hope sustains us in difficult times. But someone can also sustain (suffer) injuries.

Now, words like sustainable and sustainability may be trendy in our time, but they are certainly not new. 👉God is a sustainer by nature!

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me (Psalm 54:4). 

Yes, He is the One. Not the government, not a program, not legislation, not ideology. God is the One who assists me, comforts me, preserves me, and saves me. Not just once or twice, not just more or less... but He maintains His care for me at the same level!

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (Isaiah 46:4).

How wonderful. I love these promises in God's Word. Talking about sustainable energy! His Word revives me and holds me up. And this goes so much further than just personal encouragement, it is global. About Jesus, it is written:

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command  (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus sustains everything by His Word. In Him all things hold together, even if it seems the world (your world maybe?) is falling apart. Now, that is what I would call divine sustainability!

Are you a treasure seeker?

Job seekers, thrill seekers, freedom seekers, truth seekers... they are everywhere. What about treasure seekers? 

There was a time when we were backpacking all over the world. I found joy in collecting rocks, stones, and sea shells. I would fill my backpack with such treasures and then complain that it was too heavy to carry 😏

Most of the time I ended up tossing my treasures, lightening my load, and realizing life was easier that way.

I know, I know what the Bible says about collecting too much stuff: Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20).

How do we store up our treasures in heaven? Why? Isn't heaven full of treasures? Maybe I will get the answers one day, who knows.

One thing I do know: God is not against treasures. Jesus is God's greatest treasure, and He sent Him down to live among mankind. He shared His greatest treasure with us. And I discovered that God wants us to go on a treasure hunt! Seriously.

The Bible says about Jesus: In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). I don't know about you, but I can't really grasp that truth. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Jesus.

In a world where wisdom and knowledge have degraded to nothing more than a false pretense, I want to be a treasure seeker for the wisdom from above! Simply because stuff will lose its value and disappear but wisdom will last forever.

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COMMANDMENT

You shall not covet

BOOK

My Neighbor's House

CORE VALUE

Wisdom

We do not desire the things of this world but seek after spiritual virtues such as wisdom.

How much is love?

Isn't it wonderful, all the Valentine's Day messages we get to see on social media today? Hearts, chocolates, and of course lots of red and pink.

Why not a blue or green heart, I sometimes wonder. Let's not limit our love expressions to red. After all, love is infinitely great. Yeah, and at the same time, as we all know, human love is limited, it is not faultless, and certainly not always reliable.

On Valentine's Day specifically, many people feel sad because they have not yet met the love of their life or because their love has left. There is grief over unfaithfulness, divorce, as well as loss because of death and illness. Love is no bed of roses, we all know that.

Despite disappointments, love is at the center of our lives. We were made to love and to receive love. Yes, to be loved. Let's face it, without love, humanity cannot survive.

When I wasn't yet a Christian, I wondered why people sometimes said to me, "God loves you, Jesus loves you." What does that matter? Why is that so important?

Well, thank God I know! God is love and because He is eternal, trustworthy, and good, so is His love. His love is the core of our existence. Knowing we are loved by God, despite our mistakes, despite our fears and failures... that is the starting point for everything!

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins [you can read this in the Bible, in 1 John 4:9-10].

Travels, Jesus, and other gods

Last week I posted two pages from chapter one of my new book 'No other gods' on Facebook. Why?

First of all, to kindly introduce potential readers to my not-so-complicated writings 😁 Second of all, to give potential readers a taste of the journey they will travel when reading that book.

Each chapter in 'No other gods' starts with a memory from my own travel experiences over the past decades. India, Thailand, Egypt, Peru, and Bolivia.. each country with its own specific culture and religion (s).

And then there's the Bible. A book that describes a lot of traveling as well. Travels of the ancient Israelites throughout hostile lands, each with its own specific culture and religion(s).

In 'No other gods' I have woven all of this into a story about God, the Creator of the universe, the God of Israël. 'A warm story of truth', as someone on FB called it.

I am not saying anything negative about other cultures and religions but... I am saying a lot of positive about our God!

👉And then, I posted a giveaway last week. I collected your comments on FB, Instagram, and other social media outlets. The winner is: Colinda.

I will send you a free copy of 'No other gods' and I hope the book will encourage and inspire you in your own faith walk, for we are all sojourners, aren't we?!

Giveaway 'No other gods'

Let's start the new year with a giveaway. Why not? Hopefully, it is on your wish list for 2024 to read more books 😁

Why not read my latest release 'No other gods', 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 'No other gods' hit the shelves. It is the tenth and final book in a series (all books can be read separately) about the Ten Commandments in the 21st century and it is based on the first commandment: You shall have no other gods before me.

‘You shall have no other gods before me’ means so much more than just refraining from worshiping idols. It is a call for undivided loyalty towards the God of Israël and to honor Him as the supreme God, the Creator of heaven and earth. It is also a call to not be ignorant about the destructive influence of principalities and powers, demons and deities, false religious practices and forces of darkness.

I am calling all readers to stand up and take back what the enemy has stolen from us. Let’s make it our aim to live life as God intended it, which is for us to be:

• blessed and fruitful,
• content and encouraged,
• thankful and inspirational for generations to come.

👉So, how do you enter this giveaway? Simply like this post when you see it on social media. Leave a comment if you can, 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.

No other gods is available as e-book and paperback on Amazon in your country.

My #oneword for 2024

Somewhere at the beginning of December, while journaling, I got the feeling that my #oneword for 2024 was going to be EXPAND.

Yeah, expand as in the prayer of Jabez. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And then the Bible says: and God granted him his request. (You can read that in 1 Chronicles 4:10). Expand it will be.

But also expand as in Psalm 119:32, I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding. I love the fact that verse 32 is the last verse of the fourth stanza of that psalm. It is the section of Psalm 119 that represents the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. That letter is (dalet) ד which means 'door'.

Whether I will be praying for God to expand my territory or my understanding or both, the main thing is that He is the One who opens doors. Doors for my mind, my work, my ministry, and my dreams.

I like the idea of expansion, as long as it is not my waist or weight 😁. I like the idea of God and I working on something. Maybe He will show me more, maybe He will show me where we are going!

Do you have a #oneword for 2024? I would love to hear it.