The value of listening (3)

'The value of listening to God's wisdom is tremendous', I wrote in my previous blog post.

In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is calling and because Jesus is the wisdom of God for us (1 Corinthians 1:30), I feel free to say that it is Jesus beckoning us.

Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise (Proverbs 1:23).

Jesus wants to share His heart 💗 with us and make us wise. We would be insane to say no to His invitation, wouldn't we?

Of course, from a human point of view, we can go to school, study, and learn all we want... but in a sense we will just gather knowledge and more knowledge. There is nothing wrong with that, but true wisdom is divine in nature.

According to the writings in the book of Proverbs, listening to wisdom (listening to Jesus, to His Word, to the Holy Spirit) has great benefits indeed. I love how that first chapter ends (Proverbs 1:33),

But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.

I just love that and I receive that word in my heart! Listening to all the voices in the world screaming for our attention will make us restless, worried, distressed, and fearful. Listening to Him will give us peace!

Glory to the Father (4)

Thank you for joining me in this new blog series. Isn't it fascinating to see the different ways God the Father gets the glory? And by looking at John 14,15,16, and 17, we are barely scratching the surface!

[By the way, we are looking at the Greek word for glory here: δόξα (dóxa). The Hebrew word as used in the Old Testament is a totally different story.]

So far we have seen that Jesus brings glory to the Father by answering our prayers (John 14:12-14), which is truly the desire of His heart.

We furthermore discovered that we, as children of God, can bring glory to the Father by producing much fruit and being true disciples (John 15:8). Which in short happens when we become more like Him.

And there is more. When we continue to read the gospel of John, we come to chapter 16:13 where Jesus talks about the work of the Holy Spirit:

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

So, the Holy Spirit brings glory to Jesus, How? By telling us whatever He receives from Jesus. And everything Jesus entrusts to the Spirit (to forward to us) comes from the Father. He honors the Father in the process. There is simply no way to disconnect the Three-in-One.

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!

The Holy Spirit in the Christmas story

Last Sunday I spoke at 'De Hoeksteen' church in Etten-Leur about the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christmas story.

Yes, of course, the Christmas story is about the birth of Jesus Christ and the special announcement that preceded it. The role of the Holy Spirit, however, is very clear in those first two chapters of Luke's gospel, although we usually don't emphasize it.

If we carefully read Luke 1 and 2, we will find that Elisabeth, Zachariah, John, Mary, and Simeon were all filled with the Spirit. They were touched in a special way for the task assigned to them.

👉I feel safe to say that everything in preparation for and around the birth of the Messiah was led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit no life, without the Spirit no miracles!

How wonderful it is to see that just before the end of His life, Jesus makes room here on earth for the Holy Spirit... on a much larger scale. Just read John 14, 15, and 16. Even today, the Spirit wants to use ordinary people like you and me to pave the way, to prepare people for Jesus' return to earth.

The sermon is in Dutch, but it can be viewed and listened to on YouTube. 

The presence of God (3)

I ended my previous blog with the sentence: 'God's glorious presence zoomed in from a universe level, from the heavens to our inmost being.'

It is a great miracle that God came to dwell among men two thousand years ago. Perhaps, it is an even greater miracle that He now wants to dwell in all people with His Spirit. 👉He is always near and we no longer have to travel to a certain place to meet Him.

That was exactly what Jesus promised when He was about to return to His Heavenly Father: And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20). Always, everywhere. A comforting promise, no matter how we feel or wherever we are.

God with us and in us, on an individual basis so to speak. The Bible makes it clear, however, that the presence of God is also something we can (and should) experience when we are together in groups. During a prayer meeting, a Bible study, or a church service, for example.

This does not necessarily require a stadium full of people. Jesus said: For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).

If there is ever one good reason to keep meeting together, it certainly is this one!

The presence of God (2)

'God is omnipresent' I wrote in my previous blog. He is everywhere, even though we may not always experience it as such. As a matter of fact, we can sometimes even feel very, very alone.

On the other hand, it may just be so that in the past you were threathened with the fact that He is everywhere... 'Remember, God sees everything and He knows everything.'

As if He is always looking to see if He can catch us doing something wrong. Perhaps the psalmist felt that somewhat, for he wrote:

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,you are there. (Psalm 139:7-8). He wanted to hide from God, but realized he couldn't.

Actually, I really like the idea that God is omnipresent! He is Immanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23). He is always near us and with us, He is for us and not against us. Frankly, I think that's a very nice thought. No matter how I feel, I'm never alone.

👉God around us, God with us... and God in us, that's how it is. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ receives the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17).

God's glorious presence zoomed in from a universe level, from the heavens to our inmost being. What a miracle that is!

Annoyed... and anointed

The posts I share on social media are a positive mix of my daily life, faith, writing journey, and family, as most of you will have noticed by now 😀

Am I not concerned then, about world events, politics, current problems, and so on? Am I hiding my head in the sand, so to speak, when I ignore such topics?

Sure... I am concerned about such things, but I have chosen not to ventilate my thoughts (with some exceptions) on social media about current happenings, simply because I am quite annoyed with the direction my country and this world, in general, are going.

Annoyed, yes I confess it. And who wants to listen to an annoyed person?

At the same time, I know that I am also anointed... anointed to be God's faithful mouthpiece, to speak His Word, and to share His heart. 👉Anointed means I am called and confirmed by the Holy Spirit to open my mouth and use my pen and keyboard to preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

My annoyance with today's politics, the lying and manipulating, the lawlessness and selfish gain, is real. So, I have to purposely make the decision each day to set aside my irritation over our godless society and magnify the goodness of God. He deserves my voice and my choice!

PS: I understand that some of you feel they just have to address such issues... please, go ahead. I appreciate your efforts.

The good armor (7)

Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation... we looked at it briefly in the previous blogs. They are the God-given weapons we need to fight with and to protect ourselves with in a hostile world.

When we read verse 17 in the sixth chapter of the letter to Ephesians in its entirety, it says:

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. So, what is this sword? The Spirit of God or the Word of God, or maybe both? Surely, we are not supposed to stab people with Bible verses, as if we were in a sword fight ...

No, that would not be wise. However, this verse does show us that the Word of God is sharp, and no doubt powerful. The Bible is not just a book full of letters, it is a book full of life. Jesus said to His disciples, The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).

Such an awesome statement. The words of Jesus are spiritual and full of life, which is why they are still speaking to people today (two thousand years later)! His words are not theory or theology, but spiritual truths. In Hebrews 4:12 the Word is described like this:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The sword, we cannot and should not live without it. Reading (and then doing) the living word is essential everyday food!

The Holy Spirit introduces Himself

Most of you may have heard about me and I suspect some of you have even read books about me and have thoroughly studied my actions. I am glad that you do not deny my existence and I am grateful for the special place that I have received in your life.

Strangely enough, the fact that I live in your house does not mean that you know me personally. For many people, I am unfortunately no more than a mystery guest. That saddens me because I want more. I want attention!

Simply, because it is the Father's plan that you and I develop a close relationship. Your pastor knows about this, because every week he sends you home with the blessing from 2 Corinthians 13:13, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. By that fellowship (unity) He means the community or intimacy that should be between the two of us and other believers. Perhaps your reluctance to have this intimate relationship with me stems from the fact that we do not communicate so often.

It has come to my attention that many of you have a somewhat distorted image of who I am. In fact, I have even heard that some spread rumors of me being a mystery, rather vague and somewhat elusive. I have no idea where such ideas come from, but I do think that people have developed a certain opinion about my personality based on metaphors.

Yes, on comparisons that describe me as a fire, wind, a dove, or heavenly power. Those comparisons are certainly true, but that is not who I am. That is just what I can be compared with. Just as Jesus is not a vine, piece of bread or water well, those are comparisons that say something about who He really is.

Even though I was personally sent to the earth by Jesus Christ, when He sat down at the right hand of our Father, that was not my first trip. I was here from the very beginning. You can read in the Bible how my presence affected creation, how I empowered people to do extraordinary things, and how I was present at the conception of the Son of Man. All those stories about the past are powerful of course, but to be honest, my current position is crucial for today's church.

I know about your difficulties and struggles and I know sometimes you wonder where it will end up with all those empty pews and church buildings. But let me encourage you: if you don't stop or restrain me, you'll see great things happen.

I am the helper, comforter and teacher and would appreciate it if you would come to me with your questions. I will show you the way to the complete truth. I will convince you of sin and justice. I will dare to tell you things about the future and will always honor Jesus in everything I do. Moreover, I will bring back to you every word that Jesus has ever spoken, for that reason alone you should desire to get to know me better.

To be honest, I don't know if it is necessary to entice you even further, but I would still like to give you some gifts, spiritual gifts. Those gifts are freely available and it is my desire that they will visibly work in you, for the benefit of the common good of course.

You can reach me by calling me by one of my beautiful names. Yes, I have many names, just like the Father and the Son. Spirit of Truth, Spirit of Christ, Holy Spirit of Promise and Eternal Spirit to name but a few. Let's agree that you no longer call me mysterious, foggy, or vague. On the basis of mutual respect, I am happy to enter into a close friendship with you. Listen, I am calling you by name!

Fruit of the Spirit (10)

This is already part 10 in the series on the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, as described in Galatians 5:22-23. It is very interesting what precedes these verses:  What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these...

Ouch! I am sure we can all recognize some of this happening around us. Thank God, the word doesn't stop there... But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

In the last part of this blog series we will take a closer look at self-control or, as the KJV says, temperance. Nowadays that is probably a word which will make people laugh or frown. Let's be honest: in the Western world we live in a time and culture of abundance. Eating a whole bag of potato chips or half a box of chocolates, purchasing fashionable purse number twenty, browsing the internet for hours and hours at the time, drinking too much, wasting precious time in front of the television etc. etc. Too much, too much, too much.

Self-control, temperance... not our strongest point. The more we try, the more we fail. And that is exactly why God wants to help us. Without self-control we are weak and an easy target for the enemy. Proverbs 25:28 says: Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

The self-control the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us is not the kind of effort we sometimes undertake, as in 'I can do it if I want to' or 'just a little longer and I made it'. It is self-control at the most unexpected moments. Right when we think we can NOT do it, the Spirit wants to come alongside to help. We can simply ask Him to do so!

Less of our own will, more of His!

Fruit of the Spirit (9)

We are nearing the end of this blog series about the fruit the Holy Spirit wants to bring forth in the lives of believers.

What the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us, is truly beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Let's take a look at gentleness.

Does 'being gentle' mean that we must be soft? That people can walk all over us? No, of course not. The Lord Jesus is gentle, but I wouldn't dare to call Him weak or cowardly. In Matthew 11:29 He says: I am gentle and humble in heart. Gentleness goes together with being humble: daring and willing to be the last or the least.

Practically, this means:

• not always wanting to be right,
• regarding someone else more important than ourselves,
• extending grace and not being judgmental...

In our efforts to be important, popular, nice and pretty we often forget that this was not the focus of Jesus' ministry. He brought gentleness into a violent world and they hated Him for it. And this is still so today. Being gentle is definitely a way to get noticed in the world today... daring to be gentle in situations where debate is rising and grace is nowhere to be found.

Personally I am not too good at this. That is why I have a big need to see this supernatural (godly) fruit become visible in my life. Gentleness is not a human virtue, it is supernatural character of God Himself... in us.

Fruit of the Spirit (8)

Throughout the ages people from all kinds of religions have done their best to be recognized; recognized from the outside that is... Just think about wearing hats, head coverings, toga's, habits, crosses and beads. However, the outside doesn't always say much about the inside, and that is really the place where God wants to bring forth fruit.

What the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us, is truly beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). In this blog series we have come to faithfulness. The King James Version says faith.

Isn't that what faith-fulness really is: being full of faith...?

The faith that we receive as a gift from God, and that needs to bear fruit in our lives, is not the faith from our parents, church or friends, but it is supernatural faith from God! Hebrews 11:1 tells us what kind of faith(fulness) that is: 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (NIV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV)

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. (MSG)

To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. (GNT)

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. (AMP)

Amen. I want to be recognized by that kind of faith, what about you?

Fruit of the Spirit (7)

Personally I find it useful and refreshing to take a step by step look at the fruit the Holy Spirit wants to produce in our lives. I hope you are enjoying it as well, as we are beginning to see that we cannot force these things to grow in our lives and they cannot be learned.

It is super natural character of God Himself which will grow in us when we give room, when we yield our will to His.

What the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us, is truly beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithful-ness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Today I want to stop and think about goodness.

Goodness, that's an interesting one... We probably all know good people and maybe they do not even believe in God. Well, yeah, some people are simply more friendlier and more generous than others. Doing good is something we can learn from our parents, or in school, or from some kind of philosophical book. Is that the goodness the Bible talks about in this context? No, that is not the kind of goodness (friendliness, generosity, goodwill, grace, honesty, integrity, kindness, mercy, righteousness, beneficence, honor, humaneness, kindheartedness) when talking about the fruit of the Spirit.

The divine fruit 'goodness' goes much, much further than a positive human characteristic. We are talking about a goodness as mentioned in Luke 6:35 (GNT), Love your enemies and do good to them; lend and expect nothing back. You will then have a great reward, and you will be children of the Most High God. For he is good to the ungrateful and the wicked.

Well, Jesus explains it in a way that leaves no discussion, don't you think? Doing good to our enemies. And then that last part, a real eye-opener... God is good to the ungrateful and wicked. Ouch, is that really true? I have never heard someone preach on that one...

Being good to ungrateful people... when we find ourselves doing that, we can be sure His character is being formed in us :)

Fruit of the Spirit (6)

Fruit of Gods Spirit in our lives, what a wonderful concept. That fruit is not the little things we can do for Him or in His name, that fruit is the development of His character in us. more of Jesus, less of me...

It doesn't matter what our strong or weak points are, but it matters what His Holy Spirit wants to produce in us, and that is truly beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Let's take a look at kindness, which in the Greek language is chrēstotēs. When researching the Bible we can find out that this is not our every-day kindness, the nodding to our neighbor or the friendly word to our co-worker. That sort of kindness is great and definitely to be praised, but the kindness that God wants to bring forth in our lives is kindness of a different order...

It is the kindness the apostle Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 4:12-13, We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly... Kindness when being slandered? You gotta be kidding, right?! Well, it surely gives us a great exercise for this week: Do I allow the Holy Spirit to work through me or am I always going ahead of Him?

Supernatural kindness, that goes against all political correctness. That is being kind when we do not feel like it, that is kindness when we do not want to give it. Jesus explains it like this: But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35).

Ouch and ouch again... being kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Now, that is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit!

Fruit of the Spirit (5)

When talking about the fruit that God wants to bring forth in our lives, I sometimes hear people say: 'Yeah, kindness and goodness, I can see that in my life. But patience? No, that is not my strongest virtue.'

No, not your strongest virtue, but certainly Gods! His fruit in our lives is not the same as our human or natural character, it is supernatural character of the Lord Jesus Himself. It doesn't matter how we try to perform or what we want to produce, it matters what the Holy Spirit wants to do in us, and that is beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Forbearance or longsuffering or patience... Supernatural patience; that is not the kind of patience we have when it suits us. That is not the kind of patience we have with the ones we love (our children, partner, parents or dog!). No, that is patience with ALL people.  And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

Ouch! Be patient with everyone? You must be kidding, right?!

Well, He is not kidding. But we must bear in mind that we can never, ever do this in our own strength, it is work from Him in us. God is patient, absurdly patient if you ask me... 

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance...Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation (2 Peter 3:9 and 15).

Fruit of the Spirit (4)

This past summer I watched some of the soccer games played in the World Cup 2014 and I kept seeing the statue of Jesus above Rio de Janeiro and the soccer stadiums. It made me think about peace amidst the chaos. What a beautiful picture for this blog series.

What the Spirit wants to do in us, is beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Let's take a look at peace. The peace the Bible talks about in this scripture is not necessarily the absence of war, but peace despite the war. Not a superficial peace, but an inner peace that surpasses all understanding. Where can we find such peace? Such peace comes from Jesus Himself, it is a peace He likes to give to all people... but do we want to receive it from Him?

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).

Often we are willing and eager to try whatever it takes (therapy, pills, counseling, meditation etc.) but not the one thing the Prince of Peace promises. Often we have more confidence in our secular methods and doctors than in God Himself. But He is the one that promises peace, a peace that will break down all barriers, all walls and all animosity. Yes, also in the Middle East.

This summer the Elav Conference took place again, in Israel. Jews and Arabs came together to pray in the name of Yeshua and to pray for the peace in their nation (yes, amidst the chaos), which will start with peace in the hearts of the people! (See this awesome clip from last year's conference)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Fruit of the Spirit (3)

How would people recognize you as a Christian? Do your friends, colleagues and enemies know what you stand for? Critical question to ponder this coming week.

As Christians we are not being recognized by our clothes, a cross around our neck or a Bible under our arm. No, we should be recognized by the fruit that God produces in our life. The first proof that the Holy Spirit takes up residence in a believer, is that He will begin to produce godly character (fruit) in us, so we will become more like Christ. If there is no fruit, it is not reasonable to call ourselves Christians.

The fruit is Gods character in us and thus not be confused with human virtues (because they can be learned and adapted). What the Spirit wants to do in us is beautiful: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Let's take a look at joy.

Joy is supernatural fruit that God wants to bring forth in and through us. This is not about being happy because something good is going on, or because someone is being nice to us. This is not about pleasure or having fun or enjoying something or someone. Being happy, enjoying ourself and having fun... there is nothing wrong with that, but happiness depend on happenings and it can disappear as fast as it came (for example, if something goes different than we expected or when trouble shows up).

The joy that the Holy Spirit wants to produce in us, is joy despite trouble. It is joy despite pain. I am thinking about the hundreds of thousands of Christians that are currently being persecuted around the world. They are being beaten, tortured and even killed. Churches are being burned to the ground everywhere and people are on the run with nowhere to go. Yet, sometimes we hear reports (through Open Doors for example) that they somehow experience divine joy in their hearts. Two thousand years ago it was no different: And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity (2 Corinthians 8:1-2).

The joy that the Spirit wants to grow in us, is joy despite worries, sickness, poverty, violence and wars. I am not sure whether in the West we know what that really means, maybe one day we will learn...

Fruit of the Spirit (2)

A few weeks ago we had a discussion in our Wednesday night small group about the human nature. The Bible says every person is born with a sinful nature. Mankind is not righteous by nature, even though some people might be super sweet and loving. Sorry...

(Love, that's what this blog post is all about)

Quite simply said, sin came into the world through Adam and Eve and righteousness came into the world through Jesus. Romans 5:19 says it like this: For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

That is, in short, the good news. Guilt and shame can be replaced with freedom! In the previous blog post we have seen what human nature produces... a lot of bad stuff. However, what the Holy Spirit wants to bring forth is very beautiful: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

The first sign that the Holy Spirit lives in us, is that He will start to produce godly fruit (character) in our life, so we begin to look more and more like Jesus. That fruit is Gods character and thus not to be confused with human behavior or virtues (which can be learned and adapted). Let's take a look at love, which is mentioned first.

Love. What comes to mind when we think about love? Being nice to one another, tolerance, being in love, parental love...? We are often inclined to think about human love here (as in relationships, humanism, charity or eros), but Galatians 5:22 talks about supernatural love. That is not a feeling or a thought, that is a decision. That is the most beautiful and most difficult love that exists, that is:

• loving your enemies
• loving those that persecute you
• loving until death

It is therefore not a fruit we can produce by trying hard, by doing all that we can. It is a fruit that will grow when we give the Holy Spirit room to change our heart.

Go ahead, ask God: Lord, teach me to love the ones that are unlovable, the ones I struggle with. That prayer will change your life!

Fruit of the Spirit (1)

Summertime, when the living is easy... remember that song? Summertime, when bloggers contemplate a writing break. Yeah, me too; but today I decided not to do it. There are two simple reasons for that decision; 1) on some continents it is wintertime and 2) for many people the living is not so easy.

In the upcoming weeks I will share a new blog series on the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Basic stuff, short posts, straight to the point, practical and simple. It might be a good series to share with new believers or family/friends who have questions about the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Who knows, it may turn out to be great conversation starter!

The Holy Spirit comes and lives within people who believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was raised from the death. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and points the way to the Truth. Besides that, one of the first things He will start doing once He takes up residence in someone, is producing fruit or producing godly character. He will do this so we can become more and more like Jesus Christ.

Why is it necessary to become more like Jesus? We're already pretty nice people, aren't we? Well, sorry... but our human nature brings about many bad things. The headlines confirm this every day. The Bible says it like this: The acts of the flesh [human nature] are obvious: sexual immorality impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like (Galatians 5:19-21).

Ouch, that is not a nice list. Thank God, the Bible does not stop there. Verse 22 says: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

About that fruit (with nine different tastes) I will write in the next nine blog posts, beginning with LOVE.

Will you join me on this journey?

Writer's muse

Due to lack of inspiration for a quick blog post (which none of you suffer from, I suppose), I rummaged through the bins of the past and came upon something I wrote many years ago, just after finishing my first book (how interesting)...

When He spoke, the world was created. You can find those words in Psalm 33:9. Besides the world, He created you and me and He embedded His creating power in us (by giving us His Holy Spirit). That is why we love to build, design, fabricate and invent. That is why we love to write!

Never before would I have thought it possible to write so much about just two verses in the Bible, like I did in Sacred Sabbath. It tells me something about the enormous impact of God's words. If just two verses give enough inspiration for a book, just imagine how many books are hidden in the Bible! People get inspired every day, all over the world, when reading God's word.

Think again about that word 'inspired', it means in-spirit. I don't get inspired because I am so good and wonderful, it is because the Spirit is alive in me. He shows me things I simply could not see before. Reading God's word must be like being with Jesus. The gospel of John ends with these words: Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written!

Wow, I am looking forward to endless inspiration! Isn't that every author's dream?

PS: Are you sometimes looking for inspiration in the weirdest places?