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].

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!

The source of all comfort

Nothing beats the comfort of a baby in the arms of its mother. Peace, safety, warmth, and love, no matter what goes on all around.

Jesus in the arms of His mother Mary, receiving the very comfort He came to give to mankind. That is what most nativity scenes remind me of.

When I look around me in the world, I see so much need for comfort. No, not the comfort as in sitting in front of the TV with a bag of chips, but comfort as in solace, relief, encouragement.

There is so much suffering, so much loneliness and pain. There is chaos and disorder. To be honest, I wouldn't know what to do or where to go if it wasn't for my Jesus who brings me comfort and joy... no matter what goes on all around me.

👉The Bible says that God is the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3) so why wouldn't people flock to Him? He gives peace in chaos, comfort in pain, and love when all seems lost. Why wouldn't people consider the baby in the manger, the wonderful counselor, the prince of peace?

He is the hope of the nations and He wants to heal your heart. Jesus can and will calm any storm!

🎇Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Dwelling place, or how to escape the chaos

Constant noise

Have you ever been in a busy city where traffic flies by constantly, where sidewalks are crowded, and where there is constant noise?

I have been to many such cities all over the world, traveling with my husband. From New York to Calcutta, from Mexico City to Cairo, and from Kuala Lumpur to Santiago de Chile.

Change of scenery

In order to escape the chaos we would often enter a church, even at a time when we were not really interested in finding God. The change of scenery and atmosphere when we stepped into a church or cathedral was often dramatic. Just one step would take us from total mayhem to serene silence.

Kingdom atmosphere

I have read somewhere that the architects and builders of many old churches purposely wanted to create a Kingdom atmosphere (in sharp contrast with the world outside) where the peace of God ruled and where beauty and art were the norm. Somewhat like in Biblical times when David wrote:

I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where Your glorious presence dwells.

You can find this in Psalm 26;8. Some translations say: the house, the temple, the dwelling where You live. I don't know what David had in mind, there was no temple at that time. A  sanctuary, a tabernacle... it doesn't really matter how we picture it; it is the place where His presence dwells (abides).

Our body, our responsibility

Today I was thinking about how blessed we are to live in a time and era where God's presence is with us, all the time... well, if you believe in Jesus. Our body is a house of God (a temple) where the Holy Spirit lives. We carry Him within, wherever we go (1 Corinthians 6:19). We don't have to wait till Sunday to meet with Him 😁

This privilege gives us responsibility as well. We must take good care of our temple, since we belong to God, no longer to ourselves.

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👉 In my book 'In My Name' I discuss the presence of God in more detail!

The source of my happiness

Earlier this year we were traveling in Portugal and we came to this small village where we wandered through the sun-scorched streets until we came to a little square with an 18th-century fountain. A great place to fill up our water bottles.

Most towns and villages in Portugal have water fountains, but this one caught our attention because of the cross on top. It reminded us that Jesus is the source of living water. Living water yes, and so much more than that. I think you will appreciate this reminder:

• 
  You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light (Psalm 36:9)
• I will go to your altar, O God; you are the source of my happiness (Psalm 43:4)
• You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope (Psalm 119:114)
• The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength (Isaiah 45:24)
•  And he will be the source of peace (Micha 5:5)
• The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people (John 1:4)
• And God, our source of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet (Romans 16:20)
• God, the source of hope (Romans 15:13)
• God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3)
• Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:9)

Why go somewhere else to find peace, hope, comfort, life, and happiness if we can find it all in Him? Let's be careful not to fill our buckets with muddy waters that will do nothing but harm us in the end. 

👉Jesus wants to give us living water so that we can become fountains! John 7:38, Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’

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!

Living in or running to the shelter?

In my previous post (Crush that serpent!) I wrote that Psalm 91 is one of my favorite psalms. I keep finding new insights, truths, and wisdom there 😁. Don't you love it when that happens?

I mean, let's take verse one... If you read the Bible regularly, you should know this verse.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Some translations say 'those who dwell in the shelter...' It is a verse of promise and comfort and safety. I love to meditate on those words.

Then, the thought came to me 👉the shelter of the Most High is not a place we run to when in trouble, when afraid, or when panic hits.

No! It is a place where we live, a place where we dwell continuously. It is a permanent place. It is the only place where we will find rest, but not when we have the habit of rushing in and out.

When in trouble, danger, or pain, everyone calls for God (even if it is using swear words) and He is so loving and gracious that He will come to the rescue. But His true will for us is that we live in His shelter, that we dwell in His presence.

It is kind of what I wrote in my post Rush or linger? a few weeks ago. I want to leave you (again) with that thought: Does He have a permanent place in your life?

Rush or linger?

The other day I joined a breathing exercise class at my work. The teacher asked how people arrived at work that day.

To my surprise most had arrived in a rush. Some because of chaos at home, children to drop off at school, and leaving too late. Others because of chaos on the freeway, parking challenges, and appointments waiting.

For many life is a rush.

We rush through our tasks, we rush to get groceries during lunch break, and we rush home. Yeah, we might even rush through Bible reading. A scripture here, a scripture there, a quick prayer, and off we go again.

I strongly believe the Lord is looking for people who dare to linger. For people who are not afraid to stay in His presence without agenda, who want to listen, and who are not afraid to be silent.

Who dares to linger?

Exodus 33:11 intrigues me: So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Joshua lingered in the tent of meeting, in the place where God's presence was so tangible. He was young, and he wanted that close connection with God that Moses had... face-to-face. About Zacharias the priest, it is written: And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. He experienced the presence of God.

Do you seek His presence?

The choice is ours and the crazier the world gets, the more we need to linger, to sit with the One who loves us. The One who loves us says to you and me today: 'Sister, you are worried and troubled about many things', just as He said to Martha when He came into her house (see Luke 10:41-42).

Are you worried and troubled about many things?

Maybe it is time to reconsider. Maybe it is time to master the art of lingering. Not just when on vacation, but maybe even more so in times of turmoil. Jesus explained it to Martha:

There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Will you discover it?

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!

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).

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.

Managing our thoughts

My thoughts are not always nice and kind. Yeah, I'll admit it. Sometimes I notice that there is annoyance or mistrust or a bit of negativity. You can probably relate...

Human thoughts, I know. However, the Bible tells us not to worry about anything and to direct our thoughts in a different direction. Read along in Philippians 4:6-8,

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. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Okay, that's not exactly a list we can find in today's media. We better not look to the mainstream media if we want to receive the peace that transcends our understanding. That peace is Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace.

'Think about such things...' Fix your minds on these things... In other words: fill your thoughts with anything that is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and/or praiseworthy.

I am sure there are plenty of things we can come up with. If nasty and negative thoughts keep going through your head 👉maybe it would be a good idea to make a list, or a set of cards, of everything that you consider pure and lovely and use that to send your thoughts in a different direction!

All this talk about parallel societies

Oh, this world we live in! Amazingly beautiful but quite tiresome and frustrating lately, right? It is no wonder people are seeking ways to escape the harsh reality of inhumane measures and restrictions that are still putting limits on our daily lives.

We can read about parallel societies where minorities are trying to seek freedom and at the same time, shelter. A parallel society, it may be a fashionable word nowadays, but in reality, God invented it. Yep.

It is called the Kingdom of God. It is the supernatural realm where His will is being done, His principles reign, and Jesus is honored as the highest power and authority. Two thousand years ago the people in Israel were waiting for the establishment of a free society, no longer ruled by Roman oppressors.

The scholars asked Jesus about it. His answer then is still the answer today: The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst (Luke 17:20). Some translations say the Kingdom is near you or within you. Well, that must have left them speechless. The Kingdom of God, His will on earth as it is in heaven, living amongst and inside of people?!

And yes, the Bible makes it clear, as believers we are not of this world, we belong to another world. We might be in this world, but we are not of it. Jesus said to His followers: 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 (John 15;19).

The world will hate you. Okay, so be it. Being a citizen of Gods Kingdom also means we can have joy amidst pain, peace amidst trouble, and love amidst hatred. It is the only true parallel society while we are here on earth. 

How can we see this Kingdom, how can we become part of this Kingdom? Jesus gives the answer: No one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3).

You might want to read my blogseries about the Kingdom.

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The fear of the Lord (5)

As we have seen in the previous posts the Bible calls for believers to fear the Lord, which means to have respect and reverence for Him. First of all, because He is worthy of respect, and second because it will bring many blessings!

There is one more benefit that I like to highlight. Fearing God brings health to our bodies!

Say what?

Let's read Proverbs 3:7-8 where it says: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Amen! I want that, I need that. Who doesn't?

Maybe you have read this blog series and you wonder how exactly do we make this practical? How do we fear the Lord on a daily basis?

The Bible teaches us how to fear the Lord in Psalm 34:12-14: Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,

• keep your tongue from evil and
• your lips from speaking lies.
• Turn from evil
• and do good;
• seek peace
• and pursue it.

Hello! If that isn't clear, I don't know what is. Fearing the Lord has a lot to do with our words, our actions, and our pursuit. Now this is truly the foundation of wisdom. Let's go back to the basics, as believers, as a church, as a worldwide movement. Sometimes we have made God's Word too complicated if you ask me.

Let's speak truth, do good, and pursue peace!

The good armor (4)

"We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments," writes the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:4.

He understood spiritual warfare like no other. And you know what, God's weapons are just as much for us today. In my previous blogs, I wrote about truth and righteousness.

Let's continue to read about the armor in Ephesians 6:15, where it says that we should wear as our shoes the readiness to announce the good news of peace. Other translations speak about sandals of willingness, shoes of preparation.

👉We put on shoes when we are about to go out of the house. On a shelf they have little value. Knowing we can bring peace in a situation is not the same as actually doing it! The willingness to be a messenger of peace is much more than a good intention, it is something that must be put into practice.

Let's make it practical. Part of our armor is to be peacemakers in difficult situations, to offer God's peace when someone is troubled, to settle arguments that have been going on far too long, and to share the good news about the Prince of Peace... Jesus.  Easy? No. Possible? Yes!

Jesus had a good reason for saying: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5: 9).

I want to be blessed. What about you?

Eerie feeling?

I don't like it when it happens, but from time to time I have that eerie feeling come over me, that feeling that we can't be sure of anything anymore. 

Anyone with me? Or is it just my imagination?

What was wrong yesterday, is right tomorrow. What used to be normal is now regarded as weird and what was logical is now unexplainable. Talking about confusion...

I was pondering about that this morning and the thought came to me that God is not a God of confusion, He is a God of order, of peace, and of love. I really felt He wanted me to write a blog about the 'surelies' as we can find them in the Bible. You know, where someone, or even God Himself, starts a sentence with SURELY....

'Remind the people about My surelies...' So, okay, here we go. I hope this post will be an encouragement to you.

• Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6)
• Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me (Psalm 54:4)
• There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:18)
• Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)
• Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear (Isaiah 59:1)
• 👉And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”(Matthew 28:20)

Well, if that does not get you excited, I don't know what will. God's Word is our treasure, true riches at hand. And the most beautiful thing is that everything may change around us, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” (Romans 14:11).

If you could ask for one thing

If you could ask one thing of the Lord, what would it be? Restoration of health or finances? Peace in your country or in your heart? Family members to turn to God? The answer to that question is probably different for everyone.

A long time ago, God asked King Solomon that question and the King answered: 'Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead Your people'. And so King Solomon became the wisest man that ever lived and God added wealth, possessions, and honor like no other king ever had (you can read that amazing story in 2 Chronicles 1).

Health is important, but so are peace and wisdom. I was reading Psalm 19 in my New Living Translation and I noticed God offers all that we need, in His Word. Take a look at verses 7 and 8.

• The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. Oh my goodness, how I need that every day! My health depends on a thriving soul!
• The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Yes, please Lord, yes, let it be me!
• The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. I know the joy of the Lord will be my strength, I need it!
• The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. I must have this in an ever-changing world that seems to have gone insane.

Such riches in God's Word: instructions, decrees (laws), commandments, and commands. 👉We may not always embrace such terms, but they are filled with spiritual riches. I discovered that in my own life when I started my writing journey.

While working on the book series about the Ten Commandments, I received a totally different perspective on God's laws and regulations. They are not restrictions, on the contrary, they offer great opportunities to heal our souls, to make us wise, to bring us joy, and to give us all the insight we will possibly need!

Restored relationships (8)

Reconciliation: end of conflict, restoration of friendly relations, reunion, bringing together (again), restoration of peace...

This blog series about reconciliation turned out to be a little bit longer than I intended it to be. And even then I barely scratched the surface of this interesting topic. There is so much to learn and read and do and write about it :)

Reconciliation simply means 'restored relationship' and that is the foundation of the Christian faith.

It shows the heart of God: He desires HEALTHY relationships on various levels: Reconciliation between Him and mankind, between Him and Israel, between Jewish people and Gentiles and.... between you and me and the people around us!

God desires friendship with all people. An important Scripture about the heart of God in this can be found in Colossians 1:19-20, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [that is Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

That is good news. God is not mad at mankind, He reconciled all things to Himself and made peace. The problem is that we are the ones who often refuse to take His kindness as an example. We often hang on to bitterness, anger, jealousy, hatred, slander and gossip. God does not want this. He loves mankind and He wants us to love one another and to live in peace.

Romans 12:18 says: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Is that easy? Nope! Should we try? Yep.

It is not an option. We have received the assignment to tell others about the possibilities of reconciliation and we should desire to restore relationships, wherever we go. Corinthians 5:18-20 says it like this:  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

We all have the ministry, this message, of reconciliation which, by the way, does NOT mean that we should only TALK about restored relationships... of course we must ACT this out as well, on a personal level.

Would the world look different if we did so, what do you think?

Is there a relationship that you could mend?

Restored relationships (7)

Reconciliation: end of conflict, restoration of friendly relations, reunion, bringing together (again), restoration of peace...

'As far as God is concerned, the friendship has been restored' I wrote in the previous blog post. Reconciliation simply means 'restored relationship'. The Bible shows that concept on various levels: God and mankind in general, God and Israel specific.... 

And what about us... how do we relate to one another? What can be said about the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people)? Currently we can see a worldwide anti-Semitism rising up again, with severe hatred in Europe and the Middle East. Have we not understood God's plan of reconciliation?

Why are the Jewish people different from all other people on earth? Did they ask for that? Did they make it up? No! God wanted it that way. In Leviticus 20:24B He says: I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations. Israel and the Jewish people were set apart because they would bring forth the promised Messiah. Jesus (the Jewish Messiah) acknowledged this fact in His discussion with the Samaritan woman when He said that salvation would come from the Jews (John 4:22).

Jesus, the Son of God, was born of a Jewish mother. He lived and worked in Israel. He came to bring reconciliation between God and all of mankind, starting with the Jewish people! He said: I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24).

The apostle Paul explains it again in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Until the time of Jesus it was forbidden for Jewish people to mix with other peoples/nations (and in some orthodox circles it is still so). It drastically changed when the apostle Peter began to understand Gods grace through a vision (Acts 10:28). The good news of reconciliation is now for everyone! (Acts 10:34-36).

Through our faith in the Messiah our relationship with God has been restored as well as our relationship with the Jewish people, we are now brothers and sisters of one Father. Romans 10:12 explains it like this: For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

God's specific plan with Israel (also called the olive tree) is still standing. The gentiles (non-Jewish people) are branches that are being grafted into this tree. We will grow together and bear fruit!

Think about it: reconciliation = end of conflict! Wouldn't it be great to see that happening in our world today? It starts with this question: Have you fully accepted His plan of reconciliation?

Restored relationships (2)

Reconciliation: end of conflict, restoration of friendly relations, reunion, bringing together (again), restoration of peace...

In the previous blog post I wrote: 'reconciliation basically means restored relationship and that is really the heart of God, the foundation of the Christian faith.'

Often we have (without being aware of it) developed  our own image of God. Some see God as an angry man who sees every mistake and never gives a compliment. Others see God as holy and out of reach. And again, others might see Him as a good old fellow who loves everyone and doesn't judge...

If we want to get to know God better it is important to talk with Him, listen to Him and read His Word. We cannot expect pastors and professors to do that for us. In the same way as we cannot leave it up to others to get to know our lover, friend, child, partner a little better. We must invest time in the relationship!

The Bible clearly states where and how the relationship between mankind and God (the Creator) went wrong. God decided to make mankind according to His image and likeness, thus a living soul with a free will. The first people used that free will to go their own way and to NOT listen to God... well, nothing new under the horizon so far... many people are still doing that today!

The relationship between God and mankind has been distorted ever since. Which, by the way, does not mean that God isn't communicating with people, He does so all the time. But sin (going our own way) stands in the way of a healthy relationship with Him. That is why many people have a love-hate relationship with God. As long as everything is okay, many people believe He is kind of out there, but the moment things go wrong, He gets the blame. Even people who do not believe in God feel deep down inside that He must exist... but are too scared to admit it.

Sin stands in the way of a healthy relationship with God and this often results in feelings of guilt, shame, anger or fear. Well, that is not the way we want to have relationship, right? Not on a human level, not on a godly level. And this is exactly where reconciliation comes around the corner. God offers us restoration of the relationship with Him. In Colossians 1:20 (GNT) it is described like this:

Through the Son [that is Jesus, Yeshua, Isa], then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven.

God has offered us peace. The question is how we answer His peace proposal.

Do we keep fighting and struggling... insisting in going our own way? Or do we accept His peace offering?