My #oneword for 2023

Why pick a word for a whole year? I have no idea how it started or who started it, but as far as I know, many bloggers pick, choose, or receive a word for the upcoming year. Yep, just one word.

A specific word can be really beneficial throughout the year, especially if the Holy Spirit has whispered it in our hearts, for He knows what the year will bring.

A specific word certainly helps to stay focussed, it provides for blog topics, and it can be very encouraging, as was the case with my #oneword in 2022 (which was 'renewal'). I kept getting back to it in my prayers and journaling. It was God's promise to me.

Somewhere towards the end of 2022, I got the feeling that my #oneword for this new year would be TRUST. Psalm 28:7 says:

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

I trust Him with all my heart. So easy to say, so hard to do from day to day... or maybe that is just me 😇

Do you have a word for 2023? I would love to hear your story!

This troubled world

Last week I received a message from a friend in northern Italy. Shortly after the government restrictions were imposed, she lost her job. 'Can I translate another book for you,' she texted, 'that will give me something to do.'

I proposed the translation of Spirit of Truth to which she responded: 'Boy, do we ever need that now!' And so she went to work on that one. When I picked up the book from my library, I noticed the subtitle... almost as if for the first time, since the book came out 4 years ago:

Finding certainty and standing firm in a troubled world.

A troubled world? Back in 2016? You gotta be kidding, right? Wasn't life a picnic back then? Well, no, not exactly. 2016 was a year full of disasters, from deadly earthquakes, terror attacks, life-depleting droughts, devastating storms, to unceasing wars. Many thought the end was near. But here we are...

Up until now 2020 is no picnic either. We are still in this troubled world, trying to make sense of it all and, who knows, trying to find truth in it all. Four years from now, we will find ourselves facing new challenges in a world that knows no lack of trouble. 👉We better get used to it.

Jesus said: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). You will have... so, let's not try to escape, let's try to cope.

I think this is the art of faith... having peace in perilous times, trust while in trouble, and joy when all we know and have is in jeopardy.

Together with Jesus, we can overcome the world. Why refuse His outstretched hand? We have nowhere else to go.

No worries (4)

Do you read or write Tweets? Personally I think it is a great exercise to announce something funny, serious or new in 140 words (or less). There is already so much talk, writing and debate. A little shorter doesn't hurt :)

There are few people who seriously master the art of composing a short but powerful message for the public. My greatest example is the Lord Jesus Himself! He was able to silence a crowd with two sentences. He made comments that impacted like a bomb. His words had, and still have, enormous influence and effect on people's lives.

In my previous blog posts I wrote about His words on 'worrying' about someone or something. Let's continue to read in Matthew 6. Verse 34 records one of His most peculiar sayings, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Tomorrow will worry about itself? Haha, that has to be a joke, right? Days do not worry, people worry. Personally I think this is quite a radical statement Jesus makes here. If there is one thing we worry about, it is the future: tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year. I sometimes feel like Jesus is making a little fun of us here, as in: come on folks, are you serious? You do not even know what this day will bring, so why would you think you have any influence on tomorrow or the rest of this week?

Living per day, completely normal in the biggest part of our world, but an abnormality in the rich West. Possessions, knowledge and activities seem to increase our pain and worries... The words of Jesus are not a joke, but a very serious warning and command: daily manna, daily bread... that trouble is more than enough.

Don't be afraid to pray: Lord, I want to live day by day.

PS: His words do not imply that we should not make plans for tomorrow, but merely that worrying (about those plans) is a sin.

No worries (1)

To worry or not to worry... that's the question, or isn't it? Personally, I am not a worrier by nature, but I know many people who are. Well, whatever the case in your life or home... I have decided to write a series of short blog posts on worrying. I hope they will inspire and encourage you.

'Worrying about something or someone'... Probably one of life's biggest and most repeated sins we commit. Yes, I am calling it a sin, because 'worrying' goes against the words of Jesus. Let us take a look at what He says about this subject, for example in Matthew 6:25,

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Simple words and clear questions we have learned to skip. Yes, skip... because if we are honest we must admit that food, clothing and body (health/beauty) issues are exactly the things we spend much time, money and worries on. A crazy thought really, because here in the Western world most of the people are clothed and have food to eat. There are television networks and magazines solely dedicated to food, fashion and health. And yet, despite our abundance we still worry.

By the way, Jesus does not say that eating, drinking or clothing ourselves is wrong, but that worrying about those things is wrong. Instead of worrying, we should rather be busy making sure that no one on this planet lacks these basic necessities!

Do not worry about your life! To me, that is a wonderful thought at the beginning of yet another year in which the media will probably try to convince me that I lack many things. I really want to take Jesus' words very seriously. I do not want to worry about my daily stuff, I want to care for the daily stuff of others, who are less fortunate. In doing so I will shift the focus from self to others.

I have tried to answer Jesus' intriguing questions:

• Is not life more than food? Yes indeed!  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21)
• Is not the body more than clothes? Yes indeed! Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

What have you done to stop worrying?

Daily bread or more?

Over the past few years every January I picked a motto or scripture to meditate on and adapt as sort of a life lesson.

The other day I visited Lynn Mosher's blog Heading Home and noticed she picked a word, yes... one word! I thought that was very interesting. At first I wanted to skip picking a motto for this year, but then this morning two words came into my mind, words that I've been toiling with for the past several weeks: daily bread. And yes, I am in... I desire to learn more about our daily bread: literally, spiritually, and emotionally.

What's with daily bread? When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, He also taught them important Kingdom principles. He shared with them how to rely on God's provision on a daily basis, and we can still do so today. Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) is not a question, it is a statement or a proclamation. For most of us in the Western world daily bread is not something we worry about, we go to the store and buy it, so for many people the prayer has lost some of it's meaning. When growing up I always thought it was weird to pray for something that was already on my plate :)

But of course 'daily bread' is more than the food on our table, it is God's Word and it is daily provision. I must admit that when I pray for God's daily provision in my life, I have a tendency to also pray for needs I can see coming up in the next week or next month. I get ahead of things and that is why this year I want to concentrate on this part of the Lord's prayer and learn more and more to rely on His provision on a daily basis. Praying for what I need today, whether that is healing, wisdom, money, peace, endurance or favor, and NOT for what I think I will be needing tomorrow or later on this month. Proverbs 30:8 says: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Such wisdom in those ancient words. Have you learned to trust Him on a daily basis? Please share...

Jesus said: I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

Strength according to biblical standards

Quietness, trust & joy

As I spend many hours working behind a desk, I enjoy a good work out. It takes me half an hour on my bicycle to get to work and when the weather permits it, I go for a power walk during lunch time. But nothing beats a spinning lesson at my local gym! The exercise strengthens and excites me and quite often I feel much better afterwards.

Still reading through Isaiah I came upon a verse that talks about biblical strength, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Now, that's a total different story. Although I am all for physical exercise and building up some muscles, I also realize that our real strength is not physical. It is not intellectual or mental either. The Bible teaches that our strength  is in quietness and trust. I really had to think that over because it goes so much against the standard the world has set. Real strength cannot be measured according to the worldly standards. It cannot be found in exercise, education, status or importance. Real strength is in God and in godly attributes like quietness, trust and joy (Nehemiah 8:10). It is with the psalmist that we can cry out to God: Strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28)

When I can stay quiet during arguments or difficult times, when I can trust God when all goes wrong... then I am showing strength. Again, this is where the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit will come in. Without His help we will fail, all the time. The apostle Paul's prayer for the believers is this: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16). What a great prayer! The Holy Spirit will strengthen us with power in our inner being.

That brings me to the subject of one of our workshops: the power of God. I will post a short version about the power of God in my next post! Until then: may you be be strengthened in your daily walk!

A steadfast mind

Are you being tossed back and forth?

Reading the Bible means interaction between God and me. I read, think, and ponder and ask Him questions. This is certainly so when I stumble upon a verse that jumps off the page. It happened to me the other day when I was struggling through the woe's in Isaiah, looking for a gem. There it was: You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you (Isaiah 26:3).

I had to read that verse over and over again and came to the conclusion that if, for some reason, I do not experience perfect peace, my mind must not be steadfast. My mind must be wavering, maybe being tossed back and forth by the waves... the waves of every day life and events.  David recognized this 'state of mind' and asked God: Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind (Psalm 26:2). Thinking about the state of our mind in relation to faith I realized faith is more than a matter of the heart, more than a spiritual exercise. It is also a matter of cultivating a steadfast mind.

The greatest commandment as stated by Jesus is, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37). We must make up our mind where we stand with God and where we stand in our faith. That means finding the right balance in our love for God; in heart, soul and mind! Trying to do that in our own strength can be a frustrating exercise. That is why we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we submit the condition of our heart, soul and mind to Him, He can bring about the peace the prophet Isaiah spoke about. Romans 8:6 confirms this: The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.

Wow! When we let go of wanting to be in control all the time and hand the reigns over to the Holy Spirit, in other words: when we put our trust in God, the Spirit of the living God will bring perfect peace!

Now is the time

My times are in your hands

One of the things I bring before the Lord quite often, is the aspect of time. Probably my biggest struggle in understanding God is understanding His view of time and the times we live in. I believe that all the promises in God's Word are true and amen in Jesus Christ but I also realize that I will not always see them come true in my time! God answers my prayers for sure, but I simply do not always know when.

As human beings on this earth we are limited by time, we have to live within the rythm of 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week etc. God however is not confined by time, He is eternal, He is the great Now! 2 Peter 3:8 says, With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. God views time totally different than we do. I am currently reading through the book of John and I noticed that Jesus demonstrated this often when He spoke. He asks Philip on one occasion: "Don't you know me, even after I have been among you such a long time?" (John 14:9) Such a long time?? We are speaking two, three years at the most, here! Can you imagine how it would feel if He would say that to us today? 'Hey, how long is it going to take for you to understand Me, you've been a Christian for 3 years now, for crying out loud... ' Three years is nothing on the scale of a lifetime. So, this passage clearly shows that God's idea of time is different than ours. Further on in the book of John the disciples ask among themselves: "What does He mean by a little while?" (John 16:18). They couldn't figure it out, they struggled with it, like we sometimes do when a prayer doesn't get answered or when God is silent.

While reading through the 16th chapter in the book of John I noticed that Jesus talks past, present and future as if everything is now. He tells His diciples "... a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language..." Right after that his disciples proclaim: "Now, you are speaking clearly..." Jesus said the time would come and when He said it it was right there! In verse 32 he does it again, He says: But a time is coming, and has come... The moment He says it it is done, it is there. I find this very fascinating. In the 17th chapter Jesus prays to His Father. He says: I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world... (verse 13).

I don't blame the disciples for not always understanding the time and the times they lived in. In Acts 1:7 Jesus told them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. We can try to grasp His eternal character, His timeless being and His endless love, but I don't think we will be able to fully do so until we leave our earthly time frame behind to be with Him forever! There are, however, a few things the Bible teaches about time. They can offer comfort and hope in our present day troubled times:

• There is time for everything... a time for war and a time for peace (Eccl. 3:8)
• The time is short (1 Cor. 7:29) It doesn't say how short, but please don't wait any longer before surrendering your life to Him if you haven't done so yet!
• Now is the time of God's favor (2 Cor. 6:2) Any moment is a good moment, God is waiting for you!
• My times are in your hands (Psalm 31:15) When you belong to Him, you can feel safe, no matter what the time will bring!

I do not know whether you ever wonder about God's timing, but let me close with another word from the Psalmist, Trust in Him at all times, O people! At all times, good or bad. At all times, whether we deal with past, present or future situations.