Give me an L

In my Bible alphabet blog series L stands for Love.

Love. What comes to mind when we think about that word? Being kind to one another, tolerance, being in love, motherly love, charity ...?

We probably think of these different forms of human love, but Biblical love is supernatural love. That's not being in love, not a feeling, but love as choice.

God has made that choice: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

He therewith demonstrates the most beautiful and most difficult love there is, that is,

• loving your neighbor as yourself
• loving your enemies and bless them
• loving those who persecute you
• loving unto death

God desires to transfer this heart-rending love to mankind, to you and me. If we look around us, it seems impossible to treat God and each other that way .... but the Bible says love never fails!

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. And God showed his love for us by sending his only Son into the world, so that we might have life through him. This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven (1 John 4: 7-10).

We can discuss it, debate it, sing songs and write poems, but the big change starts with our acceptance of His love!


Up next, giveaway of my new release Spirit of Truth!

The questioning of truth

"Imagine a court room. A humble, quiet man has been brought in. He is being accused of a crime. No one seems to know exactly what kind of crime, even the judge doesn’t know for sure. What he does know however, is that all kind of charges and complaints have been filed against this man. He is trying to sort things out. Justice must prevail!

During the trial several people come forward to tell lies about the defendant, who appears particularly quiet and peaceful during this ordeal. His sad but friendly eyes drift around the room only to rest for a mere second or so on some of his countrymen. They look back with hatred and spit in his direction as if to silence his kindness..."

So begins my new book Spirit of Truth. Looking back at the events in the courtroom, where Jesus stood before Pilate, we can see a desperate cry emerge. A cry that still lingers in our courtrooms today. As a matter of fact it lingers in our homes, schools, political arena, businesses, and even in our churches: 'And what is truth?' 

In Spirit of Truth the reader is being challenged to answer Pilate's question, not just inside the courtroom... but where it matters most: in our daily lives.

'A delightful book, well thought out and relevant to us today... A book you will certainly read often.'

Reader's Favorite USA

The message in this book is very inspiring and encouraging, especially if you find yourself struggling from time to time to stay hopeful and positive in a world  that has taken a free fall into lawlessness.

The paperback edition will be published and distributed in Europe (where I am residing), but there is also a Kindle edition which is now available at Amazon for just $2.99.

Spirit of Truth is the sixth book in a series about the Ten Commands in the 21st century. The message is related to the 9th commandment: 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor'. 

New release: Spirit of Truth

I am happy to break in to my Bible alphabet blog series with some exciting news.... I have a new book coming up! (which is about time...)

Yep, when bloggers are getting quiet, they're probably hiding behind their computer screen and working on a book :) Spirit of Truth is my sixth (English language) book and for several reasons (such as procrastination) it took me quite some time to finish it.

In this new release I am taking the reader back in time to one of the most famous questions ever asked in the history of mankind... and that is the one Pilate desperately confronted Jesus with: ‘and what is truth?’

It is the very scene where Jesus stands before Pilate that I have used to unfold the historical case truth vs. lie. I have taken Pilate's question and related it to the 9th commandment which teaches us not to accuse anyone falsely or in other words: speak truth.

Today, as in Pilate's time, we live in a world that is made up of accusations, lies and gossip. We are constantly being bombarded with stories about people cheating, lying, and accusing others of being the reason for the mess they are in. Such practices have even gotten entertainment value. Pilate's question still lingers in our courtrooms everyday. As a matter of fact, it lingers in our homes, schools, businesses and churches. What is truth? A very relevant question for today.

It will be a few more weeks before the paperback version will be available, but... you can get your Kindle edition  right now for only $2.99!

Get your e-book copy of Spirit of Truth today and be blessed and encouraged as you read through the pages! In the coming weeks I will post some give-aways and recommendations.

Give me a K

In my Bible alphabet blog series K stands for Kingdom.

And I am not talking about the Kingdom of the Netherlands (where I live), but about the Kingdom of God! Jesus spoke about it much and often.

After His resurrection from the dead, this message became more urgent. In Acts 1: 3 it is written about Jesus that He appeared to them [the apostles] over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Forty days? There is indeed much to say...

In the Bible the terms the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are being used interchangeably and sometimes the Bible simply refers to it as the Kingdom. Let's see what the Kingdom is not:

• It is not a natural kingdom, not a place or country. It is a spiritual dimension where God's will reigns. Jesus said, My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36) and your kingdom come, your will be done (Matthew 6:10).
• It is not a matter of our daily natural needs.  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)
• It is not a theory or theology. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

There is this religious thought that the Kingdom is a future destination. But Jesus tells us that we must seek the kingdom first, above all else (Matthew 6:33). Why would He let us begin a search for something that cannot be found here on earth? This is a question that the scribes and theologians also struggled with. Jesus told them, 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,’ (Luke 17:20). So, where is it?

Jesus continues ... because the kingdom of God is in your midst. (Luke 17:21). Well, they were speechless, as are many of us today. The Kingdom of God [His will on earth as in heaven] here with us? Some translations say the Kingdom is near you or within you ... However we look at it, the kingdom is never far away. Please note: there is no kingdom without the King! The Kingdom of God is within you only if Jesus lives there.

Righteousness, peace and joy with power is within us when we are alone but also among us when we are together as believers. We can experience the kingdom from within, but it also surrounds us as we go into the world. Jesus gave us the kingdom inside so that we can go outside to spread it in a broken, tired and troubled world.

[see also my Kingdom basics blog series]

Give me a J

In my Bible alphabet blog series J stands for Jesus.

Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth as a man. His birth was announced by an angel who visited his mother Mary: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus (Luke 1:31).

Now, the angel of course did not speak to Mary in English. The name Jesus is therefore derived from the Hebrew Yeshua which means the Lord is salvation.

When Jesus was about thirty years old, he moved from Nazareth to Capernaum (the remains of that town can still be found in Israel) and from that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17).

During His earthly sojourn Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. In John 5:19 it is written like this, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. So, what did Jesus do? He traveled around, talked about the Kingdom, testified about the truth, forgave people their sins, healed those who were sick and even raised people, who had died prematurely, from the dead.

Jesus came to earth to set mankind free from sin by giving His life, His blood (Revelation 1: 5). He was tortured, crucified and killed. After three days He rose from the grave. He not only overcame sin but also death!

If this is true, why (why, why) then is our world still so full of sin, destruction, sorrow and death? Because every human being must use his or her free will to make a conscious dicision to believe in Jesus and so receive forgiveness, victory and freedom. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5: 5).