Stay hungry

Matt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Jesus said a lot of strange things. You would think that blessings were to be filled. That blessing was to have all you need for food and drink. Now Jesus is not talking about physical food or drink, but rather spiritually. He said you are blessed as long as you stay hungry. In other words, do not be satisfied. Never be contempt.

Of all the churches in Asia Minor described in Revelation, it is one in particular that God despise. He says he wants to spew them out of his mouth. It is the Laoudicea church. They said: We have need of NOTHING… When we have no needs, we don’t need God. As long as we have need, we seek him. And that is the key to blessing. You may think materialism is a blessing. It is rather a curse. A recent poll in Norway shows that the majority does not believe in God. They have no need for him. There’s nothing that facilitates revival more than need.

Let us never be satisfied. Let us always hunger for more of God. Hunger for souls to be saved. Hunger for a deeper move of God.

The most dangerous thing for an athlete, is to be contempt. They can never sit down and think, now I have got what I want. They always have to push for new goals. If they shall win, they must stay hungry. The first place will go to the one that want it the most. The bible encourage us to run so we may obtain the price. And the only way we can do that is to stay hungry.

I am not ashamed

Rom 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

I am sure we all some times in our lives have felt the feeling that Peter felt that horrible night of the betrayal of Jesus. He was wounded, confused, and depressed. He just wanted to be left alone. Then people started to push him. You were one of them. You are one of these Jesus followers. And Peter felt ashamed to admit it. He was afraid maybe.

You may not be ashamed to admit you’re a Christian. Its only that you don’t want to be associated with fanatics. You do not want to be called a fundamentalist. Maybe it is sensitive issues you try to avoid. Like what do you think of Homosexual marriages? Are you one of this tongue-talking people? Do you scream and cry in your services?

Many times by being ashamed, and trying to hide who we are, or what we believe, we miss the opportunity to see the POWER of God unto salvation. You see, if we dare to be ourselves, and stop worrying what other people may think, people will see the true gospel, and that’s the only gospel that can save. It is a stigma to be a Jesus follower. But the Power is in the stigma. If you take the stigma away, you will take the power away too.

I shall not be moved

Acts 20: 22And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:

23Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Have you ever been at the Castle in Oslo and seen the Guards? It is the same at the Tomb of the unknown soldier in USA. The Guards are marching back and forth, and standing unmoved, and unaffected. They stand in rain, and they stand in cold weather. Sometimes down to -20 C in the winter, and up to +30 C in the summer. They are not affected by anyone trying to talk to them, or disturb them. They will not receive anything from you, whether it be money or food. If you offer them drink at a hot summer day, they will refuse. That is to say: They will most likely not even respond. To them you are air. They are unaffected by you.

Paul knew he was on his way to afflictions in Jerusalem, maybe even death. But he said: None of these things move me. They will not change my mind. Come whatever comes, I have a job to do. I have a ministry to fulfill. I am unmovable. I am unchangeable.

When Peter walked on water, the storms and the waves tried to take his eyes away from Jesus. When he moved his eyes from Jesus to the storm, he sank. We need to make up our minds like Paul. Nothing shall move me. Not any storm, Not any waves. Not any trials, or temptations. My eyes are on Jesus. My mission is to guard the truth. My goal is to reach the lost. To this I am committed. Just like the tree standing by the waters: I SHALL NOT BE MOVED

What are you spreading? Faith or doubt?

James 3:3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

When Moses sent in the ten spies to check out Kaanan, they came back with a bad report. They said it couldn’t be done. They are too big, and we are too small. They said their armies are bigger and better than ours. And the bad report spread in the camp, and soon no one believed it could be done.

When they came back 40 years later, and Joshua was in charge, he remembered what happened. He said: This time NO one are allowed to open their mouth. No one says anything. Not until I give a signal. That’s how he kept the faith among them, and when it came time they shouted with faith and belief, and Jericho was taken.

IF you don’t have anything positive to say, it’s better that you shut your mouth. Don’t spread your doubt and unbelief.

Faith cometh by hearing, and so does also unbelief. Lets spread faith instead of doubt. Lets be positive and not negative. Lets spread a smile, and not a frowning face. Laughter is contagious. A good mood is contagious. Faith is contagious. What do you want to spread today?

This is the day that the Lord has made

Psalm 118:24:This is the day the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

One morning many years ago, I woke up with this special feeling. This is MY day today. It was not my birthday, or the FAthers day. Nothing special about the day, other than I really felt so good. At this time, I was working in the construction business. Here it was normal to play music on the radio very loud. This morning I brought a very large stereo player to work, and played Gospel music as loud as I could. It didnt take many minutes until my colleges came running to me and asked me what this was. I told them: Every day I come to this work and you decide the music. I never complain. All I ask is that you give me ONE day. This is my day today. I decide the music. It was one of the best days I had at that work.

The truth is this: Every day is a day that the Lord has made. We have a choice what to do with it. The Psalmist said, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
The Lord has made every day. Not just the sunny day, but the rainy days too. All we have to do is to rejoice and be glad in it. And then you will see what the Lord can do.