A new day of outpouring of the Spirit
The Spirit is impressing on me very strongly these days that we are entering into a new day of outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The people of God will be refreshed and recharged with power to produce evidences of the resurrection of Jesus Christ like we read in the book of Acts the early believers did. At that time the apostles were testifying to the resurrection of Christ with great conviction and power, and there was great grace upon them all. Then God did some outstanding miracles to demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is alive and that he is the Messiah � the Christ of God.
We will see the same thing happen again! God will release his healing power among his people and the covenant community will be a healing centre. But we will not only see healings take place in an unusual way, we will experience the protective power of the blood of Christ in a new way to be able to live in health! It is greater to live in health and strength enjoying the blessing of God than to need healing and received it! It will be a powerful testimony to the world to see the covenant community live in health when the health is declining in the society in spite of the longer lifespan which is normal to expect today in our western world. The Christian lifestyle is a healthy one. But the Spirit-filled, - the Spirit-refreshed life, is even more healthy, restoring health to our entire being! In days ahead it will become more evident to the world that there is a segment of society that is displaying health and strength of life in a way that is astonishing to the outside people, even to the politicians and researchers alike.
This new day of outpouring of the Spirit will make the covenant community seethe with life. There will be a great variety of creative initiatives to reach the present generation with the gospel of the Kingdom. Ordinary people will confidently share the good news of the resurrection of our Lord with their friends and workmates and bring healing to the sick by the laying on of hands. New cell-groups will be formed everywhere in the neighbourhood, at schools, in universities, at workplaces etc. More than everything our homes will be the place of worship and evangelism. We will invite friends for meals and we will have all kinds of celebrations in our big houses or small flats where the presence of God will be manifest. People in great numbers will come to know the Lord as their Saviour and Healer! The word of the Lord will advance from house to house and we will see a great change take place in our housing estates and downtown areas of living.
The prophetic Spirit will be released among the people of God in a new way in these days of refreshing! Young believers will prophesy with great power and old believers will overflow with prophetic insight to further the gospel in this day of outpouring! The Spirit will lead some people to move to new places to open up new churches and wherever the go led by the Spirit they will succeed! These are adventurous days! These are exciting days! These are days of expansion. These are days of bold exploration! These are days of great harvest!
Observations and meditations from a Norwegian perspective. Inspirational and motivational insights from an ordinary person. I am a Norwegian, living in Bergen, Norway with Solveig, the most wonderful wife in the world, but travelling internationally. We are the parents of six children and the proud grandparents of 11 grandchildren. I am a writer, speaker and teacher enjoying life!
September 30, 2003
September 29, 2003
Wonderful weekends in the presence of God
Wonderful weekends in the presence of God
The last two weekends have been wonderful weekends of the presence of God. Before we went to England we experienced the blessing of God in the meetings in the church in Bergen. I am very encouraged by the Spirit by what I am sensing in my spirit of what the Spirit is doing among his covenant people in our city. We are living in a time of refreshing and branching out! We are in the midst of harvesting the plentiful harvest of God in our district.
This morning I was reminded of a word from Genesis 27:27-28: �The smell of my son is the good smell of the open fields that the Lord has blessed. May God always give you plenty of dew for healthy crops and good harvests of grain and wine. May many nations become your servants.�
This last weekend we have been in England attending a conference for leaders arranged by �Ministries without borders�. It was a blessed time with foundational teaching and good fellowship with faithful servant of God from many nations around the world. Saturday Keri Jones was sharing his heart with us in a very challenging way and we also had good reports from India by Peter Masih, Zephry D�Souza and Chandrakant Chavada. They are all tremendous servants of God with fruitful ministries in various parts of India. I am always touched when I am listening to their testimonies and reports of what God is doing in that great nation of India.
Sunday night I attended an outreach meeting in a cinema in Leicester arranged by the new multi-cultural church that my son in law, Daljinder Padam, is starting. Much less people than expected turned out for the meeting but about 20 non-Christians came. Many of the newcomers asked for prayer and the new church has some very good contacts to follow up. We were all encouraged by the outcome of the evening in the cinema!
The last few days have been packed with meetings from morning to evening. Therefore I have not found time to write any blog for several days. However the last blog I sent I sent from a wireless connection at the University in Coventry. I was so happy that I was able to connect through this new device that I just had installed a few days before we went to England! The technology is getting more and more developed to help us communicate the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the world. I am so grateful to the Lord that I am living in times like this with so many new inventions to use for the advance of the Kingdom of God.
The last two weekends have been wonderful weekends of the presence of God. Before we went to England we experienced the blessing of God in the meetings in the church in Bergen. I am very encouraged by the Spirit by what I am sensing in my spirit of what the Spirit is doing among his covenant people in our city. We are living in a time of refreshing and branching out! We are in the midst of harvesting the plentiful harvest of God in our district.
This morning I was reminded of a word from Genesis 27:27-28: �The smell of my son is the good smell of the open fields that the Lord has blessed. May God always give you plenty of dew for healthy crops and good harvests of grain and wine. May many nations become your servants.�
This last weekend we have been in England attending a conference for leaders arranged by �Ministries without borders�. It was a blessed time with foundational teaching and good fellowship with faithful servant of God from many nations around the world. Saturday Keri Jones was sharing his heart with us in a very challenging way and we also had good reports from India by Peter Masih, Zephry D�Souza and Chandrakant Chavada. They are all tremendous servants of God with fruitful ministries in various parts of India. I am always touched when I am listening to their testimonies and reports of what God is doing in that great nation of India.
Sunday night I attended an outreach meeting in a cinema in Leicester arranged by the new multi-cultural church that my son in law, Daljinder Padam, is starting. Much less people than expected turned out for the meeting but about 20 non-Christians came. Many of the newcomers asked for prayer and the new church has some very good contacts to follow up. We were all encouraged by the outcome of the evening in the cinema!
The last few days have been packed with meetings from morning to evening. Therefore I have not found time to write any blog for several days. However the last blog I sent I sent from a wireless connection at the University in Coventry. I was so happy that I was able to connect through this new device that I just had installed a few days before we went to England! The technology is getting more and more developed to help us communicate the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the world. I am so grateful to the Lord that I am living in times like this with so many new inventions to use for the advance of the Kingdom of God.
September 26, 2003
Branching out
Branching out
We are living in exciting prophetic times. The Branch has arrived. Under him, wherever he is, there will be a branching out and a wonderful growth. We are living in times of new shoots, new expression of life among God's people!
God has really been so good to his people in visiting them in seasons of refreshment during this age of restoration. Everything that God has spoken will come to pass according to His eternal plan and purpose!
These are days of new beginnings. These are days of branching out. These are days of expansion. These are days of new life being birthed among God's people. These are days of harvesting!
We are living in exciting prophetic times. The Branch has arrived. Under him, wherever he is, there will be a branching out and a wonderful growth. We are living in times of new shoots, new expression of life among God's people!
God has really been so good to his people in visiting them in seasons of refreshment during this age of restoration. Everything that God has spoken will come to pass according to His eternal plan and purpose!
These are days of new beginnings. These are days of branching out. These are days of expansion. These are days of new life being birthed among God's people. These are days of harvesting!
September 22, 2003
Small paper pieces of love
Small paper pieces of love
Solveig has been away visiting our children and grandchildren in the northern part of Norway. It has been some busy days for me because Michal Solheim from Sortland has been here to teach us how to operate a dynamic web site.
But my sweet Solveig has be present through some small pieces of paper that she had left for me in different places. The first night alone I found a card in my bed with loving greetings from my wife. Then I found these wonderful encouraging messages written on yellow pieces of paper with a sticker heart on many different places. It is wonderful to discover that even though your wife is far away she is still present with me because of her creative love!
Solveig has been away visiting our children and grandchildren in the northern part of Norway. It has been some busy days for me because Michal Solheim from Sortland has been here to teach us how to operate a dynamic web site.
But my sweet Solveig has be present through some small pieces of paper that she had left for me in different places. The first night alone I found a card in my bed with loving greetings from my wife. Then I found these wonderful encouraging messages written on yellow pieces of paper with a sticker heart on many different places. It is wonderful to discover that even though your wife is far away she is still present with me because of her creative love!
September 19, 2003
Learning to operate a new web site
Learning to operate a new web site
Today some of the leaders in the church have been together to learn how to operate the new web site on a dynamic platform. We have taken a lot of time to learn to run an interactive community site.
God has given us a tremendous tool in this program enabling us to communicate with the wider society of the web in a new way. God has called us to use all means to get out the message and to form communities in every area of the world, inclusive of the world wide web!
Today some of the leaders in the church have been together to learn how to operate the new web site on a dynamic platform. We have taken a lot of time to learn to run an interactive community site.
God has given us a tremendous tool in this program enabling us to communicate with the wider society of the web in a new way. God has called us to use all means to get out the message and to form communities in every area of the world, inclusive of the world wide web!
September 17, 2003
Interpreting the Bible
Interpreting the Bible
The last two days I have spent with the students at Bergen Bible School. We have been looking at how to interpret the Bible correctly in letting the Bible speak for itself and not read our preconceived ideas into the text. We have had a good time with fruitful dialogue and discussion.
In the last session two of the students presented two different views on the interpretative practice of a well-known preacher. That was a very interesting time!
The last two days I have spent with the students at Bergen Bible School. We have been looking at how to interpret the Bible correctly in letting the Bible speak for itself and not read our preconceived ideas into the text. We have had a good time with fruitful dialogue and discussion.
In the last session two of the students presented two different views on the interpretative practice of a well-known preacher. That was a very interesting time!
September 16, 2003
Visiting the family-church
Visiting the family-church
During the weekend Solveig and were visiting the family-church in Sandnes. We have been with these wonderful people before and it was great to see them again.
This church was started by Jon Arve and Gunn Bjørg Lunde about two years ago and they have already 10 cell-groups.
It is kind of a special feeling to me to be with this kind of a church at my "home-place" - the place that I had my up bringing but left more than forty years ago to preach the gospel. It feels very good to be back and to share the word of God with these god-loving people.
It is a very young church with a lot of young people reaching out to the younger generation. They are running aSaturdayy-bible-school with about 130 enrolled students from many different churches in the area. I was teaching them on how to interpret the Scriptures.
Sunday night they were having a worship service attended by 100 to 150 people. There was a strong sense of the presence of God and anopennesss to the ministry of the word of God.
I am fully convinced that the church will flourish and be a blessing to the whole area. I have a strong sense of a time of visitation for the whole region of Jæren and many people will come to know the Lord!
During the weekend Solveig and were visiting the family-church in Sandnes. We have been with these wonderful people before and it was great to see them again.
This church was started by Jon Arve and Gunn Bjørg Lunde about two years ago and they have already 10 cell-groups.
It is kind of a special feeling to me to be with this kind of a church at my "home-place" - the place that I had my up bringing but left more than forty years ago to preach the gospel. It feels very good to be back and to share the word of God with these god-loving people.
It is a very young church with a lot of young people reaching out to the younger generation. They are running aSaturdayy-bible-school with about 130 enrolled students from many different churches in the area. I was teaching them on how to interpret the Scriptures.
Sunday night they were having a worship service attended by 100 to 150 people. There was a strong sense of the presence of God and anopennesss to the ministry of the word of God.
I am fully convinced that the church will flourish and be a blessing to the whole area. I have a strong sense of a time of visitation for the whole region of Jæren and many people will come to know the Lord!
September 15, 2003
Connected
Connected
What a blessing to be back home and be connected to the great world of Internet! I miss it very much when I am not able to connect to the net and feel on my pulse some of what is going on in this wonderful world I have become part of. I miss my friends and their comments and I miss their emails.
Today I have had a real feast! I have been reading all my emails and I have been blessed. I don't find words to express my deep emotions after reading a message from one of my dear sons. Each word went straight to my father heart and touched me deeply. I was filled with thankfulness and praise to God who has given me such a wonderful son. In fact all my children makes me feel proud, humble and grateful! God has been so good to me!
What a blessing to be back home and be connected to the great world of Internet! I miss it very much when I am not able to connect to the net and feel on my pulse some of what is going on in this wonderful world I have become part of. I miss my friends and their comments and I miss their emails.
Today I have had a real feast! I have been reading all my emails and I have been blessed. I don't find words to express my deep emotions after reading a message from one of my dear sons. Each word went straight to my father heart and touched me deeply. I was filled with thankfulness and praise to God who has given me such a wonderful son. In fact all my children makes me feel proud, humble and grateful! God has been so good to me!
Cell-group leader's gathering
Cell-group leader�s gathering
Tuesday night last week in Skien I met with the cell-group leaders of the covenant community in Skien. It was a gathering hat was full of life! God told me not to preach to them but to dialogue with them. Then Solveig told me the same! And when we arrived Arve, the leading elder, started the gathering by asking all to give a short report on the group they were leading and the challenges they were facing. That was the way I had planned to start anyway! It was like the Lord arranged everything to be sure that I did what he told me!
I was very much encouraged by the reports I heard. All the leaders and their assistants seemed to be in a very good heart and their reports was down to earth and real. They all reported their challenges honestly and in faith! They all had a desire to reach out and win new people for the Lord.
During the time of dialogue we really experienced the presence of the Lord among us and he spoke clearly to us through one another! I think all participated in a very good way and we were able to share some valid insight with one another.
We were reminded of the most important thing, that which ought to be our first priority, namely our daily walk with God. One thing is essential, that is to sit before the Master, hanging on to every word he says! It is not a life of frenzy activity that will cause us to be fruitful for the Lord, but only a life of responsive obedience to the voice of God. I am convinced that these cell-group leaders will be fruitful in their walk with the Lord and in their cell-groups.
Tuesday night last week in Skien I met with the cell-group leaders of the covenant community in Skien. It was a gathering hat was full of life! God told me not to preach to them but to dialogue with them. Then Solveig told me the same! And when we arrived Arve, the leading elder, started the gathering by asking all to give a short report on the group they were leading and the challenges they were facing. That was the way I had planned to start anyway! It was like the Lord arranged everything to be sure that I did what he told me!
I was very much encouraged by the reports I heard. All the leaders and their assistants seemed to be in a very good heart and their reports was down to earth and real. They all reported their challenges honestly and in faith! They all had a desire to reach out and win new people for the Lord.
During the time of dialogue we really experienced the presence of the Lord among us and he spoke clearly to us through one another! I think all participated in a very good way and we were able to share some valid insight with one another.
We were reminded of the most important thing, that which ought to be our first priority, namely our daily walk with God. One thing is essential, that is to sit before the Master, hanging on to every word he says! It is not a life of frenzy activity that will cause us to be fruitful for the Lord, but only a life of responsive obedience to the voice of God. I am convinced that these cell-group leaders will be fruitful in their walk with the Lord and in their cell-groups.
September 11, 2003
Trouble with my mobile connection
Trouble with my mobile connection
The last few days I have had some trouble with my mobile connection to my laptop computer. I have still not been able to figure out what is wrong. Happily I am now able to get connected through the hosts we are staying with.
Therefore I am just posting a short message today to say that I am stiil alive and well! God has been very good to us while we have been here in Skien and I will hopefully be able to post a full report later. I have been encouraged during my visit to the covenant community in this town.
The last few days I have had some trouble with my mobile connection to my laptop computer. I have still not been able to figure out what is wrong. Happily I am now able to get connected through the hosts we are staying with.
Therefore I am just posting a short message today to say that I am stiil alive and well! God has been very good to us while we have been here in Skien and I will hopefully be able to post a full report later. I have been encouraged during my visit to the covenant community in this town.
September 09, 2003
Golden nuggets
Golden nuggets
This morning I was reading my Message Bible again. I have now finished the Old Testament and started to read the New Testament once more. This Bible is really good to read for personal devotion. I thank God for Eugene Peterson and his wonderful work of paraphrasing the Bible and putting it into the language of today.
These are some of the golden nuggets I picked this morning from chapter 11-12:
Walk with me and work with me � watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
Keep company with me and you�ll learn to live freely and lightly.
I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual.
It�s your heart not dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season.
Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.
Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father�s will is my brother and sister and mother.
Lord, please teach me the unforced rhythm of grace!
Lord, please show me how to live freely and lightly!
Lord, please give me a good heart overflowing with good words!
Lord, please teach me the life of obedience and glad surrender to your will in all circumstances!
This morning I was reading my Message Bible again. I have now finished the Old Testament and started to read the New Testament once more. This Bible is really good to read for personal devotion. I thank God for Eugene Peterson and his wonderful work of paraphrasing the Bible and putting it into the language of today.
These are some of the golden nuggets I picked this morning from chapter 11-12:
Walk with me and work with me � watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
Keep company with me and you�ll learn to live freely and lightly.
I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual.
It�s your heart not dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season.
Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.
Obedience is thicker than blood. The person who obeys my heavenly Father�s will is my brother and sister and mother.
Lord, please teach me the unforced rhythm of grace!
Lord, please show me how to live freely and lightly!
Lord, please give me a good heart overflowing with good words!
Lord, please teach me the life of obedience and glad surrender to your will in all circumstances!
September 08, 2003
Apostolic wedding
Apostolic wedding
This weekend Solveig and I have been in Skien to attend an apostolic wedding. It was The Millennium Wedding. In the previous millennium I never attended any apostolic wedding but this weekend I had the privilege of attending the wedding of the apostle Noralv Askeland and his chosen bride, Tone Midgaard. What a privilege!
The wedding ceremony was conducted in the big and kind of heavy state-church building with the two towers in the middle of the town. Personally I don�t understand that anybody can find it romantic to be married in such a building! But obviously many people from free churches prefer to be married in a state-church building and not in the building they normally worship God in. It is a mystery to me!
However, the wedding ceremony was conducted very well by pastor Terje Dahle. He was assisted by good singers and the apostle Keri Jones who gave the wedding speech. The bride walked alone the long aisle to be met by the groom at the front and led to her seat. She was absolutely magnificent beautiful! It was a moving moment when they entered into covenant with one another. Before they marched out of the building they received prayer, blessing and prophetic words that must have been strengthening to them.
There had been some rumours that there was going to be a short reception only and not the traditional long Norwegian wedding celebration. To our great joy that rumour turned out to be untrue! The wedding celebration lasted for at least 8 hours! Most of that time we sat at the tables enjoying a most extraordinary meal! More than 20 different dishes were served! It is impossible to remember all the exotic names. But we had appetizers, starters, main courses, multiple deserts etc. The meal was a culinaric gourmet experience! Most of the dishes were small but neatly arranged on big plates like a piece of art! Obviously it was not the meaning that the guests should be full, but that they should have an extraordinary gourmet experience they never would forget! After the main meal that took most of the time we were together, only interrupted by numerous speeches and some songs, there was another big meal of the most delicious cakes. A very long table was loaded with all kind of different and good looking cakes! What a feast!
When we went home 01.30 in the morning we all agreed that it had been a wedding worthy a Norwegian Apostle!
This weekend Solveig and I have been in Skien to attend an apostolic wedding. It was The Millennium Wedding. In the previous millennium I never attended any apostolic wedding but this weekend I had the privilege of attending the wedding of the apostle Noralv Askeland and his chosen bride, Tone Midgaard. What a privilege!
The wedding ceremony was conducted in the big and kind of heavy state-church building with the two towers in the middle of the town. Personally I don�t understand that anybody can find it romantic to be married in such a building! But obviously many people from free churches prefer to be married in a state-church building and not in the building they normally worship God in. It is a mystery to me!
However, the wedding ceremony was conducted very well by pastor Terje Dahle. He was assisted by good singers and the apostle Keri Jones who gave the wedding speech. The bride walked alone the long aisle to be met by the groom at the front and led to her seat. She was absolutely magnificent beautiful! It was a moving moment when they entered into covenant with one another. Before they marched out of the building they received prayer, blessing and prophetic words that must have been strengthening to them.
There had been some rumours that there was going to be a short reception only and not the traditional long Norwegian wedding celebration. To our great joy that rumour turned out to be untrue! The wedding celebration lasted for at least 8 hours! Most of that time we sat at the tables enjoying a most extraordinary meal! More than 20 different dishes were served! It is impossible to remember all the exotic names. But we had appetizers, starters, main courses, multiple deserts etc. The meal was a culinaric gourmet experience! Most of the dishes were small but neatly arranged on big plates like a piece of art! Obviously it was not the meaning that the guests should be full, but that they should have an extraordinary gourmet experience they never would forget! After the main meal that took most of the time we were together, only interrupted by numerous speeches and some songs, there was another big meal of the most delicious cakes. A very long table was loaded with all kind of different and good looking cakes! What a feast!
When we went home 01.30 in the morning we all agreed that it had been a wedding worthy a Norwegian Apostle!
September 04, 2003
Re-installing my Bible program
Re-installing my Bible program
Yesterday and the day before I have been working hard to re-install my Bible program. Yesterday I succeeded to my great pleasure to get help on the support telephone to put everything into right functional order! I am so blessed to have my big Logos Bible Software installed on my new laptop computer. It is such a tremendous blessing to have a tool like that installed on the laptop which I bring with me everywhere! I am very pleased with the service and telephone support I have received at the Logos Bible Research centre, but the technical support via email is very slow!
I have used the Logos Bible Software for a long time and I can really recommend it to all Bible students! There are more and more resources being made available on the Libronix platform which the Logos program is built on.
A lot of free resources are available as well at E4 Group and I recommend everyone to get some of these CDs that the E4Group offer. It is a good way to get to know the Libronix platform as well.
Yesterday and the day before I have been working hard to re-install my Bible program. Yesterday I succeeded to my great pleasure to get help on the support telephone to put everything into right functional order! I am so blessed to have my big Logos Bible Software installed on my new laptop computer. It is such a tremendous blessing to have a tool like that installed on the laptop which I bring with me everywhere! I am very pleased with the service and telephone support I have received at the Logos Bible Research centre, but the technical support via email is very slow!
I have used the Logos Bible Software for a long time and I can really recommend it to all Bible students! There are more and more resources being made available on the Libronix platform which the Logos program is built on.
A lot of free resources are available as well at E4 Group and I recommend everyone to get some of these CDs that the E4Group offer. It is a good way to get to know the Libronix platform as well.
September 01, 2003
Students
Students
Sunday after we had six students for dinner after the morning service in the church. Solves had prepared a traditional Norwegian meal which they all seemed to enjoy. The weather was extraordinary good and we spent the whole afternoon on our big veranda. We enjoyed the beautiful view and the delicious food Solves kept serving us. Some of the students were very helpful to her and other wanted to talk to me a number of subjects. We had a wonderful time together.
Today I have spent five hours with the Bible school students talking about being able to understand the Bible, or how to interpret the Scripture in the right way. Hermeneutic was the subject today.
I like being with young people! I like to challenge them to think for themselves and not only accept the opinion of others. The students are asking good questions and don't take things for granted! I like that.
Sunday after we had six students for dinner after the morning service in the church. Solves had prepared a traditional Norwegian meal which they all seemed to enjoy. The weather was extraordinary good and we spent the whole afternoon on our big veranda. We enjoyed the beautiful view and the delicious food Solves kept serving us. Some of the students were very helpful to her and other wanted to talk to me a number of subjects. We had a wonderful time together.
Today I have spent five hours with the Bible school students talking about being able to understand the Bible, or how to interpret the Scripture in the right way. Hermeneutic was the subject today.
I like being with young people! I like to challenge them to think for themselves and not only accept the opinion of others. The students are asking good questions and don't take things for granted! I like that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)