October 29, 2002

The covenant community
Sunday we were taken to meet with the covenant community as they were fellowshipping in a flat in a large housing estate. I had met some of the people before but this time many new people were there. I was so blessed to how these people loved one another and functioned together. Some of them shared with me how they had been praying for me during my illness and I was happy to tell them how their prayers had been answered. I am so grateful to the Lord for being part of his kingdom community. Where ever I go I find friends! Everywhere the covenant community is caring, loving, encouraging and ministering the grace of God to me in a great variety of expressions!
The Pink City of Jaipur
Jaipur is an excellent city to visit for tourists. We have been here many times and we are never tired of coming back to this place. To walk in the bazaars of the Pink City is an experience in itself even if you are not buying anything. All the beautiful and colourful people in all ages and walks of life are fascinating to watch. Some are busy, some have plenty of time, some are shopping, some are selling, some are bargaining and some are arguing. All kind of activities are taking place.
As you walk in the bazaars you will notice the smell. Many different smells will come to you as you walk, the smell of incense, the smell of dung, the smell of curry, the smell of urine, the smell of spices, the smell of perfume, the smell of cotton, the smell of wool, the smell you can�t identify, the smell you don�t want to identify. You can really smell the very Indian way of life in the bazaars!
Atithi Guest House
Saturday we arrived in Jaipur. Our friend Zephry met us at the airport and took us directly to Atithi Guest House where we are staying during one week as we are visiting the Pink City of Jaipur.
Atithi is our favourite guest house. It is nice and clean with all necessities. The people running the place and all the workers are very friendly. The service is good and we feel at home in this place. After the thin mattress at the hotel in Gujerat Solveig said that the bed at Atithi was like heaven!
Zealous young prophets of India
Today we were taken to a bunch of zealous young people with a tremendous prophetic anointing on them. These young men and women really impressed me. Their commitment to the Lord is outstanding. Their hunger for God and their abandonment of the world are just amazing. The nation of India must be proud of having such people of quality and integrity, totally committed to serve their people in the possible best way.
They were sharing with us their visions for their great nation and the rest of the world. They were kind of boiling on the inside and they were hot in their spirits, zealous for their Lord, as they were sharing what they had seen and heard in the presence of their God. When these zealous young prophets have accomplished what their Lord has told them to do India will be a changed nation � for the better!
Steve is leaving us today
Our friend Steve is going to Bagdogra today to meet his friend Ravjiv. They will spend nearly two weeks together in West Bengal.
We have really enjoyed the company of Steve at our hotel and at the many different vegetarian restaurants we have been visiting. We have shared more than meals together, but the meals have been a blessed time of fellowship. We have been sharing some deeper things and had a lot of fun together. Steve�s company has made our stay here richer and we will miss him.

October 21, 2002

A man of God
I met a very young man of God this morning, his name is Dinesh. He looked like a teenager, but I guess he actually was in the early twenties! He was very calm, kind of surrounded by divine peace, as he told his story.
A Hindu priest and his wife came to him with a dead child, a seven years old boy. The child had been dead for several hours and the priest had heard rumours about this young man of God and approached him as his last hope to see his son come back to life.
Dinesh the young man of God prayed for the dead boy but nothing happened. Then he got hold of another believer and they prayed for the child the second time. When they started to pray the second time for the boy, he started to move a little bit and as they continued to pray the boy was brought back to life! When they finished praying the child immediately asked his mother for milk!
The whole priestly family came to Christ that day and were baptised!
When Dinesh told his story it was like he told something very natural, something ordinary, something normal that happened to him. And indeed it seems to be very natural to a man of God to see miracles like this take place because of prayer.

One of Prakash�s miracles
One day Prakash was out cycling on his bike he was approach by a couple with a very ill baby. The baby was totally paralysed with eyes closed, it seemed to be lifeless, it didn�t even seemed to breath. The couple was asking for Prakash, where he lived and so on. Happily he could tell them that he was the one they were looking for. He took them home to his house, gave them some food and then he and his wife prayed for the paralysed baby. The power of God came upon the baby and the baby was instantly healed! The baby was filled with life, strength and health, moving vigorously all its members that had been paralysed!
Then Prakash and his wife shared the good news of the kingdom of God with the couple who was eager to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord.
He didn�t tell, but I guess that was the start of a new covenant community in a new village!
Prakash
I was introduced to Prakash today. In fact I had met him on an earlier visit, but had forgotten his name. When I was introduced to Prakash again I was told of his merits since last nine months. By the grace of God he had been able to form nine new covenant communities of the kingdom of God in some rural area of India. Think about it! This young man in the early twenties, nearly reaching up to my shoulders, has planted nine churches in nine villages!
I asked him how he did it and he smiled to me saying, �I just had to give up everything, my farm and everything to be able to concentrate on one thing only, to serve the Lord.� The nine new communities of the kingdom seemed to be the fruit of his total commitment to the Lord.
I wanted more details, so I asked him again of what he actually did. Again he was just smiling, radiating the glory of God in his joy. �Well,� he said, �We are having some healings and miracles. Then people believe and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour as they are being baptised. Then we start a church in their home.�
It sounded so simple: we are just having some miracles and then the church is born! His joy and simplicity blessed me. I have so much to learn from this giant of faith! With men like him there is a bright future for
Meeting Sunil and Prafol
It was so good to meet Sunil and Prafol at the airport in Ahmedabad today. They were waiting for us on the outside of the terminal to take us to our hotel. We also met our friend Steve at the airport he will join us for 4-5 days of our stay here. We all rejoiced in seeing each other and being able to fellowship in the Holy Spirit in the car on the way to our destination of hotel Palace.
India is so different to Norway! When we left there was minus three degrees in Bergen and when we arrived at the hotel outside temperature was nearly forty degrees! Then you have the dust, the dirt, the smell, the cows, the camels, the goats and of cause the beautiful people everywhere! I find no words to describe the experience, but it is fascinating and captivating, and it is doing something with you, changing you, enlarging you, filling you with awe and with compassion. You see so many dear people suffer in so many different way and you see others enjoying such abundance of wealth that is beyond comprehension. Amazement and then bewilderment overtake you, then a feeling of helplessness creep up on you and the zeal of holy anger start burning inside of you. These wonderful people deserve something better than the curse of an old cast-system.
Arriving India
Yesterday we arrived at Ahmedabad early in the morning after a long and tiring journey. In Mumbai we were told at the international terminal that there was no sense in going to the domestic terminal because they would not let us in. The best thing for us to do was to go to a hotel to rest a few hours before we proceeded to the domestic terminal! We were told that the first bus would go by 04.00 only so we had to wait outside the international terminal for two hours. It turned out to be untrue! We found the bus leaving shortly (at a different place though than first told) after we were out. When we arrived at the domestic terminal we had no difficulties in getting in or even check in our luggage three hours before departing! The people trying to get us to a hotel told a lot of lies but happily we did not listen to them.
At the airport in Ahmedabad our dear friend Sunil was waiting for us. He and Prabhudas has come to take us to our hotel to have a good rest before we met more people. That is why I am here � to meet people! I love the people of India, they are the most wonderful people in the world!

October 16, 2002

A hectic day of preparations!
Solveig and I have had a hectic day of preparing for India today. Early tomorrow morning we leave for India We are looking forward meeting friends and to fellowship with them after a whole year since our last visit! Indians are great people and we just love being with them. I hope I will be able to tell about some of the people we meet in my future blogs!

October 15, 2002

Early prayermeeting
We had a wonderful time praying together with all the leaders early this morning. God is knitting our hearts together with even bonds than before. We are determined by the grace of God to serve him shoulders to shoulders and see his eternal purpose and plan fulfilled in our lifetime. We are not seeking anything for ourselves but we want God to have everything he is longing for among men.
On thursday morning we are going to India. I am not sure if I will be able to blog while I am in India. We will be away for four weeks and I will do my level best to communicate and continue to send my blogs.
The interactive comments does not work yet, but you can reach me at anytime at erlinthu@online.no
To be somebody is also worth looking at: http://www.tobesomebody.blogspot.com

October 14, 2002

My wife is back!
I have just been to the airport to welcome my most wonderful wife back from her visit to Troms� and Vann�ya. She brought cod with her and we have just enjoyed a delicious meal of fresh fish from Nordishavet!
It is so good to have my wife home again. It is like a wall of my life is removed when she is away. There is no warmth of love in the house when she is not here.

October 11, 2002

Stay alert and pray!
Lately God has spoken to me in many different ways and on various occasions on staying alert in prayer. There is a spiritual battle going on in the visible world to bring in the great and plentiful harvest that belongs to the Lord. Only when we are watching and praying will we be used by God to bring our nation back to God. Our country will turn to God when we who are believers are staying alert and are present with our total being in our encounters with people in the workplace and neighbourhood.
Jesus said that we should stay alert and pray so we wander into temptation to be comfortable without even knowing we�re in danger. He said we had to stay alert and pray so we shouldn�t choose the way of no resistance and give in to meeting natural and human needs in stead of standing with him in the struggle to see the will of God accomplished in society and in individual lives.
Jesus said that if we didn�t stay alert and in prayer we would stop doing fulfilling the commission he has given us and give attention to the other servants of God and what they are doing according to the task given to them. We are not all given the same task but we have all part in the Great Commission of making people groups and nations disciples of Jesus Christ! If we don�t watch and pray we could end up criticising and beating our fellow servants, Jesus warned.
Jesus told us to stay alert and pray to be able to understand the time of visitation and see Him when he comes to us with his Spirit and are doing a work in society and his church. The Bible gives us many examples of people who didn�t stay alert nor lived in prayer and for this reason didn�t see what God was doing and had no part in the work of the Spirit!
The apostle Paul tells us to stay alert and endure in prayer for all the saints, to be able to be standing against and overcome all the vicious attacks of the enemy. When we watch and pray we will become strong in the Lord and his mighty power which is available to all who believe.

October 10, 2002

I am still working to enable comments. It seemed to work a short time. Hopefully I will get it up and running soon!
It does not seem to work! I am not giving up! You will be able to comment my blog eventually!
It seems like comments can be added! Try it out!
Comments
I am trying to enable comments and if I succeed I welcome your comments very much!

In the company of godly men
The International gathering of apostles and prophets is over. We have all gone forward to our new days of ministering in the Spirit with bold faith and assurance of the help and blessing of God.
I am so grateful to the Lord for allowing me to be part of a company of men with such integrity and loving kindness. These are men of covenant love and faithfulness. These are men of pure hearts and godly motives. These are men of genuine care for the covenant community of God's people.
When we are together sharing our hearts with one another and seeking the Lord in prayer and intercession, then the anointing of the Holy Spirit rests upon us and revelation flows from God refreshing our spirits together in the wonderful light of God.
In this company of godly men I enjoy a peace and security that bring healing to my entire being. I am filled with thanks to God for his overwhelming grace towards me joining me with his faithful servant. I thank God that I am no longer alone, I am longer on my own, God has brought me into communion with himself and with people being transformed into his likeness. I am connected to the source of life, to God himself, and to his people in a life-changing and life-giving relationship.
The relationship we enjoy with one another in the Spirit can't be described in words. But it is open to everyone who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

October 09, 2002

Man made or Spirit made?
This is the big question facing believers today. Man made religion abound, man made rules and man made patterns are the rule of the day. The official and traditional religious bodies in our so-called Christian countries are being squished into the mold of this world. There is a human standard foreign to the Word of God pressing in on religious people everywhere. Man mad religious leaders take the denominations down the wrong road to a very bad end.
We need Spirit made leaders to bring the people of God back on track. Spirit filled minister will bring the people out of the mold of this world and into the freedom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit in the Kingdom of God. Spirit made servant of God will give birth to a Spirit filled people producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In such a Spirit filled community of the Kingdom there is no conflict with the Law of God!
Being a prophetic people
Last night we touch many vital aspects of being a prophetic people. A prophetic people will know the Word of God and be able to speak into the current affairs of this world. Like we have heard that the UN will pass a law against spanking as a means of disciplining children. The spontaneous response from Tony Ling was: "They have members that chop of whole hands!" My thought went to all the innocent children that are killed the the mother's womb with the blessing of the governments that will make it difficult for parents to discipline their children and help them to discern between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and untruth.

Prophets will never allow people to be in their comfort zone.

October 08, 2002

International gathering
Today I have attended an international gathering of Ephesians 4:11 ministries. We have had an excellent time together in the presence of the Lord sharing insights in the Word with one another. The main subject today has been how to work together in the best way to achieve what God wants us to achieve in our generation. We all want to serve the purpose of God as long as we live!
The gathering has been lead by two dear and wise men of God: Keri Jones and Noralv Askeland. They are both apostles of Jesus Christ and are working together in a wonderful way. They are very much loved by all of us because of their sincere heart for God's people and their love for the Lord and his Word. The grace of God is upon them to speak words of wisdom and instruction as they are encouraging us to pursue the purpose of God for our lives. The way they serve among us is just marvelous. I have never met people like them in my entire life.

October 07, 2002

Grandchildren
Today our house is filled with grandchildren. That is a great joy!
I love being with my grandchildren, they bring me great pleasure!
When I play with them my heart is filled with thankfulness to the Lord for his goodness towards me, my children and my grandchildren.
With grandchildren life is wonderful!

October 06, 2002

Making leaders out of losers
We have been together with about 80 leaders during the weekend at Gullbotn. It has been so good to be together with brothers and sisters with the same heart for God and a burning desire to bring people to Christ and the believers to maturity in Christ.

I have been reading in my Message Bible in the prophet Daniel during these days about the judgement on the proud king Nebuchadnezzar. �The angels announce this decree, the holy watchmen bring this sentence, so that everyone living will know that the High God rules human kingdoms. He arranges kingdom affairs however he wishes, and makes leaders out of losers.� I thought it was quite funny that he directed me to read these words while we were together with all the leaders, reminding us that he makes leaders out of losers. We have nothing to boast of, we have been chosen because of our nothingness that He may be able to show His fullness!

We really need to learn that �the High God rules over human kingdoms and that he arranges all kingdom affairs�! When we realise that �it is heaven that runs things�, we will have a sound perspective on what is going on behind the scene of natural explanations. We will then have a humble attitude to life realising our total dependence on the Holy Spirit in all human affairs!
When king Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and looked to heaven for help, he was given back his mind and was able to bless the High God, thanking and glorifying God, who lives for ever:

�His sovereign rule lasts and lasts,
His kingdom never declines and falls.
Life on this earth doesn�t add up to much,
But God�s heavenly army keeps everything going.
No one can interrupt his work,
No one can call his rule into question.�

�Everything e does is right,
And he does it the right way.
He knows how to turn a proud person
Into a humble man or woman.�

October 03, 2002

There is something wrong with my pc today. I had just written a long blog and saved it properly. Then I tried to logg on to the net in the normal way and my screen went black! Message: memory dumping! When the pc restarted and I had logged on to the net and tried to get hold of my blog from the my word processor only the title was left, the content of my long and wonderful blog was gone!
A pc is a wonderful invention when it works but when it does not work it is a source of great frustration!

October 02, 2002

Healing is taking place!
It was such a joy to meet Gerd Lillian today. She was shining brighter than the sun! She had been for treatment and regular check up at the hospital. Then she got the message that many of the tumours that were seen last time were gone this time! Not all the traces of cancer is gone but obviously a healing is taking place in her body! Rejoice with Gerd Lillian and continue to pray for perfect healing of her entire body!

October 01, 2002

Making students think
One of the students told me that I made them think today. What an encouragement! I had achieved what I always try to do with my students, making them think and enabling them to draw the right conclusions At least my goal was achieved today with at least some of the students. It is so easy to look for ready made answers instead of thinking through the matter oneself and reason one�s way to a solution. As a teacher I find it more important to help the students to ask the right questions than to give them all the right answers straight away. At least today may day with the students has not been in vain.