Chapter 7: A new home!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever…

Ps 23:6

I’ve always thought that being homeless must be the most awful condition in life. My mum was a homemaker till I turned almost 13, because she constantly gave birth to some babies, and chose to do her preoccupation to make our home a good and safe place for me and my brother and two sisters. And it was great! Whenever I returned from school, she was always home with prepared dinner. I still remember the calm and warm atmosphere in our home when coming home from school, sometimes sad and freezing. If it was raining outside, it was always warm in our home, because my dad had put on fire in the fireplace, and mum had prepared dinner and lightened candles. When I entered the door, they were always happy to see me. When we were placed around the table, and had sung the prayer, mum and dad asked me; “how was school today?”

Not all kids experience this. Many experience to come home to drunken parents. In order to not get beaten for some insignificant bagatelles, they consider the best idea,  to not go home after school, but hang outside in the streets with the people they find there till the very night.

It surprised me very much when I encountered several people who’re homeless, who were pretty satisfied with life. I remember once, while doing “Street-Aid” in Oslo with a group from my church, stumbling upon a guy sleeping in the street a rainy November-evening. Me and my friend, Kristin offered him to come with us to Teen Challenge Coffee House (Marita), and get some food and some rest. We expected the guy, to be happy and receive the offer; but surprisingly, he didn’t. He actually started yelling at us for waking him up from his beautiful sleep, explaining that he had found a really good sleeping position, on some dry newspapers in a corner were nobody (except us) woke him up or chased him away.

I could sense some of the devils hand in this situation. The devil is a liar, and he is blinding people’s eyes from seeing the truth. (2. Cor 4:3) He loves it when he can blind people enough to make them satisfied with eating the scrums together with the pigs and sleeping on newspapers, instead of having a home, sleeping in a bed, eating a good dinner with your own family.

The guy that slept in the corner was very high on drugs, and could obviously have slept everywhere. Kristin and I felt the Holy Spirit prompted us to hesitate although he rejected us. So with some love and strength from God, we finally got Geir up on his feet and lend him hands all the way to Coffee House, although he was still a little angry at us. But however, after getting food, fellowship, some rest in God’s presence and some encouraging words, Geir was thankful although.

God wants all Christians who are born again into His family to experience the first thing I was talking about; growing up in a warm home, where they can live freely with their entire being, receive food in time and enjoy fellowship with their family-members without fear or lack. And I’m so happy that this is not only a flaky spiritual idea, we can only experience in the invisible world if we pray long enough and stay non-interrupted in a cottage on the mountain; No! It’s very practical, and very easy to get into. The home is called the local church! You can enter the building with your own feet, embrace and shake hands with real human in a hall, sing songs with your own voice, listen to anointed teaching in an audible sound with your ears, and you can even use your own hands to vacuum-clean the carpets after service if you want and have time.

My intention with this chapter is to do the same with you as me and Kristin did with Geir; wake you up from your blindness and lead you by hands into the house of God where your needs can be filled, and you can start to live again with your whole being. Are you ready?

What is a church?

I tried to ask my girls in the rehab-center where I serve; what was your picture of church before you became a Christian? And their answers mostly sounded like; a nice building with activities for religious people.

And I asked them again; what is your picture of church now?

Honestly, they kind of surprised me. I mean, I more or less expected them to say that it’s a good place with nice people and stuff, but almost all of them answered: It’s a place where you can experience God’s presence!

The church is where God lives

However it’s true that God lives in the church, I have experienced walking into nice big churches, cathedrals with golden ornaments and eminent architecture. But I didn’t feel anything of God’s presence in there. But I have also experienced standing under a tent in India surrounded by a lot of Indian people and flies, singing songs I didn’t understand anything of –and been awestruck by God’s presence.

Why?!

Because God doesn’t live in buildings made of stones anymore. He moved out 2000 years ago! It’s true, that in the Old Testament the physical dwelling place of God’s presence was in a building. He lived in the great holy temple in Jerusalem. But one day, Jesus cried out on the cross: It is finished! Then it says in Matthew 27:51:

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…

So as Jesus cried out “It is finished –God moved. God moved through the veil, out from the temple of Jerusalem that was build out of bricks of stone, and…

-inside human beings!

God wasn’t pleased with living in buildings made of stone, when He had been longing for people since the beginning of the world! 2. Chor 3:16 says

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

So now –God lives in people, people who have received Jesus as their savior. And the Bible says that when people filled with God’s presence are gathered,

God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. 1. Peter 2:4a

And Ephesians 2:21.22 says the same;

In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Not a temple made out of dead stone, like the Temple in the Old Testament. No, the temple in the Old Testament is only a picture of the real thing. Maybe you have a photo of your wife or husband on the background on your cell phone. But it’s not her or him –it’s just a picture. In the same way, the temple in the Old Testament was not the real temple as God planned it–just a picture of it. The real temple is not an old dead one like a stone-building, but a new living one..

…consisting of people!

That is the new temple God is pleased with dwelling in! Because this is where you and I are the stones –and we are those God loves us and is pleased with! God’s presence dwells inside of you me, and when we come together, God is forming us into what the Bible in the New Testament calls The Church –the new temple!

So as you see that although the church is inside a building, the building doesn’t make it into a church –but the people inside it who are filled with God’s presence! When they gather, God is there!

Many places in the world, like in India, it’s so hot, so there is no need for a building before the rain-season. But here in Ukraine, there is absolutely a need for church buildings where people can stay in winter without dying, and although it doesn’t matter for God if the building is good looking or not –it’s smart to make it nice for us who’re more likely are going to spend hours in there:-)

But why do people need a church?

People need a church in the same way as they need a home!

1: People need a place to be born.

For most of us, the home was not a choice we made on ourselves, because we were brought there as fast as we were born, or maybe we were literally born there! Maybe your home was good, maybe not. Maybe you for some reason weren’t born in a home at all.

I’m of course talking about being born again –becoming a Christian. Maybe your “spiritual birth clinic” was on a Christian concert where you went by yourself. Maybe it was in your own house with a close friend who brought you to church the day after.

The church is however a “nest” where newborn Christians need to be brought as fast as possible, as it says so beautifully in Ps 86:4.

Babies that are thrown out on the street after their birth, die. It’s the same spiritually. If someone become a Christian and never become a part of a church –he or she will most likely sooner or later deny that he or she is a Christian. It’s really sad. The fact is that babies need to stay in a home, a warm clean place, protected from the worst infections and diseases. As you probably know, there is a lot of so called “baby diseases” that affect new born babies. They are not dangerous –if somebody takes care of the child in a warm, healthy and safe place. In the same way, the devil, or the world, or human being or however, have some “baby-diseases”, some thoughts and difficult questions they’re throwing over the newborn Christians. These are not dangerous, unless for those Christians who’re born again along a path, and are not taken to a home. Then it happens with their “new creation” what’s explained in Mark 4:4, the birds came and ate it up. When you have become a Christian you need to stay in “good ground, with some people filled with God’s love that are “deeper” than yours! They can answer the questions and tell the truth when “the viruses” are trying to get hold on your “newborn creation”.

Newborn babies also need love. I’ll never forget the testimonies of a woman in my church in Oslo who went as a missionary to Africa under a big famine crisis. She was nursing in a big orphanage where the pressure was very big. Suddenly, they experienced that several children just died without any visible reason. So what they did; they started to tighten the small, week babies to their own bodies. Soon, they were all nursing around with three or four babies tightened to their bodies. What a heavy work! But you know what? They saved the babies’ lives! Because close physical contact is the most basic need of a newborn baby!

Maybe you know some newborn Christians who’re very weak spiritually? Know that week babies are very rarely going to a hospital by themselves. So as you recognize them: Take them to church as you thigh them to yourself.  Invite them for coffee after service. Spend time with them, share your life, and involve them in the certain ministry you’re serving in! Don’t demand everybody else there to “thigh them”. My friend Sergey Glushko, leader of TC Ukraine is my favorite example in this area. He “tights” the new Christians to himself as he does the ministry. He literally carries them around as he is serving, whether it is in street ministry, church, counseling, or social life. He carries them around as he cares and nurses other “babies”. And you know, I’m so amazed, these “babies” tightened to Sergey grow up so fast! And are soon “nursing around” with other babies tightened to them!

2: People need somewhere to be raised

As a baby grows up, there it needs more than love and protection. The new born church in acts 2:42 had found something they steadfastly held on to.

And they constantly abided in teaching, prayer, communion and the fellowship.

A: Teaching from the bible is like food, as it says in Matt 4:4. Actually, all people, independent on age or size, need food just for surviving.

Did you grow up in a house where mum and dad were working all day and said: Feed yourself? Imagine yourself coming home after school. You’re 7-8 years old. You’re starving. As you open the freezer, you find some vegetable-soup for putting in the micro, and there are also… Ice cream! What would you pick?

I know what I would pick… You can say whatever. But if a kid do this every day, it will turn really bad.

Spiritually food is the same. You need the word of God because this is what feeds the new creation no matter for how long you’ve been walking with God. And in church, you get dinner prepared! There are ministers, pastors, teachers and evangelists, who you can recon as “your parents”! And as we were talking about in chapter 4, they are more than willing to prepare you good healthy food! I’m in some way a “Bible teacher”, and I love it whenever I find somebody to feed! These “parents” have been Christian for a long time, and know how to “divide the bible” (2.tim 2:13). I’ll explain what I’m talking about. Maybe you say “But aren’t the whole bible is the word of God?” Yes! It’s all the word of God, and it’s all needful in order to strengthen the “person of God” (1. Tim 3:16-17. But on the contrary; it’s not true that everything written in the Bible has the same importance to all people in all ages! Maybe you understand what I mean when I say that it’s true that ice cream is food, but it’s not true that ice cream is food that all people should eat to all meals always.

An example, is when some newborn Christians get hold on some teaching or read in the Book of Revelation about the end of the ages and the sign of the coming of Antichrist. But this is like ice cream. It’s good to talk about some in a while, (tempting to talk about a way too often) but if you put your attention on this every day, you’ll become crazy and very scared.

Another example is people who only eat what they “like”. All kind of food need to be fresh and with varieties. Some Christians who rarely go to church, very likely find themselves reading their favorite psalms or passages from Isaiah over and over, because they’re scared of reading things they won’t understand or like. There are some ministers that has wandered through the scriptures with Jesus, like the guys in Luke . And they’re not afraid of giving you the whole Bible. You know why?

Because they know how to prepare it! Food need to be prepared in order to profit. Like potatoes. In order for them to profit you, they need to be cooked, and in order to be cooked, they need power. And do you know the power? The power is described in Rom 1:16: The gospel of Jesus Christ!  Paul also says in gal 3:1 that “I’ve painted before your eyes: Jesus Christ crucified” (gal 3:1) Whatever biblepassage it’s talking about, all kind of issues in life, whether it is marriage, sins, behavior, problems, etc. It need to be prepared on the power –about what Jesus has done at the cross! All food taste good when it’s “well prepared” in the gospel of Christ. Because the gospel has power to save! It can save non Christians from hell, and all kind of Christians from temptations and problems they’re encountering in their lives. When you’re unaware about Gods’ power to overcome your problems, you will more likely struggle to solve it in your own power. And no man manage anything by own strength”, 1. Sam 2:9)

B: Prayer and worship is another thing Christians need in order to grow up. Not only alone, but also together. The Bible says that what two or three agrees about here on earth will be! I can’t count how many times I’ve been in a hopeless situation, without even knowing what to pray about! But because some other Christian has prayed together with me, we initially found out what to pray about, and secondly got the answer! Being in a church should make it so easy to “just pray!” In my church, we have a culture that makes this so easy. The bible says in fil 4:5-6 that whatever is on your heart –let it come before God with prayer, intercession and thanksgiving!

When you also take part in other peoples’ joys, not only sorrows, you’ll be such a happy person! And don’t worry about crying with those who’re crying; The bible says “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

C: The fellowship with brothers and sisters.

People have so many ideas. I’ve heard some people say very radically that “I am the temple of God. I can lift my steeples and have service wherever and whenever I want.” In a way, this is true; God lives in you, and His heart’s desire is to show you His loving presence wherever and whenever.

Although, all truths can be stretched out so far, that it isn't a truth anymore. As I told in chapter 3, your destiny is to live for other people –and this is what church is all about! Whether you don’t feel like spending time with people or not -this is just a feeling –and you cannot use God’s word to excuse being a loner, although it says that God’s presence dwells in you. You’ll always experience being a “dead stone” unless you become a part of a church of living stones (1. Peter 2:4).

In my personal life, I have experienced that God treated me a little strict in this area. During certain periods, I’ve been crying out to God for His touch and His help, without getting any answer! –Why? Simply because God loves you too much to let you struggle and fight alone. Gen 2:18 states that

It is not good that man should be alone.

And Church is the answer! So when I finally pulled myself into the church, God answered all my prayers about feeling His presence! How? Through the people there whom God lived inside!

So my friend, if you’re struggling with unanswered prayers; Pull yourself into a local physical church! It’s for sure the answer to your prayers!

D: Communion

Comunion is a wonderful thing you can partake in your church, as described in the bible in 1 cor 11:23-26. It is a physical reminder we do as we gather to remind that Jesus was beaten for our sicknesses and that His blood was shared for our sins. This means health! God want you to find healing and forgiveness in His house! Maybe you come to church with a big sense of guilt because of something you had done, or not done right? However, in the temple in 2. Cronicles 4, it talks about how King Solomon build the temple, which is the image of the church we have today. And in it, he build “an ocean”, which was a big pool of water for those who came for service to wash. And as it is described, the “ocean” dwelt on 12 oxen! Because God gave you church for you to be released from your burden of sin. Imagine how these oxen, which symbolize strength, carries all the weight of your burdens. How many times I’ve ran out from a service after partaking in the holy communion, feeling happy again, full knowing that my sins are paid!

And in there, there was also build in the decoration a lot of pomegranates! Pomegranates are the fruits with the most vitamins in –wich means a symbol of health! God knew this and uses it as an illustration on how he want you to receive His healing: Eat it –‘cause everything is finished!

All Christians to all ages faces burdens of sin-depression and sickness. God is a God who heals you from your diseases and forgives your sins! (ps 103:2) All these, He has wonderfully artistically imparted in the interior of the local church, as a wine yard, where He will show you His love (songs 4..) as it is also written in Eph 3:18

May have power to, together with all the Lords people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ!

You need a home where all this is working. And partake in it! If you won’t partake in it, it won’t profit you.  

The church consists of your presence!

Your presence is needed in the church! Maybe some of your “former names” were useless? The bible says that in a church God turns you into a living stone. God wants to use exactly you –to become a part of Gods most fantastic building –His church!

For me, coming to church was like being a dead stone and becoming alive again. You have probably experienced, that there are so many lies the devil are spreading out regarding the Church. And they’re all focusing on you. I struggled with thoughts like: It doesn’t profit the church more or less if I’m there or if I don’t. I’m not so important, unless I’d be in a high position or something.

I met one of my friends not so long time ago. And he said some of the same, that he actually would love to take more part in a certain ministry in church, but he wasn’t sure whether the church would like his personality. He excused that he is a more calm and sound person, than the spontaneous and merry people you see in the worship-team and preaching.

My friend, Church is not about you –it’s about Jesus. 1. Peter 2 says in the previous verse, verse 4 that “as we come to Him, He makes us into useful, living stones - that fit in the church architecture! It’s not my business to be suitable to the church, but His! In verse 5 it even says that He makes us into holy priests! Maybe you thought that you weren’t holy enough to be active in a church? There may be some sins which the brothers and sisters may tell you to repent from, but remember, that is not based on your own work, but the fact that Jesus has already made you holy, and completely able to live like a holy priest! And if you humble yourself enough to ask for help quitting the sin; you’ll for sure get it –from people who’ve probably went through the same struggles as you!

God didn’t create church for us to condemn each other –but to help and carry the burdens of each other! (Gal 6,2)

Show up every Sunday!

In Hebr 10:24 (NIV) it says:  

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I was definitely one of those in the habit of not coming to service. One day, I took the decision to go to church every Sunday –regardless of my desire to sleep, and the distance and bus-taxes and so on. I decided to let Jesus make me into this living stone by at least showing up every Sunday, regardless of my feelings of importance in the mass of 500 people. All stones are important in a building. It’s a lie that you are not important. (This lie keeps churches small. God wants big churches so they can be visible and unconquerable!) And I discovered that my life got so filled with purpose –I was nothing less than in the middle of Gods plan of salvation for the world! Why being a single stone lying on the street unable to move –when you can be a part of the most miraculous glorious building in the world?!

So many Christians are not going to church because they feel they have to know exactly which church to be a part of.  

I tell you –God has one plan for saving the world, and that is the church! I’m a little harsh, but I tell you; you’ll never find yourself any purpose, unless being part of a local church. I had a hard time deciding what kind of church going to, ‘cause there was so many. But in the end, I just picked one; and decided to defy my feelings and get there every Sunday, and help in the ministry where there was needs, regardless if I felt it as a forever life-calling or not. Just do it- heaven is your final destination anyway.  As you just do it, don’t worry that you won’t find “Gods plan for your life. God is the master-builder –He will for sure guide you. I stayed in Oslo Christian center the time I spent in Bible school, and afterwards, through the same church –God lead me to Ukraine and into another church, Word of life, and the ministry where I’m now.

The church is a body

The bible says that the church is also a body where Jesus is the head.

Ephesians 1:22-23

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

The language in Ephesians is a little packed sometimes. But it actually says that The church is Jesus’ own body! It’s the fullness of Him. With other words: The Church is Jesus! And Jesus fills all in all –you and I –in His body!

So definitely –church is where God lives –it’s where He breathes! And you can more than experience His presence: You can be the lungs He’s breathing through!

I tell you; If you find a church where you can dwell physically with “the fullness of your being”; your time, your actions, and your devotions, you will experience physically the whole fullness of Jesus! The fullness of Jesus is more than getting some chills some in a while. It is the work of His hands, the steps of His feet, the smile on His face, the beat of His heart. Do you want to be where Jesus Himself is doing His works, setting captives free, healing sick and broken hearted, saving and delivering all as is written in Isaiah 61? Stay in the church –because the church is Jesus’ own body.

I hope you understand

You need to be a part of a physical church in order to experience God’s physical presence. Some other people who think they can just be Christians without being part of any local church, is committing to the excuse that “no, the church is something universal consisting of all the Christians in the world”

But being the body of Christ is a way more practical than being a Christian wanderer together with all the believers in the world.

God needs a body in order to show the world that He loves them. And you and I are this body –because we are mini-Christs! And people in the world –who don’t know the truth and are blinded by the devil, need a body to come and reveal the truth to them!

Back to Coffee House in Norway; I and Kristin were a great team. I remember once, sharing Jesus with another guy, named Robert. He told me that he had a hard time believing in God, because he couldn’t see Him. Especially was it hard for him believe that God loved Him, if God could never come and hug him, because he simply didn’t believe anyone loved him if they didn’t hug him. And as I tried to imply an explanation to him, Kristin appeared, and out of a sudden, she embraced Robert’s girlfriend who sat sleeping across the table. As I had tried to explain something like this, that the Christians are the body of Christ, Robert finally understood that God was visible, and that God could hug his girlfriend.

Some misunderstandings about church:

The Church is a family

Did you grow up in a family without parents? Most people I know who do that, says that they have no family. Cause a family is not a family without a mum or dad. Both is best of course. In a church we call each other brothers and sisters. God is the father of course. But we also have “spiritual” mothers and fathers in church. The bible says in eph 4,11-12

He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ

In a church, there are many of these. You can have one –and you can be one.

It’s  important to know that church is nothing you can make up yourself as you want it. No, it’s something Jesus is building, as I said, consisting of many people, founded on a certain structure Jesus himself has decided. Not by some radical people with cool ideas, but by real Apostles and Prophets, as it says in Ephesians 2:20.22.

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone..

 An Apostle is the person Jesus Himself chooses to build the foundation on the church; the Bible says that he is giving birth to it as a Father (1. Cor 4:15). The Apostle Paul even defends his apostleship with the argument that he has seen Jesus (1. Chor 9:1). So you see, it’s a very strict thing to make a church, please, don’t come up with any such plans, unless you are completely sure Jesus Himself has showed it to you. Don’t plant a church out from some fleshly desires that you can make a church on the ideologies that you find important and with the activities you like. No, the church is the work of Jesus himself. I advice you in love, that you will more profit and grow as a Christian if you stay in an already existing church. Committing under a leadership –parents, placed by God no matter whether you agree with them or not, is one of the best ways to grow with God into the person he has destined you to be. 

Build your Church

Take my gold

And build an altar

Take my feet

And stamp the ground

Take my failures

And build a doorstep

So my friends can also come

Build your church

To shine in glory

Make it splendorous and bright

Let it rise as you are lifted up

Like a city on a top

Take my pride

And fill the household

Make my passion

A bell to sound

Dig my talents in your churchyard

Let them flourish for those who cry

Build your church

to be a fortress

Make it strong for time to come

Let it conquer all the evil

And bring forth your good news of love

<3<3<3

Ch 7: A new home!

I wanna run to your house

I wanna dwell in your house.

I wanna worship in your house

With all my heart.

Your house is where I put my kids to sleep.

Where I feed them for the week.

Where my destiny is found

Where I can shine brighter than the sun

'cause in your house..

There's an ocean that washes my sins away.

There are flocks of oxen carrying my burdens' weight

There are pomegranats of health straight above my head. I'll just reach out my hand.

And everywhere there's golden angels protecting me:)

Your house is where my ashes turns to gold.

Where your lampstands areburning
in order for the world to see.. 

That the dinner is done.

And your Father himself is there
And his arms wide open fills the temple

And he's words to you are clear;
Come in my beloved, please sit down!

'cause in my house..

There's an ocean to wash your sins away
There are flocks of oxen ready for your burdens weight.
There are pomegranats of health straight above your head
You can reach out your hand
And everywhere there's golden angels protecting you.

Protecting you.

Ready to fight for you!

Ch 6: A new name!

From the highest of the mountains I will shout ”You are my son

From the deepest of the seas I’ll proclaim “you are my beloved one”

As a thunder across the heavens I’ll declare “I’m pleased with you”

‘Cause you are mine –I have no one else like you

I sing you this song

To tell you are loved

Heaven rejoiced

When you were born

On the sunny watered field -I will sing you my song

 In the valley of death -I will walk next to you

When the waters overflow you –I will be your hiding place

‘Cause you are mine I have no one else like you.

I sing you this song…

If life gets unfair –don’t lose your sight

I’ll by your side everything will be alright

I’ve called you by name

“Son of my right hand”

A New name!

And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Rev 2:17

A white stone –with my own name written on it! This clarifies one fact about heaven: However, there will be table-cards!

If you don’t know what table-cards are, you have to get invited in some Scandinavian weddings sometime. The table cards are the external witness on how much time the newlyweds have had to plan their wedding. The more time, the more diligence is put in exactly the table-cards. The table cards, or name-cards, have very likely a personal touch on it, in order to express the design and beauty of their special wedding. Very likely, they are creative and of course –beautiful! And maybe some of them have been on a road trip to Denmark, and exactly; collected some white stones, which the Danish beaches are overflowing with. They may have glued them with some dry-flowers and imprinted the guest’s names with a golden pen, and carefully lined it out on the table according to where they want the guests to sit in order to enjoy their special day.

If it should happen, that some guests can’t find their names on any place in the mingling-time before dinner; it’s most likely not because the newlyweds have forgot about you. Usually, it’s because you have forgotten who you are in relation to the newlyweds! Maybe you were searching for your name; Mary-Liza, without being considering the fact that in this wedding, you are “Auntie Mary”. Or maybe you got confused that the place with the table-card “daddy” was occupied by your brother. But do not fear –all will get to their places in the end, you just have to remember about who you are in relation to the newlyweds! Don’t mess yourself at the place of grandma if you’re an auntie.

In the same way, there is a name you need to recognize yourself in, if you wants to enjoy the heavenly wedding, not only on heaven, but actually every day. God knows you, and has a name for you which is even more beautiful than the one your parents gave you, which explains who you are in relation to Him. I pray that you after been reading this chapter, will stop wandering around looking for yourself in the wrong places, but recognize your own stone –and get the heavenly party started right now!

Everything is done.

Everything your’re supposed to do in life is carefully planned by God, as it’s described in ephesians 2:10. Every day is ”the day that the Lord has made” (ps 118:24) God wants all of your days on earth to come to a “set table” (ps 23:5), without having to struggle or achieve, just to freely step into whatever He has prepared for you, whether it has to do with developing a new software for dentists, or if it has to do with searching the undergrounds of Bucharest for lost sheep, family life, church life, or so on.

The word of God actually says that what God has for us, is so finished, that he won’t bless us anymore- because Eph 1:3 says

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

The question will never be “What can I do in order for God to bless me more”, but “Where can I find all the blessings He already has given me?”

The question is allready solved in the end of the verse –”in Christ”.

Jesus Christ is the name on the table-card you have to be seated by in order to get all the blessings from heaven! In Christ you are blessed! In Christ you are healed. In Chris tare you delivered. In Christ you have a purpose for your life.

This applies not only to Heaven, because in Heaven, there are no longer need for blessings like healing, simply because sickness is no more. This applies to life here and now! And the name wich God appeals to you when He wants to show you where He has hidden all the blessings is the beautiful precious name Jesus Christ(Col 1:17)!

React!

I believe my classmates in secondary school had got hold on this revelation before me. There’s a lot to say about my lifestyle of evangelization in my teenagers, but there was for sure left no doubt if I loved Jesus or not. I loved Jesus! I loved to talk about Him to everyone I met. I took advantage of every single occasion, each writing assignment, each science, Norwegian, english, history, religion-class, break, gym-class to talk about Him. And as a result, my classmates gave me another nick-name; Jesus-Larsen. (Larsen was my sure-name before). Obviously, I didn’t react fast enough by being applied as Hanne-Mari as with the name Jesus. Because when the name of Jesus was mentioned somewhere I was, I paid full attention immediately! He was mine, and I belonged to Him. And resounding the name of Jesus, meant to me an opportunity to spread His kingdom! Possibly to pray for someone sick, to tell someone how precious they were in Gods eyes or maybe even get somebody saved for eternity.. However: it paid off!

A mini-Jesus.

The inhabbitants of our small village, knew obviously all how to nick-name our family. My Father grew up with the name “Reserve-Jesus”, I was "Jesus-Larsen". But according to my taste, my brother got the coolest nick name; Mini-Jesus! Why is this cool? Because the Bible says in acts 11:28 that this is exactly what we are. A Christian means literally “A small Christ” –Just like mini-Jesus.

A mini-Jesus is worthy to receive exactly the same treatment as the big Jesus. Hebr 2:11 says that

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren

It’s extremely significant to understand that our new name is the same as Jesus. When God apply to you, He applies you exactly the same way as He would apply to Jesus. When He wants to bless you, save you, protect you, He’ll give you exactly the same treatment as He would given Jesus. As I explained in the last chapter, our DNA as new creations and children of God exactly the same as in Jesus’.

This is what it means to be “in Christ” –to have his name on you, sit at His place at the table of God. So when God says “Jesus –come and receive some blessings” – you are the one to react! Don’t take a seat next to, like many Christian does, and say “no, this is for Jesus, not for me. I’m not worthy receive that much on my plate”, when 1. john 4:17b says clearly

”For as He is so are we in this world”

Your name is ”Jesus Christ”! Thus, you are not Jesus, (there is hospitals for those who dealing with such) but the Bible says clearly, that you have His name, and you are like Him –Just a mini-version. When you start to obey that name, you’ll experience God’s guidance and blessings into a life you thought never were possible.

None of the girls in the rehab-center follows me if I call “Please come here, Gina.” But If I say “Come Victoria” four girls are responding. And even better –If I say “Come here Princess” –All those who have stayed in the center for more than one month are coming -because we are so occupied with showing them who they are in Christ. We do like Paul in Colossians 1:28:

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Read your Bible

And when you see the name ”Jesus”, do like I did in secondary school, respond attentively! Many people respond to all other names when they read the Bible; like fool, fleshly, unrighteous, all according to what they feel they’ve done and deserve. My dear friend, you haven’t done anything to deserve having the name of Jesus   -it’s a work God and Jesus have completed on our behalf whom we can chose to believe and receive or reject.

Let it be clear: The way you treat Jesus, God will treat you. If you receive Jesus, God will receive you. If you reject Jesus, God will also reject you (1. John 5:12). Why? -Because God is a God of justice and righteousness. He is only pleased with what Jesus has done. (Is 53:10) You will never ever impress, not even satisfy Him with your works. Not even your brave attempts trying to be holy. It may shock you, but the fact is that you need to receive Jesus in order for God to receive you! But the fact is also that when you receive Jesus, God receive you the same way as He receives Jesus, and treats you the same way as He treats Jesus. Jesus even says in His prayer in John 17:23 that He prays

that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

So as you hopefully understand; God has loved you since the foundation of the world. Jesus Christ is the solution –the duct, the tube, that makes it possible for God to pour out all the love and compassion he has stored up since the foundation of the world –on you! In Christ all of Gods superabundant love can finally hit you! So being in Christ means simply to be saved, and be a Christian which is possible when you receive Jesus. So when you read the Bible, make sure you know where you are. If you have received Jesus, you can safely read the Bible as you are in Christ.

My friend, it’s so important for you to learn to read the Bible in the right manner. Like when we were watching videos as kids, we all the time used to argue about whom we wanted to be. When we saw the Swedish movie –Madicken, I used to be the frst to scream: “I’m Madicken!” And then my sister had to be “Lisabeth”. So in the game of life she always got to obey under my leadership and commit to my more or less successful ideas. I was a little controlling, but my cousin was worse. She took charge and handed out the characters on turn, so all –even my brother could be the cute Swedish girl, Madicken.

Reading the Bible is a little like that, you have to shout “I’m Jesus” before the devil comes in and tell you that you’re only Thomas the doubter or something. I’m joking a little bit, -you’re free to read the Bible however and recognize yourself in earthly human beings. But don’t forget –be Jesus! And don’t miss the blessings that belong to Him!

How does God talk to Jesus?

Do you ever see God apply to His son as “fool”? In proverbs it says much about fools, but Jesus is certainly not one of them, and neither are you. Sometimes you see Jesus mentioning His disciples as “unbelievers”. But did God mention His son that way? No. And who are we? -In Peter or Judas Iscariot, or in Christ? I’ll unveil you a secret –You’re not a sinner. Not a unbeliever, not doubtor, not disobedient, not hypocrite, not ugly, not unclean or unholy, not weak, not poor. Why? Because Jesus became all this at the cross so you could be like He is –now, where he is seated with God in heaven! He payed an expensive price in order for you to name yourself with the names He has! He is righteous, wisdom from God, wonderful, counselor, mighty God, pure, Beautiful, head of all, obedient, even rich!

There is no blessing in heaven for sinners. There are curse in hell for sinners. I warn you! Stop naming yourself as one; the freedom from sin is only in Christ!

Let the name change your destiny!

God knows that your name shapes you! Just like I told about in the previous chapter, how I let the name “ugly” form me into an ugly person. It’s probably not so practiced in our culture today, but in the time when the Bible was written; were the destiny of the child upheld in the name. So it was very important to give the child a good one! Not only something that felt good emotionally. God actually knew that changing a persons name, was the most important in changing a person’s destiny. God knew that if barren Abram and Sarai should be father and mother of many nations, He had to change their names! Abraham means literally “Father of many nations”. And Jesus knew that if he should change Simon from being an unstable, spontanious fisherman into a pastor and a church Father, He had to give him a new name –Peter which means rock! Proverbs 23:7 states that

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

God wants to confirm you!

Fathers have a special gift when it comes to confirming their children’s identity. Many of us experience to get complimented when we do something, but this is not the same. Confirmation is something that tells who you are regardless of what you have done. I would have a hard time getting courageous enough to sing in public, if it wasn’t because my Father confirmed me on this area, even before I’d done any performances. God confirms His son Jesus Christ before He has done any miracles, healed anyone, or walked on a single puddle. In Matt 3:16-17 it says

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

In Jesus Gods complete love for human kind is revealed. In Jesus God is changing and forming your destiny to become what He planned you to. Let’s take a closer look on some of the words God uses to confirm Jesus, so you can happen you recognize your “white stone” at the table and get the serving God has prepared for you.

This is My…

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

Is 43:1

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 

John 10:27-29

You belong to Him. God Himself has marked you with a stamp where it’s says “The property of God”. No devil can separate you from Him (Rom 8:38-39) No evil can come and mess with Gods elected one. The day you understand that it’s not you that have to hold on to God; it’s He that holds you! His hand is mighty. When Jesus went to be sacrificed in Matt 26:53, He clearified

do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?

My friend, don’t fear when you read the Bible about how God’s anger consumed people in the old testament, and when you read about the tribulations which is yet to come before Jesus comes back; You are His! Not only His, but even righteous! And even in the old testament, God always kept safe His own righteous people, regardless of the damage that took place everywhere else. And in those days, being righteous and Gods people was something the people had to hold on to by their own effort. So how much more don’t you think God will keep and protect you, who are saved by grace?! It doesn’t depend on your obedience, but on Jesus obedience. You are forever Gods property. Psalm 91 is your guarantee. Nothing can take you out from His hands!

SON

17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul.  A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not respond.

Prov 29:17+19

Many of those Christians, who’re wandering around like “covering fearful slaves”, are also very likely bound to all kinds of sins. Why? Because the Bible says that only those who know they are sons are able to receive guidance. Don’t let the devil mess up your picture of God the loving Father into a picture of an evil boss, rebuking you as a slave if you don’t perform maximum. -And don’t let the devil mess up the order in your relationship. God is Father and you are child. Did you really believe you could help God? WRONG! Acts 17:25 says about God that

Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.

What an offence for my daddy if I’d transferred 50 euro to his bank accont in order to help him being a good provider of our Family! He, who has given me all I’ve ever needed! You are definately not the right person to serve your Father God –Your Father is serving you! "But aren’t we servants of God?" Yes. -But how? -Because He has given us more than enough –so much that we can afford to give it away to serve people! This is the order. All I have is given me from God. I can’t even let a finger without Him ‘cause the Bible says further in verse 28 that there is in Him we live and move and have our being

I came to Ukraine with an attitude that I could change the world. In a painful way, realized that I couldn’t even change a fly; I could actually hardly kill it. And for sure, not change myself!

But do you know what I could? I could be child of my Heavenly Father! I could sit on His lap; and let Him show me what the world looked like from His view; far above all powers and principalities, and all the dirty Ukrainian cole-slam-mountains. I could play with the gifts He had given me, and give Him thanks, and telling Him that I wanted to get to know Him more. And while doing this, I finally found myself changed, and changing the people around me by fellowshipping with my Father. Admitting; I am a child. All I can do anything. But He can, and I know Him. I realized that even Jesus couldn’t do anything without the Father. Hello –who are we?!

”Beloved”

Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Jes 31:3

There are many ways to miss a Heavenly kiss; I discovered one of them: It’s by not looking to Him who loves, but to everyone else, whom God seems to love more.

The Bible is clear –He loves you! The word “beloved” is the word “Agapetos” in greek and means beloved, esteemed, dear, favorite and worthy of love. The choice is yours; You can do like the Disciple John; imply it to your own name, or just let it pass as, they did all those who didn’t make it to be recorded in the Bible.  

I love it -John even mentions his own name in his gospel as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. Does it mean that Jesus loved John more than the others? -Of course not. But John had received it, embraced it as Gods destiny for His life, and even implied it to his own name –Just like Abraham and Sarah did when God changed theirs'. No wonder why John was the only one who didn’t run away when Jesus got crucified, but was close to Jesus till the very moment He died. No wonder why Jesus gave John the most intimate, personal mission –to take care about his mother, to John.  No wonder why John could lean on Jesus breast and get the juicy fact everyone wanted to hear straight into his ear. No wonder why John ran to the grave faster than Peter. No wonder why John was the first to recognize Jesus in His resurrected body. And! No wonder why John got to live longer than any other of the Apostles, (although they tried to fry him in oil) and look into the heaven, look into Jesus’ face and receive the revalation about the times to come.

 I can describe it in another way; when it’s raining on a flower field. Is the rain for all the flowers? Yes! But who is receiving the most? Those who bend their petals, believing that the rain is not so much for them as for the taller and more beautiful ones, or those who are stretching out their leafs and petals singing: "Hallelujah –it’s raining on me!”?

I came to a point in life when I got so tired of all this talk about God loving everyone else than me. I just decided to do like John –talk about myself as the discciple whom Jesus loved. If you do; you may risk that some may laugh of you and say you’re conceited. But I mean, you can’t be conceited when you actually only humbling yourself under the word of God!  I received so much joy and freedom in this. When people were talking about the flue that was about to catch everyone, I started confess; But not me, ‘cause I am the girl whom God loves. I don’t know why all the other Christians caught the flue, God doesn’t give us access to look into other people’s hearts. Only our own. But I knew in my own heart that: I am Gods beloved daughter.

And I started to see so much wonders! Big and small blessings everyday –all as Gods amen to my new name -His beloved! Why should God create a breathtaking sunrise straight over the water outside my window when I was going to have an exam in math, If it wasn’t because He loved me and wanted to show it to me painting the most gorgeous panting in my favorite-colors right outside the window to my bedroom? As I confessed it, I got to enter the mission-trip to Iceland which only five out of the 80 students got to go to. God favored me like His beloved when I started to receive I was His beloved.

I wrote this song:

Like a flower; I’ll receive your sunlight.

Throw the leaves of condemnation and sickness

–at the cross, where you have finished all.

So now I can drink of your loving sunlight.

Strip off the garment of main and sorrow

‘cause you –the great creator of all

–have put your love on me!

”In whom I am well pleased”

The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see -- a splendid crown in the hands of God. 4 Never again will you be called the Godforsaken City or the Desolate Land. Your new name will be the City of God's Delight and the Bride of God, for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his own. 5 Your children will care for you with joy, O Jerusalem, just as a young man cares for his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride

Isaiah 62:3-5-NLB

Maybe you grew up as “the black sheep of the family”, the one who easily harmed mum and dad, and represented a black, stroke on the otherwise tidy and orderly family portrait. Maybe you were the one given the quick introduction, while your sisters and brothers were lifted up to heaven in details together with their degrees and masters.

It’s important to understand what says in ecc 9:1 that People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. –There doesn’t have to be any truths at all in the ways people may have treated you. By the way, who knows best; stupid teachers, or the Almighty God?

Before all, don’t look for a white stone with the name ”black sheep” –it’s not there, and if you absolutely want so make yourself one –like the prodicle son in Luke 15, be aware –that you will not get any serving by that name. The closest you’ll come food will be to steal from the pigs! Because God’s name on you is my pleasure –in whom I am well pleased! God is so proud of you that He wants to shout it out from Heaven –so everyone can hear! Read about His feelings for you in Zephaniah 3:17!

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

God is not embarrassed by you –He is pleased with you. Not because you’re clever and skilled, but because Jesus was awestruck clever and skilled. God will never ever be annoyed with you. Not even tired of you when you fail in the same area over and over. He has pleasure in you completely! Isaiah 54:9 says that He will never ever be angry and never threaten you!

Isaiah 54:4 also says that you can forget about the shame from yout youth. Many people are ashamed all the time, even when they have done completely fine –just because somehow, they've got the definition as “the troublemaker of the class”. Of course some youngsters do more easily than others happen to provoke authorities. They all the time get rebuked, and expect some kind of punishment.

But the fact about you is that God has forever cleansed and forgiven you; and although everyone else haven’t you can trust God’s word and start to forgive yourself.

I realized that although I’ll fail to fulfill the expectations of people, I can never fail to fulfill God’s covenant, ‘cause He has made me good enough! (2. cor 3:6)

In this world, the Bible says we will happen to be accused. We will happen to receive accusations, whether it may be truths in it or not. But imagine, how great –to stand before a lot of accusations, knowing that God the almighty, creator of Heaven and earth says that you are His Beloved Son(or daughter) –in whom He is well pleased!

You can sing this song I made in Bible school. Figure out a melody yourself;

He looooooooves me.

I know He loves me

–I am His beautiful daughter!

Yes He looooves me!

No one can ever take my place

or sing my song!

What the Father has decided

The blood of Christ has spoken

And I am sure the Holy Spirit

Will let me know!

Yes! He loooooves me!