Hvorfor griper ikke Gud inn?

Hvorfor griper ikke Gud inn?
Av Anne Graham

Billy Graham`s datter Anne Graham, ble intervjuet på nasjonal TV i USA på "The Early Show". Jane Clayson spurte henne: "Hvordan kunne Gud tillate terrorist-angrepene på World Trade Center i New York?" Anne Graham gav et ekstremt gjennomtenkt og innsiktsfullt svar. Hun sa: "Jeg tror at Gud er oppriktig lei seg for dette, akkurat slik som vi er.. Men i årevis har vi nå sagt til Gud at han skal komme seg ut av skolene våre, komme seg ut av regjeringene i verden og komme seg ut av vårt liv. Og når han er den gentlemann jeg tror han er, har han nok stille og rolig trukket seg litt tilbake. Hvordan kan vi forvente at Gud gir oss sin velsignelse og beskyttelse når vi befaler han å la oss være alene?"

Jeg tror det startet da Madeleine Murray O`Hare klaget og sa hun ikke ville ha bønn på skolene våre. Og vi sa: "GREIT." Så var det noen som sa: "Vi skal ikke lese i Bibelen på skolene"..... Bibelen som sier: "Du skal ikke drepe, Du skal ikke stjele, og du skal elske din neste som deg selv. Og vi sa: "GREIT." Så sa Dr. Benjamin Spock at vi ikke skulle straffe barna våre når de oppførte seg dårlig, fordi deres unge personlighet kunne ta skade, og vi kunne ødelegge deres selvtillit. (Dr. Spock`s sønn begikk selvmord.) Og vi sa: "En ekspert bør vite hva han snakker om. GREIT."

Så sa noen at lærere ikke bør lære ungene disiplin når de gjør gale ting. Skolens administrasjon sa at "Ingen voksne skal ta på en elev når han oppfører seg dårlig, fordi vi ikke vil ha dårlig publisitet, og vi vil ihvertfall ikke bli saksøkt!" (Det er stor forskjell på disiplin og juling, ydmykende tilsnakk, å slå m.m.) Og vi sa: "GREIT."

Så sa noen at våre døtre kan ta abort hvis de vil, og de trenger ikke engang fortelle det til foreldrene. Og vi sa: "GREIT." Så kom noen vise ledere i skolen og sa: "Siden gutter er gutter, og de sannsynligvis vil gjøre det uansett, la oss gi dem så mange kondomer som de ønsker, så de kan skaffe seg litt morsomme og spennende erfaringer, uten at vi forteller foreldrene at de har fåttdem på skolen. Og vi sa: "GREIT."

Så kom det noen viktige politikere og sa at de ikke spilte noen rolle hva vi gjorde privat, så lenge vi gjorde jobben vår. Vi sa oss enige, og vi sa vi ikke brydde oss om hva noen, inkludert Presidenten, gjør privat så lenge jeg har en jobb, og økonomien går bra. Så kom det noen andre og sa: "La oss trykke magasiner med bilder av nakne kvinner og kalle det sunnhet, en hyllest til kvinnens skjønne kropp. Og vi sa: "GREIT."

Så tok noen skrittet videre og publiserte bilder av nakne barn og gikk enda lengre ved å gjøre dem tilgjengelig på internett. Og vi sa: "GREIT, det er vel et ledd i menneskers frie vilje."
Så kom underholdningsindustrien og sa: "La oss lage TV-show og filmer som fremmer egoet, vold og pervers sex. Og la oss lage musikk som handler om drap, stoff, mord, selvmord og sataniske tema." Og vi sa: "Det er jo bare underholdning. Ingen tar det seriøst. GREIT.."

Nå spør vi oss selv hvorfor våre barn ikke har samvittighet, hvorfor de ikke kan skille rett og galt, hvorfor det ikke gjør dem noe å drepe fremmede, skolekamerater og seg selv. Sannsynligvis, hvis vitenker lenge og hardt nok, kan vi nok finne det ut. Det har nok med uttrykket "vi høster som vi sår" å gjøre.

"Kjære Gud, hvorfor reddet du ikke denne lille jenta fra å bli drept i klasserommet?"
Gud svarer: "Kjære bekymrede student, jeg er ikke tillatt på skoler."

Det er rart hvor enkelt det er for folk å kaste Gud i søpla, og deretter undre seg over hvorfor verden går til helvete. Det er rart hvordan vi tror alt som står i avisene, men stiller spørsmål ved alt bibelen sier. Det er rart hvordan alle vil til himlen, og hevder de ikke trenger å gjøre, tro, si eller gjøre noenting som står i Bibelen. Det er rart hvor raske vi er til å dømme, men vil helst ikke bli dømt selv. Det er rart hvordan vi kan sende tusenvis av morsome mailer, og de sprer seg som ild i tørt gress, men får vi en mail som handler om Gud, tenker vi oss nøye om før vi deler den med andre. Det er rart hvordan det frekke og vulgære får passere fritt gjennom cyberspace, men den offentlige diskusjonen om Gud er undertrykket i skoler og på arbeidsplasser. Det er rart hvor mye mer bekymret jeg er for hva mennesker tenker enn for hva Gud tenker.

Et rett kristenliv, fra Jesu munn. Matt kap. 4 og 5

1) Omvend dere (4,17) 

2) Følg Meg (Jesus) (4,19)

 Matt 5,1-12:
3) Vær fattig i ånden = vær avhengig av Gud, ikke stol på deg selv.
4) Sør over synd, hos deg selv og hos andre, og sørg over de som ikek er frelst. Vit at vi sørger her på jorden, og skal bli trøstet i Himmelen, mens de ikke-troende har ikke engang smakt på hva sorg og lidelse er her nede på jorden. Vi sørger nå, de skal sørge da!
5) Vi skal være ydmyke – som betyr mild og omsorgsfull.
6) Vi skal hungre og tørste etter rettferdighet, som er å ha et ønske om å se rettferdighet skje, i våre egne og andres liv. Det er å ønske å se praktisk hellighet i Menigheten ( som er alle troende på jorden), og ønske om å se ærlighet og integritet.
7) Være aktiv i omsorg og barmhjertighet, både overfor fiender og mot alle som trenger hjelp.
8) Ha rene motiver, et rent hjerte, hellige tanker og en ren samvittighet.
9) Være aktiv i å skape fred.
10) Ikke stå tilbake i noe for å skape rettferdighet – uansett utfall.
11) Vi er velsignet hvis vi blir hånet, baktalt og forfulgt for JESU SKYLD!
12) Vi skal fryde oss og juble i glede hvis vi blir forfulgt for Jesu skuld – for da får vi del i det profetene før oss har gjennomgått, og dette gir en spesiell ære i Himmelen

13) Vi er jordens salt: vi skal hindre korrupsjon, vi skal skape tørst og få frem smaken (på Gud) (5,13)
14) Vi er verdens lys: vi er Jesu lys-refleksjoner og dette skal vi ikke holde for oss selv.

Parents Push Their Kids Away from God Without Realizing It

7 Ways Parents Push Their Kids Away from God Without Realizing It

written by Frank Powell

This broke me. So many things that are so obvious yet so rarely done.

Why are young people leaving the church? If I had a dollar for every time I heard this question, I would have a lot of dollars. And I get it. The rate at which young people are leaving the church is alarming. Everyone has experienced a young person throwing aside their faith, either directly or indirectly. It’s devastating.
So, how does the church need to change? While this question needs to be addressed, I don’t think it provides an answer to the problem.
Stick with me, I am going somewhere.
You see, I believe parents are the primary link between young people and God. Not the church. In his book Soul Searching, Christian Smith says this:

The most important social influence in shaping young people’s religious lives is the religious life modeled and taught to them by their parents.

In an interview with Drs. Kara Powell and Chap Clark, Smith goes even further:

When it comes to kids’ faith, parents get what they are.

Whoa. That’s real.
Here’s the deal. Parents, you are painting a portrait of God for your children every day. Every word, action, and conversation is a brushstroke. And when your children prepare to leave home, they are staring at a portrait of God. A portrait that shapes their actions and decisions about faith moving forward.
Are there exceptions? Absolutely. As a youth minister, I witnessed young people leave Jesus, even though the faith of their parents was rock solid. I also saw young people continue into college on fire for God, even though their parents had shaky, fickle faith. So, this isn’t a black and white, issue. Few issues are.
But will you, as a parent, play an enormous role in shaping the faith of your children? No doubt.
With that being said, I want to point out some things young people need from their parents. I present these as someone who left God for a season in college, someone who ministers to young people every day, and someone who is passionate about reaching about the next generation.
Here are 7 things youth need from their parents so they won’t abandon God.

1.) THEY NEED YOU TO STOP HANDING THEIR FAITH OFF TO YOUTH LEADERS.

I grew up in church. But I was never part of a youth group. I didn’t receive formal training in youth ministry. So, when I jumped into youth ministry, the whole thing was new to me.
In the first few months, I noticed something alarming. It appeared as though parents looked to me as the primary person responsible for the spiritual growth of their kids. Why is this alarming? The Bible makes no mention of this model.
Unfortunately, most churches have created this mess. And reinforced it. Calendars are filled with events, and a cultural pressure is placed on young people to get a gold star for perfect attendance. Don’t get me wrong. I am not against youth ministry. I think it is a great tool for building faith in young people.
But there is a problem when youth ministry becomes THE tool.
Parents, you have the primary responsibility for building faith in your children. Youth leaders exist to equip you and supplement the work you are doing in the home. They don’t exist to replace you.

2.) THEY NEED YOU TO CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THEIR STRUGGLES AS YOU DO ABOUT THEIR SALVATION.

Growing up, I remember numerous conversations with my parents about baptism. My fellowship holds baptism in very high regard. Too high. That’s how I felt, at least. I grew to hate the word “baptism,” and with every conversation about why I needed to be baptized, I took one step further away from God.
Maybe that’s not fair. But that’s where I was. As strange as this sounds, I needed someone to care as much about my struggles as they did about my salvation.
And I struggled mightily in high school. I searched everywhere for my identity. I struggled with lust and pornography. I traveled down dark roads searching for direction.
It was as if my salvation was the only thing that mattered. Eventually, I started to see God this way. He didn’t have much to say about my present struggles. He just wanted me to be “saved.” And I didn’t care much for a God who didn’t inform my current situation. So, I left.
Here’s what I learned from that season. While everyone who talked to me was sincere, I believe they were trying to manufacture my salvation. Humans don’t have the power to save someone. That is God’s job.

You can’t manufacture salvation. But you can show people God’s love.

Parents, what you can do is show the love of God to your children. This starts by helping them see their present struggles as God’s concern. Sit down with your children. Talk to them. Show them grace.

As you do this, the gospel will come to life. Because the gospel doesn’t just inform salvation. It informs everything. Addictions. Temptations. Identity issues. And once your children see that God walks with them through their struggles, they will have a stronger desire to give their lives to him.

3.) THEY NEED YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THEY ARE ASKING.

Today’s culture is extremely complicated and complex. Young people see everything. Information (good and bad) is available on-demand. And as young people battle with difficult questions about sexuality and social issues, among many other things, the world is forming their perspective. Every article. Every conversation. Every video.
It is more important than ever that parents open up space to discuss difficult topics. It’s time to stop turning a blind eye to the questions prevalent in the lives of your kids. Naivety is not an excuse. Awkwardness and tension won’t work as excuses either.
I never had a conversation (at least not one I remember) with any adult about sex growing up. Nothing about lust. Nothing about God’s design for purity. Nothing about masturbation. I never had a conversation about alcohol. I was battling these questions, but Christians weren’t there to give me answers. So, I tried to figure it out myself. You can only imagine how that worked out for me.
Yes, these conversations are awkward. Yes, they create tension. But your children are asking them. Unless you create space for the hard questions, they will turn to other sources for answers. And that usually doesn’t end well.

4.) THEY NEED YOU TO STOP PROTECTING THEM.

The world is broken. No argument from me there. It seems as though our world is more sinful than ever.
But I wonder what the response would be if the same microscope were placed on cities like Ephesus and Corinth? During the time of Paul, Ephesus was overtaken by witchcraft. Every spring, roughly 1,000,000 people traveled to the temple of Artemis, which was filled with prostitutes. Let’s just say these people weren’t going to the temple to talk about the weather.
To top it off, Ephesus hosted the Festival of Dionysus, a keg party that would have laughed in the face of any St. Paddy’s Day party you have thrown (not that you would do that sort of thing).
So, how does Paul instruct the Ephesians to respond in the midst of a culture blanketed with sin? He tells them to put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20). In other words, jump in the fight. Paul didn’t understand a theology of retreat. There is no such thing. He expected the Christians in Ephesus to engage the culture, not run from it.
When the ultimate goal is to make sure our children never experience the evils of the world, we not only do them an injustice socially, we rob them of seeing the gospel’s transformative power.
As a parent, your goal should not be to teach your kids how to flee from evil. Your goal should be to show them how to engage it. For the glory of God. In those spaces, they will see the gospel. And it will become real.

5.) THEY NEED TO SEE GOD AS MORE THAN RULES AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE.

Every decision, every thought, and every action comes down to this: in whom do I place my trust?  Kara Powell

Looking back on my childhood, this was the most important factor in my faith as I transitioned into college. I needed to see that my parents trusted the promises of God. I needed to see that my parents made decisions as though God was real and alive, not a set of rules or a list of “do’s and don’ts.” I got that from my mom. Not so much from my dad.
And until God surrounded me with men who modeled an unwavering trust in Him, I thought following Jesus was just a piece of the puzzle.
Parents, especially fathers, never underestimate the impact of your decisions on your children. They need to see you trust God with your time and money. They need to see you approach your job as a mission field. They need to see you love people well. All people. They need to see you trust the promises of God in Scripture.
If you boil Christian living down to church attendance and morality, your children will notice. And who wants to follow a God who is nothing more than rules and showing up to a building? I sure don’t.

6.) THEY NEED TO SEE YOUR STRUGGLES AND DOUBTS.

You need to be strong for your children. They need to see that you have it together. I understand that. But let’s get real for a second. God is mysterious. Faith is not easy. Some questions about God don’t have easy answers. You have probably experienced days where you considered throwing in the towel.
Join the party. I want you to meet some people. These are the apostles. Yeah, the ones who walked with Jesus and started the church. Yes, they are at the “I have doubted my faith at some point” party.
Parents, your kids have doubts. And they need to see that you have doubts as well. Otherwise, when questions about God come, your kids will either internalize them or turn to another source for answers. Both are bad options.
I am not telling you to have confession hour every night. But there is power in vulnerability and authenticity. Your kids need to know you are human. And they need to know the path to intimacy with God involves seasons of doubt and struggle.

7.) THEY NEED YOU TO PLEAD FOR GOD TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN THEIR FAITH.

Parents, in the journey to lay a foundation of faith for your children, nothing is more important than prayer. Pray for your children. Pray with your children. Every day.
The best part of my day is when my boys lay in bed and ask Tiffani and I to pray for them. I also know a day will probably come when they won’t ask us to pray for them. Instead, we will have to fight through the tension and pray for them even though they don’t necessarily want us to. But we are committed to praying for them every night.
I am eternally grateful for my mom. She is awesome! And I am convinced that my faith is a product of her relentless devotion to prayer. I think my mom prayed so much eventually God got tired of hearing her ask for transformation in my life. So, after years of hearing thousands of versions of the same prayer, he called me back home. And I haven’t looked back sense.

Even if your child is a long way from God, He is only one prayer from them.

Never stop praying for your kids. Don’t allow their current circumstances to impact God’s power. Even if your child is light years from God, God is only a prayer away from them. One prayer can change everything.

________________

Parents, you are painting a portrait of God for your children. What does the picture look like?
It is never too late to start investing in the faith of your children. God doesn’t operate like money. The outcome of your kids’ faith isn’t necessarily determined by the time you put in. God isn’t confined to such things.
It is also never too early to get started. Set the trajectory of faith for your children now.
The church plays a role in the faith of your children. But the primary responsibility is yours, parents. You got this. God would never give you a task and not equip you for it. Your children don’t need the funniest, most knowledgeable, or best communicator to build their faith. They need you.
So, give them what they need.
I love you all. To God be the glory forever. Amen!

Frank Powell

http://www.faithit.com/parents-push-their-kids-away-from-god-realizing/

A poem performed on doubt - Must see and listen - at least twice ;)

That's my King

8 Suggestions for a Simple, Meaningful Christmas - Janet Schaeffler, OP

A few years ago there was a two-paneled cartoon. The first panel showed a gentlemen sitting in front of a Christmas tree piled high with gifts. The second panel had a few gifts and a Nativity set and his question as he could now see the crèche, “Hey! Where did that come from?” A voice from the other room replied: “It’s always been there.”

Help your families and the people in your congregation enjoy a simpler Christmas by suggesting these practices to them:   

1. Spend some time each day in silence. The Prince of Peace came in the stillness of the night. The call of Scripture to us in the Psalms is “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Spending a few minutes each day roots us in our relationship to God, bringing us closer to the Spirit of Christ.

2. Remember those who help. Be especially kind and grateful to sales personnel during this season. Often they are tired and stressed because of working long hours and impatient customers. You can make a difference in their day by your words, your patience, your thank you.

3. Go vegetarian for one meal.  In many countries around the world it is customary to have a meatless Christmas Eve dinner. This is done in remembrance and honor of the animals present at Jesus’ birth. They too shared in the joy of Christ’s coming.

4. Play “one for me, one for you.”  Start this tradition: Whenever your child adds something to his own wish list, have him think also of a gift for someone less fortunate. Then help him find it, make it, give it.

5. Christmas Questions. Take time at dinner (or before bedtime) to share some thoughts with your spouse or family on these questions: a) What is your happiest Christmas memory? b) If you could start a new Christmas tradition what would it be? c) Do any of our Christmas plans include reaching out to people in need? d) Think of all the “characters” in the Scripture story. What presents did they give to Jesus? Are our presents anything like the presents that were given at the first Christmas?

6. Blessings. Pray a simple prayer of blessing when you put out your Nativity set, turn on the tree for the first time, before you open your family presents.

7.  The Magi’s Gifts. To help combat consumerism at Christmas, some families limit the number of gifts to three in honor of the gifts of the Magi. Consider giving children one gift that is their heart’s desire, a piece of clothing that is not just sensible, and one gift that will help them grow (a book or sports accessory, etc.).

Twelve Days of Giving. On each of the twelve days of Christmas, beginning December 25 and ending on January 5, pick an activity you/your family can do for someone else. Bring groceries to the food bank, serve at a soup kitchen, donate toys to a local drive, call someone who is grieving, collect coats for the homeless – there are endless ways to give.

http://www.faithformationlearningexchange.net/1/post/2013/12/8-suggestions-for-a-simple-meaningful-christmas-janet-schaeffler-op.html

FATHERS AND DAUGHTER

Bilde hentet fra nettsiden (se nederst) 

There’s no way around it, ladies: our experience with our earthly father has a tremendous affect on how we view our heavenly Father. These days, sadly, many carry deep father wounds. Not everyone has suffered wounds as deep as abuse, but whether your dad was a bad man, or a flawed-but-good dad, we all could use assurance and truth from our heavenly Father.

I hear stories over and over from women who have deep wounds from their fathers. Yet we are often so accustomed to the pain and frustration that we don’t realize the extent to which our earthly father’s character distorts or even overshadows that of our heavenly Father. We write them off as “daddy issues” and accept things as they are, which is unhelpful and dismissive to some real and deep pain.

Maybe it’s just easier to act like they don’t affect you. Maybe you want to appear strong. Maybe you don’t want to be labeled as “the girl with daddy issues.” Maybe you’re grown, or married, or have children of your own and feel like you’re past it all. Let me tell you from personal experience, if you haven’t addressed your issues with your father, you’re probably not past them. If you still carry a father-wound that doesn’t seem to go away, you might not fully know God as your heavenly Father.

Ladies, God wants you to believe who he says he is and who he says you are. (I’ve found it can even be helpful to read this list out loud and deliberately):

My earthly father may have abandoned me.
My heavenly Father adopts me (Rom. 8:15).

My earthly father may see me as a situation to manage.
My heavenly Father sees me as his daughter to redeem (Isa. 43:1).

My earthly father may lie.
My heavenly Father speaks the truth (Isa. 45:19).

My earthly father may be deceptive and dark.
My heavenly Father is light (1 John 1:5).

My earthly father may believe he’s perfect.
My heavenly Father is perfect (2 Sam. 22:31).

My earthly father may demand perfection from me.
My heavenly Father gifts Jesus’ perfection to me (2 Cor. 5:21).

My earthly father may be selfish.
My heavenly Father selflessly gives me his Son (Rom. 6:23).

My earthly father may want glory for himself.
My heavenly Father deserves all glory (Rev. 5:13).

My earthly father may judge me.
My heavenly Father is the only judge (Isa. 33:22).

My earthly father may want to be king.
My heavenly Father is the King of kings (Rev. 19:16).

My earthly father may want me to pay for my sin.
My heavenly Father provides Jesus as payment for my sin (1 John 4:10).

My earthly father may accept separation.
My heavenly Father brings me near (Eph. 2:13).

My earthly father may place a burden on me.
My heavenly Father put my burden on Jesus (Col. 2:14).

My earthly father may ignore me.
My heavenly Father hears me (Ps. 10:17).

My earthly father may not truly know me.
My heavenly Father not only knows me, but he designed me (Ps. 139:13–16).

My earthly father may have mistreated or abused me.
My heavenly Father is my refuge (Ps. 18:2).

My earthly father may scare me.
My heavenly Father’s love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).

My earthly father may be unpredictable.
My heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).

My earthly father’s love may be based on my performance.
My heavenly Father loves me despite my performance (Eph. 2:4–5, 8).

My earthly father may not value me.
My heavenly father sees me clothed in the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29).

You are the loved daughter of the perfect Father, and nothing will ever change that. So then, it is safe to look the wounds from your earthly father in the face.Psalm 30:2 declares, “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.” Tell him your hurts, your fears, your pain. Though he already knows them, there is healing in bringing to light those deep places of your heart (Eph. 5:11–14).

You might, by God’s grace, have a chance for repentance and reconciliation with your earthly father through the work of Jesus. Or, your earthly father may never change or apologize or reconcile with you. He may even continue to hurt you. But you are not alone in your pain. God the Father gave you the greatest gift that has ever been given, his one and only Son. Yes, he sent Jesus to forgive and cleanse your sin. He also sent Jesus to heal your pain (Isa. 53:5) and to lead you to himself (Heb. 1:3). The work has already been done. The way has already been made.

 So cry out to your Father. Run to him—run quickly. He delights to embrace you.

Lanna Andersen is a deacon and Redemption Group leader at the Everett church.

http://marshill.com/2013/06/28/fathers-and-daughters?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pastormark&utm_campaign=Pastor+Mark+Facebook

What do we really NEED?

Choices

Choices. Choices make the difference. Two people are in the same accident and severely wounded. They did not choose to be in the accident. It happened to them. But one of them chose to live the experience in bitterness, the other in gratitude. These choices radically influenced their lives and the lives of their families and friends. We have very little control over what happens in our lives, but we have a lot of control over how we integrate and remember what happens. It is precisely these spiritual choices that determine whether we live our lives with dignity.

  Henri Nouwen

Being Safe Places for Others

When we are free from the need to judge or condemn, we can become safe places for people to meet in vulnerability and take down the walls that separate them.   Being deeply rooted in the love of God, we cannot help but invite people to love one another.  When people realise that we have no hidden agendas or unspoken intentions, that we are not trying to gain any profit for ourselves, and that our only desire is for peace and reconciliation, they may find the inner freedom and courage to leave their guns at the door and enter into conversation with their enemies.

Many times this happens even without our planning.  Our ministry of reconciliation most often takes place when we ourselves are least aware of it.  Our simple, nonjudgmental presence does it.