Departure

Many times in our life we have to move from one to another place. Moving in our own city, in our own country, abroad and so on.

It is part of life and separation brings many times lots of grief and pain to our family and friends. Still over the hills and far away life seems better and prospourous than were we stayed and lived.

First let me say it is good to move for holiday from time to time, for visits to friends,
seeing other things, meeting other persons, cultures and behaviour.

But today's restlessness in the world is the modern escape from a restless heart and mind for many people. They are unhappy and think to find rest with travelling away and escape for themselves. The way to find rest in a restless world is to go to Jesus, the Son of God.In prayer with an open heart to receive His blessings:

"Come to me, all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy, and I will give you relief. Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble-hearted; and your souls will find relief. For my yokeis good to bear, my load is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

Wish you a good departure and travel to Him who can change your restlessness into rest. Leave there by arrival your burden and find relief, He will give you rest for time and eternity.

Messiah and experience

This very morning experienced CD with "The Messiah." Beautiful music and more....going higher...., then also experienced an article of a Dutch pastor in the newspaper and his experiences of faith. When he looks to the clouds its an image of religious experience and something that goes higher we can imagine.

Look at his face, compassionate and simultaneously higher and higher. Through His unity with His Father He took us all and draw us to God. He was rejected and despised, despised and with grief, a man of sorrow. Image of God, Jesus Son of man.

"In the world you will have trouble. But courage! The victory is mine; I have conquered the world."

John 16:33

Footballplayer and christian

Kew Jaliens as a footballplayer and christian seen in a interview on the Dutch television by wellknown presentator Martin Simek.

It has been a sweet testimony for our Lord Jesus Christ. Kew is baptized as an adult in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He knew what he did. And now the heavenly Father has taken him for His account. The Son will forgive him all his sins and the Holy Spirit will lead him always now in the path of the Father and the Son, because the Three are One.

I am glad you did not deny our Lord, you and your family, and will pray to you all His blessings for now and always!!
Rejoice in the Lord always, again I said rejoice!! (Philippians 4:4)

birthday

Yesterday celebrated my birthday. My friend and me stayed in a hotel near Apeldoorn. We were there for 3 days. We cycled a lot through the woods and had a marvellous time.

Every year older (64 now) reminds me our life has an end. Still healthy as far as we know, but there can be a time life is not so joyeus as we expect it should be. Then it is good to have an anchor in life. That anchor is our Lord Jesus Christ. He will be there in need and joy, in despair and fear, yes always. Ask Him simple in your life, he will come! You dont have to feel it He came in, but believe it. And when he came already long time ago, keep Him alive in faith and His Holy Spirit will lead you always to abundant life.
If you dont know Him say the simple prayer and it will happen:

Dear God, come please into my heart,
forgive my sins and anew my life.
Let me be a new creature in your name
and let me be a blessing for many people
on my road to heaven.
This all I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son.

Amen.

Just normal life returns

After the Easter holidays 'normal' life be back again. But life never is 'normal', it is a gift of God. When we have nothing left He is always left for us.

And also when you look around you will still find things to be glad. Trees in a abundant blossom beauty telling their own stories, birds in this spring busy with their nests and sometimes young, people you love always still there.

Try to see what you have left after loss as pain, sorrow and dead. One will be always with you. Ask Him in your life, He will never forget you and forsake you, because He is God and deepest Love of Him is always available, through his Holy Spirit which is the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Easter Monday

Jesus said to Mary 'Why are you weeping? Who is it you are looking for?'
Thinking it was the gardener, she said, 'If it is you, sir, who removed him, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.' Jesus said, 'Mary!' She turned to him and said 'Rabbuni!' (which is Hebrew for 'My Master')
John20:15-16

And just as Jesus to Mary appeared so He appeared to many people after his rising from the death. This that you all may believe He is the Son of God and in Him is everlasting life.

Easter

CHRIST IS RISEN,

HE IS RISEN INDEED!




Now He is alife and lives forever.

He said: 'Full authority in heaven and on earth has been commited to me.
Go forth therefore and make all nations my disciples; baptize men everywhere in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And be assured, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF TIMES' - Matthew 28-18-20.

Silent Saturday

Now is the Lord at rest after all the suffering. It is all done.

By the power of the Father waiting for his resurrection. The ties of death cannot hold Him.

Wait in faith! The Lord's ressurrection is near.

Good Friday

Then they took Him out to crusify Him. A man called Simon, from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they pressed him into service to carry his cross.
They brought Him to the place called Golgotha,which means 'Place of a skull.' He was offered drugged wine, but he would not take it.Then they fastened Him to the cross. They divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should have.The hour of the crucifixion was nine in the morning, and the inscription giving the charge against Him read, 'The King of the Jews.'

Mark 15: 21-27

'Behold the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world!'

O love divine, what has thou done!
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father's coeternal Son
bore all my sins upon the tree.
Th' immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified.

Is crucified for me and you,
to bring us rebels back to God.
Believe, believe the record true,
Ye all are bought with Jesus' blood.
Pardon for all flows from his side:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Behold Him, all ye that pass by,
the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
and say, "Was ever grief like his?"
Come, feel with me his blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

Maundy Thursday

For the tradition which I handed on to you came to me from the Lord himself: that the Lord Jesus, on the night of his arrest, took bread and, after giving thanks to God, broke it and said: 'This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.' In the same way, he took the cup after supper, and said:'This cup is the new covenant sealed by my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.' For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11 : 23-26

After 20 centuries still the believers in Him eat the bread and drink the wine, until He comes.
Yes still we do expect Him in faith to set us all free and establish his Kingdom promised through he prophets and by Jesus Christ himself.
'And here is one point, my friends, which you must not lose sight of: with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. It is not that the Lord is slow in fulfilling his promise, as some suppose, but that he is very patient with you, because it is not his will for any to be lost,but for all to come to repentance.'

2 Peter 3 : 8-9

Farewell discourses

As soon as Judas had received the bread (of Jesus) he went out. It was night. When he had gone out Jesus said: 'Now is the Son of Man glorified, and in him God is glorified. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself; and he will glorify him now.'

John 13:31-32

Now the Son of Man after betrayel looking after the suffering he will go through. The glorifying by the Father after his coming resurrection. But first the desolate lost scream: 'My god, my God why hast thou forsaken me?'

the final conflict

Now the festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread was only two days off; and the chief priests and the doctors of te law were trying to devise some cunning plan to seize him and put him to death.
'It must not be during the festival', they said, 'or we should have rioting among the people.'

Mark 14 : 1-2

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray him to them. When they heard what he had come for, they were greatly pleased, and promised him money; and he began to look for a good opportunity to betray him.

Mark 14: 10-11

Now the betrayer is near to betray Jesus. He who had done no evil and sin, only doing well, heal the sick, blessed the multitude of people of all kind, freed them of all principal powers of darkness.
Here the Prince of Peace goes his way to set us all free forever! Forgiveness, healing, and victory. The very high price is his suffering and dead on the cross to set us free forever. Suffering in our place and taking our sins is deepest love possible.

Lord have mercey upon us

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life.


John 3:16

Depressed

Today I read a comforting prayer for the many people who are depressed and under stress. Its written by Dr. Walter. L. Weston.
I would like to pray it with you when you need it now:

God, life seems so bleak and useless right now.
I don't have any energy.
I have no ambition to do much of anything.
I am really feeling down.
I feel "down on" myself and "down on" everyone around me.
Even as I pray, I don't sense your presence.
I am going through the motions, knowing that you are still with me.

I know that I am sacred and precious but they are just words right now.
I know that my life has been worthwhile, full of many wonderful people and
experiences, much happines and joy.
I feel little of this right now.
God, all I can do is affirm the goodness of life and try to hold on until the
darkness is replaced by your light and love.

Help me to spot the lies that my depressed emotions are telling me.
Life is good. I am good. You are good. Grant me hope. My loved ones love me.
Life will be beautiful again.
Soon I will again know vitality and purpose, happiness and love.
Until then, give me the strength and hope to survive this day.

Help me to smile and laugh, even if just for a moment.
Be my strength and salvation.
I ask you to restore me and make me whole.
Fill me with the Word and Spirit that I might be recreated anew.
I praise and thank you.
Amen

In this very silent week, there is a link between the suffering of the Lord with our suffering and depressions. He knows what it is to be depressed and rejected. Maybe that can be a comfort that he knows of your suffering. He is there right now.The blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ with you all.

Greetings,
Hans.

New Life

Spring slowly coming in The Netherlands. As it is in nature it is also with faith, it must grow to bear fruits.

This week will be the good week before Easter, we think of the road to the cross of our Saviour Jesus Christ. He is the Lamb of God bearing the sin of a world lost in guilt.

Hope you all will be blessed through Him who died for us all to set us free from all evil.

Take the new life for free and you will be a new creature!!

With love,

Abernie.