Monday, August 18, 2008

Dream big!

Sorry, but I have to write this in English! My heart is burning and overflowing with words, which I can not put into German at the moment.

I just came home from church and listened to the new Hillsong CD “ This is our God”. Wow! Do we not have a great God? I mean, we are able to be in relationship with the creator of the universe whose desire is it to restore humanity back to him! I don´t know about you, but I still can not get my head around that, but the bit I grasp leaves me wondering what I can do to help and make his plan become reality on earth.

Matthew Barnett from LA was in church today and his message was simple, but the examples showed how vital and important his message was!

He quoted Matth. 4, 19-22, where Jesus called his first diciples. Jesus gave them first a place to belong before they believed. In churches all over the world it is often the other way round! People think they have to change and believe first before they could even belong to a place like church, a bit like a diners club.

Jesus showed his diciples through his life, his love for people and through miracles what being his follower really meant and still means today! So why are we not doing the same?

At Colour, our yearly women conference, Bobbie told the married women last year to love their husbands into the kingdom. I think, we can apply this principle to all other people in our day to day life.

You may say: “ But you don´t know how horrible my work colleagues are and how mean my family members treat me and my class mates laugh about me!”

Believe me, if anybody understands these situations it is me! I went through a lot as a child and today I have different problems.

I am not just writing this for you, but also for me as a reminder, that it is not by might or power but by the spirit of God!

I am sitting here and dreaming about Africa! A huge continent with such a huge potential, but so poor and marked by injustice and cruelty that it brakes my heart. I just hear the Spirit saying:” Do you think it leaves me cold? Do you not think I am moved by what is happening on the earth?” In Uganda some weeks ago I thought about some things. We as Europeans or white people often try to make Africans think and act like we do, but I don´t believe that is the way to help them!

Our pastor was talking about kingdom culture, the way we are transformed in our souls, minds and hearts when the Spirit of God takes over control of us. The fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5, 22+23 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self- controll, they say already what we should be like. We just can´t transform ourselves, that´s where the Spirit comes in and it does not happen over night, I can promise you that!

So how can the world be changed? How a continent, a nation, a people, a county, a city or a family?

Well, it has to start with me/ you! As we let the Spirit transform us we can start to have an impact on our family, on our school or work places, on our city!

That is actually a powerful thing and we can do more than we think we can do!

I decided that I want to make a difference. Not because it is about me or because I want people to know my name. The reason I live is so that people on the earth get to know the Saviour, the lover of their souls! That is such a greater cause than I realised before.

I truly believe that God wants to open up the heavens and bless the earth, but he will always use people who are willing to obey and do whatever he asks them to do.

When I look back on the trip to Uganda I think there was only one reason I had to go there, cause Jesus asked me for something and I obeyed. So I was blessed before to be a blessing and I will continue to listen and do what he says. I realised how much richer my life is with moments like that, when I start to look to Jesus and the need I can meet instead of me and my problems.

I just want to encourage you to let God touch your inner parts and wounds so he can heal you and transform you! You can make a difference! Yes, alone we are nothing, but in Jesus we are everything! Live in his life!

The same power that conquered the grave lives in you and me!

May God bless you and lead you in his paths of life and joy and peace!

AMEN