Mitä tavoittelet? What is your goal?

Olen tässä pari päivää miettinyt, että mitä minä tavoittelen elämässäni. Mitkä ovat motiivini tekemiini asioihin, ja mihin tähtään elämässä? Monilla elämän päämäärät liittyvät työhön, perheeseen tai joihinkin muihin periaatteessa hyviin asioihin, kuten onnellisuuteen. Mutta koin, että nyt on aika miettiä omien motiivieni sijaan Jumalan motiiveja. Emme tiedä, mitä kaikkea Jumala on elämäämme varten suunnitellut, mutta kaikille meille on suunnitelma, jota Jumala haluaisi meidän toteuttavan. Olen rukoillut arjen keskellä, että "Jumala, anna minun tänäänkin elää SINUN suunnitelmasi mukaan, sen sijaan että eläisin oman suunnitelmani mukaan". Koen että nyt on aika lopettaa itseensä ja omiin mahdollisuuksiin keskittyminen, ja sen sijaan suunnata katse Jumalaan ja Hänen mahdollisuuksiinsa. Haluatko sinä tehdä työtä Jumalan valtakunnan hyväksi?
Luuk. 13:6-9

Ja hän puhui tämän vertauksen: "Eräällä miehellä oli viikunapuu istutettuna viinitarhassaan; ja hän tuli etsimään hedelmää siitä, mutta ei löytänyt. Niin hän sanoin viinitarhurille: 'Katso, kolmena vuotena minä olen käynyt etsimässä hedelmää tästä viikunapuusta, mutta en ole löytänyt. Hakkaa se pois; mitä varten se vielä maata laihduttaa?' Mutta tämä vastasi ja sanoi hänelle: 'Herra, anan sen olla vielä tämä vuosi; sillä aikaa minä kuokin ja lannoitan maan sen ympäriltä. Ehkä se ensi vuonna tekee hedelmää; mutta jos ei, niin hakkaa se pois.'"

Olen huomannut, että kun olen rukoillut, että saisin tehdä mitä Jumala haluaa minun tekevän, niin tilanteita on tullut joka päivä, joissa olen saanut olla Jumalan valona. En ole "lyönyt ketään Raamatulla päähän", vaan olen tehnyt pieniä tekoja, joita Jumala on laskenut sydämelleni. Olen tutustunut uusiin ihmisiin, joiden kanssa olen saanut keskustella, ja ennen kaikkea kuunnella heitä. Kun hakeutuu Jumalan läheisyyteen rukouksessa ja Raamatunluvussa, niin Jumalan ääni on jotenkin helpompi kuulla kaiken metelin keskellä. Kun lähdet seuraavan kerran ulos kävelylle tai ajelulle, niin pyydä että Jumala saisi johdattaa sinua niin että saisit tänäänkin elää HÄNEN suunnitelmansa mukaan. Kun teet niitä pieniä tekoja, joita Jumala on tarkoittanut sinun tekevän, niin saat tehdä niitä ilolla ja kiitoksella.

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For a couple of days I've been wondering what is my goal in life. What are my motives for the things I do, and what do I aim at? For many, the goals in life have to do with work, family, or other things that are basically good, like happiness. But I felt that now is the time to think about God's motives instead of mine. We don't know all the things God has planned for our lives, but for all of us there is a plan that God would want us to fulfill. I've been praying in my daily life that "God let me live according to YOUR plan again today, instead of living according to my plan". I feel that now is the time to stop looking at yourself and focusing on your possibilities, instead, look at God and His possibilities. Do you want to work for the kingdom of God?
Luke 13:6-9

Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

I've noticed that when I've prayed that I could do what God wants me to do, everyday there have been situations, where I have had the chance to be God's light. I have not "hit anyone with the Bible", but I have done small things that God has given on my heart. I have met new people who I've had the chance to talk with, and moreover to listen to them. When you draw near to God in prayer and reading the Bible, it is somehow easier to hear God's voice in the midst of all the noise. The next time you  go out for a walk or for a drive, ask that God could lead you so that you could live according to HIS plan again today. When you do the small things God has meant you to do, you can do them with joy and thankfulness.

Israel

Minulla on nykyään rukoushetkiä useampikin päivässä, vaikka ne ovat kylläkin enemmän pieniä huokaushetkiä. Pieni tyttäreni ei anna minun keskittyä rukoukseen, koska hän haluaa minun keskittyvän itseensä. Mutta kun hän nukkuu päiväunet niin ehdin lukea Raamattua ja rukoilla siinä samalla vähäsen. Eilen kun olin lukenut Raamattua koin että olin niin syntinen Herran edessä että minun täytyi mennä polvilleni kasvot lattiaan, ja huokailin Jumalalle. Siinä tilanteessa sain seuraavat sanat:

"Israel, Israel, voi kuinka tahtoisin koota sinut maan ääristä uuten Jerusalemiin, kultakaupunkiin. Herran valtaistuimen edessä kaikki kansat joutuvat tuomiolle epäjumalanpalveluksestaan. Voi Israel, haluaisin ympäröidä sinut rakkaudellani. Maan kansat, siunatkaa Israelia, siunatkaa, älkää kirotko. Israel on Jumalan valittu, esikoinen. Kansat ihmettelevät, sillä Herra on koonnut kansansa yhteen ylistämään Hänen pyhää nimeään. Shalom, rauha kanssanne Israel. Missä ovat sotajoukot, missä ovat vastustajasi? Aamu valkenee ja vastustajasi ovat poissa. Herra on pelastanut kansansa pahan ansasta. Kiittäkää Herraa, kaikki luodut, sillä Herran päivä on lähellä!"

Lopuksi vielä eräs aiheeseen liittyvä Raamatunpaikka joka kosketti minua tänään:

5. Moos. 4:27-31

Ja Herra hajottaa teidät kansojen sekaan, ja ainoastaan vähäinen joukko teitä on jäävä niiden pakanakansojen keskelle, joiden tykö Herra teidät kuljettaa. Ja siellä te palvelette jumalia, jotka ovat ihmiskätten tekoa, puuta ja kiveä, jotka eivät näe eivätkä kuule, eivät syö eivätkä hajua tunne. Mutta sitten sinä siellä etsit Herraa, sinun Jumalaasi, ja sinä löydät hänet, kun kysyt häntä kaikesta sydämestäsi ja kaikesta sielustasi. Kun olet ahdistuksessa ja kaikki tämä kohtaa sinua aikojen lopussa, niin sinä palajat Herran, sinun Jumalasi, tykö ja kuulet hänen ääntänsä. Sillä Herra, sinun Jumalasi, on laupias Jumala, Hän ei jätä sinua eikä hukuta sinua; hän ei unhota sinun isiesi kanssa tekemäänsä liittoa, jonka hän on heille valalla vahvistanut.

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Nowadays I have several moments of prayer during the day, though they are more of a little moments of sighing. My little daughter doesn't let me focus on prayer, because she wants me to focus on her. But when she takes her nap I have time to read the Bible and pray a little at the same time. Yesterday when I had been reading the Bible I felt that I was so ungodly and a sinner before the Lord that I had to kneel down and go facedown on the floor, and I was sighing to God. In that situation I got the following words:

"Israel, Israel, oh how I would want to gather you from the ends of the earth to the new Jerusalem, the golden city. In front of the Lord's throne all nations will be judged for their idolatry. Oh Israel, I would want to surround you with my love. Peoples on earth, bless Israel, bless, do not curse. Israel is God's chosen one, the first born. Nations are in awe, because the Lord has gathered His people together to praise His holy name. Shalom, peace be with you Israel. Where are the armies, where are your opposers? The morning is breaking and your opposers are gone. The Lord has saved His people from the evil's trap. Thank the Lord, all creation, because the Lord's day is near!"

Finally, I'd like to share a Bible passage about this subject that touched me today:

Deut 4:27-31

The Lord will scatter you among other nations, where only a few of you will survive. There you will serve gods made by human hands, gods of wood and stone, gods that cannot see or hear, eat or smell. There you will look for the Lord your God, and if you search for him with all your heart, you will find him. When you are in trouble and all those things happen to you, then you will finally turn to the Lord and obey him. He is a merciful God. He will not abandon you or destroy you, and he will not forget the covenant that he himself made with your ancestors.

Pyhity tänään!

Uskon että Jumala kutsuu omiaan pyhittymään ja puhdistautumaan, sillä Hänen ilmestymisensä on lähellä (2. Moos. 19:10-11). Meidän ainoa oikea puhdistuksemme on Jeesuksen veri, joka puhdistaa meidät kaikesta synnistä. Vain Jeesuksen veri on Herralle kelpaava uhri. Aaronin pojat kuolivat tulessa koska he antoivat vääränlaisen uhrin Herralle (3. Moos. 10:1-3). Vaikka tarkoittaisimme hyvää tarjotessamme Jumalalle hyviä tekojamme, niin ne yksin eivät säästä meitä tuolta tulelta. Vain Jeesuksen veri voi pelastaa meidät, ja vain se on Herralle kelpaava uhri. Ja se riittää!

Vaikka paholainen voi sanoa meille samalla tavalla kuin Goljat Daavidille: "Tuollako varustuksella kuvittelet minut voittavasi?" (1. Sam. 17:37-50), niin usko Jeesukseen riittää! Se on meidän haarniskamme. Daavid uskoi että Jumala voisi pelastaa hänet tuon filistealaisen kynsistä, ja niin Jumala pelastikin. Me emme voi millään muulla varustuksella taistella paholaista vastaan. Me emme voi millään hyvillä teoilla korvata tuota varustusta, ja mikään muu ase ei kelpaa tässä hengellisessä sodassa (Matt. 26:50-53).

Me pyhitymme uskosta, samalla tavalla kuin Aabraham ja Daniel. Usko ja luottamus Jumalaan luettiin heille vanhurskaudeksi ja sen kautta he pelastuivat (1. Moos. 15:6, Dan. 6:23). Älä usko paholaisen väitteitä, vaan pyhity tänään tunnustamalla syntisi ja turvaamalla Jeesukseen. Sitten olet valmis kun Herra saapuu kirkkaudessaan.

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I believe God is calling His own people to consecrate and purify themselves, because He will soon appear (Ex. 19:10-11). Our only purification is Jesus' blood, which cleanses us from all sin. Only Jesus' blood is an offering that the Lord will accept. Aaron's sons died in the fire because they gave a wrong kind of offering to the Lord (Lev. 10:1-3). Though we might mean well when offering our good deeds to God, they alone will not save us from that fire. Only Jesus' blood can save us, and that is the only offering that is acceptable for the Lord. And it is enough!

Though the devil might say the same thing to us that Goliath said to David: "Do you think you can conquer me with that armour?" (1. Sam. 17:37-50), but believing in Jesus is enough! It is our armour. David believed God could save him from that philistine, and God did. We cannot fight against the devil with any other armour. We cannot replace that armour with any good deeds, and any other weapon will not work in this spiritual war (Matt. 26:50-53).

We are sanctified by believing, in the same way as Abraham and Daniel were. Belief and trust in God consecrated them and through them they were saved (Gen. 15:6, Dan. 6:23). Do not believe the devil's arguments, but instead purify yourself today by asking forgiveness for your sins and trusting in Jesus. Then you'll be ready when the Lord will come in His glory.

Aika on lähellä / The time is near

Kirjoitan nyt ainakin tämän tekstin sekä suomeksi että englanniksi, ettei lukijoilla jää kielen vuoksi ymmärtämättä. (English translation for this text below.)

Ennen joulua rukoillessani kotona ja lukiessani Raamattua, sain ajatuksia ja näkyjä, joiden uskon olevan Jumalasta. Kirjoitin kaiken ylös, ja haluan jakaa nämä ajatukset myös teidän kanssanne. Mutta toivon että jokainen koettelee nämä ajatukset sydämessään rukouksessa ja Raamattua lukien.

Ensimmäisenä näin näyn tiimalasista. Kun ihmettelin sitä, niin minulle sanottiin: "Aika on lähellä. Kerätkää viljaa ja rukoilkaa lakkaamatta." Sen jälkeen näin näyn valkoisesta hevosesta, jonka ratsastajalla oli jousi (mainittu Raamatussa mm. ilmestyskirjassa). Kuulin kuinka hevosen laukkaaminen kuului korvissani, aivan kuin se olisi ihan lähellä. Minulle sanottiin: "Minä tulen ja poljen jalkoihini kaikki Israelin viholliset. Israelia siunaavat saavat elää. Katso, minä tulen voimalla ja väkevyydellä. Karitsaan luottavat saavat elää. Käyn niiden ohi jotka luottavat karitsan vereen. Muut poljen jalkoihini." (Tuosta minulla tuli mieleen se, kuinka enkeli kävi Egyptissä Israelilaisten ohi tappaessaan esikoisia, koska Israelilaiset olivat laittaneet ovipieliinsä karitsan verta merkiksi.) "Aikaa ei ole paljon. Tehkää työtä joka hetki."

Näin näyssä maljan joka oli täynnä verta, ja se tulvi yli. Minulle sanottiin: "Synnin malja on täyttynyt, samoin minun vihani malja. Ihmiset ovat paatuneet ja kansat luottavat epäjumaliinsa. Rukoilkaa minun kansani puolesta, että he pelastuisivat."

Seuraavana aamuna herätessäni näin näyn, jossa nuoria, isäntiensä hyväksi käyttämiä tyttöjä päästettiin vapauteen. (Kuulin, että tyttöjen nimi oli "Lena", joka tarkoittaa ilmeisesti hebreaksi asuinpaikkaa.) Näillä tytöillä ei ollut mitään omaisuutta, ja he olivat aivan alastomia. Heidän käsistään katkaistiin siteet ja heille sanottiin: "Palatkaa kotiinne!" Kun ihmettelin tätä näkyä, niin minulle sanottiin: "Samalla tavalla Jumala haluaa vapauttaa Israelin heimot isäntien palveluksesta jotka ovat kohdelleet heitä kaltoin. He palaavat kotiinsa Herransa luo unohtaen entiset epäjumalansa.

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Before Christmas when I was praying at home and reading the Bible, I had some thoughts and visions that I believe are from God. I wrote it all down and I want to share these thoughts with you as well. But I hope that everyone will test these thoughts in their hearts in prayer and reading the Bible.

First I had a vision of an hour glass. When I was wondering about it, I was told: "The time is near. Collect grain and pray constantly." After that I saw a vision of a white horse, whose rider had a bow (mentioned in the Bible e.g. in Revelation). I heard the galloping of the horse in my ears like it was very near. I was told: "I will come and tread all Israel's enemies under my feet. The ones who bless Israel will live. Behold, I will come with power and strength. The ones who trust in the lamb will live. I will walk past those who trust in the blood of the lamb. I will tread the others under my feet." (This reminded me of how the angel passed over Israeli people in Egypt as he was killing the first born children, because the Israelis had put the blood of the lamb on their door posts.) "There is not much time. Labour every moment."

I saw a cup full of blood, and it was over pouring. I was told: "The cup of sin is filled and so is the cup of my anger. People have become hardened and the nations trust their idols. Pray for my people that they may be saved."

In the next morning when I woke up I had a vision where young girls, who had been abused by their masters, were set free. (I heard that the girls were called "Lena", which apparently stands for a dwelling in Hebrew.) These girls had no possessions, and they were completely naked. Bandages were cut from their hands, and they were told: "Go to your home!" When I wondered about this vision, I was told: "In the same way God wants to release the tribes of Israel from serving the masters who have abused them. They will return home to their Lord and Master forgetting their former idols.

Spiritual treasure in clay pots

A couple of days ago as I was in prayer I saw a vision. In the vision clay pots were broken with what looked like a hammer. They were smashed into million pieces. I asked God what this meant, and then I realised that the sound of the hammer reminded me of the sound of Jesus being nailed on the cross.

After that, as I was reading the Bible, I came across a passage that explained this vision to me:

2. Corinthians 4:5-12

⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

 ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

 I have never been more glad about the fact that I'm not perfect. That is why God can show His glory and power through me, and that is why everyone can know that this light that shines in my heart is from Him.

The temple of the Lord?

On Saturday as I was driving I had an urge to pray, and as I prayed, I felt that I need to pray for the people of Finland who now have turned from God in different ways. Today as I was reading the Bible I felt that the passages that I read were not only concerning Judah, but today's Finland as well, expecially the Lutheran church. These passages are quoted from Jeremiah 7:

 ¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : ² "Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message: 
      " 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. ³ This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. ⁴ Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" ⁵If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, ⁶ if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, ⁷ then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. ⁸ But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. ⁹ " 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, ^[a] burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, ¹⁰ and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"-safe to do all these detestable things? ¹¹ Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

¹⁶ "So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. 

 ²⁰ " 'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: My anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground, and it will burn and not be quenched. ²¹ " 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! ²² For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, ²³ but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.²⁴ But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. ²⁵ From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. ²⁶ But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers.' ²⁷ "When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. ²⁸ Therefore say to them, 'This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips. ²⁹ Cut off your hair and throw it away; take up a lament on the barren heights, for the LORD has rejected and abandoned this generation that is under his wrath.

 I felt terrible especially when reading the verse 16. I feel that God has decided to pay the people of Finland according to their deeds. At the same time I feel confident that true followers of Christ who remain faithful, independent of church or congregation, will face troubles at first, but then trade their believing to seeing, and sorrows to joy. I do not know what to do, other than wait and continue to pray that many more will accept the truth and be saved.

Rest in Jesus

There is always so much to do and there never seems to be enough time. There's work, studying, housework, hobbies, and you try to squeeze in some time for family and friends too. But there is a type of rest that "charges your batteries" in a sense, and it's a type of rest you should not miss. I'm talking about rest in Jesus.

Let's see what the Bible says about resting. Again, all the quotes are from the New International Version.

Exodus 20:10-11 (New International Version)

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

So we can see that even God rested on the seventh day. We can only imagine how little the Creator of all things would have extra time in His hands for resting, but still he wanted to make time for it.

Hebrews 4:9-11 

9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

So the Bible clearly tells us to rest following God's example. This rest the Bible talks about is meant for everybody, whether busy or not.

But what is this rest that the Bible talks about? Where can we find it? Is e.g. watching TV a good way to rest? David writes in Psalm 62:

Psalm 62

 1 My soul finds rest in God alone;

       my salvation comes from him.

 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

...

5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

So the rest we need is rest for the soul and it can be found in God alone. We can rest in God because we know that our salvation and hope comes from him. We can rest in him independent of the circumstances, because we know we can leave all our worries to God.

Can we find this rest by meditating, by looking into ourselves to find peace? No, we can only find rest in Jesus:

Matthew 11:28-30

 28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

So we have to come to Jesus to find rest. Because any rest that the world may give will never give rest for our souls. Only when we come to Jesus and pray for him will we truly find rest. Jesus told us how to rest in him:

Mark 6:30-32

 30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

 32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

So whenever you have some time for yourself, go to a quiet place and pray there, and you will find rest in Jesus.