16th June 2026
The door is open
„I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. “
John 10:9NIV
And how do we enter through this door? In Rev. 3:8NIV it says: "... I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. ... "
When we now examine the Word, we get so much good out of it. First, you will not come to a locked door. The door is open.
Next, you do not have to look back or to the side to find this door, because the Lord himself has placed this door right in front of you. It cannot be easier.
Third, we are told that no one can shut this door to us.
But the door will not remain open forever. One day God will close the door, and after that it will not be possible to come through the door and be saved. We hear this very clearly in the story of Noah’s Ark.
The door stood wide open for a long time, but then God came and closed the door. Therefore, dear friend, use your opportunity now, take the step. Say to the Lord: “Come into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Forgive me of all my sin. Save me, rescue me. Amen!” Effie Campbell
15th June 2026
Help for the downtrodden
„Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. “
Rev.3:20NIV
Dear friends, let’s talk for a moment. Are you downtrodden? Do you feel like the most miserable person on earth? Do you say that you have sunk deep into sin and cannot find a way out? Is life a burden to you? Then I have good news for you! Jesus died on the cross for sinners! Pray to him and you will be saved! That is the solution to your problem.
Have you come so far that you consider yourself a sinner, then you can be happy, because, as mentioned, it was for sinners that Jesus died. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sin and change your life right where you are now. Ask him to take place in your heart. Then He will do it, and He will even bring His gifts with Him: peace and joy.
You can know this with complete certainty, because the Lord does not lie. Every single word of the Bible is firm and unshaken. In the following verse from the Bible, found in Revelation 3:20, Jesus says: „Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. “
Then I would like to share another word from the Bible with you. It could well have been titled, “Salvation Assurance.” It is written in 1 John 5:13NIV: „I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. “
Once you are saved, my friend, you must read your Bible every day. It is food for the soul, so that you can grow in your spiritual growth. You must pray every day, pray for example in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the day and in the evening. It is so good to know that the Lord does not take summer vacations or have phone hours and that He is always ready to listen to you.
To be strengthened, you must also come together with God's children. You may say: "I dare not go to church or to Christian meetings. People know me and know how I have lived. They are all clean and good!"
I will just remind you of a story that Jesus once told. It was about two men who went up to the temple to pray. One was a tax collector and he felt bad, I will just tell you. He just looked down and beat his chest and said the following words: „‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “ Luke 18:13
Jesus himself said that he went home justified (i.e. clean), while the Pharisee, listing all the good things he did, did not go home as a justified man. Why? Because he considered himself good in himself. He could do everything himself. He did not need Jesus and his grace. He did not need the blood of Jesus to cleanse him. How sad with such self-righteous people, for no one gets around Jesus.
He who comes to me, he did say,
I will never drive away
and he drew me close to his heart
as I never was,
imagine, he said I dear to him was
and said what is hidden in heaven for me,
therefore I can rejoice like a bird
that free from the snare itself can see.
Effie Campbell
14th June 2026
Spitting on the Bible
„Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. “
Matthew 10:39NIV
It has been many years since Cambodia became communist. The communists entered all kinds of churches while people were worshipping inside the church. In the Catholic church, they took a picture of Jesus standing at the altar. In an evangelical church, they took the Bible from the pulpit and placed it outside in the court outside the church. Then they demanded that the members of the same congregation to come outside, one by one. They were told that if they wanted to survive, they had to spit on the Bible, or they would be shot.
Faced with such a choice, many thoughts went through their mind. The first man to step outside was the fiancé. He thought, “I love my girl, and she loves me. We are going to get married soon. Her heart would break if I were killed here. I don’t have to spit as much as the communists demand. I will only spit a little.”
The other man who followed thought, “Both my parents are invalids. If I die, there will be no one to take care of them. I will have to spit and then I can ask Jesus for forgiveness when I get home. He is always so gentle and kind.”
In this way, one and the other came forward. They were all Christians and a moment ago they had been gathered to service in that church. Now that they were challenged and much was at stake, no one wanted to take up their cross and stand up for Christ. But then a 16-year-old girl stepped forward. Tears were running down her cheeks. She fell to her knees and wiped the spit on her sleeves and said, “I cannot spit on the love letter from my fiancé. No girl spits on her lover’s letter.” Then they shot the girl and she fell dead on her Bible. But immediately afterwards the others who had just spit on the Bible were also shot dead. The communists broke their promise.
Jesus says these serious words: „“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. “ Matt.10:37-39NIV
If you were asked the same question, that is, either to spit on the Bible or to die, what would you have chosen? Well, this is a searching question to consider.
There are indeed several ways to “spit on the Bible”. If you never read the Bible, then you are actually spitting on it, because you are dishonoring it. - Read your Bible every day and get the good spiritual food so that you can stand up to the problems of the day.
This text was written after I heard a speech by Rickard Wurmbrand. The speech was given four years after the communists took power in Cambodia.
Effie Campbell translated
13th June 2026
It Began with a Tract
„Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “
Rom. 11:33-34NIV
P.L. Rounds, former missionary in Japan, relates:
A young girl in Japan had been in a tuberculosis hospital for two years. She was so thin and weak that she could hardly move in bed.
One day when some believers visited the hospital, she was given a tract. That day, she was too weak to hold the tract, so she asked the nurse to help her read it.
When she read the simple gospel of Jesus, it made a tremendous impression on her. She asked the nurse to stand by her bed while she poured out her heart in prayer.
She prayed for forgiveness for her sin and was truly converted. Like so many others, this young girl wanted to share her joy of salvation with others.
One day she read about a man who was on death row for murder. She decided to write to him and tell him about Jesus, but it took her three days to finish writing a small letter. She then sent the tract that had become so important to her, along with her letter.
Iwate San, as the prisoner was called, was at first indifferent and cold towards the letter, but after he had read it and had begun to understand what it had cost the girl to write the letter, he was touched that someone cared for his soul. The tract was read more than once and one day the truth gripped his heart. He accepted the message in faith and that day God saved a brutal and cruel murderer in one of the Tokyo prisons. The young girl’s testimony had borne fruit.
Later, this murderer was transferred to the prison where he was to be executed, about 600 km from Tokyo. One day, while he was singing one of the Christian songs he had learned, he heard a voice calling through a small crack from another cell.
In the next cell was a man named Uchida, who had also found Jesus as his Savior. The two were very happy to share their joy of salvation with each other.
Iwata San and Uchita San now set to work so that the other death row prisoners could also be saved. The prison guard allowed them, while they were eating, to tell the other prisoners about what they had experienced.
Iwata San was in prison for two years, and during that time he found grace to lead 41 other inmates to Jesus. The prison guard allowed all of them to be baptized in prison, and the entire atmosphere in the death row was changed from fear to joy and peace. As the guards made their way between the cells, they heard gospel songs from quite a few cells.
But the time for Iwata San to be executed was approaching. He had only one wish before he died, and that was to be allowed to visit the young girl who had sent him the letter with the tract. This wish was granted.
As he sat by the girl’s sickbed, he told her what God had done in his heart through the letter. When the girl heard this, tears ran down her cheeks.
Before he left the girl, Iwate San felt led to lay his hands on her head and pray for her. Then he was taken back to the prison, where he was executed shortly afterwards. But his soul returned home to God, who had cleansed it in the blood of Jesus. The same power that had changed the hearts of the inmates now entered the life of this young girl, and after two weeks she was completely healed and able to return home.
Such a miracle God performed. And it all began with a tract.
“The Church Bell.” Effie Campbell translated
12th June 2026
Everyone has great value
„For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— “
Eph.2:8NIV
A missionary in the United States took a $100 bill and held it out to the congregation. The bill was so smooth that it looked as if it had been ironed, and if you held it up to your nose, you could smell the ink. “How much is this bill worth?” he asked.
“$100!” the congregation shouted.
The missionary then rolled the bill around his finger and then took the roll up in his palm and pressed it gently. Now the bill was no longer so pretty. It was wrinkled. Then he lifted the bill up again and asked: “How much is this bill worth?”
“$100!” the congregation replied.
Finally, the missionary took the bill and crumpled it up and cut off a piece of the edge. Now the bill looked ugly. “What is the value of this bill?” he shouted.
“100 dollars!” the congregation replied.
“Yes, exactly!” the missionary replied. “The value is printed on it. It is the same with us. All people have the same value, for all were bought with the same price, namely with the precious blood of Jesus.
„For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— “ Ephesians 2:8NIV
„Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” “ Acts 4:12NIV
The value is placed on us, the price is the same for each one of us. The drug addict was bought with the same price as the director, and therefore no one has anything to boast about. It is all by grace. But if we are to receive this great gift, we must ask for forgiveness and invite Jesus into our hearts, today! because it is urgent! The times we live in are serious. No one knows when Jesus returns.
11th June 2026
The Key
„but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. “
Isaiah 40:31NIV
We do NOT wait for the next press conference to find our HOPE. We already have it if we spend time with HIM, who IS our HOPE – and who IS our PEACE and our REST.
„“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. “
Matt. 11:28NIV
The key to this rest is: “COME TO ME!” That is, we must opt out something in order to choose to spend time with God in silence, in the Word, in thanksgiving, prayer, praise, worship and listening.
NEW power – NEW rest – NEW peace – NEW joy – NEW spirit – NEW grace – NEW forgiveness – NEW love etc. will come to those who wait for the Lord – and they will be given wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:28-31)
Then use this KEY every day. Jesus has given you these three words: “COME TO ME!” Don’t let it be a key that just lies hidden away in a drawer. Use it every day. You won’t get a better offer. Effie Campbell translated
10th June 2026
He got help at church
„Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “
Mark 12:30-31NIV
We had gone to a Lenten service at the West Church. The priest spoke about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and then he mentioned Judas. “It’s bad to be betrayed by your friend,” he said. “It’s almost like you’d rather have a spittle directly in your face from your enemy than this obsequiousness in the face. You thought that person was your friend, and then he had an hidden agenda with his sugary behavior. I don’t think we fully understand how betrayed Jesus was by his friend. They had been together for three years, and now Judas betrayed the Son of Man with a kiss.”
Then the priest began to tell about an episode in his own life. “When I was studying in Copenhagen, I also worked as a volunteer at Marys church (Mariekirken) in Vesterbro in Copenhagen. This church was also called the junky church because many drug addicts came there. They get warm and proper clothes, a meal and then a talk, and that is exactly what they need. Another man worked with me there. It was clear to anyone that this man had once been an addict himself.
One day we got into a conversation and he said: “I have never received any recognition in my life. When I was very young, my parents kicked me out. Then I became homeless and then I started taking drugs. However, I got married and had two children, but then my wife threw me out. She couldn’t stand this life and the children didn’t want any contact with their father. They were ashamed. But then I came here to Mariekirken, and here I found recognition and was accepted for who I was and it gave me the strength to get over my addiction, and now I have good contact again with my children and my wife and now I help others who are in in the same situation I was in,” the man concluded.
9th June 2026
Youth's Sins
„“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. “
Isaiah 1:18NIV
Emanuel Minos
Emanuel Minos tells this about a speech („As in Noah's Days“2012): We have satellite dishes on the roof where we live. Among other things, I have 6 Christian TV stations, and one of them broadcasts directly from the USA. A female TV host, who is very well-known, hosted the broadcast. I will not mention her name. If I did, most people would have known her. This host, who was also an evangelist, said that a young woman had come to her and said that she wanted to confess her sin and be saved.
This young woman told the evangelist that she had lived a promiscuous life. She thus became pregnant and had an abortion and continued to live the same life and two years later she became pregnant again and had an abortion again. But this time she had severe pangs of conscience.
She said that quite recently she fell into a deep sleep where she dreamed. But it was not a merely a dream, but a revelation, and she had never experienced anything like this before. She was taken to a large plain. She had never seen anything so beautiful. The grass was green, but she had never seen such a green color. The plain was covered with flowers, flowers so lovely and beautiful that she had never seen before.
On this flat plain there were many children playing, playing games that she had never seen before. The children were immensely beautiful and represented all people with children from all nations. Then a voice said to her: “These are children of fetuses who were not allowed to live. Some of them will never meet their parents because they are lost. But we will take care of the children here in eternity.” And she was then told that when a man and a woman come together and create a life, it is eternal.
On a small hill she noticed two small boys. They were so beautiful. A voice then said to her: “These two are your little fetuses, whom you did not allow to live.” She approached them, embraced them, cried and begged forgiveness for what she had done. At the same time, she gave them each a name, which she would have given them if they had been allowed to live, and these names they were allowed to have for eternity. Then she was taken back to her own body, whereupon she woke up. She immediately sought out this evangelist and confessed what she had done and sought salvation.
Let us honor the single mothers who have kept their children. But if anyone has had an abortion, then the Lord says: „“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. “ Isaiah1:18NIV Here we can finally add that the story that this woman told was written down by Minos and then read from a piece of paper.
8th June 2026
Do you pray for your neighbors?
„Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. “
Rom.12:12NIV
Once I spoke to a woman from Tórshavn in the Faroes, she told me that for a long time now she had been praying for everyone who lived on the same street as she did. “I feel so happy for them for the same reason,” she added.
This came to mind when I read Corrie ten Boom’s biography. She was five years old when she learned to read. She loved to spell her way through little stories about Jesus. Her family loved the Lord and it was just as natural for her to talk to Jesus as it was to talk to her own mother. He was just as present there.
Once her mother stood watching her while she was playing. Corrie knocked on an imaginary door and waited… no answer. Then the mother said: “I know someone who is standing at your door and knocking, and if you open the door for him, he will come into your heart. Will you open your heart to him now?” - “Yes, mother,” said Corrie, “I want Jesus to come into my heart.” Then the mother took her little hands in hers and they prayed together.
Jesus said that we should become like children, otherwise we will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. From that day on, Jesus became more alive to Corrie and she began to pray for other people even though she was only five years old.
The street behind their house was called Smedestraat. There were many taverns and bars there and drunken men would often come staggering out of there who were often taken by the police and taken to detention. This affected Corrie greatly and she ran in crying to tell her mother. The mother said that there was one thing she could do for these men. She could pray for them. And so Corrie prayed every night: “Dear Lord Jesus, please help them… and Jesus, help all the people in Smedestraat!”
Several years later, Corrie appeared on Dutch television. After the broadcast, she received a letter that said: “My husband became so interested in your broadcast when you said you had lived in Haarlem. He lived in Smedestraat. Three years ago he received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.”
She read the letter and remembered the prayers of little Corrie 76 years ago. This man was someone she had prayed for.
Another time, not so many years ago, Corrie attended a summer camp with some believing girls from Haarlem. When they sat together in the evening and talked about the Lord, they had to laugh, because all eighteen girls had either lived in Smedestraat themselves, or their parents had lived there, and they all thought it was very strange, but then Corrie told them how she had prayed every night for all the people on that street.
We often think that when God does not answer a prayer right away, He has answered: “Oh, no!” Many times He has just said: “Wait!” Imagine what the results could be if all believers decided to pray for all the people who live on the same street as them! Effie Campbell
7th June 2026
It is not possible to be “empty”
„“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’“
Luke 11:24NIV
A few weeks ago, Irene had a young woman as a guest on her program, “Irene’s Prayer Corner”. She was very active in Christian work and was, among other things, on the board of Oase.
This woman had lived part of her childhood in Indonesia, where her parents worked as missionaries deep in the bush. There, it was not possible to go into a store to buy something. You were completely dependent on God and prayed a lot every day for your needs.
When they later returned to Norway, the girl had a culture shock. She came home from school and said that the teacher had said that he was an atheist. She knew from her time in Indonesia that it was not possible! There were Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and spiritists. It was not possible to be “empty” inside. So when people came to Indonesia and said they were atheists, you could just as well say you were not really smart or that you were stupid, because you knew better how the spirit world works.
She was aware that you either worshipped God or you worshipped Satan. There is only one true God, the Father of Jesus Christ. Everything else is the work of Satan. Those who worshipped Satan also got their answer. But it only lasted a short time, then he came and demanded his due. He tormented and tormented them, because Satan is not even kind to his own people. These people quickly realized that it was like pushing their problem in front of them.
It was hard to get rid of these evil powers. You had to deny them and ask Jesus to come into your heart, and then you had to get rid of all the things in your home that had to do with spirit powers. Then you had to “feed” yourself with the word of God, because it is impossible to be “empty.”
Jesus said, „“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”“ Luke 11:24-26NIV
How could this be? Because the heart was empty. It lacked spiritual food, which is the word of God. Effie Campbell
6th June 2026
The Lord Uses Whom He wants
„“This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: “
Isaiah 45:1NIV
When the Lord sends out workers, He does not look at whether they are spotless and without fault, for then He would never have found any. For “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ” Rom.3:23NIV The Lord does not look at how they look today, but at what they can become when He has put the clay on the wheel, that they may then become usable vessels.
The Lord called Abraham. What kind of home was Abraham growing up in? A pagan home! Terah, Abraham’s father, worshiped other gods. (Joshua 24:2)
Abraham also left! Sarah and Abraham moved south into the land and lived there among foreigners. But Sarah was so beautiful that Abraham feared that the king there would take Sarah as his wife and kill him. He then made Sarah say that Abraham and her were siblings. It was now “only” a half-lie, because they were half-siblings. They had the same father, but different mothers. (Gen. 20:12)
Abraham is called “the father of faith,” because he did not deny God his only son when the Lord asked him to sacrifice him. But the Lord only wanted to test Abraham to know whether he loved Him. Then the Lord stopped Abraham and referred him to a ram that he was to sacrifice in his place.
God rewarded Abraham greatly and said, „I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” “ Gen. 17:7-8NIV)
Cyrus was king of Persia. He occupied Babylon and allowed the Jews to return home to their land. God is the God of history. These men did great things for Israel, and the Lord blessed them abundantly for it. They were the pieces that fulfilled the ancient prophecies.
We understand world history backwards. When we are in the middle of it, it is more difficult to see what is happening right now. The Lord uses whom He wants. He does not ask me, you, or anyone else who He intends to use. Effie Campbell
5th June 2026
Saved through Exodus
„The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.“
Ex.12:13NIV
The first five books of the Bible have now all been translated into Turkmen, i.e. Genesis - Deuteronomy. From Turkmenistan we have received this testimony, which tells what happened when a young man set out to read Exodus in his own mother tongue.
Since Christians in the country are constantly threatened and persecuted, we have formulated this testimony in such a way that no one will be able to recognize the people. Here is the testimony:
Last week, a young Turkmen Muslim visited my home. We sat down in the living room to talk. On the table was my daughter's children's Bible. The Bible was open and this young man noticed a picture of Moses parting the Red Sea.
"Oh, I know that story," he said.
That morning I had just finished reading the books of Genesis, which had been translated into Turkmen and then published as a book, so it was on the table next to the children’s Bible. I said, “Let me show you the story.” I opened up Exodus in Turkmen and asked him if he could figure this out.
It spoke to my heart and soul. He was shocked because the book was in his own Turkmen language. He replied, “Yes, wow, I can read it.” At first he read with a stutter and said, “I haven’t read in 10 years.” He continued reading, and I noticed that he suddenly understood what he was reading. He would read a few paragraphs at a time and then say something like, “Wow, God protects Israel. I forgot that. It’s in my language!”
He continued reading, and after about half an hour, he paused and said, “My girlfriend used to read the Bible in Russian, but then she heard that you could end up in prison for it, so she stopped. But now that I can read it myself, I understand better why she was so interested in this book. It is the most interesting book I have ever read, and it is in my own language, and it speaks to my heart and soul. I can’t get enough of it.”
When this young man had come to the end of the story of Moses crossing the Red Sea, I told him that he was perhaps one of the few people who had ever read this book in his own language. He was shocked and replied, “We need this book to be available to all people.”
He fell to his knees.
I told him that it was necessary for him to read the yoke at the very beginning of this story in order for it to make sense, and I returned to the account of the Passover meal. He read the verses about the Passover lamb and about the angel of death passing over the houses where the blood had been sprinkled on the doorposts. As he read it, he said, “This is about Jesus. It is about his sacrifice for me so that I might not die! He was broken and gave his own blood so that I could live!”
As this young man neared the end of the account of Moses crossing the Red Sea, I told him that he was perhaps one of the few who had ever read this book in his own language. He was startled and replied, “We need everyone to have access to this book.”
It was funny to see how God’s holy Word worked in his heart. I looked at him and said, “Yes, that is a picture of Jesus and His sacrifice for you.”
The words struck him hard and tears welled up in his eyes and goosebumps ran all over his body. Then he got up, said goodbye, and ran. The next four nights came again, and each night he said, “I can’t wait, I have to come back now to read more of the Holy Book in my own language.”
When the week was over, the young man fell to his knees and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Thank you for your hard and tireless work in translating the books of Moses into Turkmen. Your work is not in vain.
Effie Campbell translated
4th June 2026
A sorrow so great
„Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”“
Hebrews 13:5NIV
Asbjørn Kvalbein said this in a devotional: The greatest sorrow parents can experience must undoubtedly be when teenage children reject their parents’ love, cut off contact with them and go out into the world to live a wild life. One father expressed himself this way: “It has been so long since my son left us that I no longer recognize him!” Another father said: “I entered my son’s room. As soon as I opened the door, the stench of alcohol hit me in the face. The son was lying drunk in bed, and his mother was kneeling by the bedside. She was caressing his hair. Then she turned to me, tears streaming down her face, and said: “This is the only time I get to show him that I care for him. When he is sober, he doesn’t want me to come near him.”
A pastor also had the sorrow that his other son left home for the wild life out in the world. The door to the boy’s childhood home was always open for the boy. Time and again, the father forgave him and stood with open arms to welcome him. The other son in the house once said to his father in irritation: “If that were my son, I would throw him out!” - “Yes, I would have done that too. But now he is not your son, but mine!” God also has great sorrow in his heart for his lost children. Many of His sons and daughters are lost. How long has it been since you have been in contact with your heavenly Father? He longs to hear from you.
„As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; “ Psalm 103:13NIV
„ … whoever comes to me I will never drive away. “ John 6:37NIV
„“...If you seek him, he will be found by you;...“1Chronicles 28:9NIV
Effie Campbell
3rd June 2026
Crop – Fruit
„“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. “
John 15:5NIV
We read in John 15:2 and 5: „He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.“ (more fruit)
No fruit – fruit – more fruit – much fruit. Don’t these words bring more possibilities for each branch on the vine? Only those who bring forth and bear much fruit glorify the Father. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. ” John 15:8NIV
What kind of fruit does God expect to be found on the branches? He tells us this in more detail in Gal.5:22-23NIV: „But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. “
Notice that it says: “fruit” and not “much fruit”. It is only one bunch of grapes, and all the new beautiful qualities are necessary to bring out the true and glorious image of Christ.
“The Trumpet for Christ” Effie Campbell translated
2nd June 2026
On the Rock of the Word
„“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. “
Matt.7:24NIV
Benny Hinn
In Matthew, Jesus mentions the two houses. The wise man built his house of life on the rock, and when the storm came and the floods rose, it did not fall but stood firm because the foundation was laid on the rock. Building your house on rock is hard work and sweat runs from the hard work of cutting into the hard rock.
It is the same in the spiritual realm. The rock is the Word of God, the Bible. It takes time and is hard and tiring work to “dig” into the Word, but it pays off. The devil ravages us. He also knows the Scriptures, and he hurls accusations and criticisms at us. If we know a few scriptures by heart, he can be driven back, just as Jesus also shows, and then the storms cannot hit us, because we stand firmly on the rock, the Bible. “Yes, you may have been saved once, but you have sinned many times since then,” he may say. Then you must answer him again with Hebrews 9:12NIV: „He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. “
“and not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, he entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Eternal is eternal.
“Yes, but you are not equal to the law, you are under a curse,” he then replies. „ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law ...“ Galatians 3:13NIV, you then answer again. “So I am neither under a curse nor under the law. And I have received the righteousness of Christ as a gift: „God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. “ 2 Cor.5:21 and „Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! “ 2 Cor.5:17NIV
You should not be afraid, because Jesus is with you forever, whether you feel it or not: Matt.28:20b: “… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”“
The Bible is full of promises. Some have mentioned 30,000 promises and they all have their yes and amen in Him. Just listen: „For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. “ 2 Cor. 1:20NIV - „so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. “ Isaiah 55:11NIV
Jesus has been given all power and all strength and they are found in his name: „Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”“
Jesus has been given all power and all strength and they are found in his name: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” Matt. 28:18-20NIV
Memorize these verses and give yourself time to read the Word every day. Then you will stand firm when adversity and storms rage against you.
Effie Campbell translated
1st June 2026
The Power of the Blood of Jesus
„But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. “
1 John 1:7NIV
Bjørn Bergmann
The blood of Jesus is my subject and I could talk about it for hours, but today I will just mention six sentences about it. For the blood of Jesus speaks and it speaks about many different subjects. In Hebrews 12:24 it says that Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant and that his blood speaks more clearly than the blood of Abel. And the blood of Abel speaks, for it is written: „The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. “
Genesis 4:10NIV
1. The blood of Jesus cleanses. „“
„that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. “
2 Corinthians 5:19NIV. Jesus was made sin for us. He took all the sins of the world upon Himself and gave us His righteousness. Isn’t that a wonderful exchange? „God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. “ 2 Corinthians 5:21NIV He is the Advocate. He speaks through His blood. Jesus has done everything that men may be saved by faith. There is only one sin that excludes us from the kingdom of heaven, and that is unbelief. „about sin, because people do not believe in me; “ John 16:9NIV
2. Heaven is open now. Once a man was to preach a sermon to an afternoon meeting at a camp. The people had just eaten lunch. There were three steaks, four potatoes and a lot of vegetables in their stomachs, but they had not had any coffee when they were supposed to have it for their snack and now they were so incredibly tired that they sat nodding their heads in sleepiness. It is no fun to be the one who has to speak in such a situation. But this speaker knew how to do it. He came up to the podium and shouted: “Hello! Does anyone like the spirit that now reigns in here, the spirit of sleep? Well, no. Well, I think we should drive it out! Let us stand up and sing praises to God!” It helped. Sometimes we also hear people complain that heaven is locked when they pray. But that is not true. The Bible says: „by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, “ Hebrews 10:20NIV We walk along a living way. I always keep that in mind when I stand on escalators or find myself in an elevator. You do nothing yourself but are carried up to where you are going. And the heavens are open, we walk under an open sky!
3. Hostility is gone. God is no longer angry. There is no longer any wall between Jews and Gentiles, or between different churches and congregations. How wonderful! The devil has long deceived believers and made them waste their time in futile discussions among themselves about different doctrines instead of using their energy and time for evangelism. „But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,“ and „For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. “ Eph.2:13-15 and 18
4. The power of the blood. The blood of Jesus speaks of the breaking of the power of sin. „For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. “
1 Pet.1:18-19NIV. A man once said to me: “My grandfather has a tendency to this and that, and my father had it too, and I have inherited the same weakness myself. It runs in the family.” What nonsense when it comes to believing people. For we read clearly and explicitly before that we were redeemed by the blood of Christ from our infirmity, which we had inherited from our fathers. There are people who preach a bloodless and social gospel, but then the message becomes dry as wood. There is no sap and power in the message. No, I hold to the old gospel. It proclaims that we are born into a new family. We have come into a new bloodline. Here we find no bad paternal inheritance or bad genes.
5. The blood says that the children of God are heirs. We are joint heirs with Jesus. (Rom. 8:17). In the blood of the covenant we are heirs. „For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. “ Heb.9:15NIV Some say that we inherit nothing until we go to heaven, but that is wrong. Nor have I ever heard of any man who had to die before he could receive the inheritance. No, when the one who gives the inheritance dies, the man whose name is on the inheritance document receives the inheritance. And so it is in the spiritual realm. Jesus had to die first. „In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, “Heb.9,16
And we receive a large portion of the inheritance while we are still here. „But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “ Matt.6:33NIV.
6. The devil is defeated. Jesus’ victory is our victory. „They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. “ Rev.12:11NIV. Jesus’ victory is our victory. He took our sins upon himself, and we received his righteousness in return. It is a good and wonderful exchange. „When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. “ Col.2:13-14NIV Sin is forgiven, the debt is paid.” Effie Campbell translated
26.1.2014
Evangeline Booth
26th January 2014
WHO WAS IT THAT KISSED ME?
“Dear friends, let us love one another,... " 1.John 4.7
See video of Evangeline Booth
Evangeline Booth stood outside a court building and watched various prisoners that came out of there. A moment ago she had heard someone in there shouting, squalling and swearing, and now she saw a feisty looking woman being led out of the courtroom accompanied by six police officers. Two went in front of her and two others behind her, while two held in her arms. The woman struggled to get free. The clothes she had on was torn and full of holes, her hair was woolly and bristly, and her filthy face was clotted with blood. What could she do for her?
Evangeline knew there was no time to preach to her. It would be a crime against her to give her money, and to sing for her would be useless. In a minutte this woman would be far away. Powered by a sudden impulse Evangeline ran onto this dirty, cursing and ugly smelling woman and kissed her.
The woman slipped her hands loose and searched with a wild expression the field with her eyes." Who was it that kissed me?" She shouted. "Who kissed me? Nobody had done that since her mother died."
She raised her torn apron to her face and burst into heartbreaking tears, and as a mild lamb she followed the officers into the wagon, which drove her to jail.
Some days after this incident Mrs Booth went on a prison visit to see the woman. Her face was now clean, and she now looked quite handsome. She looked at the stranger and asked, "Do you know who kissed me?"
Then she told Mrs Booth her life story. "When I was a baby my father died, and when I was 7 years old my mother also died. She died in a dark backyard in a poor neighborhood. When she was dying she called to me, took my small face between her hands and kissed it and said: "My poor little girl! O God, be merciful to my little girl and take good care of her!"
From that day until now, no one has kissed my face until the other day."
Then she asked again: "Do you know who it was that kissed me?"
Evangeline Booth replied: "It was me."
She told this lost woman of God and how he loved her so much that he was willing to die for us on the cross, where he wore all our offenses. He was wounded and disabled, so that he could save everybody from their sins.
This was something completely new. The woman had never imagined that Jesus loves so much. She opened her heart to Jesus, and before she got out of prison, she had also learned many other prisoners to love Jesus.
All this happened because Evangeline Booth kissed her. Fantastic, and what a beautiful and good deed! Evangeline Booth was the daughter of the man who founded the Salvation Army, William Booth.
Let us show our fellow human beings our love and learn the many unhappy and broken people that God truly is a God who saves sinners.
E. Campbell translated
25th January 2014
THE WAY - ALSO INTO THE THIRD MILLENIUM
"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believs in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
The way is a messiah-description, which is used throughout the Bible, from Abraham to Moses, from the Psalms of David to all the prophets. The Patriarchs and the Prophets spurred the Israeli people to follow the path and not deviate from the way. When Jesus came as the living Messiah, he said: "I am the WAY! "Therefore followers of Jesus in the New Testament did not name their faith Christianity, but the Way. There are many passages in the book of Acts, where the Christian faith is called, "The Way" and "the way of God."
Jesus is the Way, and not the roadside. There is good reason to warn against the 2000 hysteria and their deviation from the Way. The world needs the Gospel of Jesus, not the many oddities, tall tales or Christian laws.
An example of the essence of the gospel is the Apostolic Creed and John.3.16.
The creed reads: "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
And John 3:16 reads: "For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believs in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Jesus and the apostles also warned against false prophets, the false Messiah, the Antichrist, and other aberration in the last days. The so-called Christians waves from the U.S. Also knock on our doors in the Nordic region with all sorts of weird stuffs
What is from God puts Jesus in the center and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God come in the flesh, while all that is false deny Jesus.
The great danger, where "chosen" Christians are being misled, Jesus and the Apostles connect with the Jews and their reception of the false Messiah. Jesus said, "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him." (John 5.43 )
The false Messiah, which the Bible calls "the Antichrist" will sit in the temple of God.
The believers must follow the Way, preach the Gospel and show Jesus' love and friendship to all.
In the Hebrews, Jews believing in Jesus were in danger of going back to animal sacrifices in the temple and reject Jesus' sacrificial death as the only foundation of salvation. They had already been warned not to tread on the Son of God and hold the blood of the covenant unholy, and again crucify the Son of God ( Heb. 10.26-29 and 6,4-6).
Animal sacrifices in the Old Covenant could not take away sins (Hebrews 10, 4)
Only when we stick to the Way, Jesus, we avoid falling into the ditch in those last days.
Aril Edvardsen, "Troens bevis".
E. Campbell translated
24th January 2014
SAME RELIGION AS THE OLD BY BLOOD
The then known persons representing materialism and atheism, Professor KW, Mr HB, Mrs KD and several others had announced with a large anti- biblical lecture at Viktoria Hall in Stockholm March 19 - .
After the lecture, the word was given freely to the audience.
The hall was crowded to bursting point, most of them godless people. Then Professor W. Rose to the pulpit, and people clapped eagerly to honor him. He confirmed once again that there was not a single evidence that Jesus ever existed. The only thing people relied on, in terms of the historical Jesus was something that Josephus had written down, but this turned out to be a forged supplementary document, and therefore there was no longer any evidence that Jesus ever existed.
Then the word was given free to all. An elderly man stood up. He father wore the distinctive red jacket of the Salvation Army. The moderator watched him scornfully as did quite a few others of the audience, who shouted that they had not come to a Christian revival meeting, and therefore it was best that the old fellow kept silent. But he demanded to speak since they had advertised it, or did they fear their counterpart? So they let him speak. With clear and powerful voice, he said:
"It seems to be a matter of great concern and distress with these professors and this science. How does the professor know that Jesus didn't exist?"
The professor said mockingly: "Well, how do you know that he lived?" And even more condescending the audience chimed: "Well, how do you know? "
But then the old man thundered : "Should I not know that Christ is? Should I not understand?"
"We demand proof! Give us proof!" Someone shouted from the audience and from the podium.
" Yeah, I will give you proof" he replied with a resounding voice." I am a proof myself that our precious Savior lives. Some years ago I was the most shabby drunkard in Stockholm. I drank and used every penny I could get my hands on on booze, and when i became drunk I ended up in the detention at the police station. From there I was sent to the judge, and since I was unable to pay the fines, so I had to back to prison. But hardly I was outside again until over and over I repeated this miserable cycle, from the pub, to the court and imprisoned and so on back to the pub. I signed up for every possible and impossible temperance society and took a sacred pledge after another, but the problems just got worse. I sank deeper and deeper into a bottomless misery.
“But then one day in my deepest despair I met the Lord Jesus Christ, and he liftet me with his pierced hand out of the muck and purified me with his blood. And since that day I have been saved and preserved in the faith, and I have been a hard workin, valued and useful citizen since then. Should I not know better than anyone that Christ exists? "
There was a complete silence in the hall, and everyone seemed to be moved by this personal testimony. After a long pause Mr D. B. Was given the word, but it was not easy for him to maintain his usual arrogant attitude when it came to spiritual matters. He noted:
" Ladies and gentlemen, if I had to think about religion – obviously that will hardly happen - but nevertheless if it was occur for me to think of such a thing, I would want to have the same religion as the old man by the blood!"
It was obvious that the testimony had also hit him.
" ...and when I see the blood, I will pass over you." Exodus 12.13 or as it says in a Swedish Bible: "And the blood shall be a sign unto you to salvation!"
E. Campbell translated
23th January 2014
NOT OUTSIDE BUT INSIDE !
They stood on a street corner and discussed. One was a man of faith, and the other was active in politics. The latter was convinced that the party he represented would be of greater benefit to people and society than all Christianity and belief in God.
The politician came with one argument after another and became more and more eager in his view of things: "You do not change the social conditions in this world by going around and preaching about a possible eternal salvation! It is here and now that we need changes and improvements that can stem corruption and rottenness, and that can create equality and justice for all - and make it possible for everyone to live a decent life ... "
As soon as he had said this a very dirty and tattered homeless man past by. The politician, who by now was really worked up, observed the man and said, "Take for instance that man. Society has failed! Our political program can save men like him: We will provide new clothes for such people!"
Then the man of faith answered: "The Gospel works the other way round. It gives new people to such clothes!"
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
2 Cor. 5.17 NIV
"Tro & Fakta" No. 6/ 1997.
E. Campbell translated
22th January 2014
THE BIBLE - THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
That's the name of it - and it's contents!
The Bible is a divine book. The words are full of spirit - God-breathed!
Paul:
"All Scripture is God-breathed"
2 Tim. 3.16
I believe everything that is in the law, and what is written in the prophet.( Acts.24,14)
Peter:
"For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
( 2.Pet. 1.21)
Prophets have pondered and searched when they prophesied what the Spirit of Christ showed them. (1.Pet. 1.10 - 12).
People have written down what they got from God. How far does human thoughts go in this? Find the answer in the parable that the Bible itself set between the Word and Jesus! Joh. 1.1 and 1.Joh. 1.1 etc.
As surely as Jesus was true man, yet without sin, the Bible is true human, yet without fault!
Jesus was God and man in one body - the Bible is divine and human in one volume!
Just as Jesus was different from us - the Bible is different from all other books. The true humanity of Jesus was, among other things, that he was born by a woman, the son of man. He may have resembled his mother immensely. He was tired and hungry and tempted, but God was his model, "Father, if it is your will ... ?"
The true human of the Bible is among other things-, It bears the mark of the period and of the writers who have written. However, always guided by the will of God : "For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets"
2 Pet. 1.21
"The Bible through the ages" V. Munch.
Effie Campbell translated
21th January 2014
HOW DO WE FIND GOD?
"...no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Joh. 3.3 NIV
There are many who do not know what it is to be born again, nor what rebirth truly means in the life of a human being.
Being born again is more than merely to accept Christ in your consciousness and your mind. Even if you live a "decent" and a morally irreproachable life where you live and behave the very best you can on your own, then it is not and will never be enough for wether you make the so-called "small sins" or large, you are still a sinner on the road of perdition. "... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..."
Romans 3:23 NIV
When a child is born, the proud parents announce this great news far and wide. This newborn child starts a life in a world that is totally new to it. When a sinner is born of God's Holy Spirit - reborn - we also bring the happy news to others. The newborn “child of God” also enters a world that is new to it - a new life. The heart and the mind is totally changed, he or she has been given new wishes, a new setting and meaning of life, new interests and new thoughts.
Imagine, a life of victory over sin, and peace instead of strife and temptations! What a marvelous life!
Perhaps you ask, "How can I experience this new birth? "You must turn away from sin and come to God with the intention fully to give him your life. Simply pray the Lord to forgive you and save you.
When you are born again, then you will know it. The condemnation has gone.
E. Campbell translated
20th January 2014
SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS
"And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them."
Mark 10.16
Fanny Crosby was born in New York ( 1820-1915). Just six weeks old she lost her sight and was blind for the rest of her life. 12 years old she went on a blind school, where she stayed for the following 23 years, first as a student and later as a teacher.
Fanny Crosby wrote more than 2,000 songs. The impact Lina Sandell had on the Nordic region Fanny Crosby had for the English-speaking countries.
The song "Safe in the arms of Jesus" was written 30 april 1868. Fanny tells that on this particular day one well-known music artist, W.H. Doane wisited her.
He brought along with him a new melody, which was missing a text. When he played the song for her, she said : "This tune says: Safe in the arms of Jesus."
After a while Fanny went for herself to be alone and in silence. She then remembered an incident that she had been told two days before. On a street in New York, which swarmed with people there was a mother with her child and they came into this great human multitude. In this congestion the child lost his mother and the child began to sob fiercely and was completely inconsolable right to the point when it again lay in his mother's arms.
There in the arms of the mother it was safe and sound – here the weeping seized. This one small everyday incident became a picture for Fanny Crosby of how human beings can only be safe in one place, in the arms of Jesus!
Twenty minutes later, Fanny handed the music artist lyrics to this song, "Safe inn the arms of Jesus." Doane wrote it immediately, and the original text has never been changed since then.
You can hear the song on the following link .
"Safe in the arms of Jesus."
E.Campbell
19th January 2014
ARE YOU IN TROUBLE
If you are in trouble, then hook you on this promise from God: "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."
Isaiah. 41.13
E.C.
18th January 2014
MY GOD DIED
" Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
Joh. 15.13 NIV
That was what my God did for me at Calvary. There he paid for my sins, so I do not have to pay with death, which means being separated from God forever, lost.
Throughout history, there are many who have been appointed as God, but where is the God who died for you, he, who, when the wolf and the bear came, fought to the death? No, they were only hired workers.
My God died - but he lives! On Easter morning, he was raised from the dead, the tomb is now empty, the living, who were to keep watch over him, were like dead. Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords - he lives!
This is what we will testify just as clearly and simply as Paul, when he testified for both young and old, "that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
Acts 26.23 NIV
We must never evade the blood because "and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
Heb. 9.22 NIV
How it is difficult to understand why there are so many who decline the offer that Jesus gave to each of us, which was completed when he broke the power of death on Easter morning and rose from the dead. Will you accept His gift, a brand new life, even a life of abundance?
E. Campbell
17th January 2014
WHERE IS THE LAMB?
Genesis 22.7
Everything was ready for the sacrifice, but "where is the lamb?" Isaac Asks his father, Abraham. We have good reason to pass the same question on to many people today.
Nations have their gods, Islam has its prophets, Israel has its laws and worship of God, but where is the lamb?
And all the nominal Christians in the West, they often have everything in order. They are baptized, and sometimes they come to worship and communion, they have a God, a God up in heaven - but where is the lamb?
They have no lamb. They have never had a moment, not one moment when the Lamb of God, the slaughtered Lamb became their lives, their salvation and peace - all of their Christianity.
That is why they are lost in everything else. For only in the Lamb there is salvation. Only in the blood of the Lamb there is atonement and access to God. And in heaven with God himself all is about the Lamb. The song up there is "the song of the Lamb ," the bride is "the Lamb's bride" and the wedding is the "marriage of the Lamb."
Revelation . 15.3 and 19.7
You expensive soul - is the "Lamb of God" your only access to heaven. Otherwise you'll never get there.
The Lamb that was slain, is Jesus Christ. Jesus said:
"I am THE WAY ... No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14,6
Believe in him and let him guide you.
E. Campbell
16th January 2014
NOW JUST A WORD FOR JESUS
The chorus of one of Fanny Crosby hymns reads:
Now just a word for Jesus,
’Twill help us on our way!
One little word for Jesus,
Oh speak, or sing, or pray!
Yes, it is as true as it is said. If we say a word about Jesus, then it may be for the salvation of someone, often perhaps without our knowledge about it.
So it was with the English speaker Spurgeon. He was to have a sermon in the Crystal Castle in London for a large crowd. Before he had to go live on the podium, he would like to know how his voice sounded in this huge hall. The day before the sermon he went into the hall and stepped up to the podium and said loud and clear the following words: " credible is the word and worthy of all acceptance For Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
1 Tim. 1.15 NIV
Spurgeon uttered these words two times and then turned back home. He was convinced that the audience would hear him .
Then 25years later. One of Spurgeons employees were then asked to come on a visit to an old laborer, who was dying.
" Are you prepared to die," the preacher said.
" Yes, the Lord be praised," replied the patient happy, and so he began to tell how he had been converted, and his face was beaming with joy.
"I was a skilled laborer occupied with laying lead roofs. Many years ago I worked under the dome at the Crystal Castle. Back then I was not a believer. I lived my life without God and without hope. I thought I was alone in the building, but then I heard a voice loud and clear that I almost thought came from heaven, saying: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”
These words convinced me that I was a sinner and that God is merciful. I learned to trust in faith in Jesus, and from this day I have only built all my hope of salvation on him."
E. Campbell
15th January 2014
THE CHALICE
An old story from Scotland tells of an old man sitting at the altar of worship and felt unworthy to participate. He sat there and felt miserable and in such sad state of mind, that he dared not participate in the remembrance of the Lord's death on the cross.
During the aisle he saw a very young girl burst into tears. She then passedd the chalice without drinking from it. Suddenly, all his fears vanished, and he whispered clearly to the girl: "Drink from the chalice, my friend! It is for sinners!"
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
Joh. 6,54 NIV
E. Campbell
14th January 2014
THREE WORDS FOR THOUGHT
Some years ago I sat in a bus that drove through London's city streets. During the trip, I noticed a man who swept the streets. He had a big sign on his back. The sign read: Without God - no hope.
In the north of Scotland I became aware of an embroidered image on wall in an ordinary living room, which read: "prepare to meet your God."
Back home I found the same word in the Bible in Amos 4.12.
Once I saw the following sentence in a Danish teacher's Bible: This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you away from this book.
Effie Campbell
13th January 2014
ENDURANCE
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
(Hebrews 10.35 to 36 NIV)
Impatience, discouragement and unbelief can hit people so hard that they resign and let their hands fall down because they have prayed and labored for the Lord so long, and it turns out to be fruitless. They are tempted to give up.
When we feel like this we must cling to the word of God, which helps us and says, "So do not throw away your confidence" There is a real danger of throwing away confidence, and thereby lose what God has promised to those who believe.
Yes, we need endurance to do God's will. Jesus says in Luke 21.19: "Stand firm, and you will win life.” Bible calls endurance for a commandment.
Thus we read in Revelation 3.10: "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial”
Daniels prayer.
Daniel had to wait 21 days before the answer came, but from day one, after he gave his heart to seek Gods wisdom and humble himself before God, his words were heard (Daniel 10:12). But he had to struggle in prayer against "the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”( Eph. 6:12) , but the "prince of the Persian kingdom" resisted 21 days, but then came "Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me" (Daniel 10:13). Not until all obstacles had gone God granted his prayer - there had to be a struggle in prayer first.
Jeremiah's prayer.
Jeremiah had to wait for 10 days before the answer came, when people begged him to ask the Lord to show them which way ought to go and what to do.
Abraham's prayer.
Abraham had to wait many years for the promised son, Isaac. "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations...Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
(Rom. 4.18 to 21 )
God's answer to perseverance in prayer also in our days.
A female missionary had a brother who was not saved, and it troubled her deeply. However, he was an alcoholic. One day she read in
2.Mos.10.26: "Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind."
“Not a hoof is to be left behind." She repeated this and got such faith in this word that she thanked and praised God for this promise.
The letters that was sent to her the following months only told how sad his brother's condition was, and in the last letter the message was that now his condition had deteriorated significantly.
However, the missionary didn't let this throw her off balance, and still she praised God for the promise she had in his word. Then one day there came a letter with great news. The brother had been saved, and all his craving for alcohol was gone.
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
(Galatians 6:9)
12th January 2014
INVITATION FOR A WEDDING
A pastor's wife once told me this story:
There was an old man who dreamed that he died.
The angels came and carried him up and carried him thus into heaven. Jesus himself received him, and many people who had gone home before him flocked to him and welcomed him.
The old man suddenly remembered one person that he did not see anywhere. " Where was George ?" He asked.
Then Jesus eyes was filled with tears. "No one has invited him ," the Savior said.
"Oh, please give me permission to go down to earth a short moment, so that I can invite George! " the old man said.
The moment he woke up. He ran immediately to the hot-tempered and irascible blacksmith, to whome almost nobody dared to talk.
"I greet you from Jesus and invite you into heaven, " said the old man.
At first the blacksmith became angry, but guess what , it ended up that he received the invitation and began to walk on the Heaven Way.
You cannot say that you are not invited to Jesus. But today he sends you once again a new greeting: "Come to the wedding banquet”
(Matt. 22.4)
You are invited to an eternal celebration and salvation . Do you know how often the word "come" is repeated in the Bible? An avid man found out that the word "come" occurs 479 times!
Einar Lyngar . E. Campbell trans .
11th January 2014
Verily JESUS COMES
Matt. 24.32-33
Have you ever experienced a winter that never came to an end? It felt like spring would never come.
Perhaps this is why Jesus chose to use exactly this picture to assure us that he is indeed coming.
"“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”
Matt. 24.32-33
Early in March, while we still wear coats buttoned up to the neck, and while we still have to go on ice and snow that we see a tree with bulging green buds, and we feel a little warmer because knots clubs tells us that spring is imminent.
Jesus knows this feeling. He longed for spring. And he promises that he will come back for us, just as unerringly sure as spring follows winter.
E. Campbell translated
10th January 2014
PROVE IT
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Mat. 7, 24
A painter, who traveled around Switzerland was stopped one day by some inspectors who demanded to see his passport. "I didn't bring it with me," he said, "but my name is Doré." "Prove it," said the inspectors. They knew this famous artist name, but were not sure that it was him.
Doré took a piece of paper and drew a sketch of some peasants who were nearby. This he did so outstandingly well that the inspectors had to admit: "It's OK. You are Doré."
The world does not care about our oral testimony. We need to show that we are Christians by our lives and our actions.
E. Campbell translated
9th January 2014
Almost persuaded now to believe;
Almost persuaded Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say,
Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.
Almost persuaded, come, come today;
Almost persuaded, turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are lingering near
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wanderer, come!
Almost persuaded, harvest is past!
Almost persuaded, doom comes at last!
Almost cannot avail;
Almost is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—
Almost, but lost!
P. P. Bliss.
Press here to here the song
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
Acts. 26, 28
Bliss wrote both lyrics and tunes to some of our songs. He was born in 1838 in North Pensylvania in a godly home.
His interest in music was awakened already at the age of 10. About this the story tells: One day as he strolled along the way he heard music that he had never heard before. He stopped - a door was ajar and he went inside. Soon he was standing by a door that opened into a sitting room where a woman was playing on a black wooden box with black and white " buttons " (piano ) . When she was finished he shouted enthusiastically : " Play more, please play more! "
After working a few years of farming bet he solely turned on the music and started at a school where he could train in music.
14 years old, he came to personal faith. He now lived in Chicago and was a Sunday School teacher there. Here, his musical talents benefitted him particularly well because he wrote songs that the children understood and could sing. When Moody became acquainted with this young music virtuoso he urged and supported him to accompany him on his meeting tour around the country.
However, his working day was short because he died in 1876 in a railroad-accident with his wife, just two years after being hired.
Bliss was often captivated by a particular word or a particular phrase, which he heard in a sermon. The serious song, "Almost persuaded" Bliss composed after hearing a sermon about being an almost Christian, almost on the way to Heaven - and yet not to be with.
Has this song spoke to you?
You can hear the song by pushing this link
F. Campbell translated
8th January 2014
DO YOU TURN DOWN?
A gang leader in the United States were arrested some time ago. He was very hard of hearing, so he had to go with a hearing aid. Every time he was wheeled into the courtroom and his case was treated, he muffled the sound of his hearing so that he heard nothing of what was said.
No one could understand that he was so calm and that nothing seemed to touch him of what he argued. Then came the last day on which his case was to come on. This was the day in which he was to be sentenced. As he approached the courtroom, he turned down the volume so that he could not hear. Then the sentence was passed. He was condemned to death in the electric chair, but he heard nothing of what was said, so he was quite unaffected by the circumstances.
When the day came that he was to be executed, the guards came after him. He was quite calm. He did not know where they were going. But when they arrived and he noticed the electric chair, he was quite beside himself. He yelled and screamed like mad, because now it occurred to him how stupid he had been, because he would not listen and therefore had turned down the hearing aid.
God calls on us in many ways, and he uses every opportunity, because he loves us with an everlasting love. God can call you through another person, a hymn, a treaty or any other Christian literature. If in your heart you feel a warm alluring force and you have a desire to be good and pure, then it is God who is calling you. If you, while you 're having fun with others, feel that everything is empty and worthless and you are overwhelmed by a longing to be free of sin, which only inhibits and binds, then it is God who calls.
Al longing for the good comes from God. He would like to get in touch with us. But quite often we are like this abowe man. We turn down and do not want to hear. So he will have to send hardships, sickness, sorrow through a close family member's death, so that close relationships are interrupted.
Do not turn away from him, do not screw down. He only wants the very best for you. He wants to fill your life as a Christian. And soon he comes back, and takes you back home with him, because you are the heir to his Kingdom. (Jak. 2.5)
E. Campbell
7th January 2014
I WAS NOT DIVORCED - BUT SAVED!
After being married for 15 years - we had at that time a 14 year old son - I was misled by the evil tricks and wanted a divorce from my husband. The final papers had been handed in, and I already had plans for a new marriage. But inside me everything was in turmoil and in total chaos. Then something happened, something that was nothing short of a revolution: I received Christ!
Laila Heimli tells: "3 days before this revolution in my life, two believing women met in the city. One of them was my mother in law. She told the other that I and my husband, Kari, had split up and that there was no longer any hope for our marriage. But the other answered, "Yes! For God there is nothing impossible. Let us immediately pray for Laila and Kari!"
So they went together in prayer for us, and the burden was heavy on them while they stood there in Bergen city center.
Three days later I was invited to a meeting at a congregation. Such a thing as attending a Christian meeting was totally new for me, and I was very much in doubt. Anyway - after a conversation in confidence, it ended up that I agreed to go. At that time I did not understand that it was God's Spirit that worked in me.
At this time there was a bible verse that spoke to me. The reason was that our 14 year old son went to the pastor while we were separated, and one day he came home with a New Testament. On the front page there was a greeting and a reference to a scripture. I was curious and came up with this scripture in Rome. 13.8: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another" NIV
These words both intrigued me and tormented me and made me feel that my situation was even more messy.
When I was at the meeting and heard the song and testimony this evening, I was so moved that I just could not hold my tears back. A servant of the Lord came gently towards me and asked: "Are you unhappy, my dear friend?" - "Yes," I stammered out through my tears. - "Do you want us to pray for you tonight?" - "Yes, please!"
That evening, I gave Jesus my heart. I did not understand much of what happened, but a miracle happened, a salvation miracle! This is the truth. Oh, how unbelievable and wonderful to be allowed to fall on your knees and become small and receive the Savior's forgiving grace!
As soon as I got the chance, I told my mother what had happened. My new life gave me the courage and desire to share what I had experienced. Kari was very surprised. He was equally unknown about Christian life, just as I had been! Yet, despite the fact that he was not able to follow me on the road of faith right away, we both got through this a new perception of life and of each other. We cut off the connections we had with previous relations and started a completely new life. All honor and thanks belongs to my Lord and my God!
I got to start all over again - both as a wife and mother, in a brand new home, and now we are building on faithfulness and show each other confidence. And you who are reading this testimony, let me tell you that my husband has now chosen the Heaven Way. I 've been prayed and waiting for this for 17 years, and all the believers have also prayed! To God belongs the glory. In October 1997 we held 40th wedding anniversary. Thank God !
Our family was blessed with a precious daughter, exactly a year after I was saved. As a gift from God, she came to us. Today, 1998, our daughter is also the mother of our two grandchildren, and for all this we thank and praise Jesus, our precious Savior.
Yes, conciliation and reconciliation and a new start that is the will and ways of God! However, in cases where this is no longer possible, then the Word of God is at any rate unwavering - also for you:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:”
2 Cor. 5.17 – 18 NIV
(also reconciliation ministry, both to God and the Father and between us humans.)
TF - magazine
E. Campbell translated
6th January 2014
THE RIGHT CHOICE
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matth. 7,13-14 NIV
Every day we are faced with choices, whether we are to choose this or that. When we are out doing our shopping the question is often: what would be the bestt to buy now, the cheapest or the slightly more expensive and better?
But there are also times when we are faced with choices of far greater importance, which may have serious consequences if we do not choose the right way. God has given us the choice whether to go the broad way that leads to hell, or the narrow road that leads to heaven. There is "no middle ground", as is so often asserted. Here it is either – or.
"But how can I know what is right?" Many do say. "There are so many religions and many different Christian churches. How do I know which of these has the right teachings?"
Jesus said to Pilate, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
John. 18.37
Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" V. 38
He stood actually opposite to him who said "I am the way and the truth and the life" ( John 14:6 ), but Pilate "Wanting to satisfy the crowd" (Mark 15.15), and therefore he gave up Jesus to the crowd to be crucified.
And while he( Pilate) “sat on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him and let say," Stay out of this righteous man . For I have the night had many bad dreams because of him . "
Matt. 27.19 NIV
God had warned him, and several times he(Pilate) had said to the crowd that he found no fault in Jesus, but nevertheless this prefect chose wrong. He was more afraid of going against the people than to go against the will of God.
Everyone can find God, just by searching him with all your heart. This is stated in Jer. 29.13 and in Matt. 7.7 Jesus says to us: "seek and you will find;"
So there is no excuse to choose wrong. Therefore, walk the narrow road that leads to heaven.
E. Campbell translated
5th January 2014
THE WORLD'S MOST MIGHTY POWER – PRAYERS
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
Luke 18.1
This is the parable that Jesus himself told us that we always have to be persistent in prayer, and not faint. Luke 18.1
Some years ago there was a couple in Sweden, who had a half-grown son. One day he had an errand to a neighboring town. It was winter, and when the boy had left his parents he fastened his skies firmly and left. The hours passed by, and the mother became increasingly worried because her son did not return. She opened the door again and again to see whether she could see anything outside. But no. The evening came, still nothing and now everything was dark. The boy had not yet come back. The following morning the father went out to search for his son along with the village men. The search was done very thoroughly and they searched everywhere, but in vain. The boy was not found.
It is always tragic to lose a child, but it gets many times worse when you do not know what kind of death, you child had had.
One day the husband says to his wife: "I am desperate to know what has happened to our son and what kind of death he has had. Therefore, every morning when you pray your morning prayer, you must ask God to show us the death that our son has been given. I will do exactly the same. Like this the same prayer will come to God's throne twice a day. This may take time, but you must not lose faith.
The years passed. In fact there were 7 years without anything happened. God had not given them what they had asked for. One day the husband says to his wife: "From now, we will also carry this prayer to God in our evening prayers. Then the same prayer will come to God's throne 4 times a day. We must endure in prayer, like the widow, then God's answers will come, this Jesus has promised us."
So they prayd faithfully the same prayer each morning and each evening. How many years went by like this, that I cannot remember, but one day God answered our prayer. The weather was so good that the husband had dragged the boat out of the boat shed.
He was to go out on a lake near here to fish. This was in the spring, the sun shone on the blank and calm lake. All of a sudden the father becomes aware of something on the bottom. He then throws the fishing net down and pulls it up. He finds out that it is a human skeleton. He threw the net down several times to get it all up and noticed that there was a fragment of a sock on one leg. On the verge of this sock he read very clearly the sewn initials of their son. His wife always used to sew the name on the socks. 'Then it was all quite clear for the father. The son had wanted to take a shortcut to the neighboring town and had gone off gliding over the lake.
The ice had not been thick enough and had given in, and the son had drowned. All these years he had been there and had long ago dissolved, but part of the socks with the initials, God had left intact to the parent that had been so persistent in prayer to know what death, their son had got. The father folded his hands and thanked God for hearing them. Yes, verily, God is in full great, and he hears all prayers. Do not be discouraged, but be persistent. Then you will get God's answers.
Effie Campbell
4th January 2014
The story of the song: "There is might in the small folde hands"
Press this link to hear the song
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
Matth. 7,7-8 NIV
We let the author Trygve Bjerkheim even tell how this song came to be.
Some years ago I sat in Forbundsshallen in Oslo one Sunday morning and heard a young missionary speech. One phrase he used, I wrote down. " The strongest superpower in the world at all times is the front with small folded hands."
The small decorated card with this phrase was in my French New Testament, and so it was that I was constantly reminded of these words by seeing them again and again. I wanted to write a song about that phrase, and thus it worked continuasly in my mind.
2 - 3 years later - or maybe 4, I woke up one night and came to think of the words of " the strongest Superpower " - the folded hands. When the phrase, “ There is might in the small folded hands."
There was a verse, a chorus and one more verse. I was almost finished with the song before I turned on the light and wrote them down. These verses were then printed as a small poem in the yearbook of the Mission-Union in 1955: " Deeper Down". They fit in well with the cover photo - a little chinese girl standing with her head bowed and holding her hands together in prayer.
When this book came to Dronningborg College in Grimstad early in 1956 teacher Haugen discovered this little poem, and he soon after that got a tune that matche the poem. This tune made the song widely known. But the song has 3 verses. A little later a retired officer from the Salvation Army, Colonel Linderud, turne up at the office in Mollergata 19.
Han sagde, at han var blevet så glad for digtet og havde skrevet en melodi til dette og spurgte så, om han kunne få lov til at bruge teksten til denne melodi.
Det fik han naturligvis lov til; men så tilføjede han: ”Min kone og jeg ville ønske, at du digtede et vers mere, hvor du medtog forældrene, der beder for deres børn.” Jeg lovede at forsøge. Da han var draget videre, nedskrev jeg et nyt vers: ”Du som be'r for dit barn, dine kære-.
He said that he had become very fond of the poem and that he had written a tune for this. Then he asked if he would be allowed to use the poem-text of this song. Naturally, he was allowed, but then he added: " My wife and I wish you wrote one more verse in where you included the parents who pray for their children." I promised to try. When he had gone on, I wrote a new verse: "You who pray for your child, your loved ones...”
Colonel Linderud came by again a few days later and then got this new verse. That was the last time that I saw this strange man. Shortly after that, he was with his wife and visited some old friends in Egersund.
Before he was supposed to leave the house for a meeting at the parish hall later this evening, he sat down and relaxed a little in a deep armchair. Suddenly his head fell backwards, and he passed away. After the funeral a large memorial service was held, and the song was sung with his melody.
E.Campbell translated
3rd January 2014
AN ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY OF A YOUNG STUDENT
"You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived" (persuade) Jer. 20.7 NIV
A young student in the USA was on his way home from the university. Along the way he entered a hotel. The host turned towards him and said:"Sorry, but we only have one room left, and it is located right next to a sick room. A young man is dying in there and there is only a thin wall between thoes two. I do not know if you like it?"
"Well, that doesn't bother me," the student replied. But when he went to sleep, it was impossible for him to fall asleep. The groaning of the sick and the nurse's footsteps back and forth could be heard very clearly.
He could not fall asleep. A strange uneasiness fell over him that made him ashamed. He was known as a free-thinker much to the dismay and sorrow for his parents. His father was a priest and had been looking immensely forward to the day that his son would become a priest. He still remembered his father's deep sorrow and his mother's tearful prayers when he last time he was home on vacation told them that he did not believe that there existed an afterlife.
The unrest plagued him, but he could not let go of the thought that on the other side of the wall, there was someone who was soon going to die - and what, if there should be something after death? What had Ellison thought if he had seen him in his present state of anxiety? Ellison was one of his friends at college. It was particularly his views and convictions that had caused him to be a freethinker. Well, what would he think? - "It is foolish. I have nothing to be afraid of," he said to himself.
On the other side of the wall the plaintive sounds of the sick had now become weaker and weaker. Eventually total silence. But this young student still could not fall asleep. The night seemed to be endless. Finally, it was morning. When the student came down he asked the host how things were with the sick.
"He's dead, poor thing. The doctor had actually said that he would not survive the night,"was the reply from the host.
" Do they know who he was? " the student asked. - "Well, it was a student from the High School in Providence, he got sick on his journey," said the host. It gave a jolt to him, because he went at the same school. "What was his name?" - "Ellison," the host replied, "did you know him?"
This young man was as stunned. It was his friend, the friend who had brought him to deny. Many hours had to pass before the student could stand to move on again. All the way home was this repeating sound inside his heart:"dead - and how? - Lost, lost!" His whole conviction and thought of existence was now totally overturned. He came home to his parents, completely changed - heartbroken, challenged, in anxiety and depressed by guilt. His old man had a gratifying task the following days to tell him about God's promises until his son found peace in believing in Jesus. This son was later to become one of the previous century's greatest missionaries: "The apostle, Burma". His name was Adoniram Judson.
"You deceived me, LORD, and I was deceived" (persuaded) Jer. 20.7 NIV
E. Campbell
2nd January 2014
THE ENTRANCE OF TEMPTATIONS
It was very interesting to read of the Age of Chivalry in world history. Back then many of these men made great fortunes, and for that money they built themselves castles. Times were troubled, and therefore they had to think of defending themselves and as good as possible. Many of these knights therefore built castles on an islet or small island in a small lake. They used a drawbridge to connect the castle with the mainland. In this way they could keep the enemies at a distance, because when the enemy approached the castle they only had to raise the bridge, thus preventing the enemy free passage. Like this he could be standing there on land without having to worry. - He also made the walls very thick. But perhaps the most important thin was the windows. Those he made very small. Therefore, it was very difficult for the enemy on land to hit these small windows with their arrows.
Have you ever thought that the human body is just like such a castle? The windows of the castle are the eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Our enemy is Satan, and he always aims to send his arrows through the window openings to damage and destroy our soul. And he has succeeded with this many times.
Through the eyes TV and video images enter, which in large part deal with adultery, murder and brutality. This is corrupt and rotten food for the soul. Rarely it is far from thought to action. What people see, they also often do in their daily lives. "When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1.13 to 15)
Or this to let his eyes linger on someone else's spouse. I think there are many people who can talk about this, even King David, who was tempted by Bathsheba, Uriah 's wife. Like this David despised the word of God and did what displeased God with many unpredictable and far-reaching sorrows as a result of this ( 2 Sam. 11 and 12). So Satan succeeded in shooting his destructive arrows through David's eyes, and he fell.
Job was more cautious.
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.
“If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door, then may my wife grind another man’s grain, and may other men sleep with her. For that would have been wicked, a sin to be judged. It is a fire that burns to Destruction; it would have uprooted my harvest."
(Job 31.1 . 9-12) . NIV
Through the mourth, Satan sends his deadly arrows in the form of intoxicating drinks. A secular saying goes, " When the beer comes in, reason goes out." And it is correct. People can be drunk to do things they would never dream of doing if they had been sober. But God also has something to say about these substances that deplete the body and destroys creation.
"Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple." ( 1 Cor. 3.16 to 17 ) NIV
Through the nose young people do sniff, and it can be fatal. It paralyzes the respiration and can cause sudden cardiac arrest. It is sad to see young people lie in bed without being able to eat or do anything that young people who may be cared for as diaper children due sniffing. Yes, indeed, Satan has luck.
The last window, we mention here is the ears. We must not listen to bad advices and temptations from our fellowmen. Similarly, there are also music which is both harmful and destructive.
There is help to get if we repent, yes, we have full redemption, God showed us His love in Jesus. His blood cleanses from all sin. We are purer than snow (Psalm 51.9 ). Sin will be lowered into the deepest sea (Micah 7.19 ) and Corrie ten Boom used to say : " A sign with the words " Fishing prohibited "hanging over there. So these sins will never again return and accuse us someday. The sins will not come to God's thoughts again.
Yes, you must understand, for he says of King David, who was a murderer that took someone else's wife, that he was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13.22 ). So great is God's forgiveness. You get a new beginning, a new life, the old has gone (2 Cor. 5.17 ). Does not that sound great ? But then you must also come to him, repent and ask for forgiveness.
Effie Campbell
1st January 2014
BIBLE VERSE IN OUR MODERN AGE?
Isn't it oldfashioned to learn Bible verses by heart today? However, many parents and teachers have told how Bible verses have been a blessing to their children.
In Copenhagen I taught a children's ring with appx. 20 children. One day a girl came to me and told me about the importance that a Bible verse had for her. " At my school I often recite the verse from John. 6.37: Jesus said " ... All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
She had seen the value in the fact that she could always come to Jesus.
We have seen that children have attended only a few times in the children ring, but that they had learned a bible verse back then that later bore fruit. People whom we met later in life, still remembered the Bible verses they learned as children in the ring.
Kresten says: "I could cite many examples, but I will restrict my self to mention only one example. One day I was at a car dealer. There was a "Hells Angel type” in black leather clothes and with a long ponytail. He looked at me a few times, and then he said: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke. 19.10 NIV
I smiled at him, but he noticed on my face, how amazed I was.
"Yes," he said, " I've met you once before. You spoke to a family worship, and you taught all in the church this verse." - I was pleased to hear that and I knew that I had not only taught them the Bible verse, but I also carefully had explained to them the context so that the verse could strengthen them, when the audience later in life were in need of the Word of God. "
A mother says the following: "Last summer we were at a family camp. The children taught the kids a memory verse from the Bible. Lea was just 4 years. The 4 days we were there, Leah did not say a word, but when we got home, she said : “because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Hebr. 13.5 NIV
How I was happy, touched and grateful because she had remembered the word of God.
I would recommend anyone who has contact with children in their work, to teach the children memory verses, for it is God's truth. Teach them even a few memory verses a year, so that they stick in their memory.
"Focus on the child ."
E. Campbell translated
