I have been reading a revised version of the New Norwegian Bible the last few days. It is always refreshing to read new translations of the Bible and this one is no exception.
This morning I was reading in the twelfth chapter where Jesus is telling the disciples not to worry. Worrying for what to eat or drink is something the heathens do all over the world, he says. But we are not to worry, for our Father knows what we need. As long as we seek his Kingdom, our Father will add everything to us! We are not to be afraid or worry for anything, for it is the great joy of the Father to give us his Kingdom!
Therefore we can live a life of generous giving, storing up treasures in heaven. What a wonderful way to live! A worry-free life of generous giving!

To be somebody is to be worry-free
Not worrying for eating or drinking
Not worrying for housing or clothing
Not worrying for the day tomorrow
Not worrying for my good name
Not worrying for my acceptance in society
Not worrying for my appearance
Not worrying for my beauty
Not worrying for my professional career
Not worrying for my funeral
Not worrying for my car
Nor worrying for my possessions
Nor worrying for my children
Not worrying for accidents while travelling
Not worrying for terrorists
Not worrying for the persecutors
Not worrying for ridicule
Not worrying for rejection

I am really somebody
When I live worry-free
In the middle of difficulties
In the face of challenges

I am really somebody
When I generously give away everything
To follow in the footsteps
Of him who had no pillow to rest his head on

Today we finished our time together in the Pastoral Network of Bergen at Gullbotn by praying for one another and ministering in the Holy Spirit. These two days together have been a wonderful time of prayer and seeking the Lord as well as fellowshipping and having fun together. The brotherhood we are enjoying as fellow believers and servants of the Lord is really a blessed one. The Lord has commanded blessing where brothers live together peacefully in harmony and faithful love.
We have had some very encouraging reports on what the Lord is doing in our city of Bergen. The spiritual climate in the city has been dramatically changed for the better! We can see so many signs of the Spirit of God at work on different levels and in almost all sections of the city. God is really answering our prayers.
When the Lord look at Bergen, he can only see one Church, but many congregations within the one church! We believe that this spiritual fact will become a manifest reality in our city!

To be somebody is to pray
Together with your friends
Sitting in a circle
Facing one another
Opening up our hearts
Being transparent
As your pour out your soul
Laying bare your innermost being
Trusting God and your friends
To keep your personal needs
As a sacred treasure in their hearts
Before the need is being met

To be somebody is to humbly pray
For wisdom and insight for righteous living
To ask for blessing on your friends
And pronounce blessing on those who oppose you
As you humbly yourself
Asking for daily grace and abundant mercy

From yesterday morning the pastors in Bergen, that is the Pastoral Network of pastors in Bergen, have been together for prayer and seeking the Lord at Gullbotn. Yesterday we had a most wonderful time together. It was very significant to see the unity as we put things behind us and expressed the same determination of walking together in the light protecting one another from attacks from the enemy!
God is good!

We have been back home in Bergen nearly one week already without blogging from what has been going on here. It has been a kind of a busy week with a very interesting conference on men and women in ministry. The conference was arranged by Christian leaders from a large variety of churches and theological backgrounds. We had some very good teaching sessions but some of the speakers were too academic and not relevant enough. I am not convinced that the conference was relevant and practical enough to be very productive and fruitful in terms of change taking place as a result of the conference.
The subject of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is a very important one. It is something we need to look into with new eyes and open minds to find the fullness of truth in the Bible.

To be somebody
is not a matter of right or wrong
it is not a matter of having the political correct opinions
or the classical orthodox doctrine

To be somebody
is a matter of being kind
– of caring for others
– of loving in words and deeds
To be somebody
is all about forgiving
– those who persecute you
and being generous
– towards those who are different

To be somebody
is not a matter of theology
it is all about living a good life
– trusting the Son of man
who set aside the privileges of deity
and became one of us to bring us to God
ministering life to us by dying our death

When you do a favour
to those who don't deserve it
then you are really somebody