Erling Thu

Category: Biblical teaching

  • But me?

    As I have been reading in my new Common English Bible I have had many nice surprises as new expressions are catching my attention. This is one of the greatest joy of reading a new Bible translation. The word comes alive again and again as new phrases are jumping of the pages and touching my heart.

    One of those expressions that caught my attention, as I am reading the Psalms, and caused me to think is "But me?" I am used to those places where the psalmist is saying "but I will thank the Lord" etc. I am used to the psalmist is saying "but God", but I have never before noticed this phrase: "But Me?" But me, with a question mark?

    The psalmists are often describing their difficultiies, hardships and challenges they face in their life. They are having opposition and are surrounded by enemies and evil people who are wanting to kill them. Or they are fighting their own depression and the deep darkness of their own soul. They are encountering every aspect of human life and experience. They are real people struggling real problems. But me? There is a contrast with the situation and the people that surround the psalmist, but the questionmark open up for uncertainty.

    But me? Yes, what about me? Do I have a choice? Can I determine myself the outcome of my situation? Am I in control? Can I make a decision? How do I react to this hostility? How do I respond to the challenges that are facing me? But me?

    "But me? I will see your face in righteousness." Ps 17:15

    "But me? I walk with integrity. Save me! Have mercy on me!" Ps. 26:11

    "But me? I will sing of your strength! In the morning I will shout out loud about your faithful love because you have been my stronghold, my shelter when I was distraught. Ps. 59:16

    "But me? My prayer reaches you, LORD, at just the right time. God, in your great and faithful love, answer me with your certain salvation!" Ps. 69:13

    "But me? I will hope. Always. I will add to all your praise." Ps. 71:14

    The circumstances may vary, they can be difficult or very challenging, easy or boring, but I am never need to be a victim of my circumstances. But me? I can rise to the challenge. I can respond to hostility in forgiveness and love. I can overcome any hardship. I can turn my circumstances from being stumbling blocks to be stepping stones to take me a cross the raging river. The circumstance do not matter, what matter is how I react or respond to what is going on around me.

    But me? That is the BIG question!

  • Fear God or honour and love him?

    As I have been reading in the Psalms every morning in my new Bible, the Common English Bible, I have noticed that many places it speaks about those who honour God. I had not noticed this expression before and came to realise that it in older, more traditional translations, those verses do not speak about honouring God at all, but about fearing God. Here is some examples:

    Psalm 66:16

    Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. (NIV)

    All believers, come here and listen, let me tell you what God did for me. (Message)

    Come! Listen, all you who are loyal to God! I will declare what he has done for me. (NET)
    Come close and listen, all you who honour God; I will tell you what God has done for me. (CEB)
    All you lovers of God who want to please Him, come and listen, and I will tell you what he did for me (Passion Translation)

    Most of my English Bibles are talking about those who fear God, but four versions are using different words: Believers, those who are loyal to God, those who honour God and those who are lovers of God and want to please him. I love these four different renderings better than the old traditional ones. I think they explain what it means to fear God.

    I think all of us understand that the attitude of fearing God is a very positive one. God is so great and awesome that we fear him and bow down in worship and pay respect to him. When we fear God, we will trust him and believe his promises. When we fear God, we will be loyal to him and give him our undivided devotion and commitment. When we fear God, we will honour him and pay respect to him by our words and deeds. When we fear God, we will love him and always want to please him in everything we are and do.

  • Ten reasons to attend apostolic conferences

    Good reasons to attend the apostolic summer festival ”Lys og Salt”:

    1. It is always beneficial to attend a gathering when called together by the apostles. There will be an impartation of apostolic and prophetic vision and anointing.

    2. It is very important to receive apostolic and prophetic teaching, to receive direction from God that we may work together to advance the Kingdom of God.

    3. God has always arranged for the covenant community to come together to celebrate His goodness and to worship Him together as a people. It is very pleasing to God to dwell together in peace, harmony and unity.

    4. The annual gatherings for the larger covenant community, is creating a sense of belonging and of having a common destiny in God.

    5. When we are part of local churches, house churches or smaller fellowships, will the larger gatherings, on a regional or national level, give us important and fresh impulses, encouragement and strength.

    6. It will help the people of God to understand that they are part of something bigger than just the local church, that they are part of an apostolic work and a great mission outreach towards many nations.

    7. The reports from what God is doing in other parts of the world will build faith and inspire to local Kingdom of God initiatives.

    8. The children and young people will benefit from good programs and even more important be able to form new friendships with fellow believers that could last for life.

    9. For young people it is an excellent opportunity to build healthy relations, which even could lead to godly marriages. Two of our children found their spouses in such gatherings.

    10. The many different practical and spiritual seminars and workshops will in a specific way equip people to serve the purpose of God in their generation.

  • The season of the Branch

    We have entered into a new season of the Spirit. A new
    outpouring of the Spirit is already in the way. We are seeing signs of the dawn
    of a new day and a new season of the powerful moving of the Holy Spirit. This
    move of the Spirit will be centred on Christ, the Branch.

    The Branch is a prophetic image of Christ that we find many
    places in the Bible and the Spirit is bringing this prophetic to the forefront
    of his move among his people in these days. The Branch is an image of dynamic
    life, growth and expansion. It stands for new life shooting forth, budding and
    sprouting among the people of God in these days.

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  • You are a prince of God among us

    I have been reading in Genesis recently and was struck by the words used as a title of this entry. These words were spoken to Abraham when he approached the Hittite elders to buy a burial ground for Sarah, his wife who had died.

    Abraham was a stranger and a foreigner among the Hittites. He was sojourning in their land. He was a Hebrew – a man from beyond. He did not belong to any of the etnic groups of the land of Canaan. He had no property. He had no house to dwell in. He was not part of any city or community. He was only sojourning in the land God had promised to give to him and his decendants. He had no public function or position among the people of Canaan.

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  • God is able

    This morning I read, that God is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or image, according to his power that is at work within us, in Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

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  • Tithing and legalism

    A few days ago two good young men visited me in the house in the forest to talk about tithing. They had been practising tithing for many years, but now they had reached the conclusion that tithing was not a biblical principle. Tithing was no longer a practice they had to follow as believers who lived in the grace of the new covenant. The main reason for reaching this conclusion was their personal experience of a legalistic way tithing had been taught and practised. And of cause they had read some books saying that tithing no longer applied to Christians. We had a very good talk about tithing and generous giving, but we reached no common agreement on the biblical ground for the practise in new covenant communities today.

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  • Prophetic flowers

    If you have not read my previous post on the white anemones that cover the ground at our place in the forest I suggest that you read that entry before you proceed to read about prophetic flowers.

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  • A powerful name

    In the Book of Acts, which I have been reading the last few days, the name of Jesus Christ has a very prominent place. The early Christians were strong believers in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Therefore they saw signs and wonders take place in that powerful name.

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  • Proclaiming the risen Christ

    I am reading the Acts at the moment and I have been encouraged by discovering how central the proclamation of the risen Christ is for the early Christians. The apostles were bold in proclaiming that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. It seems to be their focus every time they preach or explain why they are doing what they are doing. The risen Christ seemed to be their reason for everything they did and said.

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