Erling Thu

Category: Learning

  • COMPLETE TURN TO A NEW LIFESTYLE

    Repentance – the starting line and the lifestyle

    Repentance is an old Christian word for the start of the Christian life. For some people repentance is very dramatic, with major upheavals, but for others it is a process that can go on for a long time. Repentance can look very different. Personally, I did not have a dramatic conversion when I said yes to the call to follow Jesus. I scarcely understood what it involved. But I had to make the choice!

    The dramatic consequences have come afterwards for me. For repentance is not a one–off experience. It is a lifestyle for the rest of your life. It is an exciting life of ongoing change.

    Repentance is the starting gun for the Christian life – and the key to understanding how a Christian goes on living. Without real repentance, there is no lasting transformation. The Bible calls repentance part of the very foundation of the Christian faith (Hebrew 6:1). As a house rests on a solid foundation, a Christian life rests on clear repentance. A weak foundation crumbles; a strong foundation carries.

    To turn around means to deal with sin and turn to God. It is a new way of thinking that produces new behaviour and a new lifestyle. The call sounds out: “Repent … get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit … Repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30–32). In Thessalonica “they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess 1:9). Paul preached that both Jews and Gentiles “must repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20).

    Why repentance is necessary

    The whole human race needs it

    Since Adam, sin and death have marked humanity (Rom 5:12). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Jesus does not begin with a list of outward breaches; he goes to the source: the heart. Desires, thoughts and attitudes expose us (Matt 5:28; 15:18–20).

    The core of sin summed up:
    • My will over God’s will
    • Self–interest before love of neighbour

    Pride and selfishness make us believe that we know better than God and are more important than others. The result is guilt and distance from God – a gulf we cannot bridge ourselves.

    Common misunderstandings

    • Being born in a “Christian country” makes no one a Christian – just as being born in a garage does not make you a car (John 1:13).
    • Rituals cannot save (Gal 3:2–3).
    • Good works cannot buy us free; salvation is by grace (Eph 2:8–9).

    Who then can be saved? “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:26–27). “No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again … what is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:3, 6–7). How does that happen? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son … that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We enter God’s kingdom by believing in Jesus – and by repenting.

    An honest look back at the old life

    The Bible is realistic about what does not belong to God’s kingdom: “sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry … hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, envy, drunkenness and the like” (Gal 5:19–21). Before Christ we were “dead in transgressions and sins”, shaped by the spirit of the age and by “the ruler of the kingdom of the air”, and we followed our desires (Eph 2:1–3). The wage of sin is death (Rom 6:23) – but in the gospel God intervenes, raises us with Christ and gives us new life (Eph 2:4–6).

    Self–examination – let the Word shine: Read 2 Tim 3:2–5. Ask the Holy Spirit to point to what causes trouble in you: selfishness, love of money, boasting, arrogance, disobedience, ingratitude, lack of love, unwillingness to forgive, gossip, lack of self–control, brutality, indifference to what is good, treachery, hot–headedness, conceit, loving pleasure more than God, outward godliness without power. What do you need to deal with now?

    A simple prayer for freedom:
    Lord Jesus Christ, you know me. You know that I have struggled with … (name it specifically). I confess this as sin and turn to you. I believe that through your death and resurrection you have overcome sin, death and the devil. Forgive me. Be Lord in these areas. Fill me with your Spirit and give me strength to live a new life. Amen.

    Be honest with a mentor/friend about what God points out. Openness makes help possible.

    Leaving the old kingdom – and entering God’s

    The Lord is “God of all the kingdoms of the earth” (Isa 37:16). His kingdom stands above all cultures and systems; to place our culture above God’s kingdom is idolatry (cf. Isa 60:12). Scripture has shut everyone up under sin, so that the promise might be given through faith in Christ (Gal 3:22). In Christ we are God’s children; we have “clothed ourselves with Christ” – differences in status and background lose their power (Gal 3:26–28). Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20).

    As citizens of God’s kingdom, we respect the authorities (Rom 13:1–7; 1 Pet 2:13–17), but we break loyalty with every lifestyle that goes against God’s will. In God’s kingdom it is God who decides, and his will is clear in Scripture.

    Temptations – a test of loyalty

    Read: Luke 4:1–13.

    To be tempted is not sin. Jesus was tempted – therefore we will be too. After his baptism and the fullness of the Spirit he was led into the wilderness and met the devil’s offers of power and glory (Luke 4:6). The core of the temptation was: trade your loyalty for control and glitter. Jesus said no – and worshipped the Father alone.

    We are tempted in the same way: to seek control, recognition and comfort at the cost of obedience. Ask honestly: Which values govern me? Have I carried old priorities with me into the new life? Repentance means putting God’s kingdom first.

    Who is in control?

    Read: Eph 2:1–10; Matt 10:32–39.

    Without Christ no one is truly free; we think we are in charge ourselves, but are driven by forces we cannot see (Eph 2:2–3). Even Peter gave way to pressure and denied Jesus. In the same way we can be paralysed by our surroundings, by fear and by the need to fit in.

    Jesus says plainly: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven” (Matt 10:32). The way of salvation is to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth: “Jesus is Lord” (Rom 10:9–10). Opposition will come, but you are not alone. Jesus is with you – and his people stand around you. Make the decision: I will follow Jesus, openly and clearly. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Acts 26:20).

    TOOLS: LIVING REPENTANCE IN EVERYDAY LIFE

    Personally (this week):

    1. Pray Ps 139:23–24 every evening: “Search me, God …” Note one concrete adjustment for the next day.
    2. Write your confession: “Jesus is Lord over …” (name a specific area). Read it aloud to God each morning.
    3. Memorise Rom 12:2: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind …”

    Small group / family:
    • Share briefly: Where did you experience a “no” to the old lifestyle / a “yes” to Jesus this week?
    • Read Luke 4:1–13. Identify temptation strategies (bread/power/glory). Pray for one another with the laying on of hands for strength to say no and yes.

    Church / ministry:
    • Make a “starting path” for newcomers: four evenings on repentance, faith, baptism, discipleship.
    • Offer prayer and counselling after the service: dealing with the past – forgiveness – a new start.

    When temptation knocks at the door (60-second plan):

    1. Stop (take three deep breaths).
    2. Say aloud: “It is written …” (Matt 4:4) – use a verse you know.
    3. Move physically away from the trigger.
    4. Call/text a travelling companion: “Pray for me now.”
    5. Thank Jesus for the way-out God always provides (1 Cor 10:13).

    SAYING

    Repentance is not just a bend in the road – it is a new direction with new speed.

    PRAYER

    Father, thank you that you call me home.
    Jesus, I confess you as Lord. Turn my heart fully towards you.
    Holy Spirit, show me what must change, and give me strength to walk in the light.
    Let my “no” to sin be clear, and my “yes” to Jesus be daily.
    Shape me into a person who bears fruit in keeping with repentance.
    Amen.

  • A life of discipleship is contagious.

    The most important choice in my life I made when I was fourteen: to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Now I have passed 80 years and have regretted many things I have done, but that choice I have never regretted. Being a disciple has not always been easy. The life of discipleship can be warm and difficult, with successes and setbacks, highs and lows, both encouraging and challenging at the same time. I have experienced all this firsthand. At times I have been deeply distressed and frustrated, on the verge of giving up. But Jesus has never let go of me. He has never given up on me, not even when I truly made a mess of things.

    Even though I have grown old, I still spend much of my time with young people. They often ask about the secret behind still being enthusiastic about Jesus and living with an expectation of his intervention in my everyday life. “How can I live a sustainable life of discipleship?” they wonder, and, “How can I live a meaningful life?”

    In this book, I want to share with you some of what has been important to me and what has carried me through crises and challenges. The call I received as a fourteen-year-old was simple: “Follow me!” said Jesus. I began to follow him without fully knowing what it meant. In the Gospels we hear that Jesus called twelve disciples so that they could be with him, and so that he could send them out to preach and have authority to heal the sick and drive out evil spirits. The first call to follow Jesus and be with him became a call to be made into a fisher of people, empowered and equipped to do his works.

    My life as a disciple has lasted nearly seventy years. Now I want to pass on some of what I have learned to new young generations of Jesus’ disciples. This book is newly written but is based on teachings I wrote about twenty years ago. Those teachings have been translated into many languages and published widely and have proven to be sustainable. But I am still a disciple who continually learns more about what it means to follow Jesus. A life of discipleship has great horizons. It is not a quick fix, but lifelong learning. That is what makes it exciting.

    About twenty-five years ago I met Rahesh. When I saw him, I was filled with love for him. I looked into his eyes and said: “I love you! You are also loved by God!” He collapsed and broke into tears. He then told me it was the first time anyone had ever said they loved him. He embraced the love and became an eager disciple. Everywhere he went, he told people about God’s love expressed through Jesus Christ, who went around doing good and healing people of all kinds of diseases.

    One day he witnessed to Raj about Jesus, who could both forgive sin and heal the sick. But Anil was not interested, because he worshipped his Hindu idols. After some time, something dramatic happened in his family. His mother, who was diabetic, developed gangrene in both feet. She was admitted to the hospital. The doctors said both legs had to be amputated. Anil was devastated. The idols gave neither him nor his mother any help. Then he suddenly remembered what Rahesh had told him about Jesus.

    He contacted Rahesh and challenged him: “If your Jesus can heal my mother, then I will believe in him and become a disciple!” That same evening Rahesh took a friend and went to the hospital to see Raj’s mother. It was the last moment, because the next morning the doctors had scheduled the amputation of both legs. Rahesh and his friend laid hands on her and prayed a simple prayer in Jesus’ name that the gangrene would disappear and that she would be completely healed. Then they left, without being able to see any change in the gangrenous feet.

    Early the next morning, before the amputation was to take place, Raj visited his mother at the hospital. To his great surprise, the gangrene had disappeared, and she was completely healthy. She needed no amputation and was discharged and went home healthy later that day. I have met them and had this story confirmed by both. Raj gave his life to Jesus and became an eager disciple. More than anyone, he has put the teaching of discipleship into practice. His motto is: “When I have learned something new, I must do two things: practice it and share it with others. That is obedience-based discipleship.”

    When I visited Jaipur in 2023, Raj came with seven people whom he lined up before me and said: “Here are seven generations of disciples who win and train new disciples.” He told me they were all active in preaching the gospel, praying for the sick, making disciples, and training them to do the same. There they stood before me—seven generations of disciples where the gospel had passed from one to the next.

    I do not remember all their stories, but all of them had encountered the living Jesus Christ who had saved and transformed them. The newest Mohan had been a witch doctor practicing magic. Many came to him for help with their problems. But there was no peace in the home. He and his wife argued loudly and fought fiercely. Ankita lived in the neighbourhood and reached out to them, telling them about Jesus who could save and give peace in the home. They longed for peace and accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. Ankita prayed for them and set them free from the demons that tormented them. This happened during the COVID pandemic, so Mohan began calling his relatives who lived 3000 km away. Many were touched by his testimony and came to faith. Mohan now disciples many house churches of new believers, whom he trains to preach the gospel and train new disciples—through his mobile phone. He is no longer a witch doctor practicing occult magic, but part of the growing discipleship movement Jesus started.

    This text is from a book I am writing now to inspire and equip individuals, house churches, and congregations to be part of this worldwide grassroots movement. God is pouring out his Spirit on all people in our time. Young and old, boys and girls, men and women are today being used by God to fulfil the mission: to live a contagious life of discipleship!

    Discipleship is a life of lifelong learning. Some disciples have only just taken their first steps. Others have walked long on the disciple road. All disciples are unique and different. We are at different stages in discipleship. Therefore, this book can be used in many ways. You can read the chapter’s most relevant to you. Or you can use this book as a tool, a guide to help new disciples. The possibilities are many, and the ways of using it vary greatly.

    But the teaching is dynamite. It has the power to transform people. In the book there are sprouting seeds for good change in both individuals and communities. A life of discipleship is contagious.

    (To protect my friends in India against persecution I have changed their names.)

  • Trying and failing

    To move to a new blogging plattform is to enter into unknown territory. It is quite challenging. Everything is new. I am struggling to find my way. It is not easy as I have to unlearn the old ways og my previous plattform and learn a complete new way of doing things. It is flying from one universe to a completely different universe. I have migrated from one world to another world.

    As this is a new world to me, I have a lot to learn. Hopefully my grandson, Jonathan, will be able to help me along. He has some knowledge of this new universe and will hopefully be able to teach me how the WordPress universe functions. Then he will have to enable me to manage my blog effort in such a way that I will be able to develop a community of friends with my writings.

    In the meantime, I am trying and failing at the moment as I am exploring this universe on my own. However, I realize, I really need someone to guide me.

    I also realize that new believers need someone to come along side them and train them in living a new life from the inside. New believers are leaving an egoistic and individualistic life style behind as they are entering into the Kingdom of God. This kingdom is totally different. The thing that matters now is the relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, and with his covenant community.

  • I consider your prophecies to be my greatest treasure 

    Psalm 119.11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

    This is also a word that has followed me from my youth. I have experienced what the psalmist is talking about. Therefore, I have written this truth in one of the first pages of my Bible: This book will keep you away from sin, or sin will keep you away from this book. There is a deep truth to this.

    When we store God's Word deeply in our hearts, we will be led and motivated by the Word to do what is right and good and to avoid that which is sin. With the Word of God in our hearts, we will be aware of what God wants to do for us and through us. When the word of God dwells in our hearts, we will know God's will and be able to choose the right path when we have to make choices.

    (more…)

  • Liberating the moment

    To be somebody

    is to liberate the moment

    from the dullness of being taken for granted

    It is to avoid the temptation

    to capture the moment

    through a camera

    to print it on paper

    but rather to enjoy the moment

    for all its worth

    liberating it from memories of the past

    by embracing the new moment

    arriving every second

    I am somebody

    when I live in the present

    enjoying the ever flowing Spirit of Grace

    who enables me to give thanks in all circumstances

    taking hold of opportunities

    and letting go of past failures

    as I embrace the moment of God's presence

  • Looking with new eyes

    To be somebody
    is not only to explore
    virgin territory or unknown places
    but to look with new eyes
    – look from new perspectives
    – look with new perception
    – look with new expectancy
    – look for new insight
    to the old and known world
    to discover the virginity
    and the hope for a new beginning
    in the midst of corruption and decay
    and than seize the moment
    to make history
    in our own little world
    knowing that the great achievements
    is the sum of all the small deeds of faith

    By faith we can see
    the impossible become possible
    and the invisible become visible
    and the world changed to a better place

  • Treading new paths

    To be somebody is to tread new paths

    To be somebody is to know:

    – there are still paths to be made

    – there are more paths to be discovered

    Even in the midst of setbacks when the darkness covers everything

    To be somebody is to do great things, but not in the old ways,

    – looking for new places – new areas

    and new administrations of my gift

    treading new paths of blessing others

  • Correcting your own mistakes

    To be
    somebody is to correct your own mistakes

    – mistakes
    long overlooked.

    It is to
    look at yourself – with new
    eyes

    – with new
    understanding,

    To correct and improve
    yourself,

    To become a
    more harmonious person,

    Removing the
    small disturbances,

    Deleting the
    imperfections expressed in your life.

     

    To be
    somebody is to be able to see your own shortcomings

    – and
    humble yourself to ask for grace and help

    To overcome
    any obstacle,

    That the
    divine image may become visible in you.

  • A historic person

    To be somebody is being a historic person

    born into history by real parents

    raised in a family of brothers or sisters

    educated in a public school system

    -but climbed above the average

    -by becoming self taught

    -in skills of life and spiritual wisdom

    Being a historic person born into history

    -not just to flow with the current trends

    -but to create new trends

    -set an example

    To be somebody is to motivate change in people

    -to change the course of history

    -by many followers

  • Life long learning

    To be somebody is to learn as long as one live

    -receiving new insight every moment

    -gaining deeper appreciation

    -going awake through life

    -enjoying the present

    -loving the people coming our way

    To be somebody is actively taking part

    -in life long learning

    -in life long personal growth

    -in life long corporate development

    To be somebody is paying the prize

    Of learning by personal change

    -of attitude and actions

    -of habits and motivation