Is America a great nation?

I think it is. In many ways it is. But sometimes I think Americans confuse being a great nation with having a great calling. I believe America has a great calling. One is to preserve the gospel to be shared through- out the world. America stood against communism in the late 50’s, early 60’s and I think that was part of her calling. America helped save Europe from Hitler and the Nazism. And of course there’s been many ways America have been involved in much disputed wars after that.

Sometimes I think Americans are like the Albanians that for 48 years were told by their dictator that they were the greatest country in the world. The truth was they lived in the most severe poverty and they didn’t even know it. When Albania was liberated and people could actually go outside its borders, some people were so shocked by what they saw; they took their own lives realizing they had been living a lie for so long.

It’s not that bad here of course but America has poverty in its midst that we haven’t seen in Europe since the turn of the last century. And I’m talking about “dirt poor” people. We have them here in Phoenix and every other town in the US.

 To see something like that in Europe you have to go to countries like Romania. I have NEVER seen it in the rest of Europe and absolutely not in Sweden. I mean people with no teeth, dirty, not enough food to feed a family, uneducated etc. I’m sure my grandpa saw it when he grew up. But he was born in 1899. And there is an expression describing the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, “Dirt Sweden” meaning the poor.  

I know that when Europeans see this here, they are astounded. A rich country like America! Wow, it doesn’t look good.  Can’t they get rid of poverty? I know it’s a huge task and I don’t believe in socialism but there’s something in the system here that is not right. Not everybody is super smart and can start their own business. If you work a full day, maybe using your body and not so much your brain, you should get paid enough so you can rent a place and at least have food on the table every day.

Some people say that we can’t make it without for example Mexican’s working jobs that Americans don’t want and for very low wages. I think that whole mentality is wrong in itself and it screws up (excuse my language), the whole system. Prices and everything is based on that we have a group of people that are underpaid. Therefore some people can buy a condo for 900.000 dollars, which is a crazy fantasy price, while others can’t afford a rent of 500 dollars a month.

I’m no economist, but it seems to me that the whole system has to be revised. Not to take money from the rich, but the cost of housing etc. is not real. It’s based on false premises. And why should some people be paid fantasy salaries? How much money do you need?

Any thoughts?

A City Of Light

I sometimes hear critical voices in regards to Joel Osteen and his mega church. I love Joel Osteen, his message, the worship, everything about it. He’s preaching the GOOD news! The gospel is the GOOD news. Not the sour news. Not the condemning news. It’s the good news about being delivered from sin, condemnation, depression, oppression. Whatever is trying to bring us down in this World. We need to hear who we are and what we are in Jesus Christ. We already know about our faults and short comings. We need to hear what Jesus wants to do through us and in us.

Here is what you have to understand. The world is watching. Take my home country Sweden for example. When the average Swede thinks about church, he thinks about a very quiet, very traditional, kind of dead and boring church. Old hymns, old fashioned style of music and a very small congregation of mostly elderly people. That’s what he has experienced in the Lutheran church, maybe at Christmas or at somebody’s funeral. When he sees or hears about a church like the one in Lakewood he is blown away. It’s mind boggling to him or her that something like that would even exist.

And in Sweden still, like in most countries in Europe, we don't have any Christian radio or TV on our national channels. Because of cable and satellite Christians can now choose to see Christian programming. But it doesn't reach non-Christians. Here in America people are so spoiled with the easy access to the Word of God in the media and it saddens me sometimes when it's taken for granted.

I belonged to a very charismatic, full of life, non denominational church when I lived in Sweden. But most people consider the so called free churches to be way over the top and not the norm.

As an example, I had some non- Christian friends over from Sweden and I wanted to take them to Joyce Meyers conference when she was here in Phoenix visiting. I tried to tell them that we have to leave early because there’s going to be a big crowd. They would joke about it saying –“are we going to sing some hymns” etc. Even though they know that I have never belonged to a church like that, that was still the picture they had in their minds. When we got there and could hardly find seats they couldn’t believe that so many people wanted to hear this woman.

Or take Benny Hinn for example. There’s a lot of controversy around him here in America. But take a country like Albania for example. They were proclaimed the “first atheist state” by their leader Hoxha and they lived under oppression and dictator ship for over 40 years. When they were liberated in the early 90’s and a lot of people got saved, some of which came to my church in Sweden, they took the message of healing and went to the hospitals and got most of the patients healed. Here is what I know, they LOVED Benny Hinn and loved to watch his healing services on TV. They were not just watching with a critical mind, they believed and went out and did what they saw him do.

So I believe that a church like Lakewood has a mission in the world and to the world to be a city of light up on a hill as the Bible says. To make people understand that Christianity is not a small, obscure little movement, but huge and in the center of what’s going on in this World. That we are a strong power to be counting on.  Not passive, but on the offence.

Especially in times like these when Islam is aggressively on the move. We have spiritual weapons and we need to use them against the enemy. Not against each other or other ministries because they look a little different. I believe that every church has a calling to preach all of God’s word but I also believe that churches as well as people have specific callings. Joel Osteen preaches a message of hope, something this world desperately needs. When I came to Jesus, I didn’t come because he was condemning me. No, through His grace He delivered me! The Bible says that His grace leads us to repentance. This was me when I came to the Lord:

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
    be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
    and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.For your Maker is your husband,
    the Lord of hosts is his name;and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
    the God of the whole earth he is called.For the Lord has called you
    like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
    says your God.For a brief moment I deserted you,
    but with great compassion I will gather you.In overflowing anger for a moment
    I hid my face from you,but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord, your Redeemer”. Isaiah 54:4-8

Let us enjoy all the different gifts in the body of Christ and let God speak to us through whoever he chooses!

The Holy Spirit

I'm re posting this message because I think it's key for our time and for our life's as Christians. I haven't lived this for a long time. (Not the way I used to, anyway). I still speak in tongues and have that power in my life, but I'm not in a place, (and I'm talking about my personal life), where I feel like I'm changing the world around me. My first years in Stockholm after I got saved I believe that I was part of a transformation of the city around me. I was influencing my neighborhood, we were out preaching on the streets all the time. I knew I was a different "species" where ever I went. In the grocery store, on the subway, at my job.  When we were flowing out of the church after a service, we were glowing and we were overflowing of God's love and peace and joy. We many times went to McDonald's next door and we brought heaven to that place. Totally. I need the power of the Holy Spirit to love the unlovable. Even to love myself and those closest to me. I can't love in myself. But when the love of God flows through me, that's true love. And it's unconditional. I need to draw from Jesus and be filled over and over again and never think that now "I got it". No, he's grace is new every morning. I need to tap into His river of life every day and every moment for it to work in my life. As soon as we start to produce or reproduce what we know to be right we create religion. We now have religious behavior instead of the abundant life Jesus died for us to have. I don't claim to be anything but a believer that love Jesus and wants to see His kingdom come, but there may be people out there that struggle with this. Maybe you're in a church that doesn't teach this and you wonder why it's so hard to live the Christian life. We're not supposed to live it in our own power or abilities, but in His power and  under His grace. Here's my article again about the Holy Spirit.

Many Christians think that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is just about speaking in tongues and to them it seems odd and not something they want to be part of. It IS speaking in tongues but it's also most of all an ability to just get lost in the spirit. To shout and worship from your spirit in a way that can't be expressed by human words. To express the inexpressible. And I think it makes it easier to give yourself completely over to the Lord and His will. It’s simply to have more of the Lord in your life.

If you're not baptized in the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord to fill you with the signs of speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues will help you stay filled with the Holy Spirit. The tongues can be used in many ways. To me personally it's mostly a prayer language where I can pray out things that I don't even know about in the spirit. I also worship in tongues where I speak to God about His greatness and His love and His wonderful plans.

It’s a wonderful gift from God to us as believers that will increase our understanding of His love and give us boldness and fire for Jesus.

"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5
Christians know about the day of Pentecost which you can read about in Acts 2:1-4. Many seem to rationalize and try to imply that what happened then were just for that particular time.
Verse 4 says:
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

I think Acts is a model for how we as Christians should spread the gospel. Wherever people in Acts heard the gospel they were also baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. That's how they knew, they spoke in tongues!

"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God." Acts 10:44-46
In Acts Acts 19:2-6
"he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."

Here's what John the Baptist said about Jesus:
"I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
 Mark 1:8
than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Matt 3:11 

So it’s Jesus Himself that baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he talks a lot about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." 1 Cor 14:2
"He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." 1 Cor 14: 4-5

Many misinterpret this to say that we should not speak in tongues, but that's not what Paul is saying because in 1 Cor 14:18 Paul says: "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;"
No, he's just talking about being careful of how to display the tongues in public. I believe it can be done, if it's done in order. We used to pray strong in my church, all together in tongues, but when it came to speaking out loud it had to be done in order and the pastor was in charge of who could speak or prophesy or interpret.
"What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
1 Cor 14:15

I think being born again is the greatest miracle of all and of course it is a work of the Holy Spirit. But I believe there's MORE! We, just like the apostles in Acts need to be transformed and filled with the Holy Spirit so we boldly can proclaim the gospel. We are called to proclaim the gospel and not some sophisticated, intellectual, worldly religion. We need power! If we don't have power, the enemy has power over us.
If God hadn't transformed my life I had never set foot in a church. I had no need for conformity or tradition. But when Jesus saved me on that beach in Spain, I couldn't wait to meet my brothers and sisters. And God led me to a church where the Holy Spirit was so strong, His presence came over you already in the foyer and you couldn't walk straight sometimes.
And you were not the same when you walked out of the church as you were when you came in. An ongoing mighty transformation happened all the time.
And you can't hide in an atmosphere like that. You become transparent which may sound scary, but it's not, because the love of God is there to cover you. (Kind of like in the Garden of Eden where they were naked but they weren’t aware of it.) And when you're loved like that it's easy to love everybody. It just flows out of you.

I do believe that speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit but I also believe that it’s a sign that you are filled with the Spirit. I have never seen anybody flow in any of the other gifts of the Spirit that does not also speak in tongues. I have never seen the gift of prophecy at work for example where people are not spirit filled.

"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” " Luke 11:11-13

I also think we need the power of God more than ever to win this world for Him. His power is so much stronger than anything this world can offer. We know that, but people out there need to see it through us.

Who owns the church?

Who is the head of the church?


“And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy”. Col 1:18


“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood”. Acts 20:28


“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,”       Eph 1:22
The Bible says that Jesus is the head of the church. The church belongs to God and no man. To be a member of the church you have to be bought with the blood of Jesus. That’s the only way to get in.


The church is not a social club. You don’t have to be rich; you don’t have to be famous. You don’t have to be smart or talented. You don’t have to bully your way around to get your way. You don’t have to be a little pope. On the contrary the Bible says that God choose those that were considered nothing in the world.
(If a brother or sister treats you with disrespect you can know that they don’t have respect for God and that something is seriously wrong in their relationship with God. That was something that became very clear to me when I got saved 25 years ago, that respect for God and respect for people goes hand in hand. Unfortunately I’m as much at fault in this area as anybody else and things happen in our Christian walk that can tarnish this revelation, but I know it’s true).
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” 1 Cor 1:27-29.


At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes”. Matt 11:25
When Jesus is allowed to be the head of the church, (yes we do have a choice), there is a place for everybody. God has a unique calling for each and everyone. We may not have entered the fullness of it, but if we walk in spiritual discernment we know and respect each others calling.
“They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks. They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column”                               Joel 2:7-8
They do not push one another, every one marches in his own column. I don’t have to be something that I’m not. I don’t have to try and be like somebody else or try to take their place. I don’t have to compare myself with anybody. I can be inspired by somebody else but only to become more that which God has called me to be.
There is such a wonderful freedom in this but we can lose it in the church if we, or worse, the leadership in a church are living by their own agenda. If we have our own secret plans that are not God’s plans.


We should always seek after God’s vision and God’s plan; for our own personal lives and for the best of the church. Sure we can do it in ourselves and in our own ability but then the church becomes something else. Corruption creeps in.
What is corruption? The meaning of the word is the opposite of eternal. It’s something that is spoiled, impure and rotten. If we are corrupt, we no longer live with eternal values in our lives and we’re just like the world.
We know that corruption is bad in politics and there are countries that are so corrupt it’s everywhere; you can’t trust anybody, not even the police. It’s like a disease and very hard to deal with. We are the salt of the earth. If we’re corrupt, there’s no hope for us or the world. If we are corrupt we are offering our lives to a different God.
“The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption—the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the people of Ammon”. 2 King 23:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot”. Matt 5:13


“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires”.2 Pet 1:4
The Bible talks about Eli the priest and how his wicked sons were corrupt. They didn’t distinguish between the holy and the unholy. The Bible doesn’t clearly state this, but they probably learned their ways from their father Eli. I can picture them growing up sitting around “the kitchen table” where Eli would talk to them about the things of God and the people of God in an unholy way. It didn’t go well for Eli and his sons. The sons both died in one day just as God had said through the prophet Samuel and Eli broke his neck and died suddenly falling off a chair. Read all about it in 1 Sam 2-4.
If we don’t live in the truth, who will?
We are to be like a city up on a hill and a light that can be seen from afar.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden”. Matt 5:14
The living church of God is instituted by God. It’s His creation and His plan for this world.
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms”, Eph 3:10


“to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”.      Eph 3:21
“and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” Eph 5:27
In the book of Revelation Jesus says seven times: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The voice of God, the Truth of God here and now is to be heard in our churches to manifest His Kingdom on earth. We are one heart and one soul. If we’re not, we need to change. It’s His Kingdom, not ours.
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought”. 1 Cor 1:10
Our foundation is the Word of God. That’s where our unity is. We believe in the Word of God.
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ”. 1 Cor 3:11
We need to let God melt us down. You may be born again and a child of God, but are you broken? We have to let Jesus brake us so that we don’t have any strength of our own. We need to be poor in spirit.
“ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth”. Matt 5:3-5


I’m preaching to myself as much as I'm preaching to you. I love Jesus and I want to see His Kingdom here on earth. Don’t you?

The Holy Spirit and Speaking in tongues

Many Christians think that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is just about speaking in tongues and to them it seems odd and not something they want to be part of. It IS speaking in tongues but it's also most of all an ability to just get lost in the spirit. To shout and worship from your spirit in a way that can't be expressed by human words. To express the inexpressible. And I think it makes it easier to give yourself completely over to the Lord and His will. It’s simply to have more of the Lord in your life.


If you're not baptized in the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord to fill you with the signs of speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues will help you stay filled with the Holy Spirit. The tongues can be used in many ways. To me personally it's mostly a prayer language where I can pray out things that I don't even know about in the spirit. I also worship in tongues where I speak to God about His greatness and His love and His wonderful plans.


It’s a wonderful gift from God to us as believers that will increase our understanding of His love and give us boldness and fire for Jesus.


"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5
Christians know about the day of Pentecost which you can read about in Acts 2:1-4. Many seem to rationalize and try to imply that what happened then were just for that particular time.


Verse 4 says:
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."


I think Acts is a model for how we as Christians should spread the gospel. Wherever people in Acts heard the gospel they were also baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. That's how they knew, they spoke in tongues!
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God." Acts 10:44-46
In Acts Acts 19:2-6
"he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."


Here's what John the Baptist said about Jesus:
"I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1:8
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Matt 3:11
So it’s Jesus Himself that baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he talks a lot about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." 1 Cor 14:2


"He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." 1 Cor 14: 4-5

Many misinterpret this to say that we should not speak in tongues, but that's not what Paul is saying because in 1 Cor 14:18 Paul says: "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;"
No, he's just talking about being careful of how to display the tongues in public. I believe it can be done, if it's done in order. We used to pray strong in my church, all together in tongues, but when it came to speaking out loud it had to be done in order and the pastor was in charge of who could speak or prophesy or interpret.
"What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
1 Cor 14:15

I think being born again is the greatest miracle of all and of course it is a work of the Holy Spirit. But I believe there's MORE! We, just like the apostles in Acts need to be transformed and filled with the Holy Spirit so we boldly can proclaim the gospel. We are called to proclaim the gospel and not some sophisticated, intellectual, worldly religion. We need power! If we don't have power, the enemy has power over us.


If God hadn't transformed my life I had never set foot in a church. I had no need for conformity or tradition. But when Jesus saved me on that beach in Spain, I couldn't wait to meet my brothers and sisters. And God led me to a church where the Holy Spirit was so strong, His presence came over you already in the foyer and you couldn't walk straight sometimes.
And you were not the same when you walked out of the church as you were when you came in. An ongoing mighty transformation happened all the time.
And you can't hide in an atmosphere like that. You become transparent which may sound scary, but it's not, because the love of God is there to cover you. (Kind of like in the Garden of Eden where they were naked but they weren’t aware of it.) And when you're loved like that it's easy to love everybody. It just flows out of you.


I do believe that speaking in tongues is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit but I also believe that it’s a sign that you are filled with the Spirit. I have never seen anybody flow in any of the other gifts of the Spirit that does not also speak in tongues. I have never seen the gift of prophecy at work for example where people are not spirit filled.
"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 
 Luke 11:11-13


I also think we need the power of God more than ever to win this world for Him. His power is so much stronger than anything this world can offer. We know that, but people out there need to see it through us.

Curb balls

If life throws you a curb ball, make lemonade. Isn’t that what they say? Well, maybe not.



I just want the kingdom of God to be proclaimed and I want the gospel to be heard.


I’ve had and have some great people in my life that care and pray for me. I will never forget the love they show me. I’m forever grateful to God for them.


Why do I write all this? Because life is throwing me a curb ball. I know it’s happening to you as well. In Jesus we have victory. Don’t let the devil take away your song. Use what God has given you. A Swedish singer named Ulf Christiansson once said that God had told him to just use what he has. That’s very biblical and I often think about that. It doesn’t have to be all new and fancy. We make it to complicated sometimes. God said to Moses; -“What do you have in your hand?”


So here’s a song I sang in August at a radio interview in my home country Sweden. I made a video around it and I’m using it, hoping that you will be blessed. And that if you don’t know Jesus that you will want to know Him.
Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone!

Click on this Link

Revival

I went to see and hear Natalie Grant here in my hometown the other night. I have heard her live a couple of times before and I think she's a very talented singer and songwriter. What I appreciate the most about her though is the Holy Spirit working in her life. She truly ministers and I was very blessed by her performance. I am seldom moved by music alone but if the Holy Spirit is at work I'm in. When she sang I was truly worshipping and praising Jesus. With shouts, singing and praising in the Holy Spirit. She's spirit filled I'm sure.



There are so many Christians that think that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is just about speaking in tongues and to them it seems odd and not something they want to be part of. It IS speaking in tongues but it's also most of all an ability to just get lost in the spirit. To shout and worship from your spirit in a way that can't be expressed by human words. To express the inexpressible.


There was a little old lady sitting next to us on the bench. I started to speak to her and I could tell that she was spirit filled. And just by looking at her seeing the joy that just oozed out of her.When I asked what church she goes to she told me it was one of the Assembly of God churches in town. I knew it! After the concert I hugged her before we left and I just felt that love in the spirit between me and her, (a total stranger), that only the Holy Spirit can give. It's a total surrender to the love of God.

If you're not baptized in the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord to fill you with the signs of speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues will help you stay filled with the Holy Spirit. The tongues can be used in many ways. To me personally it's mostly a prayer language where I can pray out things that I don't even know about in the spirit. I also worship in tongues where I speak to God about His greatness and His love and His wonderful plans.

Don't miss out on a wonderful gift from God to you as a believer that will increase your understanding of His love and give you boldness and fire for Jesus.

"On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5
Christians know about the day of Pentecost which you can read about in Acts 2:1-4. Many seem to rationalize and try to imply that what happened then were just for that particular time. Still they claim to believe in all of God's word.

Verse 4 says:
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

I think Acts is a model for how we as Christians should spread the gospel. Wherever people in Acts heard the gospel they were also baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. That's how they knew, they spoke in tongues!

"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God." Acts 10:44-46


"he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied." Acts 19:2-6

Here's what John the Baptist said about Jesus:
"I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Mark 1:8
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Matt 3:11

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he talks a lot about the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." 1 Cor 14:2
"He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification." 1 Cor 14: 4-5

Many misinterpret this to say that we should not speak in tongues, but that's not what Paul is saying because in 1 Cor 14:18 Paul says: "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;"
No, he's just talking about being careful of how to display the tongues in public. I believe it can be done, if it's done in order. We used to pray strong in my church, all together in tongues, but when it came to speaking out loud it had to be done in order and the pastor was in charge of who could speak or prophesy.
"What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
1 Cor 14:15

If you are born again that is a work of the Holy Spirit and salvation is the greatest miracle of all. But there's MORE! We, just like the apostles in Acts need to be transformed and filled with the Holy Spirit so we boldly can proclaim the gospel. We are called to proclaim the gospel and not some sophisticated, intellectual, worldly soup. We need power! If we don't have power, the enemy has power over us.
It's not enough to be "churched". I see a lot of people that is just that; "churched". If God hadn't transformed my life I had never set foot in a church. I had no need for conformity or tradition. But when Jesus saved me on that beach in Spain, I couldn't wait to meet my brothers and sisters. And God led me to a church where the Holy Spirit was so strong, His presence came over you already in the foyer and you couldn't walk straight sometimes.
And you were not the same when you walked out of the church as you were when you came in. An ongoing mighty transformation all the time.
And you can't hide in an atmosphere like that. You become transparent which may sound scary, but it's not, because the love of God is there to cover you. Kind of like in the Garden of Eden where they were naked but they didn't know it. And when you're loved like that it's easy to love everybody. It just flows out of you.
So just ask the Father to fill you. He is good and only wants the best for you.
"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” " Luke 11:11-13
Jesus loves you!

Jesus the Redeemer

If you have not received Jesus before, this is a good time to do that. Someone said; you may be able to live your life without Him, but can you die without Him?


I personally found it very hard to live without Him. The years before I got saved were very dark and I was desperately seeking for meaning. Now I can’t even imagine living without inner peace and inner spiritual life.


Jesus is the only way to God. You may know about God but the only way to KNOW Him and be part of His family is to receive Jesus in your heart and confess Him as Lord. Give up all your own self life and He will give you a new abundant overflowing life.


There’s power in the name of Jesus. Sickness has to leave, demonic influences and powers have to leave when we speak the name of Jesus with authority.


Start saying His name today. Just say: “Jesus, Jesus I want you in my life. Forgive me for all of my sins. Cleanse me in your blood. I want to be born again and become a child of God. Help me , lead me into Your Kingdom. I am yours. I want to follow you Jesus for the rest of my life and for eternity. Amen”



Watch this video that I made and put on You tube. It’s the wonderful song “Redeemer”. Just let the words and the music minister to your heart. Jesus is wonderful. He loves you and He wants to bless your life and give you everything that He is.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GD-qDuPXDw



Merry Christmas! (And receive the best gift of all.)

God's Healing Power

I promised to write about the baptism in the Holy Spirit before, but first I want to write about healing. I’m not an expert on anything, but I am a believer and I do believe in what the word says. It’s so easy to base our faith on our experiences especially when it comes to healing. I hear a lot of teaching here in America that says that God has everything in His hand and that nothing bad will happen to us unless God permits it. That may have been true in the Old Testament and people refer to Job as an example of that.

When you bring this issue up in a discussion, a lot of people will tell you that you cannot understand God’s mysterious ways etc, etc and it sounds very wise, but it’s just human reasoning based on what they have seen in life. And they may have been around for quite some time! When you say that God wants to heal everybody it seems so radical and unwise.
If you are saved, born again and has received Jesus in your heart, health and healing is part of salvation. Our bodies will not be completely redeemed till we get our new glorified bodies in heaven, but the healing powers of Jesus is ours.
“And by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”
1 Peter 2:24
God is now our Father through Jesus Christ and He wants only the best for us.
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning”.
James 1:16-17
In my Swedish translation it says that God is light and that there is no darkness in Him.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
Luke 11:11
I would like to add, which one of you parents would want your child to have cancer?
That seems absurd to ask, still we find it easy to believe that our heavenly Father would want that for us.
I have given my testimony here on my blog before, how I got saved when I was thirty. I didn’t have any physical health problems as far as I know, but God healed me from so many issues in my mind and my soul. He also delivered me from smoking which probably would have turned into a health problem eventually. He didn’t just save me and let me deal with my issues on my own to teach me something. He totally delivered me and set me free. In my church in Stockholm they would lay hands on people all the time and I would run up front and be prayed for so many times.
Here’s one example how the Word of God itself just healed me when I read it. I was very introvert when I came to the Lord. I had done a lot of eastern meditations and those kind of things which had led to that my soul was in bondage. One day I read the word below, about letting your eyes look straight ahead, and it was like something popped in me and around the area of my eyes and I was loosened.
“Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.” Proverbs 4:25
He has not changed. My God is the same yesterday, today and forever. What He does for me, He will do for you. He will heal our minds as well as our bodies. He is altogether good.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
God has through Jesus Christ given us authority over evil. We are to cast out demons, lay hands on the sick and command sickness to leave.
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19
He has given us authority over demonic powers. Many times when Jesus came upon a sick person, He would cast out the demon that caused the disease.
We are not to be passive bystanders. Jesus tells us to do what He did. We don’t pray a prayer and hope that something will happen. We tell sickness to go because in Jesus name we have the power.
We don’t live in a perfect world and I believe that there are things that can bring on disease. Bitterness and unforgiveness for example can open the door and give the enemy access to our bodies. The most important thing is that God doesn’t make us sick to teach us something. He is chastising and correcting us through His word first and foremost, and only if we refuse to listen or take heed we can bring disease upon ourselves. Satan is also out to destroy us and he is more than happy if we don’t understand that we are in a spiritual warfare and we start to question God’s goodness. How can you pray for somebody’s healing if you in the back of your mind think that it may be God’s will for this person to be sick?
You can also ask yourself, if you believe it’s God’s will, why pray at all? Why go to the doctor if it’s God’s will that you be sick.
I think we’ve been fed human theology and not God’s theology and it seems kind of holy and humble to have those beliefs. But it’s not. True humility says what God says. We also have to look at the whole Bible and not just find one scripture that seem to back up our theory.
“The entirety of Your word is truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”
Psalms 119:160
Maybe you prayed for somebody and the person died. OK, so that’s your experience. Like I said before, we don’t base our faith on our experiences. Just because that person didn’t get healed doesn’t mean that God didn’t want to heal. We don’t have the whole picture and there may be obstacles that we didn’t see or didn’t understand.
The Bible is full of words about healing. We have to find those promises and pray them over ourselves to stay in health but also pray them out for ourselves and others when sickness attacks.
“He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Psalm 107:20
Here is also an interesting word that reads a little different in the Swedish version where it says that the righteous are snatched away by the power of evil whereas in the English the righteous is taken away from evil.
"The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
Merciful men are taken away,
While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil."
Isaiah 57:1-2
If you look up evil it always talks about how the righteous will be protected from evil and the wicked. Reading the Swedish translation here tells me there are times when the evil one actually snatches somebody away before his time. Like young people dying in car accidents for example. I don’t know what the original translation says so I’ll just leave it at that.
I can recommend BibleGateway if you don’t already use that website, for easy access to God’s Word.


http://www.biblegateway.com/


God Bless You!

Open letter to Björn Ulvaeus

First an introduction. Björn Ulvaeus is one of Sweden's most well known cultural figures and is mainly known as one of the four members of the super-group ABBA. Together with his fellow ABBA member Benny Andersson, he wrote the musicals Chess and Kristina. Now he is involved with the hit musical "Mamma Mia!" which has been seen by 25 million people around the world.

He is also a member of the Swedish Humanist Association and here are some of his thoughts on faith based education that can be read on the Guardians website that I want to respond to.

http://http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/jun/30/bjorn-ulvaeus-religion-schools?commentpage=1

I used to know Björn Ulvaeus back in the seventies when we were both at the same record company and shared the same manager, Mr Stig Andersson. Björn and Benny produced some of my records and even wrote some of the songs I sang.

Björn Ulveaus, who I know to be a very intelligent, smart individual is using his name and influence to come against faith based schools in Sweden. He questions why tax payer’s money should be used. I’m a Christian and can only speak for Christians; first of all, Christians are tax payers like everybody else and are great contributors to our society. They are hard working with ethics way beyond average. They should have the same right to give their children an education where they feel true values are taught. I also know that in most cases the tax funded part is not sufficient to run Christian schools, and parents are paying extra money to keep their children there. They are also dedicated to volunteer to take care of the facilities, doing all the cleaning and general maintenance when needed.

I quote Björn Ulveaus : -“ Freedom from indoctrination ought to be a basic human right for all children.”

One of the reasons Christian parents don’t want their children in public schools is that they don’t want them to be indoctrinated by an atheistic, humanistic, God denying society. I don’t think it’s a human right to be taught that there is no God.

There is no neutral ground, even if that’s a very popular “Swedish” thought. You are either for or against something. Jesus says in Matthew 12:30: "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

Christian children are mocked and ridiculed by both teachers and their peers in Swedish schools today. You can’t speak up against for example evolution or the homosexual lifestyle without repercussions. Evolution is taught as being proven facts when in reality it is just a theory and a belief. The homosexual lifestyle is said to be just as natural as being heterosexual. This is completely contradictory to what the Bible says. (Homosexual groups are welcomed into our schools today encouraging children at a very sensitive age to try and see if they are homosexual.)

We still have freedom of faith in Sweden. This means that you are allowed to have your faith, to live in accordance to your faith and to act and speak in accordance to your faith.

As adults and parents we are called to teach and guide children and show them what is right from wrong. We are not here to present a smorgasbord where we show everything there is in this world and then ask them to choose. No, we are showing them the right way so they will have the best life they can have and thrive and prosper. What parent would want their child to try heroin just because it’s out there? In the same way there’s “poison” in the spiritual realm and in the intellectual realm with thought systems that lead directly to hell.

Children don’t belong to the government. It’s the parent’s responsibility to give them what they need for this life.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:3

Someone once said, for to know a false $100 bill from an authentic $100 bill you don’t study all the false ones, you study the authentic one till you know it so well you can’t be fooled.

Christian parents want their children to know who God is, how God fits into history and our society today, and to know that Jesus died for them, loves them and wants the very best for them. They will never get that in a public school today. I’m old enough to remember morning prayer in my public school and we had Christendom on the schedule my first years before the government took that away. That was back in the 50’s and early 60’s. It was a different time very much because of the still domineering Christian influence.

I read another article with Björn Ulveaus where he seems to think that there is a contradiction between Christianity and science. The scientific thinking in itself with cause and effect, trial and error stems from Christian thinking. You don’t have that in for example Hindu thinking. I’m over my head here but I will refer to a friend of mine, Krister Renard. He was an atheist physicist and came to faith when he saw the mathematical equations in the universe and how exactly everything is working.

http://www.welcome.to/renard

The Swedish Humanist Association had this advertising campaign in Sweden, (and I’ve seen a similar one here in the US), saying: "God probably doesn't exist: but still he affects you. Less than 20 percent of Swedes are religious. Yet God is holy in our country. We in the humanist movement think it is worth considering. There are many examples of how religion affects our lives - not only for believers but also for the seven million other people in Sweden. How religious are you? Do our web test!"

This is so funny to me. “God probably doesn't exist” So you’re not quite sure, are you? Well, let me tell you. The Christian faith is a living faith. It’s not a dead religion. It’s a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Every person that has ever received Jesus in his or her heart, knows that He is alive and real. We don’t believe in a dead thing. The word of God, the Bible has transformed us. Ever heard of metamorphous? This is it. This is a transformation that if you have not experienced it, there’s no way you can understand it. It’s spiritual and not intellectual. It doesn’t mean that you leave everything intellectual behind. It means that there are spiritual realities that cannot be comprehended by the intellect. Why? Because God is spirit and we can only receive His knowledge with our spirits. It will bear fruit in our intellect as well, but it doesn’t begin there. And it is for everybody to receive. Christian faith is not exclusive. Salvation is available for everybody. It cleanses our hearts and our minds.

To want to take away God from the schools which has already happened in Sweden, and is happening in the US, is to take away everything good. Thank God for Christian schools. Here is what Christian faith stands for, and you want to take that away?

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, righteousness and wisdom.

What is wrong with you people?!