Monthly Archives: May2017

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Walking wholeheartedly in God’s Faith, Hope and Love

There is something about “wholeheartedness” that touches the heart of God. In 2 Chronicles 16:9 God says, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him…” God does not support “lukewarmness” either. Listen to what He says in Revelation 3:16,” I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16  So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” God’s desire if for His followers to be totally committed to Him, especially when it comes to faith, hope and love.

 Scriptures:

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Hebrews 11:1-3 (NIV)
1  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Romans 1:17 (NIV)
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 15:9-10 (NIV)
9  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

John 15:12-13 (NIV)
12  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Prayer:

Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us first so we can respond to Your love by loving You, others and ourselves. May our faith in You and Your promises grow strong and unshakable. Lord Jesus, You are our eternal hope anchored in Your Word. Holy Spirit, empower us to live wholeheartedly in Your faith, hope and love to God’s glory and honor and praise and delight in Jesus’ Almighty Name. Amen

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To Be Exceedingly Fruitful

God is looking for fruit in every believer’s life. He compares Christians to fruit-bearing trees. Good trees will bear good fruit and bad trees will bear bad fruit. It is not possible for a good tree to produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Fruits can only be produced if we abide in Jesus. And the world will know us by the fruit we produce.

Scriptures:

Matthew 7:17-20 (NIV) Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

John 15:5 (NIV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:8 (NIV)  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

John 15:16 (NIV)  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and let He produce within and through me fruit, abundant fruit, which will abide forever. Strengthen me to always abide in You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Especially do I pray for the Holy Spirit to bring out in me the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Lord, if I am producing some fruit, empower me to produce more fruit. If I am producing some fruit, may the Holy Spirit empower me to produce much fruit in all of life, work, family and ministry to Your glory and honor and praise and delight in Jesus’ Name. Amen

 

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To Know and Do the Will of God and to Further the Kingdom of God

The disciples asked Jesus how to pray. The answer He gave was The Lord’s Prayer. It is a model for our prayers. It contains the most important things to focus on in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, “May Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Scriptures:

Matthew 6:9-10 (NIV)
9  “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 12:50 (NIV)
“… For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

John 15:14 (NIV)
You are my friends if you do what I command.

1 John 2:17 (NIV)
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 11:12 (NIV)
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Romans 14:17-18 (NIV)
17  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
18  because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

 Prayer:

Jesus, we stand in agreement with You as we pray, “May Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done” in my family and me, in my church, in my congregation, in my community, in my nation and throughout the entire world today and every day. Grant us divine wisdom to know and do Your Will at all times and in all circumstances bringing You glory and honor and praise and delight in Jesus’ Name. Amen

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Developing Wholehearted Obedience to The Great Commission: Making Disciples of All Nations – Baptizing Them and Teaching Them to Obey Everything Jesus Has Commanded

The Great Commission is the final instruction Jesus left with His followers before returning to heaven to be with His Heavenly Father. These instructions are of paramount importance to all followers of Jesus Christ.

Scriptures:

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
18  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19  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, 20  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15-18 (NIV)
15  He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
16  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18  they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

Romans 11:25 (NIV)
25  I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

John 14:26 (NIV)
26  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

 Prayer:

Jesus, our Savior and Lord, You gave to all Your followers the final instruction before returning to the Father. It is Your desire we take Your instructions to heart and make them the basis for all of life and all mission and ministry. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to know and follow Your Great Commission at all times and in every circumstance – making disciples of all nations. We pray for the “fullness of gentiles to come in” (Romans 11:25) from our families, relatives, communities, nation, Israel and the entire world. May Your Holy Spirit teach and remind us about everything You taught Your disciples during Your earthly ministry. Strengthen all Your believers to OBEY everything You commanded from now until You return to take us home to be with You throughout all of eternity in Jesus’ Almighty Name. Amen.

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Practicing in Life and Ministry Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer: Making every effort to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace

The longest recorded prayer of Jesus’ found in the New Testament is located in the Gospel of John Chapter 17. It covers several important prayer topics. The prayer topic which occurs three times in John 17 is UNITY, sometimes referred to as the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace.

Scriptures:

John 17:20-23 (NIV)
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Ephesians 4:3-6 (NIV)
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit– just as you were called to one hope when you were called– one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV)
to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

 Prayer:

Jesus, our Savior and Lord, You desire that all of Your followers have the kind of relationship You and the Father enjoy: “… you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21). It is Your plan and heartfelt desire “… that all of them (Followers of Jesus) may be one.” We ask for the Holy Spirit to empower all believers to be ONE IN JESUS and live in UNITY and HARMONY as You prayed in John 17.

Forgive us, for having broken Your heart by often insisting in our own way and doing things according to our own plans rather than surrendering fully to Your heartfelt desire for all your followers to be one in the Spirit. Have mercy on us for Your sake. Empower us today and every day to live and minister in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace to Your glory and honor and praise and delight in Your Almighty Name we pray.

Let this be so that the world may know that God the Father sent You, Jesus, into this world, and that You Father have loved all believers as You have loved Jesus, Your beloved Son. Glory to God in the highest! Amen

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Today’s Prayer Focus: To Be An Anointed House of Prayer on All Levels.

In both the Old and New Testament, God desire His Temple to be a House of Prayer. The Apostle Paul teaches us that the concept of House of Prayer starts with each of God’s followers because we are a Temple of the indwelling presence of God present in every believer. See 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV): “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

Scriptures:

Isaiah 56:7 (NIV)
“… these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Matthew 21:13 (NIV)
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.'”

Mark 11:17 (NIV)
And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: “‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.'”

Luke 19:46 (NIV)
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.'”

John 2:14-16 (NIV)
“In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”

Prayer:

Father God, it is Your desire to mold all believers to be an anointed House of Prayer where You dwell and receive our worship, praise and service. We are Your Temple and You indwell Your Temple. May my Temple be a fit and holy dwelling place for You at all times and under all circumstances. May You empower me individually, my family and all of my corporate expressions of faith to be Your House of Prayer always and always to Your glory and honor and praise in Jesus’ Almighty Name. Amen

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Today we are beginning our series of PRAYERS FOR LIVING AND WALKING IN BIBLICAL AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY. This will be a 10 part series, with a new post coming out every Tuesday and Thursday for the next five weeks.  Join Pastor Bjorn Pedersen as he leads us in a short devotional and prayer each segment.

Focus: Love of God and Love of Neighbor

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and strengths; and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves

Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV)
5  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
36  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38  This is the first and greatest commandment. 39  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD…”’

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, empower me by Your Holy Spirit, to love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength today and every day and anoint me to love my neighbor as much as I love myself. Forgive me for having fallen short of Your plan, but encourage and strengthen me to start over again with your help and wisdom in Jesus’ Almighty Name. Amen

 

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In this video, Pastor Bjorn shares an the amazing story of how he was saved from certain death as a teenager.

 

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