Erling Thu

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.

”I don’t know much about Jesus, but ..”

This lady was radiant. She carried a baby in her arms. Among many others did she give her testimomy in the covenant community. I was intrigued by the way she started her testimony. Her joy and her sincerity struck me with great power. Her story blew my mind.

A sufi story

Mullah Nasruddin entered the royal reception area and sat on the most plush and ornate chair. The captain of the guard told him, ”Please sit somewhere else, that chair is kept for the most honourable guest.”

”You think I ’m an ordinary guest?” asked Nasruddin.

”Are you an envoy from a neighbouring country?”

”I’m much more important than that.”

”Are you a minister?”

”Bigger than one.”

The guard became sarcastic, thinking he has accosted a fool. ”I see, so you must be the King himself, your majesty,” he said.

”Higher than that!”

”How dare you? Nobody is higher than the King!”

”Precisely. I am nobody!” replied Nasruddin.

Christmas - celebrating God with us

We are enjoying a wonderful Christmas celebration with all our family (21) at Gullbotn. The house is filled with joy and harmony. The grandchildren are happily playing together. It is a great joy to observe them having a good time together. The adults are also enjoying themselves and having a lot of fun. According to our Norwegian custom we put all the presents under and around the tree and on Christmas Eve the grandchildren were reading the to and from greeting, and distributing the presents. Then we all watch the present being opened, thanks and hugs are exchanged, and we all rejoice with one another. This Christmas Eve we started early as we were 21 people together and it took six hours to distribute all the gifts!

The big family celebration with gifts and traditional food is a great event that especially all the children look forward to. But Christmas is much more than a few days of joyful celebration. Actually we should celebrate the reality of Christmas every day all through the year. The central message of Christmas is Immanuel - God with us. The incarnation is a historic fact. God became flesh and blood. He became one of us. He became a human being. That is a miracle of Love which we don't fully comprehend. But certainly it needs to be celebrated.

Every day we wake up we need to remind our selves of the fact of Immanuel. God with us. God for us. God among us. Christ in us the hope of glory. We are not alone in this world. We are not left to ourselves. We are not abandoned. We don't have to struggle with the challenges of life on our own.

God is with us. Even in our darkest hour when we seem to be totally on our own, he is there. When everything seem to be hopeless, when we are face to face with the impossible, he is there. When we rejoice in our achievements, when we seem to succeed, he is there. He is always near. He is always with us. His name is Immanuel!

Many times I have felt alone. Often I have felt like being totally on my own, and it is a very scary feeling. But actually I was never alone. He was always there. He was always with me. Even when I could not see him or his finger in the things happeneing to me, he was still there. I found refuge in him in the storms of life. I found comfort in him in times of loss. I found strenght in him when I had no strength of my own.

Over the years in my walk with God I have come to a confident rest in Immanuel - God with us. It is not only God with me, it is always God with us. It helps me to see Him among my brothers and sisters in the covenant community.

What a joy to celebrate 70 years

What a joy to celebrate 70 years together with family and friends at Gullbotn yesterday. Solveig has been working hard the last months in preparing a big party. I am overwhelmed by her love and creativity.
The celebration was unforgettable. The food was delicious, the cakes outstanding in taste and in outlook. The grandchildren performed in an excellent way. Sons and daughters gave nice speeches and wonderful poems written for me. My friends brought many encouraging words that touched my heart. I thank God for my wonderful family and faithful friends. I am so rich. I am richly blessed by God.
I have been rereading all the birthday greetings I received on cards and on Facebook. I have been moved to tears and my heart has been overflowing with joy. I am so thankful to God for his marvelous grace and favour towards me. God is so God.
My friends in Kristent Fellesskap Nordhordland gave me a MacBook Pro. My friends in DNA Oslo gave me an iPad. Now I have to learn to use those useful tools to advance the Kingdom of God. I am excited that I have to explore new things and new ways of doing it.

At the end of November I completed 50 years in the ministry. 26 of November 1962 I had completed 5 weeks of Bible School training and started to travel to preach the gospel. I was traveling together with Samuel Gjersdal who was an experienced preacher. We spent several months on the Fosen peninsula in Trøndelag. For many years I was an independent traveling pentecostal evangelist bring the Good News to many people.

Since the beginning of the Eighties I have been in Kristent Fellesskap's churches mainly. From the beginning of the Nineties I and my wife have gone regularly to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries. God has been so good to us during these years. We have seen his grace in our lives in many different ways. We can testify that the Lord is faithful. We have seen many miracles.

When I was a litle boy and was in and out of hospitals all the time the doctors told my parents that I would never grow up. They never expected me to become more than twenty years. By the grace of God I have turned 70! The doctors were wrong. God had better plans for me. He has already given me 50 miracle years in the ministry. Now I am praying for 50 more years in active ministry for the Lord.

The dream that keeps me going

I have been asked to try to describe what is motivating me and what keeps me going in the ministry. The simple answer is that I am sustained by the Word of God, compelled by the Love of God and empowered by the Spirit of God. The word of God is saying:

Close the door

A new door of oppurtinities is open in front of us. This is a day of new beginnings. This is a day of new revelation and insight. This is a day of exploration of the vast possibilities at our doorstep. However, we need to stop looking back in our life on what has been, for it has been. We need to have eyes to see what is ahead, for what is to come. The best is yet to be, but for us to be able to enter into that which is the best, we need to close the door on our past.

Blogging update

Ten years ago I started to blog on the Blogger platform. After some years I moved to Typepad. During the ten years of blogging I have had many encouragements in form of comments left on the blog or by email or in person. I thank God that people have been bless by my simple blogging where I have been sharing from my life.

Recently I have not been so active as I used to be. New social medias are the main reason for this development. I have no intention of reducing my presence on the Internet, on the contrary I have plans of increasing my presence and become even more active than before. I am also having some new ideas for my blog and new blogs I want to start in the near future.

Ten years of blogging is nice to celebrate, but there is no time to rest. Hopefully I will be able to launch new blogs and new presence on the Internet to press on for the next ten years to be more mature and to bring more glory to God.

The words of my first entry on my blog ten years ago are still valid:

To be somebody
is to take small and big jumps
into the unknown territory
safely walking in faith
confidently trusting the Beginning and the End
to guide and carry me
through the deep waters
over the high mountains of human limitations
to soar to new horizons
to lay down and dream in a lush meadow
to create my first blog

The Kingdom of God advances in Nepal

When I visited Nepal for the first time in 1971 I was told that the total number of Christians in the Hindu Kingdom was only 500. During my last visit I was told that the number had increased to nearly 2 millions. The Kingdom of God is really advancing in this wonderful nation in the Himalyas.

Dilbahadur came to Norway as an asylum seeker. He found Christ in Oslo and became part of a house church where he was discipled. He didn't get permission to stay in Norway and returned to Nepal as a new believer. What he had learned he passed on to his family. They all received Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Now he leads a house church in his town and new families have come to know Christ through him.

In this way the Kingdom of God changes families who influence and change society for the better.

Baktha from Mugu in the Himalayas

I met Baktha in Kathmandu last october at a short term Bible School. He is a fine young man who has committed his life to Jesus Christ. He lives with his family in Mugu, remote village in the western part of Nepal in the Himalayan mountain range. He has to walk for nearly 7 days to get to the nearest road and transportation system.

Tahk Bahadur

A few years back we met Tahk at a gathering of covenant friends in Nepal. He always has an open face, a nice smile, and a bright outlook. He is a happy disciple of Jesus Christ. He is working hard to support his family and to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to new people. He lives in the Mackwanpur district of Nepal. We were so happy to see him again these days we spent in Kathmandu. Full of joy he told us that he had been able to bring the Good News to an unreached village about 20 miles from where he lives. He travels to this place partly by a cycle and partly by walking and climbing the mountains. Some parts he even had to carry his cycle on his shoulder as well. When he first visited the village he found that many of the villagers were sick. They were suffering from all kinds of sicknesses. As he was proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdome he prayed for sick people to be healed and the power of God at work. Many healings took place. One girl was partly paralyzed. She was barely able to move around with crutches. As Tahk Bahadur was preaching Jesus Christ, he told the girl that God wanted to heal her. She believed in Jesus and was completely healed. Now she is able to walk without crutches or sticks to support her. Many people have received Jesus Christ in this new village. This all happened the last month only so no one had been baptized in water yet. But the Holy Spirit is at work and soon people will be buried with Christ, he assured me. In the fellowship of covenant friends in his own village he has baptized 6 people since May.

The covenant community is expanding

We have had some wonderful days in the Pink City of Jaipur. We have met with many friends and have heard many fantastic testimonies. The covenant community is growing in numbers and expanding to new areas of the city. This vibrant community consists of more than 1000 people in more than 30 communities scattered around the city. Last year 8 new communities were birthed. 260 new believers were baptised in water and in the Holy Spirit.

Miracles in Mumbai

I have had a wonderful time with Sashikant from Mumbai. He is a young man that studied at the Covenant School. He came to Christ through some older students and has been used powerfully by God since he returned to Mumbai. In few years he has seen a covenant community of about 150 committed people emerge. Ten young men are working with him and they have a 200 believer to look after. Recently they started a new work in a place where many people have come to Christ.

The Spirit of God is moving in India

Today I have met with Peter, a friend of mine since 1971 when he was a student. Peter gave me a very encouraging report of God is doing. He told me that there has been a powerful move of the Holy Spirit in his area. Many young believers have been filled with the Holy Spirit and started to function in spiritual gifts. And many people come to Christ.

Tribulations of life

The word of God is saying that we have to enter the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. We have not been promised that life is a dance on roses. During these days in India we have had many hassles, most of them not serious.

Connected – disconnected

When we arrived in India we went directly to Mizoram, a state towards the border of Burma. This was our first visit to Mizoram and we had been invited to be with our friend Andrew. We had a very good time with our friends there and I have given the report of the great festival we attended.

Celebrating Chapchar Kut 2012

We arrived in Mizoram just a few days prior to the main festival of the Mizos, Chapchar Kut. It must have been the arrangement of God that we happened to be here for this great festival. We only came here to be with our friend Andrew and he introduced us to the festival. Actually, he just mentioned that we were fortunate to arrive at the time of the main festival, but since he was so enthusiastic about it, he triggered our curiosity and a desire to take part in the festival.

Mother's Day

We are celebrating Mother's Day in Norway today. My mother has already gone to be with the Lord so I can't phone her or visit her. But I still like to honour her sweet memory. There are myriads of galaxies and stars in the sky, but there is only one mother to me. There are countless flowers in the field and some marvellous sparkling diamonds, but there is only one mother. There are so many beautiful pearls and amazing jewelleries, but there is only one mother. Her face, marked by wrinkles, is the most beautiful image I have ever seen.

My wonderful wife, Solveig, has been a wonderful mother to our six children. No she is also the best grandmother in the world. She has had several greetings already from some of our children. Before the day is over I expect them all to have been in touch to express p and gratitude. When she had her first phone call this morning from her elder son and read her card from her younger daughter her eyes were filled with tears but a smile was playing on her mouth. And she gave thanks to God for all His goodness towards her in giving her the privilege of being a mother.

I thank God for my mother. I thank God for my wife who turned out to be the best mother my children could ever have. I thank God that he comforts me like a mother!

The power of culture

The culture in which we live is perhaps the most dominant power in our lives. Therefore we need to know the culture to be able to master it and not to be mastered by it. Actually we are more influenced by the culture than we understand or like to admit. Therefore it is difficult to overcome and not be overcome by it.Our modern western culture has dethroned God as the ultimate source of truth and morality and enthroned sinful man in his place. As our culture has become increasingly hostile to Christianity, it has become correspondingly open to wickedness. 

We need an eschatology of victory

Too many Christian are suffering because of a negative and very pessimistic view of the end-times. I believe in an eschatology of victory because that is the teaching of the Bible! The entire Bible brings a very encouraging, positive and optimistic message centred in the truth that God is the Sovereign Lord of his world. He who began a good work will surely complete it for his own glory.

The joy of fatherhood

I have just taken the last Christmas guests to the airport. The house in the forest is quiet and peaceful. It has been amazingly peaceful all the time though, but not quiet. With grandchildren in the house it would be something very wrong if it was quiet. The house has been full of joy and all the sounds that go with it.

A new year of the Lord - Anno Domino

We have entered 2012 with great expectations and strong confindence since we know this is the Year of the Lord. Jesus Christ is in charge. He has been seated on the Throne of Heaven and is ruling the entire universe. He will be ruling until all his enemies have been made subject to him. He is waiting for us to work with the Father to make all his enemies his footstool. There is a war going in in the invisible world, but we know the final outcome will be glorious for the Kingdom of God as the enemy already has been defeated on the cross. This coming year we will see more of the outworking of the victory in many areas of our lives.

I expect the people of God to enjoy fresh anointing day by day in this year of the Lord. This is the only way that we may overcome the obstacles and be able to finish the race well. Fresh anointing every day. Fresh power. Fresh joy. Fresh peace. Fresh hope. Fresh guidance, step by step.

I expect the people of God to enjoy new revelation day by day in this year of the Lord. The Spirit is always bringing fresh revelation of Christ to his people. The fresh revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ will keep us on track and make us strong. A new revelation of Christ will make our hearts burn and cause us to serve his purpose in our generation with great zeal.

I expect the people of Gud to come into a deeper insight of the things of God day by day in this year of the Lord. God will bring a deeper insight of our own shortcomings that will enable us to change to become even more fruitful for the Lord. God will give us a deeper understanding of our brothers and sisters, their struggles and longings, that will enable us to come alongside and be of true help and support for them. God will give a deeper insight to his prophetic work in this generation and enable us to be seeers that can address the root issues and not only the symptoms.

I expect many dreams to come true in this new year of the Lord. I expect prophetic words spoken to us by His prophets to be fulfilled in this year of the Lord. I expect to be carried along by the fresh move of the Spirit and to see the realization of the promises of God day by day.

Harry runs

Last Sunday we met Harry at the Rotary Club. He reminded me of prophetic word that I brought him many years back. Now, it has all been fulfilled, he exclaimed with great joy! Then he took me back to the first time I met him. He was in a hospital after a serious accident on his motorbike. His young son died in the accident, but Harry survived. However he was seriously wounded with multiple bone fractures. I was taken to the hospital to pray for him.

Miracles in the covenant community

This morning we were taken to the Rotary Club to meet with the covenant community. It is always a great joy to meet our covenant friends. It is like being with our own family and brothers and sisters.

During our time together we heard so many stories of miracles taking place among the people in this covenant community. There is always great joy and lots of thanksgiving to God when people tell their story of what the Lord has done for them.

Fruitful Word

We have had a wonderful time together with our friends in the Prabhuko Mandeli in Itahari today. They have their annual conference and we have been sharing the Word of God in four sessions. The people of God is receiving the Word with great joy.

The Word of is indeed very fruitful. The entire conference is an evidence of the fruitful Word of God. Pastor Reuben has been ministering the Word in this place for 18 years and it is great to see the outcome: changed lives! A student at a theological seminary in Kathmandu, who is from this area, told me that he was studying theology because of me. I didn't understand because I never gave him any advice. Then he told me that when he heard me minister the Word of God two years ago in Kathmandu, Gud put a desire in his heart to study his Word and he enlisted at the theological seminary. I only came to know today. And I am happy that the Word is fruitful!

Change is coming to Nepal

We are on a friendship trip celebrating 40 years of friendship and involvement in the work of God in Nepal. On a mission to India a Bible College teacher gave me the name and address, of a former student of the college that came from Nepal, and urged me to visit him. After prayer I felt led by the Spirit of God to change my program in India to make room for a visit to Kathmandu, Nepal. I met with Gopaljee Adhikari in October 1971 and now we are celebrating 40 years of friendship and advance of the Kingdom of God in Nepal.

Sent home to die

We have just been with the Covenant Friends Fellowship of Nepal. It is always good to be with this group of faithful followers of Christ. This time we heard a wonderful testimony of one of our friends.

He was sent home from the hospital to die. He was suffering from tuberculosis and had come to this late stage when the doctors could not do anything more for him. He was caughing and spitting blood all day. He was the youngest child in the family. Now he was in the twenties and dying. But his parents interceeded for him and had their friends to come and lay hand on him.

God intervened and healed him. He was a prodigal son, but came to the Lord because of the miracle that happened to him. And now he is a servant of God. The doctors had given up on him. Humanly speaking there was no hope. But the parents didn't give up on him. Most important God didn't give up on him. In the darkest hour God performed a miracle.

Our covenant friend is alive and serving God with a bright future and hope!

Everyone – all – anyone

As I was reading in the Book of Acts this morning about the early church I was struck by the inclusive language that was being used. When the Holy Spirit is describing the life of the early church, the new covenant community, he is using words like everyone, all the believers, together, every day, anyone. The kingdom community that was birthed on the day of Pentecost was marked by togetherness and the sharing of a common life and belief. They were all carrying the same passion and love for the resurrected Lord and for one another. Their encounter with the risen Lord by the revelation of the Holy Spirit united them, knitted them together, and formed them into a dynamic community sharing everything.

These individuals from every nation under heaven didn’t have much in common before the day of Pentecost, but after encountering the Lord they had everything in common. What a change that took place. They used to be a bewildered crowd and some even used to be mocking and making fun of others, but the message about the risen Lord Jesus Christ cut to the heart and caused them to repent, believe, being baptised and being added to the ecclesia of the Lord. They used to speak so many different languages not understanding each other, but now they could understand and even speak the language of the Spirit.

After being added to the ecclesia of the Lord they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles. They committed themselves to one another in a close day to day fellowship sharing everything together. They continued to break the bread of the new covenant meal, eating together from house to house with glad and sincere hearts. Constantly they were praying together, at regular times in the temple and at anytime anywhere they met with one another. They were all initiating this exciting and dynamic community life on a multitude of levels, sharing with anyone in need.

This was a everyday life of a group of people who had been born by the Spirit, filled by the Spirit and formed by the Spirit to be one body, Really they had become the body of Christ expressing his life every day everywhere all the time. Everyone took active part in initiating this flow of life. All the believers were together, everyone was sharing, anyone had his needs met.

It is still happening. Ecclesia is taking place all over the world in small gatherings in homes and in larger celebrations, day to day as believers are sharing their life in Christ with one another and with those who still not know the Lord Jesus Christ. Today ecclesia took place for us in a small hotel room in Colombo in Sri Lanka.

A good and pleasant day

We have spent a full day at the hotel room in Colombo. We have not been able to take a swim in the beautiful swimming pool we are looking at from the room. We have not been on the wonderful beach next to our hotel either. We have not even been having the rays of the sun touching our skin the entire day, because we have been inside all day. Still it has been a good and pleasant day!

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.

Life moves on

I have not been very active on my blog recently. My blogging life has come to a kind of halt. But I don't intend to keep it like that for ever.

This year has been a special year in many ways, but life moves on. I plan to slowly increase my activity on the blog and even my Norewgian pages. We all go through different stages in life and this year has been a year of much practical work as we have been extending the house in the forest. This work is now coming to a completion. In a two weeks time we leave for Sri Lanka, Nepal and India. I hope to be able to share from the trip on the blog.

Life moves on!

Love is stronger than hate

I am still in shock after the terrible act killing nearly 100 people in Oslo and Utøya. I don't find words to express the feelings of my heart. Tears and prayers have been poured out. My heart is aching. I can't comprehend how people can be so full of hate and act in such an evil way. But I agree with the Norwegian MP Stine Renate Håheim: If one man can show so much hate, think of how much love we can show together.

Love is stronger than hate. Love overwins hate. Love is even able to forgive and change any person in spite of evil acts. Love is never giving in to revenge. Love is overcoming hate by acts of kindness and goodness. Love is expressed in justice and mercy. Love is stronger than any evilness. Love finds a way forward. Love is faith and hope in action. Love is stronger than death itself.

Today we are all AUFarar (members of the Labour Youth Society). We assosiate with them. When they were attacked at Utøya, we were all attacked. We want to stand up for justice and mercy, love and kindness. We want to see the Kingdom of God come to Norway. Through the love of God this nation will be healed.

Everything about God is glorious

One of the first things I discovered when I took to searching the scriptures again was that honour and glory are closely interrelated, are often two sides of the same coin and very often connected to God. The Psalmist says that honour belongs to God and everything within his temple says, "Glory! (Psa.29, 3.9); Jesus Christ is the King of glory and the King of honour (Psa.24 0.7 to 10) and the Lord of glory (Jak.2, 2); God is the God of glory, and also Father (Apgj.7, 2; Ephesians 1, 17); the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of glory (1.Pet.4, 14); Jesus is the very emanation of God's glory (Hebrews 1, 3); the apostles saw His glory, a glory that the only-begotten Son has from the Father, full of grace and truth (Joh.1, 14).

There are a number of Bible passages dealing with the glory and honour of God and of Jesus Christ. The triune Deity is that glorious and honourable God. Therefore all God makes bears the mark of His glory and honour. The expression “the glory of God” is often used in the Old Testament as a technical theological term for God's visible presence and the radiance of his honourable and glorious nature.

Explaining some words

The Hebrew word “kabod” is translated “honour” and “glory” more or less interchangeably in the Bible, the basic meaning being “weight” and “gravity”; another sense is “sheen”. It is the “weight” or “heaviness” of a person that makes up his honour, i.e their personal characteristics, position in society or their wealth.

The Hebrew word “hadar” is translated “splendour”, “glory” and “honour” and “showing honour” or “honouring”. The Hebrew word tifæræt / tifara comes from pa'ar (meaning beautification or glorifying) and translated “decoration”, “splendour”, “glory” and “honour”.

In the New Testament we find the Greek words timé / timan meaning “glory” and “honour” and “to honour” or “pay respect to”. We also find doxa / doxazein which is translated “honour”, “sheen”, “splendour” glory, and “to praise”, “laud”, “to honour” and “glorify”.

On the basis of these and other words from the Hebrew and Greek texts we may say that honour is what gives a person weight, clout and status. It can be associated with external criteria such as position in society and wealth, but also with inner qualities. It has something to do with the nature and being of Man. It is something one has received and owned and that radiates out through an inbuilt dignity and healthy self-respect arising from a person’s grasp of who they are, and is acknowledged by the people around them. So where there is a culture of honour and a climate of appreciation, glory and respect are qualities that exude from us and yet something people give to us.

Sandarao

He has been part of the Blessing Colony from the very beginning. He was overflowing of thankfulness to the Lord for his goodness towards him and his family.

“I used When we met with the Yanadi community, Sandarao at the age of 75 came forward to tell his story. to live under a tree. I had no proper shelter, no proper clothes. I was catching crabs to make a living. That was the only thing i could do. But unfortunately I used the little money I was earning on alcohol. When I heard of the Blessing Colony project I was happy to be able to join with my relatives. During the time I have been here I have learned so many things. I am so thankful to God for this help.

Before we came here, we used to be dependent on others for everything. Now others are dependent on us and the work we do. I have increased my knowledge. I have acquired new skills. I have stopped drinking alcohol. I have stopped with all the bad things I used to do. I have been given a new life by God.

People used to look down on us. Now we meet respect. People used to insult us by saying all kinds of bad things to us. Now we receive honour. Now people call me by my proper name. I am living in peace and joy because of Jesus Christ and the help he has given us through you!

40 years anniversary

Solveig and I are on the way to India. We are sitting in the airport at Copenhagen waiting for our next flight. I fell in love with India during my first visit to this marvellous country in 1971. Solveig and I have been going together regularly to India since 1991. During this trip we will celebrate my 40 years anniversary and our common 20 years anniversary. During these years we have made many friends.

The joy of giving

The greatest joy is only found in making other people happy! The greatest joy is the joy of giving! Giving is living a happy life of seeing other being blessed by your gifts. Real Christians are never stingy, but always giving generously. The live by the saying, "Give and spend and God will send" as they enjoy giving away things and trust God to take care of all their needs. Christians know that it is possible to give without loving, but that is impossible to love without giving.

Change of climate

I have just arrived home from a very exciting World Watch conference in Cardiff, Wales. We have had inspiring reports from many parts of the world of what God is doing. But to me the welcome session and concluding session by my longstanding friend Keri Jones, who is also an outstanding apostle of Jesus Christ, were the most important. His words inspired me to write this entry on my blog. I trust God will use these words to stir you in your spirit and provoke you to creative acts of love!

Sushikant

Our friend Sushikant is a living miracle. We met him a few years ago at the Covenant School. A former student had been instrumental in bringing him to Christ, as he was sent to Surat to die. His father could not stand seeing his son suffer a slow death as the doctors had given up on him. Therefore he was sent away to Surat to some relatives to die there. The former student of Covenant School met him one day and gave him the gospel promising him that if he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he would be healed! Sushikant believed in Jesus and was baptized immediately. As the former student laid hands on him and prayed for him he was instantly healed!

Connected but disconnected

We have been traveling in Asia the last few weeks. At the moment we are in Sri Lanka enjoying a very good Internet connection. During the four weeks we have been away from home we have been able to log on to Internet most of the time, except for the four last days in India. However, our experience with the Internet connections have been kind of frustrating.

Rajinder from the Desert City

Rajinder and Madhu are some wonderful friends me met several years ago in Rajasthan. They came to Christ through some of our friends who introduced them to us. They have seen the power of God at work in their lives in many ways. Madhu was illiterate when she came to Christ, but she had a strong desire to be able to read the Bible. She asked God to open the Book to her. Instantly she could read and understand the Bible.

Jyoti is seeing students coming to Christ

Our covenant friend Jyoti gave a wonderful report today as we met with covenant friends from many parts of India. He had been invited to share about Christianity at a University. Many Buddists and Hindu students came to listen to him. He started quoting som of the Hindu scriptures talking about the sacrifice of God. Since the Hindu scripture does not explain what the sacrifice of God is, he used the Bible to prove that Christ is the sacrifice of God. As a result 45 students received Christ as their Lord and Saviour!

Jyoti and his team is currently looking after more than ten churches and three new house-churches in the district of Darjeeling. His team is very excited to see the Spirit of God at work in the hills of Darjeeling. Two completely paralyzed women have been fully healed and can walk and work to the glory of God.

The team working together is the main reason for the advance of the Kingdom of God in the hill areas, according to Jyoti.

Covenant friends are planting churches

Seven years ago I met Kul Bahadur at a seminar we held in Darjeeling, India. After six years I met him again last year at a gathering in Kathmandu. He had been blessed by our teaching and put it into practice. During those six years he had been instrumental in starting six churches. Three of them were quite big and the others quite small, he told us.

The Kingdom of God reaches remote villages in Nepal

I am so happy to be able to share some good news from Nepal. Our covenant friend Henry has just been visiting some very remote areas in Nepal. He is proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in words and deeds. Nepal is going through a very difficult time at the moment. The political situation is unstable. New laws have been proposed that will represent a setback for the religious freedom the people are enjoying at the moment. In the midst of this the Kingdom of God advances in Nepal. Just read Henry's report and praise God!

Spiritual house cleaning – new version

During our recent visit to the covenant communities in Tromsø, Trondheim and Oslo we were told a very encouraging story. In the springtime a New Age fair or exhibition kind of arrangement for occult and alternative medicine and world-views and practices was held in the city. Some people from the covenant community decided to attend the fair to offer healing through the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus to the visitor.

The power of prophetic encouragements

Daljinder, our beloved son in law, gave a most wonderful testimony at the Sunday service at the King's Church. The speaker had been speaking on Love in Action and at the end she brought out many practical suggestions and a the address to a website Acts of Kindness, and as a response to that several people came to give suggestions and testimonies. I was very much touched by the testimony of our son in law for it showed the enduring power of prophetic encouragements.

Daljinder, who is a teacher, told us how God spoke to him to prophecy to his students and not only give them his autograph at the end of the course. He obeyed the Lord and wrote some encouraging words from the Lord to his students. He is doing it in a wise and discreet way and it has caused many students to ask questions and led to many deep conversations. He has been faithfully practising this for many years.

Not long ago a pastor phoned him to tell him about a new convert in his church. When he asked the new convert what had caused him to begin to seek God, he answered that ten years ago his teacher had written some encouraging words to him that triggered his search for God. After ten years he finally came to the Lord Jesus Christ and became a Christian.

After ten years he still remembered the encouraging prophetic words that our son in law had written to him. I think it is wonderful to know that the prophetic seed is powerful and can yield fruit several years after it has been sown. God is so good to us. His word will never return empty but happily perform what it is sent to do!

Many people are being healed at the Bible Week

We are enjoying our stay at the Refresh Bible Week at the Staffordshire Show ground. About 2000 people are gathered together to seek God, worship and listen to the Word of God. During the evening meetings we have seen a lot of people being healed. People have been called for prayer and all the elders and their wives have been laying hands on the sick. The power of God has been present.

Takit had a miracle happen to her throat

I have just had a very encouraging testimony from Henry, our covenant friend in Nepal.

A wonderful Bible Week

Yesterday we arrived home after attending the Bible Week at Stokke in the eastern part of Norway. We have been around 700 people gathered to fellowship, to worship and to hear the Word of God. It has been a most wonderful Bible week with a very clear direction from beginning to end. It has been a natural follow up after the Easter Conference and the clear prophetic word brought to us by our friend and apostle Keri Jones.

All the people I spoke with were excited about the direction God is taking us. The worship has been great and the ministry of the Word has been excellent. The presence of God has been powerfully with us in the gatherings. Many people have had powerful encounters with the Lord.

God is really good to his covenant people!

Preparing for the Bible Week

Our holiday in Finland and our time with Jakob, a grandson, have been good preparation for the Bible Week that starts tomorrow. Vacation, work and fun with grandchildren are excellent ways of preparing for a Bible Week. In these different settings I am still in communion with God. The different settings in fact enable me to hear fresh from God in different ways.

The joy of returning home

We have returned home after a very successful vacation in Helsinki Finland. One of the highlights was the time we spent with our friends Toni and Tuulia. But last night we returned home. What a joy to return home to the house in the forest. I could not go to bed before I had inspected the growing potatoes and the vegetables I had sown earlier before we went on a holiday. The light summer nights are so beautiful! At midnight I could walk in the garden, take in the smell, enjoy the silence and the peace. It was like every flower, every bush and every tree welcomed us home!

When I woke up this morning the sun was shining and our lake was like a mirror reflecting the blue sky. I felt so happy, I was filled with thankfulness to God for blessing us with a place like this.

We have this saying: East or West, home is best! But there is no joy like the joy of returning home!