Ole Anders Hetland

I literally stumbled upon this text, and what a great way to put it! Couldn't have said it better myself

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say.. "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say.. "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!
Please Share!

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You have a Father that loves you!!!

Thursday, April 12, 2012 1:16:05 AM

I am a StumbleUpon addict, or not, but I do enjoy stumbling

Just now I stumbled upon a great letter composed by Bible verses and figured that I had to share it, it's just awesome!

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7
I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com

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The G.O.S.P.E.L!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 6:01:29 PM

God Our Sins Paying Everyone Life.
If you search G.O.S.P.E.L on youtube you'll find a video with a guy who talks about this. If you're to lazy that's alright, I'm gonna write what I got from it and prove some with quotes from the Bible

The story of life.
God:
He is alpha and omega. (Revelation 22.13) His weakness and foolishness is stronger and wiser than any man. ( 1. Corinthians 1.25) God is almighty (Revelation 1.8) As this man said. Protecting God is like protecting a lion. God does not need us to prove his existence, He is there whether you like it or not. He is the giver of life, every life there is! From the birds in the sky, to you and me. (Genesis 1) God literally took bones and gave them back they're life! (Ezekiel 37.1-14) And to think He LOVES US! He even created a paradise here on earth for us to live in. But why are we not there? What went wrong? (Genesis 3) After this sin sort of grew into us, now we can't live free from it. It's like an asthma. And you'll never get rid of it..
Our:
The logical question now is, who's fault is this? Who put this on us? Well it's our own fault. Humanity. You and I. We are weak and selfish, there is no way around it.
But can we fix it? Is there anything we can to to get back to God?
Sin:
Look at it like God's got allergies, he can't take sin. It's His kryptonite. As long as we are filled with sin, there is no way what so ever go come back to God. But God wants us! He LOVES US. This is a mind bothering thing. Why does He love me? Some days I don't even love myself..
We do try to buy God's love. We pray, we read the bible and we do good deeds. But this like polishing a turd. It might be glossy on the outside, but it's shit on the inside. Put you're polished turd of good deeds up against perfection, you have no chance. We are full of shit! And there is no way around it. We can't buy salvation. God does not take bribes. His "allergies" isn't solved with placebo pills.
Paying;
So how do we can we get back to God? What's the contraceptive?
There is one way. Find someone who is perfect and make them willingly sacrifice they're life, so that you could come to God. Give him the only allergy pill. But who is this? Who would is perfect and would willingly give his life for us?
2000 years ago God sent His only Son. Part God, part human. God let his only son walk around here on earth. Experiencing sin every second of His life, just as us. Saying no to every single thought Satan sends to Him, not like us. And at the end we (!!!) kill him, in one of the most brutal ways known to man. (Matthew 27. 28-43)
Everyone:
So Jesus gave his life. But to who? The first 100 who accepts him? The pope and priests?
No! Jesus did this so that every single one who accepts his life. (Romans 10.13)
Life:
So what does this give us? A nice trophy for participating?
Our gift to take and own is eternal life. You did read right, you get ETERNAL life! Not just a couple of years extra. This is the eternity. From the day you die to when hell freezes over. (John 3.16) And (to me) the best part is. All this time we are going to be in Heaven where streets are of gold and lions and sheep play together. This is a Satan free zone. And that means no sin what so ever! Yes, when you accept Jesus in you're life you accept an eternal life free from selfish thoughts, killing, theft, lust.... This is all gone! You took the allergy pill and it worked!

Congratulations, the day you said that Jesus could be in you're life and save you're sole was the day you gained eternal life.
How is this fair? Is it fair at all?
NO! But we have a God who chose to be with us and loves us. What is better?
God already blessed you, accept it.

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Personal God..

Sunday, February 5, 2012 12:15:58 AM

Some of you might have heard the phrase "personal Jesus"
The belief that Jesus is not only a savior in the big. That He didn't die to save thousand, but the fact that He died for YOU. In the end this adds up to thousand, but He would miss you if you didn't want to follow Him. This is true! In Lucas 15, 4-7. It is written a parable about the sheep that was missing but now is found. I recommend you to read it if you haven't read it before. Even if you have, read it again! It's a great reminder on God's love.
God's love.. what is that really, is God love?

As we grow older in wisdom and age, we have different views on who God is, and how He is. We have a personal God...
When I was really young, like kindergarten young I saw God as an old smart man with a long white beard, dressed in a rope and surrounded by light and clouds. And my biggest dream was to play with a lion in heaven, and see the lion and lamb play along. Also to see my grandfather again.
I'm not sure why it is like this, maybe it's because without knowing our parents use a marketing plan. They tell us how great and strong and smart He is. Which is pretty logic, when you make a commercial you always tell how great the product is. Then when you "buy" it you experience how it really is. So is it like this with God to? When you accept God into you're life, do you suddenly get a different view. Is He suddenly not as great?
My next step was: God is a judge, He is so pure I can't even look at Him. And He is strict, cause you can't have a "dirty sheet" if you want Heaven... Well this is sort of true, In Job 25 4-6:
4 How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
5 Behold, even the moon hath no brightness, And the stars are not pure in his sight:
6 How much less man, that is a worm! And the son of man, that is a worm!
BUT if you remember John 3.16 (the short/little Bible, as it's often called in Norway) and not to forget verse 17 that actually tells us God is not a God of judgment!
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
He loved us so much that He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to earth. Watched him suffer and be tortured to death! Just so that He could be with you and me!
The next picture of God, that I am having now. Is love, light and greatness.
Who else would know love better than the Creator himself?
The reason we are able to love, is because He loved us first. That is pretty cool, when you love you're son or daughter, when you love you're husband or wife of all you're heart, it is only because God's love is "bouncing" of you it leaves such a deep impression that you need to share it... If you do not believe in God it might sound weird. How could God love reflect of me if I don't even believe in his existence? The answer is pretty easy, He loves you! Even if you hate him for taking you're friend or dearest away. He still loves you. It is a touchy subject this, and i wont move further into this for now. But remember that He loves you, no matter what!

If you wonder how you could get to know God and other sides of him, Why not read the bible?
It is his words about him to us.

As a taster for more I'll write some and verses to back it up.
The creator: Genesis 1, 1.
The only God: Isaiah 44, 6
Loving: John 3. 16
And so on..
But before i go to sleep (yes it is 2 AM here in Norway) I want to ask you a q.
How do you see God? Is He judging? loving? faithful? almighty? eternal? light?
Have a blessed life

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Jesus = Religion ?

Sunday, January 22, 2012 2:46:10 AM

This is a theme spoken pretty much about recently. So I figured I'd say something about it and hopefully let YOU get something out of it.
First of all lets see what the word religion means, off to wikipedia!
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values.
It also says
They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature.

So, a religion have rules, and if you read the old testament you'll find lots of rules.
A religion have a cultural system and a belief system, we'll if you go to church it's usually a system they use there. They might even tell you what you should do so that you can say you "believe"

There is only one problem here.

First of all, yes there is rules in the OLD TESTAMENT, this is BEFORE God sent Jesus to earth! therefore He HAD to give us a "preferred lifestyle" because God can't stand this stuff that is "illegal"
BUT what happens in the NEW TESTAMENT ?
Haven't read it?
Well among lots (!) of other cool stuff it says
1. John 3.3: And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
And
Acts 10.43: Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.
So if we believe/hope in Jesus he forgives our sins and purifies us.
Now that can't be to hard. It's pretty much just up to faith, and wikipedia said nothing about faith being religion. Just that some people used the word religion in stead of faith.
But how do you believe? How can you know for sure that you are saved?
That is kind of an easy question, the hard part is to believe it

Romans 10. 13 says:
for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
Basically if you put together these pastures it says that as long as you believe in Jesus and say it with you're mouth you are saved. And you don't need to to anything else, AT ALL!
Either I or God recommend this. The "rules" are guiding pins. Stuff that God knows that if you follow these you'll live a good life. But God knows we are weak, we fail time after time. That's why He sent Jesus (John 3.16), but that's another theme for another day. Back to the point, since these guiding pins can't be called rules anymore that becomes a fault in the hole Jesus = religion thing.

Now the second and a bit hard part.
The system thing. Because yes there is definitely a system that flows around the Christian community.
But! This is man made, God did not create this system. We did, as pathetic as we are. Because we feel it's easier to do all this stuff if we have a system, if we go to church each Sunday, and do good deeds, then God must love us right?
Well yes, but ONLY because he all ready loved you! And he wont love you more because of this, and He will never love you less! You see God loved man, He is just "allergic" to sin. Lets put that into perspective.
Lets say you love horses, but if you are near them you get a rash or allergies, because they are not pure or clean. Therefore you need a medicine that can help you be with the horses with out getting allergies.
That's pretty much what God did when He sent Jesus. He loves us and wants to be with us, but he is allergic to sin. Therefore he sent the best medicine of all time, Jesus.
And all we need to do is accept His love.
So if you're pastor cries out that you need to do this and that you need to do that the next time you go to church (if you bother at all) just lean back and think to you're self that. God loves me for who I am and not for what I do.
Following Jesus does not equal praying at least once a day and doing lots of good deeds.
Believing in Jesus is how to follow Him!

I hope you goy something out of this and that it wasn't to far off from what I was gonna prove

Here is a link to the video that "inspired" me, think it makes more sense

Until next time, have a blessed life!

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Life's a cup of coffee

Sunday, December 11, 2011 11:44:34 AM

First of all. I didn't make this story, I heard of some one and I'm telling it to you now.

A group of professionals, all winners in their respective careers, got together to visit his former teacher. It soon became the talk in the endless complaints about 'stress' that made them work and life in general.
The teacher offered coffee, went to the kitchen and soon returned with a large coffee cups and a selection of the most eclectic of porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some simple and inexpensive, some decorated, some expensive, some really exquisite ... He calmly told them to chose a cup and a little of freshly brewed coffee. When they had done, the old master cleared his throat and calmly and patiently addressed the group: "You may have noticed that all the cups that looked pretty finished first and left the few of the simpler and cheaper, it is natural, because everyone prefers the best for himself.
That's really the cause of many problems related to 'stress. "He continued:
'I assure you that the cup is not added to coffee quality.
In fact disguises the cup only or is of what we drink. What you wanted was coffee, not the cup, but I instinctively looked for the best. Then they began to look at the cups of others. Now think about this:
Life is the coffee. The work, money, status, etc.. are merely cups that give shape and support to life and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life really have to relocate.
Often, by concentrating only on the cup we enjoy the coffee. Enjoy your coffee! The happiest people is not what is best of all but the one that does the best with what you have, so, remember:
* Live simply.
* Have peace.
* Amen and act generously.
* Be supportive and caring
* Speak kindly.
The rest Leave it to God. and remember: the richest person is not having more but need less

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Thougts as a Sailor

Friday, December 9, 2011 1:04:45 PM

It's been long times since I've been able to post thoughts here. But now I am stuck in a small city named Flekkefjord, west of Kristiansand. And have nothing good to do

We where on our way home from Denmark (Copenhagen) when the storm hit us. We did manage to get over to Norway, but the waves farther north where to big for us to handle, so we went inn to Flekkefjord. In all of these waves I started thinking, and I figured out that life as a Christian is a lot like being in a dinghy in rough sea.

When you're on top of the waves it's a lot of fun, and you're excited, you feel like you're on top of the world. But after a while you'll fall down into the valley between waves. Down here it's dark and you feel lonely and scared. You might look up and see others on top of the waves having fun, but you won't see anyone down in the valley with you, because it's to dark. When you're down here it's important to remember you're heading. If you get of course you'll get crushed. But if you know you're map (the Bible) it'll feel safer and better when you're down.
But without anything to aim after a map can't help you much. Therefore we have a lighthouse (Jesus Christ) and a VHF radio (God) to guide us safely into shore. All we need to do is follow it. The better we know the map, our course the lighthouse and God the easier it'll be when we fall down. And if you need help, it's just to push the button and ask God for help. He loves you and wants you safe home so he'll help you

You could drift around "cold" without a course just trying to see if you can't find the lighthouse when you're on top. BUT this is dangerous because when you're down you have no clue where you are. This might go well, but it'll just as easy crush you. My advise is to know you're map! The map might be boring to times, but it'll help save you're life.

I'm hoping you got that, and that it wasn't just a bunch of weird "fact's" I gave you

Have a blessed Christmas and a happy new year

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Does Evil Exist?

Wednesday, September 28, 2011 9:45:43 PM

Ok, first I'll give sort of an update on my life. Right now I'm sitting on a rather large boat (350 feet). It's a school-ship I really love it here

Great people and good teachers. It is a Christian school, but I'd say that they're not really making an effort. But we do have a small get together every wednesday night. So, since it's wednesday I've been there

Here we talk about everything there is a reason talking about, and tonight the subject was: what is a Christian, what makes a Christian and stuff down that alley. I cant say that we came to a conclusion, but I did learn lots. A pal told me about something Einstein said. He didn't recollect everything, so when i came to my room i googled it

Yeah, not to much more to say, enjoy:

The professor of a university challenged his students with this question. "Did God create everything that exists?" A student answered bravely, "Yes, he did".

The professor then asked, "If God created everything, then he created evil. Since evil exists (as noticed by our own actions), so God is evil. The student couldn't respond to that statement causing the professor to conclude that he had "proved" that "belief in God" was a fairy tale, and therefore worthless.

Another student raised his hand and asked the professor, "May I pose a question? " "Of course" answered the professor.

The young student stood up and asked : "Professor does Cold exists?"

The professor answered, "What kind of question is that? ...Of course the cold exists... haven't you ever been cold?"

The young student answered, "In fact sir, Cold does not exist. According to the laws of Physics, what we consider cold, in fact is the absence of heat. Anything is able to be studied as long as it transmits energy (heat). Absolute Zero is the total absence of heat, but cold does not exist. What we have done is create a term to describe how we feel if we don't have body heat or we are not hot."

"And, does Dark exist?", he continued. The professor answered "Of course". This time the student responded, "Again you're wrong, Sir. Darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in fact simply the absence of light. Light can be studied, darkness can not. Darkness cannot be broken down. A simple ray of light tears the darkness and illuminates the surface where the light beam finishes. Dark is a term that we humans have created to describe what happens when there's lack of light."

Finally, the student asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" The professor replied, "Of course it exists, as I mentioned at the beginning, we see violations, crimes and violence anywhere in the world, and those things are evil."

The student responded, "Sir, Evil does not exist. Just as in the previous cases, Evil is a term which man has created to describe the result of the absence of God's presence in the hearts of man."

After this, the professor bowed down his head, and didn't answer back.

On the page where I found this it said that Einstein said this, but then they discus if he really did it or not. Since I wasn't able to make a conclusion I'm not going to say to much more about who said this. But it doesn't matter who said it. The important thing is what it is saying. Evil does not exist, it is just lack of goodness.
This got me thinking of how great heaven is going to be. No sin = no lack of goodness (evil) Hallelujah!
I hope this was as good for you as it was for me.
I might shoot in some soon to, so keep on checking in

Until then, have a blessed life

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The Greatest Gift of All

Friday, July 1, 2011 5:37:29 PM

As you all now, God sent his only son to save us from eternal damnation (John 3,16)
But what about the time we're waiting for Jesus to pick us up?
Is God with us then?
I've always known that God is, even though i haven't seen him (John 20-29)
But not to long ago when Manchester United lost against Barcelona in the Champions League final, something awesome happened. Trough all of that day I felt a terrible pain in my shoulder, I thought I where gonna puke. I asked God why I was in pain, but I didn't really get an answer at first, but then it "came" to me that I told myself to read a couple of Bible verses earlier that day, so I got my Bible and looked them up. The second I started to read the pain was gone!!! I felt rally "high" long times after. I told my grandfather this and he said: Yes, it is cool, but its not the greatest gift.
A total speedbump, at start. I didn't know what he meant, but now i do :-) It is good to know that God is with us and carries us when it gets tough, but the greatest gift of all is... HE gave his ONLY son so that WE, the deceitful sinners we are, may have ETERNAL LIFE!!!
To answer my q at the start YES!!!

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