Forgiveness

If you want to experience God's grace, find someone you need to forgive. -me

Slow to Anger

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfastflove and faithfulness (Exodus 34:6)

I've often thought of why God is "slow to anger", and have actually felt it would be better if he were to get angry fast so that we can the faster know His displeasure and correct our ways. But I have recently had some revelation on this issue.

God gives us time to use the opportunities He gives us. He gives us an instruction, such as to end doing some sinful thing, and then He gives us _time_ to get acquainted with the thought and do it.

God wants us to succeed in life and in following Him, so He patiently waits for us to learn the lesson He has taught us, then gives us time to recuperate before giving another instruction.

How to have a good sex life

Openness, Acceptance and Love - how to have a good sex life

We need to feel loved. In marriage we also need to feel and know that we are not going to be rejected. This is at the very core of the marriage experience: to feel safe without the fear of being rejected. Rejection is the greatest fear that man has.

Imagine a man saying to her wife that he wants to try anal sex with her, and her responding with "don't you dare say that or I'll divorce you!". In this example she is really saying three things: her body does not belong to her (thus violating 1Cor 7:4 [1]), that she is rejecting him on a certain level and is prepared to reject him on an even deeper level (violating Mal 2:16) and finally that she is not under his leadership, but rather decides for her self (violating Ephesians 5:22 [2]).

The key to a happy marriage and happy marital sex is to allow ANYTHING to be openly discussed without the fear or ridicule or rejection. You should consider your spouse's thoughts to be your own: if she says she wants oral sex, imagine it was you having that thought. Or if he mentions oral sex or anal sex, imagine they are your thoughts. How would you react if you had an idea like that: you would probably research the topic and feed your curiosity, perhaps coming to a point where you want to try something like that.

Now the point is not "trying it out", but that you can freely express your thoughts and feelings with your partner. My experience has been that after years of learning to freely talk with my spouse about sexual fantasies and trying out many things with her, I can have regular vaginal sex with nothing kinky going on, knowing that if I DID ask for those things, it would not be  a problem: I have established that I will not experience rejection in this relationship.

A man will probably want to try scandalous things like anal sex, for the purpose of finding out if she is really his wife and that her body really belongs to him as in [1]. Once it has been tested and tried, he will be content and will most likely not want to constantly do it again. At least this was the case with me.

Over the years I have become fully confident that there is no thought in this area that I can't express to my wife without fear of rejection. That does not mean that everything needs to be tried, but it does mean that you two are on the same team, tackling life's questions together, not as competitors in holding everything back.

Married couples are not supposed to hold back from each other: you are supposed to share your previous sexual history (which unfortunately most of us have to one degree or another), share your passing sexual fantasies etc.

My experience has also been that the special protection of God causes everything that is disclosed within marriage to lose its wrong hold on you. For example: I was interested in porn and would sometimes watch it. I showed my wife the things in porn that I find exciting, and suddenly it stopped having the same power over me. That area of my sexuality became OUR common knowledge and thus another part of my sexuality was brought inside the marriage rather than staying outside it. And God does the rest, believe me.

There is a very special and powerful protection in marriage. Anything that you do within marriage that isn't good for you, will lose its power and will start to feel silly and unneeded. We actually tried to have sex with porn playing, but I lost my erection, which was totally unheard of! Usually when watching porn I would have super strong erections and orgasms, and with my wife too. I hopefully don't have to tell you that lustfully looking at another person is wrong, but this is the most extreme example of how I've seen God's protection working in my life.

Now don't take the above as a license for sin (don't continue watching porn), but please do tell your spouse all about your porn obsession, and the specifics of what in porn turns you on. It will bring you two closer to each other and will let her learn more about you. And same goes the other way around of course.

[1] 1Cor 7:3 ESV For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

[2] Eph 5:22 ESV Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

[3] Mal 2:16 KJV  For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Bible teachings on HEALING

1. Healing is bought by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. God cursed all sickness in Jesus on the cross, as its written "“Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”. This also explains why Moses hung a picture of a snake on the tree for Israelites to gaze upon, instead of some positive thing: we are to understand that God has CURSED sickness, infirmity, sin and the like.

2. Healing is an expression of the kingdom of God come near. "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you". The kingdom is where the king's will is done, and God wants you to be healed. If your body is outside the kingdom of God, it is not healed.

3. We receive healing at the point of our faith. The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9) had decided that for her healing would work if she touched the hem of Jesus' garment. For the centurion (Luke 7), he could believe Jesus' word would heal.

You need to figure out how you can receive healing, and that will probably be different from the person next to you. Options include: quietly in your own prayer closet, being prayed for by the elders/great visiting prophet/wife/husband/friend, reaching out by acting against the sickness, by proclaming healing with your words, or by some other means. The way to receive healing does not have to be the same for everyone.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

We rode bikes to the park today with my kids and it was a fine trip. However, there was a group of muslims at the park probably celebrating a birthday or something of that sort, and seeing their covered women and the thoughts in my head troubled me a bit.

I thought of how exclusive islam is: how they do have morals, but in a very bigoted way the rules are different for muslims and non-muslims. For example, stealing and adultery are stricktly forbidden, but for a non-muslim, there is no protection under those laws. Their women do not exercise the freedoms we take for granted and worst of all, muslims are a fast growing demographic in the west and around the world.

Suddenly I stopped my train of thought and realised that was I was considering was purely from a worldly point of view: how communities look, what freedoms I have, what freedoms my daughters have etc. And I realised my mistake: "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2)
The fall of the western civilization is a) not a thing to be concerned about in itself and b) caused by the spark of God's blessing being snuffed out by minds set on worldly things, instead of drawing near to the love of Jesus Christ, the redeemer of all mankind.

God wants us to thrive, but our thriving will start to wane the moment we turn our sights away from Jahweh God to our worldly affairs as objects to pursue.

Should Children Play Computer/Tablet/Smartphone Games?

First off, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled." (Titus 1)

Secondly, its just a medium for carrying and displaying content. Just like a book. Whatever the device may be, its not evil in itself. The content - just like a book - may be inappropriate, but that is a separate question.

I believe parents should keep up to date on technological developments by paying attention to the kinds of games there are.

Many have said that games are just getting worse and worse. I would say they have stayed the same for the past 50 years: you have games that contain witchcraft, sexual immorality, murder etc. and then you have "kosher" games like flight simulators, many strategy games, puzzle games, adventure games that do not have anything sinful about them. So please look through the options, and preferably try the games yourself. Some of the safest titles are things like "Farming Simulator" on the PC/Mac and childrens' games from Toca Boca on the iPad (but there are tons of others).

The most important thing you can give your children is to live a holy life yourself. This will guard them in the spirit, and they will not end up trying the worst, but the best options.

Male Leadership in Church

Women in church
- Taking God's word seriously in the end times -

Why can't women be leaders? Why aren't women leaders? Why are women increasingly becoming leaders?

This article speaks to bible believing people, men and women alike. In this article I will remind what the Holy Spirit has instructed and has written in the bible about men and women and especially their roles in the church and society.

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Why can't women lead men?
God created man in His image and woman he created FOR man as a helper fit for him:

Old Testament
Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Gen. 2:20-22 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

New Testament
1 Corinthians 11: 7-9 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

1 Corinthians 11:3 Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

There. Now, whether this be excercised or not, doesn't change how God sees things. In Gods eyes man is His image and woman his helper.
Man is responsible! Suppose an organization, where a woman leads (the number is rising together with ungodliness as we come closer to the end of this age). Who is in charge and who is responsible in Gods eyes? According to God's ordainment, man rules over the woman. This means that in Gods eyes a man is responsible for what he does and orders others to do. So: if a woman orders men to do something the men are still responsible, not the woman! This also means, that a woman doesn't have Gods backing for what she says when ordering men around.

In addition to the order set by God in the creating, the Holy spirit has had certain things written for the new covenant church:

1 Corinthians 14
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

1 Timothy 2
8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Shamefacedness.. women, have you any idea how much more your husbands could show their love for you and how holy your homes and families would be, if you could find this?

Over the years, I've heard a number of excuses to these passages:
1) There are no men or women in Messiah (Gal 3:28)
Right, but there are men and women on earth.. and both receive their reward in heaven according to their own position. Man for man's works and woman for woman's works.
2)Woman not being banned from any form of service to God
Right, the whole priesthood belongs also to the woman: teaching, leading, prophesying, laying on of hands etc. But within the bounds set by the bible: a woman may teach, but not men; a woman may lead, but not men! A woman may prophesy, not without a covering of her head. A woman may have authority, but not over men!
3)Jesus is a man and having Him live in a woman makes her capable/allowed to do man's things.
Jesus is not a man: he is God! Man is God's image, God is not a man! When Jesus came on earth, he made alive the image of God, which is man. That doesn't make him a man. If I play with a puppet, I animate it but I don't become a puppet myself. That's how God also "animated" the son of man. When God comes into a woman through His spirit, He gives her strength to do His will: to be shamefaced, sobre, subject to her husband, learningn in silence. If you (woman) receive a spririt that teaches women can/should teach and rule men, you're dealing with the spirit of Isebel (Jezebel ). You can read how she used her husbands authority and ruled Israel in 1 Kings 21. Also note Revelation 2:20, which says Isebel calls herself a prophetess that teaches. I've actually met arrogant women like this that justify their sins by saying "God told me so and so"
4)Cultural backround
The bible is written for the church, not a specific culture. In 1Tim.2 Paul addresses all of humanity: he isn't saying "look, in this or this culture women made a mess: now they shouldn't teach" - instead he says: "Deception came to all of humanity through the deception of Eve, that's one reason for not letting women teach." Also, Adam was formed before Eve: this is the general order set by God in the beginning. The bible is therefore speaking to all the decendants of Adam and Eve - all of humanity!

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Why aren't women leaders?
Looking back at the history of mankind, it is perceivable that men have allways been at the top of society and heads of households. Why? Why not? That's the way God created man and woman! Man to be His image and woman to reinforce or complete man. NOTICE THIS! WOMEN ARE NOT LOWER BEINGS CREATED TO SERVE MEN AS THEIR MASTERS! NO! But women are created to make complete the man God created.

Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

One flesh! This is important especially for couples, but also the church and society at large. Women have allways been the life and color inside the framework and under the shelter of men. Women ARE the life and color! You know what I'm talking about: women are lively, talkative, rash, unstable and gentle. Men, on the other hand, are serious, solid and reliable. This distiction should be recognized throughout our lives: men rule and create the "framework" at home and in the church - women support this structure and fill it. By the way: don't suppose I'm saying women can speak/teach in church to fill the space: that belongs to the man.

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Why are women increasingly becoming leaders?
OK, so men are the leaders and heads of households. Now, why does this seem to be changing? Is God bringing evolution to a higher level? Is God doing with woman what he would have done if woman didn't fall into deception in Eden? In a word: NO! God created man and woman for him and God's work doesn't need to be "improved"! The only change to this was introduced by satan and that was not an improvement!

1 Tim. 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Gen. 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Now, here comes a very important point: the curse of sin came through this one sin. The power of satan over mankind is based on this one sin. What sin?
1) For woman the sin was to listen to satan.
2) For man the sin was that he listened to woman, the helper God gave him, instead of God himself. It involved worshipping the created woman instead of God.

This one sin is then the beginning of sin and the most powerfull of all sin! That's why we see it so strong around us. Men run after women and women are in the position to set the conditions. Great deception is on it's way, and indeed, come it must!


2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Amen. At the end of the chapter is given comfort. We must lift your heads and await our salvation!

But a few words about the strong delusion that verse 11 above talked about. The falling away will happen, and the devil will do it with the same channel he used at first: woman! At this point it is important for him to rid the world of righteous men of high standing and replace them (for a while) with women. Since the beginning, all women been very easily deceived. Today also, women will start to slowly yield to the devil. If you are a man, reject women as leaders, understand your responsibility before God and learn to love your wife (if you have a wife). If you are a woman, learn submissiveness to your husband (if you are a wife) and shut your mouth in church and your ears from the feministic whisperings of this world (they are not of your saviour Jesus the messiah of Nazareth).

May you come to the perfect understanding of what is true and Godly. May the Holy Spririt bring into life for you the scriptures that are dead by themselves. Be blessed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth!

Mikael Laine. Turku, Finland.

In other news, David Pawson teaches on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOBM8Vpk4Xw

Christians and Self-Defence

1. The bible says "do not murder". It does not say do not kill. In fact, the bible has accounts of God's men killing left and right, sometimes in pursuit of thieves that have their stuff, sometimes in defence of themselves, and sometimes as God ordered to take the land that God had given them. 2. Suffering for Christ is one thing, watching someone rape your wife is quite another. There is a reason why self-defence is a United Nations sanctioned human right. Suffering for Christ is not the same as suffering because someone wants to steal your stuff, kill you or worse. If someone asks you to denounce Jesus Christ, take a bullet. If someone wants to take your wife and kill your kids, give him a bullet. 3. Exodus 22:2-3 2 "If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed.