“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 NIV

A post by Emelie Stenhammar, MD

If you look at yourself in the mirror and a negative thought enters your mind, you can be sure it was not from God.

I want to emphasize that again: If, when looking at yourself in the mirror, you notice things about your body that you don’t like, things that you think are misshapen or ugly—those thoughts are definitely not from God! Resist them!

The world creates impossible beauty standards that no one can live up to. Those standards are lies from the devil, trying to destroy your confidence, limit your life, and steal your joy. Recognize that those thoughts are not true. If the devil can get you displeased with yourself and focus your attention on your outward appearance rather than the condition of your heart, your walk with the Lord, or serving others, he has done a great deal of harm.

Instead, straighten your back and lift your head. God is the one who created you, and He thinks you look wonderful. He wanted you, and He created you the way He wanted you. If He is happy with the way He made me, so should I be.

Instead of questioning your Maker, look in the mirror and decide: This is what God labels wonderful—then I will do so too.

Point at yourself in the mirror and say out loud: “You are beautiful! God made you beautiful!” God makes no mistakes.

I thank You, my Father, that I am wonderfully made. Help me resist the temptation to think otherwise. Help me also to focus on the things that really matter rather than on outward appearance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 GNB

Have you ever been struck by this thought: “God can’t use me because I’m too weak”?
Today’s Scripture reveals that to be a lie meant to hold us back from being used by God. Paul says that we who carry the message of Jesus and his kingdom are like clay pots. Why is that significant? Because I’ve been told that in Bible days, clay pots that had cracks in them were not discarded but used as lanterns.

The picture of light shining through cracks brings out the great truth that it is exactly in our human frailty and weakness that God’s love and power will be known.

Trying to hide our human limitations and frailty is like trying to cover up the cracks in the pot, thus hindering the light from shining through.

We don’t have to become spiritual superheroes for God to use us. What we need is to be authentic. Some of the most powerful spiritual breakthroughs I have ever seen have come in times of great weakness.

So we should not be afraid of facing our weaknesses and limitations but bring them before God in honesty and truth. In doing so, He will use them to show the supreme power of the Gospel.

In today’s text, Paul had to remind the church in Corinth of this truth. They looked at Paul and didn’t find him very impressive. How could someone so ordinary, weak, and persecuted really be carrying the message of God’s kingdom?

So don’t hide your weakness. Let it be the avenue through which God’s power is shown!

One note: The devil is in the details, as the saying goes, so I need to point out something. We need to be aware of the difference between sin and human weakness. I’m not saying that willful sin in our lives is the crack through which God’s light will shine. Sin must always be confessed, and we must make every effort to change by the grace of God.

Father, thank you for wanting to use me today. I give you all of me. Use my strengths and my weaknesses as ways to display your glorious power and love. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Lord, have mercy on my son.” Matthew 17:15a

All of us, I’m sure, have come to situations when we don’t know how to pray. It can be a personal challenge or something a family member or friend is going through. Or it can be facing conflict and having enemies working against you. How can you start praying?

Probably the most common prayer throughout the life of the church is “Kyrie, eleison,” which means, “Lord, have mercy.” Kyrie is Greek for “Lord,” and eleison means “to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need.”

Some react negatively to that prayer, saying that God is merciful and has already had mercy on us in Christ and therefore the prayer isn’t biblical. But think of it rather as when praying “Lord, have mercy,” we are not trying to change God’s attitude. We know he is love so we pray for God’s mercy to be manifested.

By praying, we are building a landing strip where the cargo planes of God’s love and blessing can land in the life of the person we are praying for.

When I watch the news, many times the only prayer I can say is “Lord, have mercy.” When I hear of the hardships and challenges people in my orbit are going through, I find this is a good way to start praying. And when I’m in troubling waters and feel way over my head, the Lord has heard my prayer for his lovingkindness to be manifested. I echo the prayer, often the Greek version, “Kyrie, eleison,” every time the situation comes to mind. And I have seen the manifested mercy of God!

There is a wonderful worship song built around this prayer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n50HIBUJN34
 
Father, thank you for who you are—that you are merciful and kind. I pray that your mercy will be manifest in my life and those around me. Lord, have mercy on [add the persons and situations that need God’s manifest mercy]. Amen.
 

“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.” Hebrews 12:28 NLT

Anyone who has experienced an earthquake knows the feeling when literally everything around them is shaking and there is no fixed point that remains stable.

The circumstances of life can sometimes make us feel like we are in an earthquake. It can be problems in our relationships, health issues, financial struggles, legal issues, difficulty at work or finding work, and so on. The natural reaction is to seek a place of stability and safety.

God is not afraid of allowing us to get into situations that feel like an earthquake, because those times reveal in what we have put our ultimate trust. Also, such times make us realize that God is the only fixed point that stands firm no matter what else is going on.

Thankfulness is a key practice to help us go through a personal earthquake. You can practice that in two ways:

Remind yourself of the times God has been faithful to you in the past and thank Him for that. Speak about them to your family and friends and post them on social media. Thanking God for His faithfulness in the past strengthens our faith in the present.

Also, search the Scriptures and thank God for the times God has brought His people through unimaginable difficulties. The Bible is full of examples to center our faith on God: Abraham and Sarah, the exodus out of Egypt, David while being pursued by Saul, the prophets, Peter in prison, and so on.

Father, thank You that You counted me worthy to be part of Your Kingdom. I look to You today and not to the circumstances around me. Thank You for all the times You have been faithful to me: [name some]. Because Your Kingdom cannot be shaken, I can trust You even when everything around me is shaking. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 NIV

When you read the book of Ecclesiastes, you might wonder, how could today’s verse really be in the Word of God? Would God ever inspire a writer to say that everything is meaningless? Obviously, God did. But why?

As you read through the book (if you haven’t, or it was a long time ago, I encourage you to do it), you will find how a life without God looks.

The writer, traditionally understood to be King Solomon, had achieved the greatest levels of wealth, wisdom, and status of his time. Yet his perspective was earthbound. Somehow, the eternal point of view was lost, and God was not part of the equation. So we can read Ecclesiastes to get an insider’s perspective of how empty even the most prosperous and successful life is when we lose sight of God.

Regardless of the level of success, living without an eternal point of view and hope in God will lead to the conclusion that “everything is meaningless”—because true meaning comes only from God.

Sin and the enemy want to get our eyes off God and get us so consumed by the things of this life that all we spend time thinking about is what is “under the sun” (1:3)—a key phrase in the book. When our perspective is taken captive by this world, we soon lose joy and hope, and a sense of meaninglessness creeps up on us.

If you, or someone you know, battles feelings of meaninglessness, join in prayer for a change of perspective—from life under the sun to life under the Son.

Heavenly Father, help me to lift my eyes away from the things of this life to you. Help me to live for you, fill me with an eternal hope, and fill this day with meaning. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD 

“Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.” 2 Kings 19:14 NIV

Have you ever received a letter, email, SMS, or social media post that felt like a gut punch? Perhaps from a doctor, a bank, a close friend, or a job. What do you do with a negative message that has the power to reshape the rest of your life?

That’s the kind of letter King Hezekiah received. It was basically a death threat to him and the nation of Judah. Unless they surrendered to the king of Assyria, they would be attacked, and the odds were overwhelming in favor of the attackers. Assyria was the most powerful nation in the region, while Judah was very insignificant in strength.

What did the king do? Before he responded, he “spread it out before the Lord.” That is what you and I need to do too.

Take your text, letter, email, or whatever it is and spread it before the Lord. Don’t act out of fear or anger. Don’t repost or call your friends right away. Give it over to God and let Him show you how to respond. Sometimes you have to hand it over for a while before the Lord will show you what to do. That’s okay.

At one time, I got an email that changed everything. I had the promise of a great job opportunity. We had prepared as a family to move and done everything to inform the church, family, and friends about it. But then, shortly before the move, out of nowhere, I got the message that my position was no longer available. It was devastating news. We lost hope. But we did exactly what Hezekiah did: we took the email and spread it before the Lord. After several days, the Lord gave us the direction, and it turned out to be so much better than we first expected.

Father, I give this over to You [add the message you’ve received]. Show me how to respond and how to act. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.” Jeremiah 7:13 NIV

There is a story I love about a young boy who passed by a house where a group of adults were outside and looked upset. The child asked what was going on and found out that the owner of the house had lost their expensive mechanical watch and couldn’t find it. They had all been inside, turning the house upside down, but to no avail. The boy told them that he would find it, but he needed to be left alone in the house. The adults laughed at him. But he was persistent, and finally they allowed him in. After a short while, the boy came back with a triumphant smile, holding the watch in his hand. Everyone was astonished and asked him, “How did you do it?” “Simple,” the boy answered. “I just sat quiet and listened for the tick-tock.”

I’m sure this story can be retold in several ways, but the main point stays the same: the importance of being quiet and being attentive to the Lord.

We don’t want God to tell us what He told His people in today’s verse: “I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen.”

Many times, we get tricked into thinking that if something is very important, God will shout. But that’s not necessarily so. God often whispers very important things, and if we are too busy making noise, we won’t hear them.

So let’s prioritize making time to listen to the Lord. Prayer isn’t always talking to God; it is also about taking time to wait and focus our attention on the Lord so that we can hear from Him. That isn’t easy for those of us who tend to focus on doing, but it is a discipline to learn that will bring great rewards in the end.

Father, I want to know and do Your will. Help me make room for You today so that I can listen to what You are telling me. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:23 NIV

God wants us to trust Him, and when we do, it pleases Him. There is a special smile from heaven over us when we live by faith, and we enter into a closer walk with God.

Abraham stands as an example of faith in the Bible. God promised to bless him and use him to bless the world. Even though it looked impossible, Abraham refused to be discouraged and doubt God. The Bible gives an amazing testimony about him: “Abraham believed God.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing if this was your testimony and mine too? At the end of the day, faith is a choice. So, regardless of how I feel, how difficult life is, or how dark the circumstances are, I want to follow in the footsteps of Abraham.

I encourage you to find today’s verse in your Bible and write your name there. I have written in mine, “Mikael believed God.” Sometimes when I face a challenging situation, I go to that verse and say it aloud. It sets my direction and reminds me of how I want to live and react.

By choosing to trust Him, I have seen God do miracles and turn situations around that I could never have imagined were possible. You will too!

Say aloud: “[Your name] believed God.”

God, I trust You today. Thank You for being faithful and coming through for me. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NIV
 
By Emelie Stenhammar, MD

I have a note in my Bible next to this verse that says, “23rd of March 2022.” That was a date when God spoke to me through this verse and set my heart at peace when I was worried about heading into a longer period of hard work that lay ahead of me, which I felt was overwhelming.

I remember being really anxious, but I brought my worries to the Lord, seeking Him for a word that would set me free. God did not disappoint. He never does. This is the verse He used at that particular time. It was not written for that day in March, of course, but God still used this verse to speak to me, remove my fear, and fill me with His peace.

I have a lot of dates and notes in my Bible reminding me of moments when God has spoken to me through His Word and how that has changed everything. It’s good to be reminded. It builds faith.

Whenever we worry about something—it might be the future, our children, finances, or whatever it may be—it is good to remember that worrying produces nothing. But bringing our worries to Jesus changes everything, as He fills us with His peace and gives us the rest we desire. Jesus invites us to take our worries and cast them on Him. He is giving us an offer we would be fools to resist—He offers to take our burdens and instead give us His rest.

So whatever is on your mind today, don’t try to carry it alone. Don’t wait until you can’t go on anymore. Go to Jesus right away. He has promised you rest. And a word from Him can set you free.

Jesus, I take my burdens to You. Speak a word and set my heart at rest. Amen.

“Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5 NIV

Shame is a powerful enemy that seeks to take control of our lives.

I know Sophia (not her real name) very well. When she was left alone with three children after her husband chose a younger woman, she was gripped by a powerful spirit of shame at having been ditched. The shame was so overwhelming that she found it difficult to tell others what had happened, and she withdrew from the people around her. But Sophia is a prayerful person. One day, while seeking the Lord, she had a powerful encounter with God. Jesus came to her. He told her that he had taken her shame upon himself when he died the disgraceful death on the cross. Sophia testifies how this gave her a new understanding of what salvation means. The spirit of shame was broken in that moment, and the Holy Spirit gave her a new boldness to face herself and others. Now she walks with her head held high, can share her life story without shame, and has led many others into greater freedom.

Shame is a normal human emotion, but there can also be a spirit of shame that seeks to control us.

A spirit of shame can be crippling and make us isolate ourselves. So, like Sophia, we need a revelation of how Jesus broke the power of shame on the cross.

Jesus, thank you for breaking the spirit of shame in my life. Holy Spirit, reveal the cross to me so that I can serve and love others in freedom. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” Matthew 24:6 NIV

I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news of 9/11. I was serving the Lord as a missionary in Kenya, leading a school of ministry there. It was hard to find news, so I went to a hotel that had American cable news. As I watched, I was shocked and had to battle fear. Once the news broke that this wasn’t an accident, I understood that somehow this changed the world as we knew it. How would things look after this?

We called all the students together for a chapel service. I prayed for a Scripture to share with them, and today’s verse is what the Holy Spirit gave me. We prayed for America, for the world, and also for ourselves—for comfort for those who lost loved ones and especially that a spirit of fear would not get to us.

Jesus told us that such things not only would but “must” happen, but he also emphasized the importance of resisting fear: “see to it that you are not alarmed.” In the midst of it, we should look to him and resist fear.

Today, on the 25th anniversary, we stop to remember. We pray that God makes his presence known to those who are grieving and for all who were affected by the war that came afterward.

May we be reminded of what Jesus said later in the chapter:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

Jesus is coming soon, and we have a mission to share the good news of his kingdom in word and deed.

Father, we pray for the world. Let your love be known through us so that people will turn to you. Use today’s anniversary to awaken people to the reality of who you are and that you are coming soon. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:41–42 NIV

By Josephine Stenhammar

In today’s text, we find the story of Jesus coming to the house of Martha and her sister Mary. Mary chooses to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him while Martha is busy with preparations, most likely cooking, cleaning, and serving. Martha gets annoyed with her sister Mary for leaving her to do all the work herself and not helping out. But Jesus explains how few things are needed—only one—and that Mary has chosen the best thing.

I believe believers can easily fall into the same trap. Martha was serving the Lord with all her strength and energy. She was fully focused on the task and what had to be done. Sometimes it is easy for us to do the same. We can be focused on serving the Lord with all our might, yet miss out on the most important and very best thing—being with the Lord.

We might have an underlying idea that we somehow have to deserve to sit at the feet of Jesus, and that only once we are done with our task can we enjoy his presence. But Mary chose to come to Jesus first. Before serving, before working, she came to Jesus. And Jesus’ response shows that this was the best thing.

We are first and foremost made to have a relationship with Jesus and to remain in him. We are called to sit at his feet and listen to his voice. So today, let us come to Jesus and sit at his feet. Before we become busy with serving him and working, let us come and dwell in his presence. Because he is all that we need.

Dear Lord Jesus, I thank you for your amazing love for me. I thank you that you long to spend time with me. I am sorry when I have prioritized my time like Martha instead of Mary. You are truly most important and all that I need. Help me to come and dwell in your presence. Amen.

“Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.” Mark 4:38a NIV

By Emelie Stenhammar

When a young child, in the company of a parent, faces something unfamiliar or perhaps frightening, I have noticed many times that they look to their parent’s face. They want to know, by their parent’s reaction, whether this is something to worry about or not. If the parent is calm, then the child can remain calm as well. But if the parent looks worried, then it is cause for panic.

I come from a family with many children. When my parents bought groceries, it could be quite costly. I remember how my little brother would hold his breath and anxiously look for the reaction on my parents’ faces every time the cashier mentioned the amount that needed to be paid. To him, the cost was astronomical—would it be so for his parents too? If they looked calm, he could relax and breathe again. I don’t know why this troubled him so much, as we, to my recollection, never had any problems paying for our food. But it clearly did.

I think there is something we can learn from this, though: when we go through troubles—and we will—we should look at our Parent, Jesus. And if He is not worried, then neither should we be.

The disciples found themselves in the greatest storm. Many of them were fishermen and were used to the water and bad weather, but this storm was clearly something else. They were sure this was the end. If they, like my brother, had looked at the face of their Parent, they would not have needed to worry. Jesus was sleeping in the boat. Instead of waking Him up in fear, faith like a child would snuggle up beside Him. If Jesus is at peace, then I don’t need to worry either.

Jesus, when the storms of life hit me, help me to look to You. Then I will see that You are at peace, and I, like a child, will not have to fear either. Amen.

“Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me” Acts 27:23 NIV

Emelie and I have a mentor couple who have served God as missionaries in Africa for over 40 years and pioneered an amazing ministry there. One time, the wife, Gunnel, gave birth to their second child by cesarean section in a very remote place, but the bleeding never stopped. Finally, she was about to die, and her husband, Fred, prayed over her and anointed her with oil.

I recall him telling us the story. He prayed something like, “This is my wife, Gunnel, whom I love, and I want her to live. But she is more yours than mine.” After that, he left the house because he couldn’t stand being there to see her suffer. To get his mind off things, he went and did some manual work at a church structure they were building.

A little while later, someone came running to him and said that he had to come immediately. He thought that his wife had died, but what he saw blew him away. In the doorway stood his wife with a surgical cloth that had been forgotten inside her but had just come out naturally. She recovered and is still alive, still going strong in her 90s.

This phrase, “more yours than mine,” has helped Emelie and me pray for our kids and ourselves. When we really commit our loved ones into the hands of the One who loves and cares for them even more than we do, there is an amazing peace that comes.

Even praying it for our own lives is powerful. Once, on a flight to Africa, when we were about to land, the plane was hit by a very strong crosswind. Everything in the plane started shaking. Some people began to shout in fear. I got scared too, but I was able to pray:
Jesus, I am going to Africa to serve you. I want to live. But my life is more yours than mine.
I barely finished that prayer before the Holy Spirit filled me with the deepest sense of peace. I knew that I knew that whatever happens, my life is in God’s hands. Perhaps I don’t need to state the obvious—we landed safely in the end.

Father, help me to realize that you love me and my loved ones even more than I do. Help me to release them into your loving hands and trust that you are looking out for their eternal welfare—they are more yours than mine. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” Psalm 105:4 NIV

William Booth founded the Salvation Army together with his wife, Catherine, to reach people who were trapped in alcoholism, poverty, and hopelessness in 19th-century England. It grew into a powerful revival movement that spread to many countries and left a lasting impact. (If you are not familiar with these amazing stories, do a quick Google search. You will be inspired!)

It is reported that William Booth said at a meeting with his officers:

“Take time to pray God’s blessing down on your own soul every day. If you do not, you will lose God. God is leaving men every day. They once had power. They walked in the glory and strength of God but they ceased to wait on Him and earnestly seek His face, and He left them. I am a very busy man, but I take time to get alone with God every day and commune with Him. If I did not, He would soon leave me.”
—William Booth, quoted in Samuel L. Brengle, Helps to Holiness

That Booth was a busy man was no exaggeration. He led a rapidly expanding international movement that, by the end of his life, had spread to 58 countries, with thousands of people coming to Christ each year—and in some years, reports indicate that the number reached as many as 100,000.

In the midst of such a busy life leading this movement, he still prioritized his relationship with God.

Sidenote: Booth did not mean that God would literally leave him, since we have the promise that God will never forsake us. Rather, he was speaking about experiencing God’s presence and blessing in our lives—the fresh touch of God that we never want to lose.

I encourage you to set aside time every day to do what William Booth did. You will never regret doing it—only regret not doing it.

Father, I want to make you my highest priority. Help me to take time today and every day to be alone with you and press into you. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’” Mark 5:36 NIV

There have been many times in our lives when circumstances looked impossible, and we saw no human way out. Emelie and I looked at one another and said, “We chose to trust God.”

Living by faith begins with a conscious choice: I want to trust God no matter what. I refuse to let the world around me, my thoughts and feelings, my fears and insecurities, the opinions of others, and so on dictate how I’m going to live and what decisions I’m going to make. I make the promises of God and His faithfulness to fulfill them my lodestar that I use to navigate life.

In today’s text, Jairus had just gotten news that his daughter had died. Jesus overheard that, and note what He tells the father: “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” In other words, don’t let the current situation define your attitude and actions. Look beyond the bad report to Jesus, who has the final say.

It doesn’t mean we put our heads in the sand and deny reality. It means we bring our present reality to God and listen to what His Word says. Once we hear that, we choose to trust Him, even when everything else might speak to the contrary.

As I write this, the song “There Is Nothing Our God Can’t Do” comes to mind.

Why not listen to it right now and make the choice to trust God today? Picture all the challenges you are facing, bring them to God, and say, “I choose to trust You.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37CZnA_OP3c
 
Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” 2 Timothy 2:13 NLT

Let’s imagine for a minute that God allowed some of the saints of the Bible to come back to life for just a short while and we could talk to them. If we lined up Moses, Miriam, Abraham and Sarah, Joshua, Ruth, Hannah, Samuel, David, Jeremiah, Mary, John, Paul, and Timothy and asked them to describe their experiences of God and to summarize how they have come to know God with just one word, what do you think they all would say?

I am convinced they would say, “faithful.”

Notice how today’s Scripture speaks of faithfulness being absolutely essential to who God is.

Look at this summary interpretation of Webster’s Dictionary:

Faithful — true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original; implying unswerving adherence to a person, thing, oath, or promise; loyal, constant, staunch, steadfast, and resolute —firm and unwavering in allegiance, love, conviction, or purpose, and resistant to influences that would weaken it.

So when we say that God is faithful, it means (and I encourage you to read these aloud and thank Him for each truth):

• God is steadfast in His love for me.
• God has unswerving adherence to me.
• God is loyal to me.
• God is constant toward me.
• God is staunch in His commitment to me.
• God is resolute in His purpose for me.
• God remains firm and unwavering in His allegiance to me.
• God is true to His Word and faithful to His promises to me.
• God resists every influence that would weaken His commitment to me.

Wow! Just wow!

Let these be building blocks in how you think and feel about God.

Father, thank You for being who You are and that You are faithful. Open my eyes today to see more of Your faithfulness so that I can mirror it to the world. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33 NIV

The little word “Oh” in today’s Scripture says a lot. Paul has been writing about God and how He works out His plans in the world. It is very deep and sometimes complicated to fully understand, but then, in the midst of that, comes this exclamation that initiates a session of worship. The “Oh” is an emotional interjection that marks an encounter with God that leads to an outpouring of praise:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?’ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33–36)

Notice how Paul is overcome by the greatness and majesty of God.

It is fascinating to see how this moment of worship is spontaneous and breaks the flow of his writing. It shows us that the apostle has been interrupted by the glory of God, so he just had to stop what he was doing and worship God.

My prayer is that all of us will have these “Oh” moments today, where we get interrupted by the glory and greatness of God in such a way that we have no option but to stop whatever we are doing and just worship.

Father, You are amazing, and all You do is amazing. May I encounter You today in ways that lead me to spontaneous praise. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

I never wanted to preach. I grew up in a pastor’s home and saw many of the downsides, so I wanted to get into business. But then I met the Lord and woke up to the fact that God had given me a gift that I needed to steward, so I began preaching in my late teens. Before God began using me, I was first overcome with a great longing to be used.

When God forgave our sins and birthed us anew by the Holy Spirit, it was not just so that we could get eternal life—it was also to use us to display His powerful love here and now.

But we can’t do that in our own strength. For our lives to bring greater blessings, the Holy Spirit gives each of us various kinds of gifts, certain supernatural abilities, if you will, that come from God and are meant for us to flow in so that God can be glorified and the body of Christ be edified.

Many Christians don’t know that God wants to use them in spiritual gifts. That is too sad. My prayer is that each of us will become aware of the charismatic gifts in our lives and start practicing them. In that way, we will see the kingdom of God expand among us.

A good step in that direction is to welcome the Holy Spirit to become a more active part of our lives. As we release ourselves to Him, spiritual gifts will start to flow.

Holy Spirit, I want You to have all of me. I pray that You will flow through me and use me in the gifts for Your glory. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9–10 NIV

Giving to the Lord is a practice we have to learn, as it doesn’t come naturally to most of us, as our fallen nature tends to want to hold fast to the money and possessions we have. Yet giving our tithes (ten percent of our income) and offerings to the Lord is a very important part of our walk with God.

Today’s text shows us two key truths about the power of giving:

First, our giving shows who is really our God, that is, who we put our ultimate trust and love in. When we give, we show that Mammon doesn’t hold power over us, but that our hearts are set on the Lord. In that way, we honor God for who God is—the source and sustainer of our life.

Secondly, our giving positions us into the life of God. God’s resources are limitless, and He is ready to meet our every need. When we give, we imitate God, who is the ultimate Giver, and by doing so we open ourselves for the overflowing and abundant life of the Holy Spirit where there is no lack.

The devil and our selfish nature lie to us and say that when we give, we lose. The biblical truth is, as we just have seen, the exact opposite. By giving, we receive. That is how the kingdom of God works. This is why we give, even when it seems foolish to the fallen world to do so.

Father, thank You for giving me life and everything else. I want to be a giver like You. Help me to honor You with my possessions and to trust You to meet all my needs this month. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!
Ruth 4:14 NIV

A post by Josephine Stenhammar

The book of Ruth is a beautiful story of Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth, a Moabite woman. The book shows the redemption of God and His love and plan to include all people in His salvation story.

Ruth leaves her country and returns with Naomi to Bethlehem. There, she gleans in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband, Elimelek. Boaz becomes their family redeemer, marries Ruth, and they have a son named Obed. Obed becomes the grandfather of King David and is part of the genealogy of Jesus.

Reading this story, it is clear how God is working even in the tiniest details. However, at that time, it would have been hard for them to understand what God’s plan was.

Before the beautiful story of redemption, there were times of hardship and sadness. Naomi lost her husband, and both her sons and Ruth lost their husbands. Ruth came as a foreigner to Bethlehem, and life for them was tough.

Sometimes God works in our lives behind the scenes. We might not understand that God is working until we look back. Ruth did not receive a prophetic word that she was meant to go to Boaz’s fields. Yet, God had planned everything and was working all the time.

So, if we feel like God is quiet and does not tell us what He is doing, we can be calm and trust that He is still in control. God has a plan, and He will work in ways we cannot see and cannot always understand. We must trust that one day we will be able to look back and rejoice over what God has done, just like Naomi and the women rejoiced when they held little Obed in their arms.
 
Thank you Jesus that You never stop working in my life. Help me to trust that You are in control and that one day I will be able to see and rejoice in the things that You have done. Amen.

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.” Mark 16:17 NKJV

My first personal encounter with the demonic is still a vivid memory to me. Growing up in a pastor’s home, we sometimes had people living with us who had various challenges and problems. One time, we had a person staying with us whom I later found out was battling the demonic in their life.

One day, while the person was in our house and I was trying to go to sleep, I sensed that my room was filled with a dark and evil presence. It was so real that I could have cut it with a knife. I tried to sleep so that I would get away from it, but it was too much. I had seen my mother rebuke the devil before and had also been in church services where people spoke the name of Jesus. So I knelt by my bedside, and I remember that as I did, I felt like someone large and evil was standing just behind me, almost leaning over me. I just said what I had heard others say: “I take authority over you in the name of Jesus. Leave my room now.”

There was no struggle or fight. In an instant, the peace of God filled the room. My body was at peace, and I was overcome with great joy and thankfulness for Jesus’ victory over evil.
Since then, Emelie and I have seen the power in the name of Jesus to dispel darkness and set people free. You don’t need a special spiritual gift or a degree in theology. Jesus said that using His name is for everyone who believes in Him.

Today, don’t let the devil bully you. Don’t allow fear to have the final word. Speak the name of Jesus. Stand your ground in Jesus’ authority and see the devil flee.

Jesus, thank You for defeating the devil and all the power of evil. Open my eyes to Your victory and lead me to people who need to be set free. In Your name, amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24 NIV

I grew up as a pastor’s kid in a Christian home and have always believed in Jesus, but I wasn’t very interested in living for Him. In my late teens, my older brother, who was on fire for the Lord, invited me to another church that had a Thursday night Bible school. I didn’t want to go because I had fun stuff going on in my life. I will never forget what my brother said: “Mikael, soon you will graduate high school and move out from home, but you don’t have any foundation to build your life on. You need the Word of God.”

God used my brother to wake me up to the fact that I was totally unstable and needed to build my life on God’s Word. I joined the evening Bible school, and it changed the direction of my life.

In Jesus’ famous parable of the housebuilder, He says that those who build their lives on His Word are like a man building his house on a rock. Yet those who do not build their lives on His Word are like a man building his house on sand. The unifying denominator in both is that “the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against” both houses. Notice that! Jesus doesn’t promise us that when we build our lives on His Word, it will protect us from the problems and temptations of life. No. But it will make us strong in them.

Believers face the same hardships as everyone else: sickness, financial problems, relational challenges, untimely deaths, persecution, and so on. But when we have invested time in God’s Word and put it into practice, we have a solid foundation that will stand no matter what we face.

I am so grateful that I took time to build my life on God’s Word!

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word. Help me to give it my highest priority and put it into practice so that my life will have a solid foundation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Luke 17:17 NIV

The first time I came to East Africa, I was 20 years old, and I spent time in very poor areas. I was struck by the joy that believers showed, especially the children. This impression has proven to be true; there is a deep joy among believers in Africa, and it is often expressed in thankfulness to God. I realized the connection between joy and thankfulness.

In our text today, Jesus healed ten people who were sick with leprosy. He sent them to go to the priest, and as they went, they were healed. Yet only one of them returned to give thanks.

It is so easy for us to forget to give thanks to God for everything He has done for us. We just go from one prayer need to another without stopping to even think about all the prayers God has already answered.

I don’t want Jesus to ask, “Wasn’t Mikael also blessed? Where is he?”

Since we don’t want to be one of the nine today is a good time to stop and reflect on what the Lord has done recently for us and give Him thanks for it.

You might still have many prayers that you are waiting to see answered, but surely there are prayers God has already answered. Focus on them right now. That will build your faith as you continue to trust God with your future.

Father, thank You for hearing me and answering my prayers. Forgive me when I act like the nine who never turned back to praise You. Today I am so thankful that You [fill in the blank]. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.” Acts 9:39 NIV

The fallen world around us tells us to live for ourselves, get the most out of life, and maximize our happiness—even if that means hurting others and acting selfishly.
The common phrase that captures this attitude is YOLO: You Only Live Once.

But that is completely contrary to the life God wants us to live. YOLO says, “life is short, so live for yourself.” God calls us to something radically different: to live a self-giving life, looking out for the best interests of others.

There was a disciple in the book of Acts named Dorcas who embodied this. She is only mentioned in one passage, which speaks of how she helped the poor and how people mourned her death. It also says that they showed Peter the clothes she had made. In other words, Dorcas had lived such a self-giving life in the service of others that she was deeply missed when she died.

I recently heard the rhetorical question, “Who will cry when you die?” That is a good question to ask. Am I living such a self-giving life that I too, like Dorcas, will be missed? Do I add value and meaning to the lives of others, or am I trying to shape the world around my wishes and desires?

Father, help me to live a self-giving and generous life for Your glory. Give me the power to keep loving and giving, especially when people don’t deserve it or never give anything back. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD