“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” Colossians 3:23 NIV

By Emelie Stenhammar, MD

Today’s verse is a remedy against meaninglessness. Whatever you do for the Lord becomes meaningful. And if we do everything for the Lord, then everything becomes meaningful.

Can everything really be done as unto the Lord? Well, if there is something we do that cannot, we probably shouldn’t do it. But the rest, even the boring “have-to’s” and all our musts, can be moved from the category of “necessary evil” to the category of “something of value” if we decide to do it for the Lord.

It might help to say it out loud: Lord, I empty this dishwasher for you! I change this diaper for you! I answer this email for you! And when we do, we will find that it not only becomes meaningful but also changes the way we do it. If it is for the Lord, we’d better—as the verse says—work at it with all our heart. Because we love Him, and we want to give Him our best.
But also, if we work at it—whatever it is—with all our heart and do it as unto the Lord, God will reward us as the following verse says:

“since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:24)

This is an amazing promise. An inheritance and a reward—for doing whatever we do as unto the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I am in!

Jesus, help me today to do whatever I do as unto you, and to work at it with all my heart, motivated by my love for you and knowing that you will reward me.

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8b NIV

Jesus asked whether He would find faith on the earth when He returns. The Greek word translated “faith” is pistis, which can also carry the meaning of faithfulness. Jesus’ question therefore challenges us to consider whether He will find people who remain faithful to Him when He returns.

Faithfulness should be a hallmark of our lives. We are called to be faithful to God, to show ourselves trustworthy to Him, and to guard our love so that it is set on Him alone. In the Old Testament, God describes His relationship with His people as that of a marriage. When God’s people turned away from Him, it was equivalent to unfaithfulness in marriage. We are in a covenant relationship with God.

What God wants first from us is not that we do a lot of great things for Him, but that we live faithfully to Him. Great performance doesn’t take the place of deep faithfulness.

Our enemy, the devil, seeks to make us unfaithful to God. That has been his number one plan from the Garden of Eden onward. He has succeeded too often.

But today, let’s make up our minds that this Monday will be a day of faithfulness to God. If Jesus comes today, He will find me faithful!

Father, I want to live faithfully to You. Give me power through Your Spirit to resist temptations to break trust with You. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.” Acts 17:11 NLT

“If the devil can’t deceive you, he can’t defeat you” is a saying that hits the nail on the head. The devil is a deceiver; he trades in lies, half-truths, and twisted worldviews. Jesus warned us that in the end times, deception will go rampant—even among God’s people (Luke 21:8).

So how do you know what is truth and what is error, and whether what you are listening to is a genuine word from God or a Scripture twisted to serve a hidden agenda?

Our Scripture today gives important instructions on how we are to live in an era of deception and dark motives:

1: Listen
Listened eagerly. That is, expose yourself to the preaching of the Word and listen with expectation. It is easy to fall into the temptation to be cynical and just shut down. Resist that temptation. A cynical attitude hinders you from receiving from God and doesn’t really help in discerning truth from error.

2: Study
Search the Scriptures. Once you have heard the message, don’t be a baby bird with its beak open and its eyes closed, eating whatever the mother bird puts there. Take personal responsibility. Study the Bible.

3: Share
Notice that listening and studying were group efforts, not just individuals doing it on their own. That means we should have study buddies with whom we can read and discuss the Word. If you don’t have one, pray for one. Emelie is my study buddy. We pray and talk about everything we hear, and we search the Scriptures together. Those conversations have been more formative for me than my over 10 years of full-time theological studies.

When you listen, study, and share, you will grow in your walk with God, and you will see how the Lord guides you deeper into the truth of His kingdom.

Father, thank You for wanting me to grow. Help me to fight cynicism and be an expectant listener. Help me to study Your Word and lead me to friends with whom I can share. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Psalm 27:8 NIV

There are many voices seeking to influence our actions and decisions. The most important thing is to listen to the voice of your heart. The Holy Spirit lives inside you and will direct your heart in the way you should go.

I had spent three years teaching daily at a school of theology. When the Lord led me to move on, I had time with the staff to say goodbye and pray. The person I had worked most closely with said, “Of everything you taught, the one thing I will always remember is how you always emphasized that we should follow our heart.” Over twenty years later, I still believe this is a key life principle.

The biblical understanding of the heart is not the physical, blood-pumping organ, nor is it simply giving in to a fleeting feeling. In the Bible, the heart is the center of our being—our HQ. The heart is where our mind, will, and emotions come together. That’s why the Bible speaks about believing with the heart, thinking with the heart, and acting with the heart. This is where the Holy Spirit dwells when we believe in Jesus.

I have found that many Christians are not in touch with their hearts. They just hurry through life, never taking time to quiet themselves before God through the Word, prayer, and worship. Decisions are made based on a myriad of other things rather than what their hearts are telling them.

Make a decision today to always follow the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart!

Much heartache could be avoided if believers didn’t violate their hearts. There would be more victories for God’s kingdom if God’s people started following the Spirit’s leading in their hearts.

Holy Spirit, you indwell my heart. Help me to be in touch with my heart so that I can follow your direction today. Amen.

Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” James 5:16 NIV

We are at war with sin and the devil, and we constantly need to be awake and on our alert.
The devil’s greatest tactic is to work in the dark: to get us isolated and to keep things hidden, making us think that we can handle things on our own. But alone isn’t strong. You can’t win on your own.

The Christian life is a team game, not an individual game.

The Bible instructs us to confess our sins to others. It means seeking out a trusted person who we know loves God and loves us, and sharing what we are facing. By sharing, you bring things into the light, and the devil can’t stand the light.

I have seen strongholds break off people just by the simple act of them speaking about what they are struggling with and then putting it in the Lord’s hands. For others, it is the beginning of a journey toward freedom. Either way, to be open and transparent is to invite the light of the Holy Spirit, and it is the first step toward liberty and a healed life.

Speaking to a Christian friend or a minister (confession) and together speaking to God (prayer) leads to God’s transformation (healing).

Father, thank you for looking out for my best and that you want me to flourish. Give me courage today to confess my sins so that my life is more open to your light and salvation. Amen.
 
Pator Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV

By Emelie Stenhammar, MD

Paul and Silas were in prison in Philippi. They had been put in jail because they had driven a demon out of a slave girl. She was free and probably happy, but the people who thought they owned her were not. When the demon left, so did the powers she had used to bring income to those people.

Not only were Paul and Silas in prison, but they had been beaten up, too. So badly that they had wounds that the prison warder later in the story washed and dressed. But not yet.

When we find them, they are still in prison. In the darkest, deepest place of the prison. With their feet locked in the stocks. It is midnight. So dark you cannot see anything. In pain from a severe beating. Fastened so they can’t move. Dried blood sticking to their skin. Praying.
I think I would have prayed, too, if I found myself in a similar situation. Perhaps complained to the Lord, lamented. “Why have you forsaken me? Avenge my enemies! Deliver me. Lord, my back hurts!!” Etc.

What challenges me, though, is that they didn’t just pray—they were worshiping and singing hymns! They managed, in the midst of all their misery, to lift the eyes of their hearts and see Jesus.

Instead of pitying themselves, they worshiped Jesus! Not because they had been taught that worship is a weapon that makes the enemy flee. Not because worship is a key to freedom. But because God is just so awesome!

In the middle of a crisis, God is still amazing and worthy of our praise—if we can lift our eyes and see Him, we, too, would worship! Our problems might be big, but He holds the universe! And not only does He hold it—He made it! He can do anything—even shake a prison—which is what He did for Paul and Silas.

Jesus, in the midst of the chaos of this life, help me to lift my eyes and see how amazing You are. I don’t want to just keep on telling You about all my problems—I want to lift my eyes and worship You for who You are. Amen.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. Genesis 3:4 NIV

We are surrounded by scams, research suggests. We are bombarded by scam emails, AI-generated social media posts, phone calls, fake advertisements, and so on.

I remember the first scam email that I got about 20 years ago, which told me that a wealthy military general in Africa had died and left me a million-dollar inheritance—all because he had found out that I was doing missions work. I was super excited about all that could be done with that money. The excitement didn’t last long. I shared the news with my brother (who has a PhD in law), who immediately popped my balloon of innocence. I was disappointed. (Writing this now, I can’t even understand why I believed the email in the first place. But it was my first encounter with that kind of scam email).

The devil is the world’s biggest scammer. The first scam in history took place when the serpent deceived Eve in Eden, and he has continued ever since.

As Christians, we are called to walk in love, and yet that doesn’t mean we should be gullible. What we need is love coupled with discernment and wisdom: to pray about all things that come our way, to discern what God’s will is, and to talk about what is going on with people we trust. The devil wants to keep things in the dark. And as someone said, “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.”

Scams usually work because they resonate with a deeper desire in us. The best way to be scam-safe is to let the Lord purify our desires and ambitions. For example, a get-rich-quick scheme seldom works on a person who is content with what they have. The devil’s scam worked on Eve because it appealed to her desire (Genesis 3:6).

Father, I thank you that you are a God of truth. Purify my heart so that my desires line up with yours. Guide me in this fallen and dark world and protect me from scams of all kinds. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.” Psalm 25:1 NIV

Trusting God is more than worship on Sunday—it is a way of life. To live by faith is to continually and intentionally direct our hope to God.

The little phrase “I trust you” has brought me through many difficult situations and has turned problems into praise. I’ve learned that when my mind drifts off to dwell on troubles or problems, instead of letting them overwhelm me, I say or think aloud, “I trust you.” Just last night, before going to sleep, a problem popped up in my mind that bothered me, and I just prayed, “I trust you.”

The moment you express your faith in God like that, there is a wonderful peace that fills your heart. You know that the problem is in God’s hands and not yours. That peace might not last long, though, before your mind is back on the problem again. The bigger the problem, the more often you have to keep expressing your faith. And then you once again choose to put your trust in God. It is a battle of faith, but keep at it and don’t give up.

Whenever the devil wants to get you into fear over something, say or think this in faith: “I refuse to fear. I put my trust in God.” If you have to listen to or read a bad report, under your breath, just keep whispering, “I trust you.” God will honor your faith in Him. You will see His power at work. 

Father, today I choose to believe you. [Think about or name your problems and say:] I trust you. I believe you are working all things together for my good and your glory. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23 NIV

By Josephine Stenhammar

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it can feel like days just come and go. We might go to the same job, do the same chores, and life just seems to roll on. It might not always feel like we are serving God in our everyday lives.

This verse gives us hope in everyday life situations. In everything we do, we can do it for God and for His glory. Having this mindset changes everything.

The “meaningless” chores and routines become full of meaning and purpose as we do everything for God. When we do laundry, we can do it with all our heart as unto the Lord. When we drive to buy groceries, we do it for Jesus. When we go to our everyday
 workplace, we work at it with all our heart for the Lord. When we take care of our kids or grandkids, it is all for Jesus. Understanding this gives me new strength and joy to face the tasks ahead of me today.

In whatever we face today, we can serve God through it, trusting that God will provide the strength.

So, let us place this day in the hands of the Lord and live it all for Jesus.

Lord Jesus, I want to give my day to You. I want to serve You in everything that is ahead of me. You know all the things that I have to do. Thank You for Your strength, joy, and reward. Amen.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1–2 NIV

We can learn from God’s people in the Old Testament what to do when we are in deep trouble and face obstacles much greater than ourselves: to remind ourselves of the greatness of God and especially that God is the Creator of the universe. This is a theme we see throughout the Old Testament, but we also see it in the New Testament.

So, in our problems and pain, we lift our eyes from our circumstances to the Creator. We remind ourselves that God created the world out of nothing. Think about that for a minute. Out of NOTHING!

Perhaps that “nothing” is what is staring you in the face. But God is not limited to what currently is. It doesn’t matter what we are facing today, even if it seems like there is nothing but fruitless chaos and darkness, God’s outbreathed, creative word brings a new beginning.

Take hope today. God is still the same, and His promise is that those who look to Him as Creator will never be turned away in shame (Ps 34:5).

We look to Him for a Word. Just one Word from the Creator God is enough.

Father in Heaven, I thank You for creating the world and giving me life. I pray that You will speak Your creative word over my life and my circumstances, to transform them into something that gives You glory. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

You Will Overtake the King and His Chariot—Two2Grow, Thursday, October 1

“The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.” 1 Kings 18:46 NIV

Have you ever felt like everyone was going faster than you? They were reaching their goals and achieving success while you were just trudging along, waiting for a break that never comes? Sometimes you can feel stuck in your walk with God, where God seems slow to fulfill what He has shown you.

There was a time in my life when I felt like that. I stayed faithful to what the Lord had told me to do, but I didn’t see much success in it, and the dream God placed in my heart seemed impossible. In fact, doors were closed while friends and others in my orbit were seeing great things. Others had not made God a priority, but they were moving on very well.

One day, I sat at my desk feeling frustrated by this. A dear friend called and told me he had a word from God. It was today’s verse. He said the Lord had told him to call me and tell me that what I needed was to seek a new touch of the Holy Spirit, and when the power of God comes upon me, I, like Elijah, will overtake the king and his royal chariot.

That spoke to me. The king and his chariot symbolized for me the people in the world who were doing very well for themselves even though they hadn’t made God a priority. It gave me hope. God saw my situation, and He showed me what to do.

God’s way of doing things tends to be to give us glimpses of a future that we can never reach in our own strength—only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I began to seek Jesus more fervently, longing for a new touch of God on me. I had to make adjustments in my life, too, and as I did, the Spirit of God came over my life in a new way, and God made things happen that I could never have dreamed of. 

Lord Jesus, I realize my need for Your power to reach the dream You have for my life. I open my heart to You. Come, Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

"But I said, ‘I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God.’" Isaiah 49:4 NIV

By Emelie Stenhammar, MD

I was backing out of a parking lot outside of church once, when I had just gotten my driver’s license. I accidentally hit another car, and part of their back taillight broke. Nothing happened to my old car. I was only 18, still in high school, and I didn’t have a lot of money.
No one was around. There were no security cameras. I could easily take off and pretend this had never happened. No one would know. No one—but God.

I thank God that I was able to resist the temptation. I unsuccessfully tried to find the owner of the car. When I returned to the scene of the crime, I saw the car driving off—they had not noticed the broken lamp. Again, I was tempted to let it go. But instead, I ran after the car, shouting and waving my hands.

You would have thought that being so honest would have paid off instantly, especially with church people. That they would have said, “Oh honey, don’t worry about it. God bless you for being so honest.” They didn’t. They got upset about the damaged lamp, scolded me, and made me empty my savings to pay for it.

I felt like the person in today’s Bible verse: “I have labored in vain and spent my strength for nothing.” Here I was, trying to do the right thing, and it cost me.

But the God who sees is also the God who rewards. “What is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

If we do the right thing, God will reward us. Initially, we might lose some, but never in the long run. Be patient. Stay faithful. God will reward you. It might not be today. I had to pay for that lamp—but boy, has God made that up to me!

Jesus, help me to do the right thing even when it is costly, knowing that one day You will reward me. Help me stay faithful, just as You are faithful to me. Amen.

“Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.” Psalm 142:7 NIV

Have you ever felt like the circumstances of life placed you in a cave? You feel lonely, constricted, it is dark, cold, and all you hear is the echo of your own voice.

I believe everyone who pursues God’s will for their life will at some point end up in a cave-like situation. When you do, Psalm 142 instructs us on what to do.

King Saul had fallen out with David and wanted to kill him. David hid in a cave and in the darkness of the rock the Holy Spirit inspired him to write this psalm. I encourage you to take a moment and read it. It is very short. As you do, notice the key elements that will help us during our cave moments:

1: Be real with God. David was honest with God about his circumstances and how he felt. He put words to his sense of loneliness and vulnerability. He basically says, “No one cares.” He doesn’t talk to God in a way that he thinks God wants to hear.

2: Seek God. The most important part is that David lifts his eyes away from the present and looks to God. Note that David uses his being alone in the cave as an opportunity to seek and cry out to God. He didn’t just think his prayer. He was passionate in his pursuit. Cave-time is not meant to binge-watch the latest series or pull an old comforter over your head. It is time to seek God.

3: Trust God. An amazing theme in the midst of the darkness is David’s deep trust. In all three parts of the Psalm, he voices his faith. This is how one Bible scholar outlines the Psalm:

Verses 1–3a: Appeal to be heard and expression of trust.
Verses 3b–5: Complaint and expression of trust.
Verses 6–7: Petition, complaint, and expression of trust.

Note that each part has expressed trust as key. Do like David: Don’t just think your trust in God. Speak it. Write it. Sing it.

God allows us to get into a cave because it strips away everything else and distances us from people and so makes us to be real with God, seek God, and trust God.

God heard David from the cave. He delivered him and fulfilled the promise of making him king. God will do the same for you when you act like David did in his cave.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God.” Romans 4:20 NIV

Living in the gap between a promise from God and seeing its fulfillment can be a very trying time. We get excited as God speaks and gives us a glimpse of what is to come, perhaps a new opportunity in work or school, a relationship, a spiritual breakthrough, healing, a new home, or something else. We live off the excitement for some time, but as time goes on, we can start to lose hope.

We learn from Abraham what to do in the space between promise and fulfillment: he praised God. For many years, he held fast to God’s promise of having an offspring, and he was able to hold on because he gave glory to God.

Fill the time by magnifying God for who He is. If you find it difficult to start, begin with a praise psalm from the Book of Psalms, such as Psalm 145.

When Emelie and I had to believe God for the fulfillment of promises that looked humanly impossible, we took time as a couple to praise God together. Instead of speaking doubt and fear, we filled our mouths with praises to God.

Father, I glorify You today! Thank You for being faithful and true to Your promises. My eyes are on You today, and I know that You will come through for me.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV

Europe has many large, old cathedrals made of stone. Often, they took hundreds of years to complete. The cathedral in the city where we once lived took nearly 300 years to finish. A mason could spend their entire working life building a cathedral that they knew they would never see completed.

Imagine being a stonemason, working away at a block of stone. That would take patience and vision, knowing that you are building for the future and that your small contribution is part of something much larger and lasting. The mason had to trust that the Master Builder had a plan and that their work was not in vain.

This should encourage us, since often the tasks God assigns to us can feel like cutting away at a granite block. Staying home with kids, sharing the gospel with someone who doesn’t listen, going to a dreary 9-to-5 job, volunteering when we are already tired, tithing our hard-earned money, resisting temptation, and so on. At times, we might wonder if it makes any difference or if we will ever see the fullness of God’s plan.

Take courage! Trust the Master Builder. What He has told you to do fits His plan. You may never see the full picture, but your faithfulness is not in vain. Your work will be rewarded.
And the impact is not just for you. Your faithfulness and persistence can generate praise to God in the lives of others.

I repeat today’s verse: “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Father, thank You for giving me an assignment in Your plan for the world. Help me to be persistent and not give up. I trust You today for grace and strength to stay at it. Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

Unstoppable Love— Two2Grow, Friday, September 25

“There is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39 GNB

The love of people often disappoints. Even the most loving person will fail us at some point or another. But God’s love toward us is ever constant and unchanging.

No matter what we are going through today, God’s tender mercies and desire for our eternal welfare are flowing unhindered toward us.

Today’s verse tells us that there is nothing—no power in hell or circumstance on earth—that can hinder the flow of God’s love toward us.

Not only is God’s love unstoppable, is also light-years more powerful than human concern because God’s love is not just comforting and consoling; God’s love is the creative power of the Holy Spirit.

Stop for a moment and ponder the amazing reality of today’s Bible verse. Take a breath and think about the fact that God’s loving attention is set on you right at this moment; His face is turned toward you to bring you wholeness, peace, health, strength, direction, and provision.

Think about the struggles you are facing today. Maybe you have a medical issue, an unpaid bill, a relational challenge, a problem at work, or a spiritual struggle. Imagine that they are in front of you and tell them, “You cannot separate me from the love of God.” Now go and think and act as though God’s love is the ultimate reality.

Father, thank You for loving me to the point that You sent Your Son to die for me. Open my heart to receive more of Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Mikael Stenhammar, PhD

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2 NIV

Post by Josephine Stenhammar

I don’t know about you, but my mind likes to think about everything. Oftentimes, I overthink everything. I believe it is easy for us to get stuck in our thoughts and thinking patterns that do not always align with Jesus and his narrow road.

A verse that has helped me is the verse above from Colossians, where Paul writes that we are to set our minds on things above and not on things that are earthly. It might seem simple enough, but it is truly liberating. I believe we can see this verse as an invitation. We are invited to think about God’s things, to get His perspective and look to Him.

It is easy to understand that serving God with our body and strength is honoring God. But we are also called to honor and give glory to God through our thoughts. The thoughts that are only visible to you and God. Jesus states that the most important commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). When we set our minds on things above, on Jesus and his Kingdom, we love God through our mind.

But changing our thinking can be difficult, and it does not happen automatically. We need a transformation in ourselves by the Holy Spirit. We need to allow God to renew our minds. And we need to actively check our thinking and change it through the power of the Spirit.
Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We need to stop allowing the pattern of this world to form our thinking and instead open up to God to form our minds.

Here, it is important for us to take our thoughts captive and make sure they are obedient and in line with the kingdom of God (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). One way we can do this is through Scripture. Whenever a thought comes that does not honor God, we can switch it out with a verse. Just like Jesus, when he was tempted resisted temptation by citing Scripture. Or whenever we need to change our thoughts, we can start praying, taking our thoughts to Jesus and asking him to help us. And Jesus will help us.

So, setting our mind on things above is an invitation to come closer to Jesus and become more like him. We are to love God with our thoughts and be renewed in our mind through the power of the Spirit. And we need to actively check our thoughts and make sure that our mind is where it should be.

So today, let us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, follow the verse of Colossians 3:2 and set our minds on things above and not on earthly things.

Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love for me. I pray that you would help me to honor and love you with my mind today. Holy Spirit, show me places in Scripture that can help me change my thinking and help me to stay away from the pattern of this world. I want to set my mind on you. Amen

“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