Looja versus looja

Lugesin hommikul bussis Prügihundi kleepekat. Seal juhendati inimesi prügi sorteerima ja tuldi välja hüüdlausega IGA PRÜGI POLE PRÜGI.

See pani mind mõtlema - kas prügi on alati olnud inimkonna probleem või on see viimaste kümnendite probleem?

Ühelt poolt oleme ju muutunud tarbijaühiskonnaks, linnastumine ja vaesus on võtnud hiigelmõõtmed ning meil on palju asju, mida elu lihtsatest printsiipidest lähtuvalt tegelikult ju vaja polegi. Teiselt poolt on alati kusagil maailma nurgas puudus, kus pole isegi just neid kõige elementaarsemaid, vajalikke asju.

Ükskõik, mis selle prügi põhjus ka poleks, fakt on see, et prügiks on asjad, mis ei lagune. Asjad, mida ei saa kuidagi teistmoodi kasutada või mida me ei oska/taha teistmoodi kasutada.

Inimkonna kasutuses on palju asju, mis kunagi ei hävi. Asjad, mis on meie endi poolt meie enda tarkusega toodetud ja mis tegelikult lõppkokkuvõttes on justkui võõrkehad selles maailmas.

Kuid mida need loodud asjad räägivad oma loojast, inimeset? Võib-olla seda, et nende looja on piiratud võimete, aja ja ruumiga? Et on midagi veel suuremat, mis ei allu selle looja tahtmisele. Et see looja ei oska ette näha asjade pikaajalist mõju ja tulevikku? Et see looja ei kontrolli ja ei suudagi kontrollida kõike, mis siin maailmas juhtub või võiks juhtuda?

Teiselt poolt on Looja, suur Jumal. Looja, kes on loonud kogu selle maailma ja kõik, mis selles on, inimense ja kõik loodusseadused ja loomulikud protsessid. Looja, kes on loonud selle universumi ja aja ja kõik.

Looja, kes ütles Moosesele, kui ta küsis, kes on see Jumal, nii: "Ma olen see, kes ma Olen!" Ja ta jätkas: "Ütle Iisraeli lastele "Ma Olen" on mind läkitanud teie juurde" (1 Ms 3:14). Looja, kes ei vaja lehekülgi tutvustusi vaid kes lihtsalt on ja kes ei allu inimese, looja, tahtele ja arusaamale. Looja, kes on suurem kui inimene, looja, mõista tahab ja suudabki.

See sama Looja, kes lõi inimese Eedeni aeda ja ütles: "... olge viljakad ja teid saagu palju, täitke maa ja alistage see enestele; ja valitsege kalade üle meres, lindude üle taeva all, ja kõigi loomade üle, kes maa peal liiguvad!"

Looja, kes andis inimesele õiguse valitseda kõige enda poolt loodu üle. Looja, kes nö delegeeris inimesele valitsemise ja loomise õiguse!

Looja, kes on loonud seemne ja kui see maasse kukub ja sureb, siis kasvab sellest puu. Ja sellele puule tulevad oksad ja lehed ja just õigel ajal läheb see puu õide. Ja sellest õiest kasvab vili ja see vili valmib ja kukub maha ja kõduneb. Ja muutuvad aastaajad ja tegemised ja puu alustab uut "hooaega". Kõik on pidevas liikumises elamises ja surmas. Just nii nagu Jumal, Looja lõi. Kui just inimene vahele ei ole astunud ja midagi ümber loonud ei ole.

Looja versus looja! Jumal versus inimene!

Oh inimene, kes sina õigupoolest oled, et sa tahad Jumalaga vaielda? Ega siis savinõu ütle oma voolijale: "Miks sa mu nõnda oled teinud?" (Rm 9:20)

Oh inimene, kes sina õigupoolest oled, et sa tahad valitseda Jumala poolt loodut nii nagu sulle meeldib unustades ära Jumala poolt aastatuhandeid tagasi loodud seadused? Kes oled sina, et arvad, et võid karitsamatult hävitada Looja loodut ja luua asemele asju, mis isegi ei hävine?

Kes oled sina, et sa tõukad päris Looja tema troonilt ja istud sinna asemele ja mängid jumalat?

Inimene, sa oled ju kõigest põrm ja pead jälle põrmuks saama! (1 Ms 3:19). Oled põrm just nagu see õun, mis kukub maha ja hävineb!

Ja ometi Jumala poolt loodud ja armastatud põrm! Põrm, kelle pärast läks Jumal ise surma! Põrm, kelle patu pärast suri Jumal Kristuse läbi ise! Just nagu see õun, suri Jumal meie eest, et meie oleksime temas UUS LOODU!

Sest nõnda on Jumal maailma armastanud, et ta oma ainusündinud Poja on andnud, et ükski, kes temasse usub, ei hukkuks, vaid, et temal oleks igavene elu! (Jh 3:16)

Niisiis, kui keegi on Kristuses, siis ta on uus loodu, vana on möödunud, vaata uus on sündninud! (2 Kr 5:17)

Tänu Jumalale selle eest, et olen uuesti sündinud! Et Jumala silmis EI OLE IGA PRÜGI PRÜGI, vaid, et tema silmis olen ma tema armastatud laps, ent ometi põrm! Et tema silmis olen ma loodu! Tema näo järgi loodu!

Aamen!

Mul oli väga tore sünnipäev

Pean veel seedima, aga pilte näeb siin: http://picasaweb.google.com/piret.ehavald/MinuSunna021010##

Õnnistatud ja rahul

Tajun viimasel ajal kui õnnistatud ja rahul ma olen. Elu käib siia-sinna ja selles elumeres on lained, mis aeg-ajalt käivad üle pea, kuid minu sees on rahu. Rahu selles, et Jumal kannab mind läbi. Et Jumal on minu ellu pannud just need inimesed, kes seal on. Et Jumal kontrollib neid olukordi, mis mu elus. Et ma ei pea muretsema.

Järgmisel nädalal saan 30-aastaseks. Ma pean tunnistama, et see on kõige ilusam ja põnevam aeg minu elus. Just sellepärast, milliseks inimeseks Jumal on mind vorminud ja vormimas on. Jumal on hea!

Ja nüüd hakkasid ka Alfa-kursused, kus ma köögis kaasa aitan ja mõne loengu pean. Teiste teenimine, ja just kirikus, on palsam mu hingele! Tänu Jumalale ka selle eest!

Olla Jumala tahtes ja otsida Jumala tahet, see on Tema eriline arm! Võin julgelt öelda - ma olen õnnistatud! Tänu Jumalale selle eest!

http://picasaweb.google.com/piret.ehavald/AlfaKursusteKoogiTelgitagune#

What is the result of peace?

What is the result of peace? It is:

• contentment;
• safty and comfort;
• tranquility;
• salvation, peace with God and myself;
• permanent peace, peace that stays through the storms of life.

Peace is knowing and trusting that God provides.

Do you have peace? If not, what is missing?

Today was a fairytale

Maybe it is the vacation coming up, maybe it is getting to the point where I get rid of all the things, thoughts and expectations that I felt kind of weighying on my heart, but I am starting to feel like myself again.

I feel like I lost myself for quite a long time and I am starting to find myself bit by bit again. I feel like discovering things about myself I never knew about and that I can honestly say I had no clue, no experience about.

Where did I loose myself?

I lost myself in love and all the expectations, dreams, beliefs and religious correct views about it. I lost myself in another person and constantly trying to find the balance between who he needed and wanted me to be, who I wanted to be and who I thought God wanted me to be.

I lost myself in working too much, building up something I believed in and fighted for yet totally not noticing that the circumstances around me had changed. I lost myself starting to believe some people because I thought they were nice and had good motives. I shut my eyes for selfishness and found excuses the justify it all.

I lost myself in being scared of living and taking risks - being scared of making mistakes because I was supposed to be this good Christian girl living according to the book. I lost myself trying to be this perfect Christian yet not knowing that God doesn`t want us to be perfect but wants us to love Him so that his love changes us just by itsef.

I lost myself in some people always pointing out the bad sides about me and telling me that I am this and that (which was true) and not the Christian I should be or appear to be. I lost myself feeling helpless in letting God change things in my life that needed changing.

I lost myself in believing that God wanted me to be certain way and living certain way, lost myself believing that I am not an individual, a human being, but this CHRISTIAN who has to be and act certain way and who is allowed to feel and think certaing way. I lost myself being a Christian puppet and not real me. I lost myself in being lifeless doll rather than a child loved by her Father, the God. I lost myself in religion.

I lost myself in trying to help people all the time, trying to listen to and care for their problems and worries. I lost myself in minding with other peoples lives rather than building up mine.

I lost myself in NOT BELIEVING that God wants the best future possible for me, I lost myself having this huge burden that Christian life is all about sacrifice and no fun at all. I lost myself in seriousness.

I lost myself in pride and thinking that I know better! I lost myself in believing that I know all the answers to life and I lost myself in giving that advice to others.

So how lost was I? You tell me! It looks to me like pretty lost!

But I was lost and now I am found! God has helped me find myself!

No vacancy in Trinity...

Time to time I rediscover Dr Emerson Eggerichs book "The Love She Most Desires. The Respect He Desperately Needs". This week I have been reading it once again in the mornings before going to work.

Eggerichs writes: Many women have admitted to me: "I`ve got to stop being my husband`s Holy Spirit." I agree with them because there is no vacancy in the Trinity.

When I read the truth, it hit me hard. I have never been married, but in the past I have tryed to be the Holy Spirit to my boyfriend.

Piret remember - there is no vacancy in the Trinity!! :)

Raineri ja Anneli tunnistus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_3EDisHSo0

Tagasivaade Oleviste kodutute Iseseisvuspäevale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYYLnRsBJ9Y

Feminine traits I want to learn more

It`s interesting that getting older and kind of growing up helps you get in peace with the feminine side of you. Or at least this is what I have learned and experience the past 6-7 years.

I have absolutely learned to love being a woman and learned to respect and cherish myself and women in gerenal. It`s like God is putting the bigger picture of me together and it is interesting to see what he is doing and how God is revealing my misunderstandings and false expectations.

Yet at the same time God is confirming me that the things I have been believing about myself and about being a woman, a godly woman have been there all along. Somehow I just have been afraid to live according to it.

When I say that the biggest thing I have learned in past years is actually learning how to be a woman, people and especially men smile. And I kind of know why, but it is true and what can I say!

I have met lots of people those past years, more than I could become true friends with, I have travelled enough, read a lot, experienced a lot, worked hard, have grown spirityally very deep and worked hard but the biggest thing I feel most joy of is learning more and more how to be a godly woman.

I know it is a journey, an interesting process that goes on all life with diferent stages of life, but right now and for the year 2010 I have decided that I would like to grow more as a godly woman, as a true human being and learn how to:

1. Believe when everyone else doubts;


2. Inspire people rather than teach them;


3. Become an example of what is good, do good and not exude negative energy, attitute;


4. Care for others when no-one else will;


5. Follow my dreams and calling from God with absolute conviction;


6. Love even when people don`t deserve it;


7. Give without expecting anythings back;


8. Seek understnding rather than resort to quick, easy and subjective conclusion;


9. Serve God as a real godly woman.

It looks to me that this year will be a year of shaping my attitute. It sure is needed as I lack in every aspect mentioned above.

But with Gods grace I am who I am - a godly woman created to serve Him and created in his image!

How precious it is to be called His daughter and know - not because of who I am, not because of what I have done. But because of who is God and what he has done for me and all human kind.

Just because of the blood of Christ! One man and yet God daying once for all of us! Even for a woman like me! Dying for beloved daugther that I am!

Praise the Lord for he is mighty and does great things in me!

Rocking chair

Worry is like a rocking chair - it gives us something to do but it doesn`t get us anywhere!

Isn`t it well said? Are you sitting on that chair? I know I sometimes am.
Are you feeling too comfortable on that rocking chair? I know I sometimes am

What we worry about?
40% are things that will never happen
30% are about the past - which can`t be changed
12% are critisis by others, mostly untrue
10% are about health, which gets worse with stress
8% are about real problems that can be solved

Proverbs 12:25 says - an anxious heart weighs a man down
Matthew 6:27 adds - who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

But Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us - do not be anxious of anything, but in everything , by prayer and petitition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ.

If worry fills our heart and mind, if we are sitting on that rocking chair, do we even have room left for God, for Jesus Christ?

If worry is rooted so deep in us is there any space for us at all? Is that person me with all the potential and giftings given by God or is it somebody who is scared to live and live the life God has created for me to have?

If worry is weighing me down maybe it is time to give it over to somebody who actually can carry it all? Maybe it is about time to give it all to Christ and by that give Christ back the rightful throne in my heart as my Lord and Saviour, as my God?

Maybe it is about time to make God a GOD OF MY LIFE?

PS: I have been inspired by a book called "Having a Mary heart in the Martha world" by Joanna Weaver! What a treat and inspireing book! The chaper about worry challanged me especially! Excited to read and discover more about having Mary heart in Martha world!

Kus on sinu tugevus ja jõud? Mis on sinu tõde?

Tänapäeval on maailmas kõik relatiivne - üks arvab nii, teine arvab naa. Üks teadlane tõestab, et mingi teooria ja lähenemine on ainuõige, teine teadlane tõestab, et see teooria ei lähe mitte.

Rääkisin just nädalavahetusel keskkonna teemadega igapäevaselt tegelevate inimestega. Nad kurtsid, et ei olegi võimalik kirjutada mingile teooriale põhinevaid teaduslikke artikleid, sest kui ühel päeval on üks teooria õige, siis järgmisel päeval lükatakse see mingi muu teooriaga ümber. Ja inimestel on raske sellises teadmises orienteeruda ja seisukohti võtta. Inimesed filosofeerivad ja filosofeerivad, tõestavad ja näitavad. Aga õigeid vastuseid ei saa.

Ühelt poolt räägitakse, et pambusest tehtud riided on kõige keskkonnasõbralikumad, aga samas selleks, et neid teha, raiutakse pambuseid, millest elavad pandad, kes on maailmas väga ohustatud loomaliik. Elu ringleb ja ringleb ja üks asi mõjutab teist ning raske on siis otsustada, mis on millegi hind.

Aga kus on siis see õige ja hea millele oma elu rajada ja valikuid teha?

Milline on see vundament, mida ei saa üks või teine teooria ümber lükata? Ja isegi kui näiliselt saab, kas on siis mõni vundament, mille kasuks sa julged otsustada, et sellel ma seisan?

Kust teab üks inimene täna, mis on õige ja mis vale? Millele põhinedes teha otsuseid kui kõik on nii muutuv ja relatiivne? Kas on meil siis üldse julgust otsustada? Kas me siis julgeme otsuseid vastu võtta? Ja kui me siis lõpuks otsustame, kui püsiv on meie otsus?

Kas pole mitte nii, et iga päevaga on üha enam ja enam näha, et otsuseid ei võetagi tegelikult vastu? Toimub ainult näiline otsustamine?!

Psalmid 31:4-6 ütleb- sest sina oled mu kalju ja mu mäelinnus, ja oma nime pärast juhatad ja talutad sa mind. Sa viid mu välja võrgust, mis mulle salaja on pandud, sest sina oled mu tugev kaitse. Sinu kätte ma usaldan oma vaimu, sest sina oled mu lunastanud, Issand, sa tõe Jumal.

Veel ütleb Jumal meile, oma rahvale Jesaja 41:10 - ära karda, sest mina olen sinuga, ära vaata ümber, sest mina olen su Jumal; ma teen su tugevaks, ma aitan sind, ma toetan sind oma õiguse parema käega!

Ning lõpuks julgustab meid Psalmid 119: 9-11 - Kuidas hoiab noor inimene oma teeraja selge? Kui ta seda peab sinu sõna järgi. Ma nõuan sind kõigest oma südamest, ära saada mind kõrvale oma käskudest! Ma panen su sõna tallele oma südamesse, et ma ei teeks pattu sinu vastu!

Kui sa ütled, et oled kristlane - siis mis on sinu kalju ja kindel mäelinnus? Kas on need igasugused teooriad või on see sinu Jumal? Kui sa ütled, et oled kristlane ehk Kristuse järgija, kui palju järgid tegelikult Kristuse eeskuju oma igapäeva valikutes? Kui sa usud, et on Jumal, kas sa usud siis ka, et ta on TÕE JUMAL?

Kui sa ei usu üldse Jumalasse, siis millesse sa usud? Millel põhineb sinu otsustamine selles relatiivses maailmas? Kui palju saad usaldada seda oma vundamenti, mis iganes see siis ka poleks?

Ja lõpuks küsin ma ikka - kus on sinu tugevus ja jõud? Mis on sinu tõde?

Jessica Shaveri raamatu "Ma sündisin abordi ajal" peategelane

Väga liigutav lugu! Tunnistus Jumala suurusest ja sellest, et Jumal annab elu ja Jumal võtab elu ja kellelgi ei ole õigust seda tema eest võtta.

Täna on Gianna Jessen elus - ajukahjustusega, käimisraskustega ja kõnelemisraskustega, kuid tunnistus suurest Jumala imest!

Kas pole mitte tema - vanemate ja ühiskonna poolt põlatud naine julgustus ja eeskuju rõõmust ja sellest, kui oluline on üks elu?

Laps, keda vihati sellest hetkest kui ta eostati, kuid ometi on ta täna tunnistuseks Jumala suurusest!

Gianna Jessen on inimene, kelle tahtsid tema vanemad abordi kaudu kotada, kuid kes jäi ellu! Täna on ta tunnistus elust ja selle tõelisest tähendusest!

Gianna Jessen lugu osa 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPF1FhCMPuQ

Gianna Jessen lugu osa 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8B1nKGIAeg&feature=related

Lühidalt ka siin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-j9CDgRSt8&feature=related

Elust enesest

http://echo.planet.ee/vv/a/elust.html

Ühekordse kasutuse ajastu

Elame "ühekordse kasutuse" ajastul ning kõik, mis meid kohe ei rahulda, asendatakse pigem uuega ega nähta vaeva vana korrashoidmisega. Niimoodi vahetame me pisiasju, kodusid, töökohti, hobisid, autosid, riideid, toitu ja inimsuhteid ning uskumisi ja religiooni.

Mis ei meeldi, viskame minema! Tekitame sellega prahti ja meie jaoks tarbetuid asju. Tekitame sellega meie jaoks tarbitud ja siis tarbetuid inimesi ja inimsuhteid ning rahuldamata vajadusi iseendas.

Oleme nagu lapsed, kes suurima innuga avavad uusi ja uusi jõulukinke ja kui paber on ümbert ära võetud, viskame mänguasja nurka, sest meie esimene uudishimu on rahuldatud ja see, mis pakendi sees ,on üks järjekordne mänguasi, mida me tegelikult ei vaja. Ja nii elame me pidevas rahuldamatuses ning ei mõista isegi tahta ja soovida igavikulisi asju. Nii ei taha, soovi ega vaja me Jumalatki!

Luuka 12:33b-34 ütleb: tehke enesele kulumatud kukrud ja muretsega ensele kahanematu aare taevas, kuhu varas ei saa ligi ja kus koi pole rikkumas, sest kus on teie aare, seal on ka teie süda!

Kus on meie süda sellel ühekordse kasutamise ja tarbimise ajastul? Kus on sinu süda?

Igatsus olulise ja püsva järgi

Lugesin täna hommikul Raadio 7 sõna tänaseks päevaks. Tänane põhiteema oli - kuidas jätta maha kestev pärand?

Üks oluline lause mis mind väga puudtutas oli: Jumal on meie südamesse pannud olulisuse ja püsivuse igatususe, sest me oleme seotud igavese eluga.

Korraga sai mulle üks asi väga selgeks - me kristlastena oleme tõepoolest kutsutud mõtlema suuremalt, mõtlema tulevikust, aga mitte lihtsalt oma teamistest vaid Jumala Vaimu juhtimises. Ma mõistsin, et igavese elu igatsus ehk igatus millegi OLULISE ja PÜSIVA järgi on kirjutatud Piibli igale leheküljele. Jumal hindab ja soovib ja tahab seda, mis on oluline ja püsiv.

Jumal tahab:

1. Et me oleksime armastuses püsivad - nii oma kaasinimeste kui Jumala enda vastu. Sellepärast lõi Jumal mehe ja naise, abielupaari, perekonna ja lapsed, koguduse ja rahvad. Et me oleksime püsivad armastuses, sest armastus katab kinni pattude hulga (1 Pt 4:8). Kas pole see ka põhjus, miks pea kõigis inimestes on igatsus abikaasa ja perekonna järgi? Et kogeda ja anda ja õppida seda püsivat väärtust armastust?


2. Et me oleksime tema teenimises püsivad- Et me ei vahetaks teda kellegi teise, mingi teise Jumala vastu, et me oleksime ustavad ja järjepidevad. Selleks on Jumal andnud meile oma Sõna ja Püha Vaimu ja palve.


3. Et me püüdleksime igavese elu poole ja kutsuksime kõiki inimesi taotlema seda tõotust. Mis saab olla veel püsivamat kui igavene elu? Mis saab olla veel olulisemat kui valik - kas elu või surm? Mis on veel püsivamat kui Jumala Sõna? Mis on veel püsivamat kui Kristuse ristisurm, kes suri üheainsa korra kõikide inimeste eest?


4. Et me kogeksime meeleparandust ja muutust. Et me paneksime Kristuse vere läbi ja Püha Vaimu abil maha kogu patu.


5. Et me andestaksime teistele nende patud meie ja teiste vastu nii nagu Jumal on meile andestanud. Mis on veel olulisem ja püsivam kui see, et me ei tuleta enam meelde ja do not hold against (eesti keeles ei ole head väljendit) neid asju, mille pärast teine inimene on andestust palunud ja mille tegemist või mittetegemist ta kahetseb.
   

Ja lõpuks peame endalt küsima - mis on veel olulisemat ja püsivamat kui JUMAL ISE? Selle maa ja taeva Looja, Rahuvürst ja meie taevane isa? Mis on veel püsivamat ja olulisemat kui Jumala ja kolmainu side - Jumal, Kristus ja Püha Vaim?!

Kas pole mitte tõsi, et me kristlastena nii tihti mõtleme igavikulises perspektiivis ja mõnikord tunneme seepärast isegi, et me ei kuulu siia maailma? Et me oleme teistsugused ja et me tajume ja tunneme Vaimus, et kõikidel asjadel siin maailmas on palju suurem ja püsivam ja pikaajalisem mõju? Ja samas me tajume, et seda olulist ja püsivat on nii kerge ära lörtsida ja rikkuda ja et patu tõttu me seda just pahatihti teemegi!

Ja ometi teame me, et kui Jumal ise ei ütle et see või teine asi on oluline ja püsiv, siis on see asi nii väärtusetu ja lühiajaline?! Just nagu lihahimu, silmahimu ja elukõrkus?! Sest Jumal ütleb oma sõnas 1 Joh 2:16 - sest kõik, mis on maailmas - lihahimu, silmahimu ja elukõrkus, ei ole Isast, vaid on maailmast. Kõik see on kaduv ja sellele ei tasu Jumala hea nõu kohaselt oma elu ehitada!

Kuidas läheb sinul OLULISTE JA PÜSIVATE ASJADEGA?

God the Creator and creation groaning under bondage

I woke up this morning very early and started to renew my blog. You can see the result here, I hope it is just a bit more attractive now :)

After finishing with the blog I decided to watch Yann Arthus Bertrand movie HOME. Just before going to church. You can find the link to the movie in Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU

I have seen the movie before and every time I see it, I am just amazed by the beauty of the earth, how God created everything so wisely (even this movie shows that all the created things could just not happen by accident, but were created by wise creator) and how we people are destroying it.

Just as described in Bible Genesis Chapter 1 Yann Arthus Bertrand takes us closer to the beauty of this earth and shows us how everything is connected and how getting one thing out of the balance influences something else in this system.

And it`s us, the people who with our actions take nature out of balance. We are the ones who were created by God himself to take care of this earth but instead we destroy it. We do that because of the sin. Life out of balance is life lived in sin. Life lived without God is life out of balance with its Creator and creation around us.

The movie helped me see the bigger picture - all the creation is under burden, under the sin and the nature cannot recreate itself so quickly just like that.

It is said in Bible - the creation is groaning under a bondage and waits eagerly to be set free. Romans 8:19-25 says: The Creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pain of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently

It is interesting that this passage in Romans says that actually all the creation will be liberated from the burden (the result of destruction) when all the sons of God (children of God, that is Christians) will be revealed.

This chapter says clarely that the destruction will continue till the day we all Christians are waiting for. This passage says that no matter how much better we try to act, no matter how environmentally active we become and how much we try to change the way we act, because of the sin in general it is not possible to contral the damage that started hundreds of years ago.

All the creation is waiting eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed because then the burden of the creation stops. Then God will bring the balance that he meant from the beginning for the creation to have! Praise the Lord for he is in control and he is the only way even in the survival or fate of this earth! Praise the Lord for He brings balance and takes away the results of sin and no one else can!

Päeva mõte...

Oleks mul vaid südant mõista sinu südant!

Thought for the day

Many times people confuse God with religion and walk away from both!

What God is like?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGv0BEx0nQ4

Humbling lesson

Once again I am reading a book called Purpose Driven Life. When it was popular in Estonia and lots of churches were reading it, having fellowship and discussion groups on the book, I remember that the group I was part of somehow did not work.

People were coming and going and there was no consistency. And even though this book was very popular, somehow I was not too keen on it at all.

But one day just some weeks ago, Christmas time my mom went out to buy a Christmas tree. She started to talk to the salesman about the real meaning of Christmas. The man seemed interested and asked questions.

My mother came home to leave the Christmas tree and to go back to the salesman. She wanted to give him something and she started to look for something to give - a book or something for the man to read.

As my mom did not find anything I went to my bookshelve and started to look for a book I could give away. Unfortunately most of my Christian books are in English!

Finally I found the Purpose Driven Life in Estonian. It had my name in it and some of the places were underlined. I told my mother - If you want you can give this book. I am sure this will help the man understand better real meaning of life, God and Christ.

My mother really liked the idea and went to give it to him. Unfortunately by that time the salesman had finished his day and had left. My mom came back with the book and gave it back to me.

Suddenly I realized - it was not an accident that I pulled this book out of my shelve. Maybe God is trying to tell me something!

So I started to read it in the mornings just before going to work. And I was so encouraged from the moment I opened the contents of the book.

The contents had 6 main chapters:

• Why I am on this earth?
• You have been designed for the Gods gratification
• You have been prepared to belong to Gods family
• You have been created to become Christ-like
• You have been designed to serve God
• You have been created to fulfill one task

And then it just hit me - in the contents becoming Christ-like is mentioned before serving God or fulfilling God-given task.

For many years I have been so God-serving and task-fulfilling oriented that I had totally forgot that the primary thing is actually for ME TO BE CHANGED and BECOMING CHRISTE-LIKE and THEN sharing the gospel and inviting people to join Gods family!

I was shocked! How could I have forgotton that! I have been so busy with trying to find out my personal calling in service that I totally forgot that FIRST God wants to change me. Everey day!

Then the puzzle of my life started to take shape - for the last 2 years I have felt like God has been polishing me, humbling me, taking away from me and shaping me. It has been difficult yet life-changing experiencde.

Still in the midst of it I have felt quilty that I have not been more effective serving others and bringing them to Christ. I have shared Christ whenever I could but I always felt like I was not using my full potential and that a lot of me and my energy actually went for dealing with the emotional difficulties I had.

God opened my eyes the day I opened the book again! Praise the Lord that He has opened my eyes to see what He is doing in my life and that it is OK and NECESSARY that He is working on ME right now and changing me in such deep ways that have never been changed before. Praise the Lord that he is taking bit by bit away my SELFISHNESS and PRIDE!

Now I see that IT IS MY TIME! That God is actually preparing me so that he could be more clear about my calling! Now I see that for the first time God has opened my eyes to see my other heart desires beside serving him in the world. God has opened my eyes to see my personal need for family and close relationship with God-loving man.

Now I see that God is shaping me to be a better person in close relationships and changing my views of sharing Gospel.

God who is a relationship God is showing me that the only way to reach out is to be HUMAN BEING - with my faults and mistakes and sins that he has promised to wash away. God has shown me that the best witness I can give to people is to be HUMAN BEING totally dependant of GOD and aware of my own sin and Gods grace!

Now I see that no matter how well I know Bible, no matter how many people I talk to about God, no matter how often I pray, no matter how frequently I read Bible and go to church - if my life is not TOTALLY CHANGED and I am not BROKEN like Jesus was broken on the cross, God cannot use me comlletely and help me fulfill His plan!

Praise the Lord for the brokenness because after that comes glory!

6 men i like+something that is missing=the MAN

I have always had difficulties describing the man I like. I have always known what I like about certain men and people in general but I have never really known what I wish to see in my future husband.

Many times I have known what a Christian woman should look in a man and have made decisions according to this knowledge but I have never understood my OWN heart desire.

I have never even made a list of a perfect man (like so many Christian women do) and I have never put too much effort in discovering that area. I think I have not been ready before or maybe I just enjoyed the privilige of being free and doing things I like.

Or maybe I have been too busy with building my Christian life and trying to grow spiritually that I have actually neglected the natural every day life desire and calling from God - to get married unless you have been called to be single and serve God as single.

One thing I know after being in long relationship and hoping that it would be it, the one - IT IS NOT MY CALLING TO BE SINGLE! And I am very thankful for what I have learned!

And then there has never been any pressure from anybody - society, family, friends, church etc. Today when people have more freedom, it is OK or even MUST that people go after freedom and do not make any commitment or lifelong decisions! Unfortunately that goes with us Christians so many times as well.

In that sence we have become like the world! We enjoy the fellowship of a group but are scared or for any other reason do not start new fellowships from zero. That also goes for marriages. There are more single young Christians than married. Or at least this is what I have noticed.

But somehow God is working in my heart and getting more and more my attention to this topic.

Whilst reading a book sent by Mary Lou to me today (Love worth the wait by Sandy Weyeneth) I realized there are 6 men in my life that I really like and who`s company I enjoy. They are just people I know, nothing more. Some of them interested in me and have expressed they realliy like me (what ever that means nowadays!). But it is just that!

I discovered I like:

• One for the good heart and manners
• One for the passion for work and children
• One for sence of humor
• One for culture and philosophy oriented mind
• One for adventurous heart
• One for eagerness and hard-working mentality

Only one of them is Christian and I realized they all were lacking (I don`t know about the Christian though) one common thing - PASSION FOR CHRIST!

I realized or you could say I was confirmed again that this is the most important thing to me and yet I feel that if a man has the passion for Christ but is lacking all or some of the characteristics mentioned above, he would not be suitable for me as well.

You see, I have discovered a profile of a man I would like to marry....don`t know what God things about this profile yet!

I like A MAN with:

• Passion for Christ and people around
• Good heart and manners
• Passion for his work (calling according to his talents, doesn`t mean working in church, might be working in the world and being a light and witness at the workplace) and passion for children
• Sence of humor
• Interest in other cultures and philosphies, yet sure of his own belief
• Adventurous heart
• Eagerness (takes initiative) and hard-working mentality (not scared to go wisely after what he wants)

So far I have not met a man that has all the 7 qualities. At least this is the way things look to me right now. We will see what God has to teach and show me about that!

Thank you Lord for helping me to recognize my needs, dreams and wishes! Thank you for teaching me how to live purposful life with this desire and dream every day!