Paul Washer

The way to the Father is narrow..

Pride causes unbelief

I have been reading the story of Namaan 2 Kings 5

Naaman's leprosy. (1-8) The cure of it. (9-14) But he almost did not get cured because of his own PRIDE...
2 Kings 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”

11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.

Pride causes our Unbelief in God's saving grace.. we often ask ourselves.. "I can be saved by Faith alone in Jesus Christ???.. " "that's too easy!!!"

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[a]

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.[b]”

I pray that we surrender our pride and allow faith alone in Jesus save us from our sins..

Jantelagen

Living a month in Sweden I came across this word "jantelagen." Being a filipino, I can relate to jantelagen..
Jantelagen comes from the Danish Janteloven and has its source in the writings of Aksel Sandemose’s 1933 novel ‘En flygtning krydser sit spor’ (A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks) which is set in a fictional Danish town called Jante.
In the imaginary small town of Jante there is an informal, oppressive law that forbids anyone from standing out from the crowd.

There are ten different rules in the law, but they are all variations on a single theme and are usually referred to as a homogeneous unit: Don't think you're anyone special or that you're better than us.
1. Don’t think you are anything. = Du skall inte tro att du är något.
2. Don’t think you are as good as us. = Du skall inte tro att du är lika god som vi.
3. Don’t think you are smarter than us. = Du skall inte tro att du är klokare än vi.
4. Don’t fancy yourself better than us. = Du skall inte inbilla dig att du är bättre än vi.
5. Don’t think you know more than us. = Du skall inte tro att du vet mer än vi.
6. Don’t think you are greater than us. = Du skall inte tro att du är förmer än vi.
7. Don’t think you are good for anything. = Du skall inte tro att du duger till något.
8. Don’t laugh at us. = Du skall inte skratta åt oss.
9. Don’t think that anyone cares about you. = Du skall inte tro att någon bryr sig om dig.
10. Don’t think you can teach us anything. = Du skall inte tro att du kan lära oss
något.

God wants us to believe in the opposite since we are made in His image and likeness.. also that we are wonderfully made "omvända (backward) jantelag"
1) You are amazing
2) You are worth much more than you think
3) You have knowledge
4) You are good as you are
5) You knows much others don't
6) You have much to be proud of
7) You are adequate
8) You are welcome to laugh
9) Someone out there does care about you
10) You have knowledge to spread
I am very excited to see the swedish people bloom and be proud of the wonderful blessing God has given them.
I am in a beautiful country and i see great people building it!

Psalm 62 part 2 Where King David puts his trust

Psalm 62 part 1

How King David responded to accusations

Purpose of Video Blog

Emmanuel Church

Last night Camilla performed in Emmanuel Church Cafe (July 14, 2009). She sang mostly Swedish songs about the love of God.. basically according to my interpreter.. love songs. Her band is composed of 2 phil-swedes Paul and Tim Esplana, and Marcus.


Camilla invited Kitchie to perform 2 songs, and she sang Wide Awake and Grace.

It was a wonderful night, the place was filled and by some miracle half of the crowd were Filipinos.

Elizabeth 1st Filipina in Halmstad



I invited them last Friday, when I was walking in the city when i saw a group of Filipino seamen in front of a shop, it was random. But lo and behold they arrived at the venue .. 10-15 of them watched the whole show.

on Thrusday night July 12 we wil have a BBQ with the Filipino seamen in the Esplana's house.

Farm

We met a new friend her name is Maria she is an optometrist here in Halmstad Sweden since 1984.

She has a garden full of different flowers, leafy veggies, and fruits.

LIne from Jim Laffon's wrttings

In my own life, I have learned there are some paths we are called to that have nothing to do with where we’re going, and everything to do with whom we’re going to meet along the way...

...if you are unwilling to walk by faith, you will miss many of the very opportunities designed by God specifically for you.

Tips in the midst of a personal battle

Recieve God's comfort...2 Corinthians 1:3-4³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Personal Tips:
1. Remain faithful to God in heart, mind and soul
2.In relation to eternity... what is happening now is so tiny and miniscule to what His plans are for me. God holds my past, present and future.
3.Be faithful to the work at hand.
4.Dont take it personally, God is the one allowing it to happen
5.Deal with personal issues of rejection and dissapointments and surrender it to God.
6.It is the work of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and minds of people and it is God who vindicates.. so in short turn the other cheek. Do not hold on to anger, let go and forgive.
7. Believe in God and not on ourselves or on anyone else..

"He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief"

2 Corinthians 1:8-11⁸We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Bastad Sweden

Our Trip to Bastad where they hold the Swedish Open!!







We also watched our 1st open concert the sound was excellent

Culture mix Birthday party of Kevin

My journey to the place unknown to me

My European journey began when I felt a call to leave the Philippines and go to a place I don't know where.. in Europe ... Halmstad Sweden. It was a weird choice since we don't know anyone in Halmstad Sweden.

I am staying here in Sweden until November 2, 2009. As of today I see allot of confirmations to back up my claim "I heard God.."

Here's a few of them:
1. I'm living in a beautiful flat which is within my estimated budget
2. The people we've met are real people searching for answers in life
3. Meeting people from the music industry from different parts of Europe here in Halmstad
4. There are allot of state of the art, world class music studios here in this city
5. The food is so yummy and healthy (I don't have to wash the fruits and veggies all are pre-washed)

and of course the need of people to share the gospel of Jesus.. the harvest is indeed plentiful!

more paris pictures

My desire is to have a discerning heart .. God's desire is my total love for Him that manifests in obedience...

1 Kings 3: ⁷ "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."