On God's Wisdom...

God's wisdom is also shown is our individual lives. "We know that God works all things together for good for those who love him, who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28, author's translation). Here Paul affirms that God does work wisely in all the things that come into our lives, and that through all these things he advances us toward the goal of conformity to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). IT SHOULD BE OUR GREAT CONFIDENCE AND A SOURCE OF PEACE DAY BY DAY TO KNOW THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO MOVE US TOWARD THE ULTIMATE GOAL HE HAS FOR OUR LIVES...

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology; p. 194

My preaching and how’d it go...

First of all I want to thank you all for your prayers. I know that there were many people praying for me. It was a big day for me and I really felt your support in prayers. Well, it’s been a week. But I still remember it pretty well. So let me share with you about it.

The thing was that the night before I had prom…so you get the point:) But preaching was my priority and so I left earlier (well, I was the first one that got out of there). I woke up at 6am and went to the church. I went there to pray. For myself and also for those that would hear the message. It was an interesting time when I was struggling with a question of what can older people receive from my preaching? You know, like 40 yrs old and people in their 50s… What about them? What can a teenager boy tell them? Then I realized…what was it that God said? It goes like this:

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11

So it’s not MY job to make sure that it’s going to touch people’s lives. It’s HIS job and I can rest on that. The verse that God gave me to get ready and to fight just minutes before my preaching was a verse from Proverbs 1:33 that says:

But whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.

So I just pleaded with God. I prayed: God, I just want to listen to You and tell them what I hear from You. Not more, not less. And I really want to listen to you and I know that when I do – I don’t have to be afraid, for it is You I listen to!

It was amazing to stand up there. You know what I remember? Feelings and thoughts? Nothing! I don’t know...but it was just that I was there and preaching. I didn’t care at all that it’s my first preaching, or that I’m being recorded, or that there are almost 50 people staring at me (including my parents, my friends from school and MANY other “special” people). It just all passed me by. I was so into preaching and the Word that I had NO idea and interest about those things. It was there just me serving the Lord. And what a great feeling to be used by God! I didn’t pay any attention to me being there – but wanted Christ to be there and be speaking through me.

So speaking for myself I enjoyed it and loved it. It just felt right to me that I was preaching and I felt that I was at the right place at the right moment. But feedback is really important and so I cared how useful it was to people. I was afraid that it was useful only to me…I’ve learnt a lot along the way but I failed at passing it down to the congregation – at least that‘s how I felt. But those people didn’t feel like that at all. Actually I’ve received lots of positive feedback. People were encouraged and blessed by the ministry and I was really thankful for that.

Later our pastor told me (when he was giving me feedback) that I can start thinking of another topic for my next sermon. So yes, I will preach again. But that’s not going to be any earlier then in the spring. What will I do till then? Just read the Proverbs:) I will listen to the LORD and I will dwell secure and without fear!

Marek

Some more info on my preaching

As you may know from my previous post I will preach next Sunday (Dec 13th). I just want to give you some update on how things are going.

As I expected (and was pretty sure) my youth would be an obstacle to some. But I must say that I am really blessed by people that are in my church because they are finding their way through and are trying to accept me. I’m not saying there are no problems – I’d be lying if I said that. But God’s love unites us and helps us to get through some stuff.

And I know it requires of the people in our church to humble themselves cause there’s going to be standing a 19 yrs old guy (who hasn’t even finished his high school) and will be preaching to them. Oh how I love them to receive me in humility. And on the other hand it’s a great temptation for me to think high of myself. You know, preaching that early is not so common. And so both of us, the congregation and I, have to be careful about our hearts, motivations and thoughts.

But as I get closer and closer to the day I will preach God humbles me in so many ways. For the past weeks He’s been tearing down every single thing I might rely upon. And there’s nothing left now. Not my wisdom, not my skills, there’s nothing I could hold to. But there is GOD that I can and surely WILL rely upon to! He’s tearing everything down and leaves Himself as the only One that is still there.

He makes me to see more and more of the greatness of the preaching of the Word. More and more of the importance and need of it. And He’s showing me my heart – who I really am – oh and how that prepares me for the ministry. I was afraid I might grow in pride but He’s protecting me – I’m being more and more humbled. And what makes me humble the most is the thought of what preaching really is. Makes me feel unworthy of this great ministry.

This is what Cotton Mather said about preaching. He lived in 17th century:
“The great design…of a Christian preacher [is] to restore the throne and dominion of God in the souls of men.”
John Piper, The Supremacy of God in Preaching

Please pray for me that God would keep my heart pure and that the hearts of the people in our church would be open to the message of God that I will try to communicate as biblically and clearly as I am able to. For I am not preaching myself, but Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23).

Marek

Preaching and me...

Friends, another update…and a prayer request is here:)

About a month ago I was asked by our pastor to preach at our church. I find it as a great privilege and honor to teach the Word of God to our congregation. But it’s not just a great privilege; it’s also a great responsibility. So I want to ask you to pray for me as I prepare the sermon. I’ve done some teaching before, but it was only for youth groups and small groups. Never a sermon! It’s going to be something totally new to me that I have never experienced before. The truth is that I’m a pretty young guy how hasn’t even finished his high school. And the fact that I will preach humbles me even more. So I want to ask you to pray for me. Especially that:

• I would be faithful to the Word of God and the preaching would not be in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that their faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
• That my youth would not be a barrier to the hearers (1 Timothy 4:12).
• That I might do this with joy and not with groaning (Hebrews 13:17).
• That God would be glorified and to Him given all the glory (Ephesians 3:21).

I’ll give my first preach on December 13th. Please pray that God would be honored and glorified in my preparation and the actual preaching…

Marek

A Kind of “Pleasing Pain”

Another part from the book The Hidden Smile of God. This is about David Brainerd:

Brainerd’s conviction was that no aspiration on earth surpassed the supreme purpose to savor and spread the reign of Christ in his own personal holiness and the conversion of the Indians for the glory of God. He called his passion for more holiness and more usefulness a kind of “pleasing pain.” “When I really enjoy God, I feel my desires of him the more insatiable, and my thirstings after holiness the more unquenchable. . . . Oh, for holiness! Oh, for more of God in my soul! Oh, this pleasing pain! It makes my soul press after God. . . . Oh, that I might never loiter on my heavenly journey!”.
He was gripped by the apostolic admonition: “Walk circum- spectly . . . redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16, KJV). He embodied the counsel: “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9, KJV). He strove to be, as Paul says, “abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). April 17, 1747: “O I longed to fill the remaining moments all for God! Though my body was so feeble, and wearied with preaching and much private conversation, yet I wanted to sit up all night to do something for God. To God the giver of these refreshments, be glory forever and ever; Amen”. February 21, 1746: “My soul was refreshed and comforted, and I could not but bless God, who had enabled me in some good measure to be faithful in the day past. Oh, how sweet it is to be spent and worn out for God!”.

And the result is.....:)

Friends, thank you for praying for me during this time when I was deciding about my future, namely choosing the university I will go to. And here's the result. This is an edited excerpt from a letter I sent to those ten people I met with:
-----------------------------
Friends, 
As you already know, I’ve been praying for almost a year about this period of time. That God would make His plans clear to me and that I would be able to make a step of confidence into the next year.

I must say that the Lord has exceeded my expectations regarding the clarity by which He guides me. I wrote down everything those ten people told me and I looked at it carefully. Considered it and tried to boil it down into good and right decisions. Fortunately that wasn’t that hard, because I haven’t met with much of a contradiction between what they all said to me.

After considering everything I’ve heard from them, looking at my life and asking God to make it clear I can say I know what the Lord wants me to do (at least the next step He wants me to take). There were many questions and many ways. Such as: should I go and study theology at all? If so, when? Now or later? Where? In Slovakia or somewhere else? And if not theology, what else should I do? God didn’t let me alone with these questions and He gave me guidance along the way to resolve this and to come up with an idea that would be pleasing to Him and give Him glory.

I believe that God would be pleased if I went and studied theology. I am convinced that the best place where to do so is Banká Bystrica at KETM. So I will apply for that university. If God wills, that’s where I’ll be next year. But I don’t want that to be everything I do. I don’t want it to be over after KETM and so I would like to do some more studies outside of Slovakia, where I can get better and deeper education. But I believe that KETM can give me the best preparation I will need for ministry here in Slovakia.

God didn’t use this time only to show me the next step in my life; He also helped me to clarify the vision, desire, and purpose in my ministry. Let me tell you about these for a little moment. There are basically two main visions (desires) I have (right now):

1. I want people to experience what I experience, namely joy and love that comes from God. To be more specific I could say it in one clear sentence: I want people to cry because of what has Jesus done for them! Not the kind of cry that is sorrowful but the kind of cry and tears that are joyful because God Himself loves them and died for them. I don’t want them just to know this, I want them to live it, experience it in such a way that brings tears into their eyes.
2. I don’t want Revelation 2:4-5 to be true for those people. Jesus says in Revelation 2:4-5 „But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” There are hundreds of people in the church in Slovakia that lost their first love. They’re not in love with God anymore. They’re not passionate about Him anymore. They have lost the zeal they once used to be living with. And that’s my desire. I want to awake in them the love they once had for Christ and His people. I want them to burn with passion and zeal for Him and His glory. I want them to be awaken.

All together it’s been a little over a month of time while I was meeting with all these people. It’s been a fruitful and encouraging season for me that I am really thankful for. So in the end I can say that this all has been a success.

Marek

What is really imporant?

 Couple of days ago I was reading about the life of David Brainerd and as I was walking home last night I was asking myself a question of what is really important? If it's not how much we do or accomplish, then what is it? I found an explanation in what Piper said:

The amazing thing may not be that he died so early and accomplished so little, but that, being as sick as he was, he lived as long as he did and accomplished so much.

If we are to decide whether somebody's life was "successful" based on how much has this person accomplished, David Brainerd would probably not be among those Top 10. However, he's one of the most influential people in the history of the church in matters of missions.

It is an inspiring thought that one small pebble dropped in the sea of history can produce waves of grace that break on dis- tant shores hundreds of years later and thousands of miles away. Robert Glover ponders this thought with wonder when he writes, 

It was Brainerd’s holy life that influenced Henry Martyn to become a missionary and was a prime factor in William Carey’s inspiration. Carey in turn moved Adoniram Judson. And so we trace the spiritual lineage from step to step—Hus, Wycliffe, Francke, Zinzendorf, the Wesleys and Whitefield, Brainerd, Edwards, Carey, Judson, and ever onward in the true apostolic succession of spiritual grace and power and world-wide ministry.

 So it is not about how much we do as it is  about why, for whom and how we do it. If our goal is to glorify God and we do it out of selfless motives - then our ministry is more glorifying to God then anything else. For Jesus himself says: there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. That's all it takes for a huge celebration in Heavens. Another quote from the book.

Who can describe the value of one soul transferred from the king- dom of darkness, and from the weeping and gnashing of teeth, to the kingdom of God’s dear Son! If we live twenty-nine years or if we live ninety-nine years, would not any hardships be worth the saving of one person from the eternal torments of hell for the everlasting enjoyment of the glory of God?

So my friends, may we set our hearts and eyes for way greater things then numbers and stats. Let's set our hearts, minds and eyes to the glory of God and the joy of Christ we have a share in. 

William Cowper

Another person Piper writes in his book The Hidden Smile of God is William Cowper [pronounced “Cooper”]. He was a man who wrote many hymns that are being sung in churches even today. But not everybody knows what's hidden behind those verses.

In 1752 he sank into his first paralyzing depression—the first of four major battles with mental breakdown so severe as to set him to staring out of windows for weeks at a time. Struggle with despair came to be the theme of his life. He was twenty-one years old and not yet a believer.

In December 1763 he was committed to St. Albans Insane Asylum, where the fifty-eight-year-old Dr. Nathaniel Cotton tended the patients. Cotton was somewhat of a poet, but most of all, by God’s wonderful design, an evangelical believer and a lover of God and the Gospel. He loved Cowper and held out hope to him repeatedly in spite of his insistence that he was damned and beyond hope. Six months into his stay, Cowper found a Bible lying (not by accident) on a bench. And this is what Cowper says:

Having found a Bible on the bench in the garden, I opened upon the 11th of St. John, where Lazarus is raised from the dead; and saw so much benevolence, mercy, goodness, and sympathy with miserable men, in our Saviour’s conduct, that I almost shed tears upon the revelation; little think- ing that it was an exact type of the mercy which Jesus was on the point of extending towards myself. I sighed, and said, “Oh, that I had not rejected so good a Redeemer, that I had not forfeited all his favours.” Thus was my heart softened, though not yet enlightened. 

Increasingly, he felt he was not utterly forsaken. Again he felt led to turn to the Bible. The first verse he saw was Romans 3:25: “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (KJV). And William continues:

Immediately I received the strength to believe it, and the full beams of the Sun of Righteousness shone upon me. I saw the sufficiency of the atonement He had made, my pardon sealed in His blood, and all the fullness and com- pleteness of His justification. In a moment I believed, and received the gospel... Whatever my friend Madan had said to me, long before, revived in all its clearness, with demonstration of the spirit and with power. Unless the Almighty arm had been under me, I think I should have died with gratitude and joy. My eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with transport; I could only look up to heaven in silent fear, overwhelmed with love and wonder.

Cower was a man so depressed that he tried to commit a suicide so many times that one might wonder what was so hard to kill himself. The answer is easy. As Piper puts it: each time God providentially prevented him. God used the sorrows and hardships of his life to bring about fruit that now (after all those afflictions) tastes much sweeter.

This is what John Piper writes as a conclusion:

Cowper was sick. But in his sickness he saw things that we so desperately need to see. He saw hell. And sometimes he saw heaven. He knew terror. And sometimes he knew ecstasy. When I stand to welcome the people to worship on Sunday morning, I know that there are William Cowpers in the congregation. There are spouses who can barely talk. There are sullen teenagers living double lives at home and school. There are widows who still feel the amputation of a fifty-year partner. There are single people who have not been hugged for twenty years. There are men in the prime of their lives with cancer. There are moms who have car- ried two tiny caskets. There are soldiers of the cross who have risked all for Jesus and bear the scars. There are tired and dis- couraged and lonely strugglers. Shall we come to them with a joke?
They can read the comics every day. What they need from me is not more bouncy, frisky smiles and stories. What they need is a kind of joyful earnestness that makes the broken heart feel hopeful and helps the ones who are drunk with trifles sober up for greater joys.

In Cowper’s most famous hymn, this is what he sings—the preciousness of the blood of Christ to the worst of sinners. 

There is a fountain filled with blood 

Drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; 

And sinners, plunged beneath that flood, 

Lose all their guilty stains.
 

The dying thief rejoiced to see 

That fountain in his day; 

And there have I, as vile as he, 

Washed all my sins away.
 

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood 

Shall never lose its power; 

Till all the ransomed church of God 

Be saved to sin no more.
 

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream 

Thy flowing wounds supply,

Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

Bunyan - Why do Christians suffer?

Commenting on John 15:2 (“Every branch that bears fruit, He prunes”), he says,  

“It is the will of God, that they that go to heaven should go thither hardly or with difficulty. The righteous shall scarcely be saved. That is, they shall, but yet with great difficulty, that it may be the sweeter.” 

John Piper; The Hidden Smile of God

The Hidden Smile of God – John Bunyan

To Live Upon God That Is Invisible

As I was traveling to Poprad and back home I was reading this book from John Piper, called The Hidden Smile of God - The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd. It’s actually book two from the series Swans Are Not Silent. The first book was about Augustine, Luther and Calvin that I read last Christmas. 

In this post I just want to give you a small taste of what the book is about.

So the first of those people is John Bunyan. A tinker that was able to read and write. And that was all his education. Yet, God used this man in such ways that were Him glorifying more even by the fact that Bunyan was a simple man. Read for example this:

The greatest Puritan theologian, and a contemporary of Bunyan, John Owen, when asked by King Charles why he, a great scholar, went to hear an uneducated tinker preach, said, “I would willingly exchange my learning for the tinker’s power of touching men’s hearts.”

Bunyan’s live wasn’t easy by any means. Not that his mother and sister both died when he was 15, he was drafted as a 16 years old young man into the Parliamentary Army for about two years. Two years after he returned (20) he married a woman and they had four children. The first of them – Mary – was born blind. Ten years after this his wife died and left him with four children. A year later he married Elizabeth and a year after their marriage he was imprisoned and Elizabeth, who was pregnant at that time, miscarried in the crisis. Altogether was Bunyan under arrested for 12 years. And this deserves a little bit more to be said about.

Lesser known is the fact that his twelve years in prison were “voluntary,” in the sense that a commitment not to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ would have obtained his freedom at any time.

In August 1661 his wife Elizabeth went to authorities. She had already been to London with one petition. Now she was met with one stiff question: 
-------------------------------------
- “Would he stop preaching?”
- “My lord, he dares not leave off preaching as long as he can speak.”
- “What is the need of talking?”
- “There is need for this, my lord, for I have four small children that cannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people.”

Matthew Hale, with pity, asks if she really has four children being so young.
- “My lord, I am but mother-in-law [stepmother] to them, having not been married to him yet full two years. Indeed, I was with child when my husband was first apprehended; but being young and unaccustomed to such things, I being smayed at the news, fell into labor, and so continued for eight days, and then was delivered; but my child died.”

Hale is moved, but other judges are hardened and speak against him.
- “He is a mere tinker!”

- “Yes, and because he is a tinker and a poor man, there- fore he is despised and cannot have justice.”

One Mr. Chester is enraged and says Bunyan will preach and do as he wishes.
- “He preacheth nothing but the word of God!” she says.

Mr. Twisden, in a rage:
- “He runneth up and down and doeth harm.”
- “No, my lord, it is not so; God hath owned him and done much good by him.”

The angry man continues,
- “His doctrine is the doctrine of the devil.”
She replies,
- “My lord, when the righteous Judge shall appear, it will be known that his doctrine is not the doctrine of the devil!”
-------------------------------------
After twelve years of imprisonment he was released because of the Declaration of Religious Indulgence. There was one more imprisonment in the winter and spring of 1675-76. Other then that he was preaching at the church in Bedford. John Bunyan died on August 31, 1688 of a violent fever.

These are some parts of the book that I enjoyed. This one speaks of his two years of overwhelming darkness that happened when he thought he was established in the Gospel. But this was the decisive moment for him:

One day as I was passing into the field . . . this sentence fell upon my soul. Thy righteousness is in heaven. And methought, withal, I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God’s right hand; there, I say, was my righteous- ness; so that wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me, he wants [lacks] my righteousness, for that was just before him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteous- ness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteous- ness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, “The same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons; my temptations also fled away; so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God [about the unforgivable sin] left off to trouble me; now went I also home rejoicing for the grace and love of God.

Bunyan has learnt, through all of his afflictions and troubles and pains, how TO LIVE UPON GOD THAT IS INVISIBLE.

Judge not the lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

WILLIAM COWPER

“GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY”

What is my worth?

"My worth is what I am worth to God; 

and that is a marvelous great deal, for Christ died for me."

~ William Temple ~

New place...why?

I don't really know:) I just felt like changing it...so here it it. No major changes are to happen (well, maybe some:) Keep on coming here guys....

Marek

Hey you anti-Apple guys...read this:

This is what Nvidia CEO said:

According to him “Apple uses the best technology for their [computers]. Apple says to their customers: if you buy a computer from us you can be sure we have selected the best technology inside for you. That is their promise to consumers. Their promise to consumers isn’t we’ve selected the best technology for you with the exception of what Intel allows us to use. That’s not their promise. And that’s why Apple uses the best technology where they want whenever they want. And that’s why I’m all Apple! At home it’s just Macs everywhere. It’s NVIDIA’s technology in all of them but I use Macs. My son has two Macs, my daughter has a Mac, there’s an extra Mac just in case and my wife has a Mac. It’s just Mac, Mac, Mac! Because I know it’s got the best stuff inside.”

So my friends, it's not only about style...it really is good:)

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who a keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.

Isiah 54:4-10

What an awesome God we have!

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
FOR YOUR MAKER IS YOUR HUSBAND,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I deserted you,
BUT WITH GREAT COMPASSION I WILL GATHER YOU.
In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
BUT WITH EVERLASTING LOVE I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON YOU,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.

“This is like the days of Noah to me:
as I swore that the waters of Noah
should no more go over the earth,
SO I HAVE SWORN THAT I WILL NOT BE ANGRY WITH YOU,
and will not rebuke you.
FOR THE MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART
AND THE HILLS BE REMOVED,
BUT MY STEADFAST LOVE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM YOU,
AND MY COVENANT OF PEACE SHALL NOT BE REMOVED,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

A prayer request

Hello my friends...

The truth is that I have no idea how many people actually read this blog. But for those if you that do (if you don't know whether you're in this category - you are [because you're reading this blog right now]). Ok, let's get to the main point now, shall we?

This year (hopefully) I graduate. What means that I need to apply for a collage/university. The problem is: I don't know what, where and when. I mean, not really:) This is my case...

About two years ago (just a couple of months after I became a Christian) God put this question in my head: Marek, what would you say about studying theology and be a "full-time Christian"? The question never let my mind. I gave it a cool head for half a year cause I've been told that these ideas are quite common to guys who just became Christians. So I've been waiting but over the time I realized that this idea grew into a desire. So about a year and a half ago I started to ask people questions and trying to find out what it really takes and what it really means to study theology and serve in full-time.

So after a while I talked to my mentor about this and he told me that we'll see. That I should just let it go for now and learn more about myself. What my gifts are and whether God really calls me into this. So I was waiting once again. And the summer came - last summer. I was doing camps all summer and that was kind of like a full-time ministry. During that month God turned the desire into a passion. So I had to meet with my mentor again and I told him everything. How I feel, what I do, what I want to do... When I said everything I wanted I said: Well, that's all from me. Now it'd be nice from you to give a respond.

The past year was really full packed with experiences and knowing myself and God. Getting to know what gifts God gave me and how He wants me to use them. I did School for leaders, joined the youth group team, every now and then helped out with small group, went to quite a few conferences and now.......I came to the point where I must make the decision. What do I do next? What do You, God, want me to do?

I know I'm way too far for being wise and because of that I decided to meet with those that have some wisdom and opinions to share. So in the coming four weeks I'll be meeting people. I'll be traveling and meeting with people not just from Trnava. So the next month is going to be really exciting but I need your help. Please pray. Pray that God would use those ten people to show me (clearly) where He wants me to go and what He wants me to do.

It's gonna be an interesting month. Meeting with people and talking with them. Asking God to lead me and show me where is my place. Please pray with me and I'll keep you updated with how the things are going.

marek

The Hidden Smile of God

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

WILLIAM COWPER

“GOD MOVES IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY ”

Reason #36

Christ Suffered and Died...

To Create a People Passionate for Good Works

When God’s forgiveness and acceptance have freed us from fear and pride and greed, we are filled with a zeal to love others the way we have been loved. We risk our possessions and our lives since we are secure in Christ. When we love others like this, our behavior is contrary to human self-enhancement and self-preservation. Attention is thus drawn to our life-transforming Treasure and Security, namely, God.

(John Piper; Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die)

WHAT or WHY?

I’m reading a book from John Piper called The Passion of Jesus Christ: Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. It’s kind of like a devotional book. John Piper found in the Bible at least fifty reasons why Jesus came to die and made a book out of it. I really enjoy reading this book. Now I want to share with you something from the Reason #22, Christ Suffered and Died . . . To Bring Us to God. At the beginning he starts that God is the gospel and that gospel means “good news”. And this is what he says right after this introduction:

But what is the ultimate good in the good news? It all ends in one thing: God himself. All the words of the gospel lead to him, or they are not gospel. For example, salvation is not good news if it only saves from hell and not for God. Forgiveness is not good news if it only gives relief from guilt and doesn’t open the way to God. Justification is not good news if it only makes us legally acceptable to God but doesn’t bring fellowship with God. Redemption is not good news if it only liberates us from bondage but doesn’t bring us to God. Adoption is not good news if it only puts us in the Father’s family but not in his arms.

Doesn’t it happen to us so many times? We think of God as the Savior, Forgiver and Redeemer (what is totally true) but among all this we sometimes forget to think of Him as of the One that loves us. Yeah, we say that God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son... but we focus too much on WHAT God does and not so much on WHY He does what He does. That it’s His love for us that drives Him to sacrifice His own (and only!) Son. I’m not saying here and it doesn’t matter what God does nor that we should not care. But what I’m saying here is that what he does is just as important as why he does that. If we don’t have this we’re missing a half of puzzles in our picture. We can tell what is (probably) on the picture but not having the rest of the puzzles makes it impossible to see the big (and it really is big) picture.

So what is the answer? WHAT or WHY? I believe that both. One makes the other complete. We can partly know WHAT God did but we won’t able to really grasp the meaning of the act unless we know WHY He did so. And vice versa, we can know WHY would God do something in our lives but after we know WHAT He does we can really enjoy and appreciate the fullness of His love.

Knowing that Jesus died for us so we live is not all. It’s a part of the picture but we’ll never really understand unless we know that He did so because He loves us! The same way we can know that God loves us. But we need to see an act of His love for us in order that we can really be loved. Not just knowing but feeling as well. And what’s a better proof of love then dying for you (John 15:13). There’s none.

So let’s not adore God only for the wonderful (and great) things He’s doing for us but let’s also adore Him for why He does them – namely because He loves us.

Last year and the coming one...

Most of the people talk about last year and new toward the end of a calendar year. But that doesn't really mean anything to me (except the year number change:) What really is a year change for me is the end of summer and the beginning of another school year. Why's that? It's simple...it's the time when summer camps are over and another "ministry season" begins.

So yesterday I went on a hike...alone...over night. The plan was simple: Go, be with God, ask and listen. I needed some time to reflect on the past year. What I've done and what I've learned, what was good and what was not. What to change, what to keep. There were many things that happened last year. New kinds of ministries I was involved in, ŠPM, relationships, summer and so on.

So that was one part of the trip. Another one was to be able to answer the question: What now? Where am I right now and where am I going? What do I want to do and, more importantly, what does He want me to do. So I came to this village called Smolenice after 5 pm what gave me about three hours before the Sun would go down and leave me there in the darkness. It takes three hours to get to the place where I wanted to stay over night, so getting lost or having some troubles might have caused me to be forced to sleep wherever I would be at that time. Gladly I made it on time and I was left with about 30 more minutes of twilight so there was still enough time (and light) for me to read Bible. After that I still had lots of time to think, to evaluate, etc. In the middle asking these questions I mentioned above Holy Spirit led me to these verses:

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
(1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

What took my attention the most was the part: Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. You know, I ask God many times what He wants me to do. But this time He gave me an answer in His question. He asks: Is that, what you want to do, for your own good or for the good of others? And I think that's what sets things in motion in the coming year. Because after asking this question, and an honest answer to it, we'll be exposed to our true motives.

The main thing that God was constantly teaching me over the past year was to trust Him under all circumstances. There were countless times when I was afraid of the things going on in my life. Things that I cannot control. Things that, in a certain way, control me. And that's when I heard Him speaking to me these words as clearly as never before: Do you trust Me? Do you believe that I AM in control and that I know what I'm doing? Do you believe me? My respond was: Yes, I do. But then, later, I got afraid again and His words came once again. That way He taught me to trust Him constantly. Friends, I have NO idea what God wants to do in my life and with my life. Why He let so many things happen in my life in the past year. Many of them I don't understand...but I know He does. And He know what, why and when. And my job is to be there and wait. Wait for Him to say: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? So then, when I'm ready, I can respond: Here am I! Send me. (Isaiah 6:8).

My working trip in Žilina

Last week I came back from Žilina where I spend five days. I was at the place where I used to go last year for the School for Youth Leaders. I was doing miscellaneous stuff. Painting walls, cutting tree, fixing various stuff (like windows, light bulbs [hey, that’s some work too! :D ], etc.).

In July I went to a youth conference and right after that we had an English camp for High scholars and then a Jr. High camp and an English camp for Elementary school kids. Few days after that I went to a music festival called CampFest. I was going through this for over a month. There was almost not single night when I slept more then 6 hrs. So many things happened through that time and every single day I was surrounded by so many people. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be with people, but also I need to have some time when I’m alone. When there’s just me....and God.

So I went to Žilina. What for? To work. You might ask: Hey, the previous paragraph sounded like you need some rest but you go to work more? And my answer is: Exactly! You know, when I worked at Žilina I was using my hands and muscles something that I didn’t get a chance to use so much during the camps (okay, there was soccer, but that doesn’t count...you know what I’m talking here about).

Most of the time I spent there I was alone. And you know what? It was great! That’s what I needed so much. To have some time when there’s just me. I didn’t mind to be alone at all. My mind had finally some time to process everything that had happened since the end of June. There was so much to settle down and think through. And it was so needed for me. Frankly, I even dare to say that it was the best week in the whole year. Not because it was so exciting but because it was something so needed. Now I actually realize that if I hadn’t gone there I would miss so much and I would miss this all in the coming year. It was a spiritual refreshment for me that was so important for me in order to serve this coming year.

You know, I wasn’t learning so much about God that week. It wasn’t so much about Him but about me. I was learning a lot about myself. Who I am and where am I going? Who does God want me to become? And where does He want me to go? What does He want me to do? All the questions were me-related but so important to know and to be able to answer. I’ve realized many things and started to see more than I had seen before.

When I was leaving they thanked me for helping them there. But I just replied: It might seem to you that I ministered to you, but in fact, you ministered to me. They have no idea how important that week was/is to me. And not just for today, but for way longer. Maybe for the whole school year...but I’m more then sure that it’s for a longer then that. They ministered to me with the place they provided (that I was able to come at all), the fellowship they shared with me throughout the week and care and love they showed for me. I can just say that it meant a lot to me...

I really like going to Žilina. I have many friends there that I’m always happy to see. Spent there great weekends at ŠPM and my life was changed in more ways then just one. And I pray for those guys that are going to start ŠPM too in October that God would speak to them directly and clearly just as He did to me. And that the Lord would change their lives through all the people they are about to meet.

i mean...it's not exactly a brain surgery, is it?

Job - Part 2

Couple of days ago I wrote about Job. About the way how we sometimes “counsel” people. That sometimes it happens that what we say actually doesn’t help at all because the words we say may have nothing to do with the situation of the person. Sometimes we just miss the words that the person needs to hear. But what if we have words that are not easy to take? What should we do then? Not to say them, so we won’t hurt the person even more? Well, I found the answer to this question in Job as well.

We see after this very “helpful” speech of the three friends comes a man called Elihu. And the message and the way he brings this message is set as an example for us to learn from. Right at the beginning he makes clear that . He doesn’t want to please people. Whatever he says is just because it’s what God wants him to say. After making this clear he moves on to Job and he says:

“But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
Behold, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of o clay.
Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy upon you.
(Job 33:1-7)

Elihu makes very clear that he is just as Job is. That he too “was pinched off from a piece of o clay”. He says that it’s not Elihu whom should Job be afraid of – it’s the LORD. And what I feel when Elihu speaks to Job is compassion over Job. He knows and feels Job’s pain and suffering and knows that it’s not easy. And even though the message he brings might be hard he tells Job not to be afraid. Why? Because even though God tells us sometimes things that are not easy to take He doesn’t do so to hurt us (though it might happen as we're facing who we really are) but His ultimate way is to restore us! And unfortunately the process of healing many times requires some pain. But at the end we’ll see that it was worth it! In one of my favorite song the final lyrics go like this: The end will justify the pain it took to get us there. It is worth it, even though it’s not easy.

Job

In these days I'm reading Job and this is what really took my attention today. Months ago I realized that sometimes when people came to me and said something I had to answer them. There's nothing bad about that - unless you've really got something to say. Along the way I've learnt that sometimes the person doesn't need to hear anything. Sometimes people just need to talk to somebody and we're suppose to listen to them. Be there for them in the hard times. But if we do have something to say we should do so. But not always we have the right things to say. And that's what I see in Job's story. Three friends came and sat down with him in silence for seven days and seven nights (Job 3:13). Then the time came when they we're suppose to say something. But what they were saying was not really accurate. Neither they nor Job were able to see the big picture that we can see when we read first two chapters of Job. Job is pretty sure that he did not sin against the LORD but the friends try to convince him to repent of his sins. But there aren't sins that Job needs to repent of (not that he's sinless - it's just he's righteous before the LORD). And hearing the three friends saying all these things drives Job crazy and so he says:

Then Job answered and said: How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,and plentifully declared sound knowledge! With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you? (Job 26:1-4)

Do you feel that sense of irony? Why does Job say this to his friends? Cause all together they did not say anything. They weren't really listening to Job and the help they offered (rebuking and false accusing) weren't any help to Job. He needed something else. He was a broken man that did not understand why he had to suffer so much. And even though the words that his friends said were biblical truths they were worthless because they were not said at the right place, at the right time and in the right situation. Maybe it would be better if they rather were silent for more then seven days instead of saying all these things. So when we're not sure what to say remember: sometimes it's better to say nothing than to say something.

Tornado?

The other night Kristian, Jeni (a girl that came from Austin, TX to help out with an English camp), Laura and I went to have some kofola/beer. It got quite windy when we were walking back home. And this is a conversation that somehow developed between Jeni and me:

J: Do you know what a tornado is?
M: Come on, I'm not dumb, I'm just Slovak!

Next day we kept on this very interesting topic and she was trying to explain me how a tornado happens. Later I found out that she doesn't really know so I told her what are Europeans thought at school. She was surprised that I knew it and so she said:

J: How did you know that?
M: School...?
J: What class did you take?
M: Ehm, I don't know. A general class...

I don't make any comments about this. Think whatever you want:) We had fun though. It probably doesn't sound funny to you but it was very funny when it happened. Thanks Jeni:)

Proverbs 16:1-9

Few days ago I got into a situation when I was confronted by a sin. It was about 1 am and I've decided to pray and ask the LORD to lead me through His word to find out what to do now. Among other places He led me to Proverbs 10, especially verses 1-9:

The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.

Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.

The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.

By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.

When a man's ways please the Lord,
he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice.

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

And just as I reflect on them now - few days later - I see what amazing verses God led me into. Solomon starts here by stating that And just as I reflect on them now - few days later - I am able to see what amazing verses God led me into.

Solomon starts here by making clear that God is sovereign over everything - even the very words that come out of our mouth. When we talk to people about what they think we should do in this or that and they say something that we don’t really like we tend to say: Meh, they don’t know what they’re saying. Like when parents say to their daughter that she can’t date a guy yet because she’s too young. The girl and boy might think the parents have no idea what they’re saying – but truth is: God knows what He’s saying and He’s speaking through the parents. That’s the fact we need to grab in our hearts. God does speak. Primarily through His word but as well through other people. The close ones especially.

Then Solomon makes a clear distinction between the way we look at other people (and ourselves too) and the way God does. We like to justify everything we do. Want to break a rule or two? You know really well you should not. But then you start making arguments, making a case why it’s not that bad after all to break that rule. We try to make our ways look pure in our own eyes but we forget that God is not looking at us through our pair of eyes but that He’s got His own. And by those eyes He sees way more then we ever will be able to. He doesn’t just see our ways (that everybody can see) but He does something that only He can do. He weighs the spirit. God doesn’t just look at the outcome (as the contemporary society suggests…only what you make counts…do the most and the best). God cares about way more important things then that. He cares about our heart – the spirit. What were our motives, where was our heart. And because of that God’s judgment is going to be just. Just the same way when David prays to the LORD. He says: For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:16-17). He’s saying that God doesn’t care about the outcome as much as He does about the change in people’s hearts. That what matters to God the most – our hearts!

We like to do things our own way. Even though to do it the way somebody else says would save us half the time we need – we would do it our own way anyway. Why? Because it’s our way. But Solomon confronts us here with an idea to give (literally put into the hands) our work to the LORD. Why? Because when you give something to somebody (your plans, dreams, hopes, even your future) you must trust that person. The reason why we’re to commit everything we do to God is to show in whom we trust. If we are to ask the question that the psalmist asked: From where does my help come? (Psalm 121:1) what would our answer be? Would be the same as is his? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:2) He is able to say that only because he trusts Him completely. And the best way how we can show our trust is by trusting completely with everything.

When times are hard and things don’t seem to go the way they should we start thinking that something must have gone wrong. That either we have failed or God has failed in His promises. How can a not nice think to be from God if He’s that good as the Word describes Him? Well, seems that Solomon did not see this as a problem in his life. I’m sure that he had endured some suffering. For example when he was suppose to take over the kingdom – his brother Adonijah wanted to be the king of Israel. And so he had to kind of „fight for“ his throne. I’m sure that just one of many (after all, it was probably very easy for others to be jealous of his wisdom and wealth). So it’s kind of weird to hear Solomon saying that the LORD made the wicked ones as well as all the rest. He is aware that all of us (humans) just as the rest of the creation were created by God and for God. Including the „bad ones” – even though all of us are bad. Because the LORD has made everything for its purpose and I can tell you for sure that what He has created in the end will fill the purpose it was created for. When things go wrong and it seems everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong – friends, it does not mean that God is not in control. He is always in control. Even when it seems to us that He’s not.

In order for the judgment to be just, the Judge must be just. That’s what Solomon is trying to tell us in the next verse where he says that those, that are arrogant in heart will not go unpunished. Solomon is pointing here to the nature and character of God. God hates evil. Just the same way Paul says what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). I know that he speaks here about relationships between believers and unbelievers but I believe this is the same case for God. It is God who represents the righteousness, light, Christ and believer that Paul mentions. So Paul and Solomon say together that God hates evil. It’s His nature – something that has never changed and never will. But Solomon is not saying here that God merely hates evil and doesn’t do anything about it. He says that evil will not go unpunished – that God will repay and we can be assured about it! That gives us lots of peace when we are wronged and nobody cares. Because you know what? God cares. And if God does, does it matter so much then that some other people don’t? Because God said that vengeance is mine; I will repay (Hebrews 10:30). Even when we are wronged we can be satisfied because we have the assurance that God is just and His judgment is just as well.

What does Solomon mean, when he says: By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for… does he mean that if we love and are faithful that God will forgive us our sins? Or that He would not take them that seriously? Or what is Solomon trying to say here? In 2 Kings 20 we read that the king „Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death“ and the LORD sent prophet Isaiah to tell the king: „This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.“. Then an interesting thing happens. We read: „Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.“. And what was God’s respond to that? „Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.‘“ I was overwhelmed when I first read this. God made a plan – Hezekiah was going to die. But Hezekiah prayed and God answered his prayer. That doesn’t surprise me that much since James states clearly that you do not have, because you do not ask (James 4:2). But what surprises me the most is the case Hezekiah makes for God why He should grant Him life. He says: Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes. Basically the reason why God should let him live is because Hezekiah was faithful and wholehearted to the LORD. And God grants him his request. So, when Solomon said that By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for… he didn't say that by doing good we’re going to be forgiven. He actually says the same thing that the writer of Hebrews says: For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints (Hebrews 6:10). All that Solomon and author of Hebrews are saying is that God is not just only in His judgment but as well in His rewards.

...by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. What does is really mean to fear the LORD? That's a question I asked myself so many times. Are we supposed to be scared of Him? If so, isn’t it then impossible to see Him as loving Father? How can you fear the one that loves you and you should love too? It is possible to fear the LORD and love the LORD at the same time! Because what I believe that to fear the LORD means is that we’re suppose to respect Him. Just the same way when an employee is called to see his boss. He knows that the boss is not going to kill him or hurt him (he might fire him though but the employee is not threatened in any other way). The way he fears him is a different way that we fear a murderer. It’s the respect kind of fear. When we respect and honor somebody we have this kind of „fear”. And I believe that’s the way we should treat God. Yes, He is our loving Father BUT we must respect Him, honor Him and in that way – fear Him. And does Solomon mean by saying that this fear turns one away from evil? Imagine it this way. Suppose you’re about to commit a sin. You are aware of the fact that you’re about to do is against God’s law. You ignore this and you’re on your way to sin. But then, out of blue, this thought of God comes to your mind. The thought of Him, His greatness and love. All those thoughts of His love being expressed on the cross for you. You realize that what you’re doing is disrespectful and dishonoring toward God. And THAT makes you to turn away from your sinful way. The fact of who God is and what He has done for you.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. So one of our main tasks is to please God. And here, in Proverbs, we see that when our ways are pleasing to God, He is so faithful that even our enemies are no longer our enemies. But how do we know whether what we do is pleasing to Him? Well, we please Him when we work in accordance with His will. And for that we need to seek His will through His Word and prayer. We need to ask Him to reveal us His will and to lead us in our lives. Paul says in Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Then the Bible clearly says that the will of God is that we would give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) – that is to be always satisfied in God – even when we go through suffering and hardships. We are to be satisfied in Him in all times!

Imagine this; you work on some important project really hard and in the end it will work out really well. You get paid well for your work, maybe you even get promoted, and people respect you for that. It would be all awesome and great unless you were not cheating. The truth is that you’re just another copycat that stole the ideas from others and proclaim them to be yours. But don’t worry…nobody knows and there’s almost no chance of anybody ever finding out. You’re safe. Nobody knows, not even your spouse. Just you and you alone. But are you happy? Cause no matter how well you try to cover your „little secret“ it bites you alive from the inside. And you may wish you’ve never done so. And you can actually think: Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. There are good reasons why to be righteous even when nobody’s looking. You know, God is always looking and He’s not going to pardon you just because you were not satisfied with little. And what I can say from my experience is when God gives you little and you take more than you ought to He’s going to cut it back to the point where you were suppose to be. And that is going to be hard. It’s always harder to go down, then to go up. So I tell you my friends, be satisfied in little and He will give you in great.

And toward the end of this passage Solomon goes back to the point where he came from. That our God is sovereign, mighty and powerful God. Into such depths that God is in control even of our hearts. Yes, we may plan to do such and such, but it’s the Lord who establishes the steps. We are totally dependent on Him. We can’t even make our plans to come true unless He permits them!

It’s God – the LORD who runs this universe and it’s the best time for us to realize it. To honor Him as He demands. To worship Him and admit that it’s all about Him and not us. We even sing in worship songs: It’s all about…it's not about me. or Not to us but to your name be the glory… Do we really mean the words we sing? I hope that this article helped you to understand and see the greatness of our God a little bit more.

Marek

Youth conference 2009

As you may know (if you’ve been reading by blog for a while) God has been using conferences in my life as milestones. Pointing me toward His plans for me. And those were painful milestones almost every time. Although it was painful it shaped me into a servant I am now (now I don’t mean that I’m some kind of good example of a servant but I’ve made a progress). But now I was like: What do You want to do this time? I mean, I already am going through one of the hardest stuff in my Christian life. Do You really think I can take more? But I realized that I might me wrong. That God doesn’t necessary have to use conferences to shape me through pain but that He can actually use conferences to restore me – to heal me. And I think that that’s exactly what He’s doing in these days. I see how the prayer of David that I’ve been praying over and over for several last days is being answered. I’ve been praying:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me... Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
(Psalm 51:10.12)

Life Without Joy

Is it even possible? To live a life without the presence of joy? Can our lives be ever joyless? Well, that’s what I’ve been thinking about lately. As I wrote in my previous post, there’s something going on in my life that I was not able to name. I didn’t even know what was it. Now I do. And it makes a lot bigger difference. Let me explain…


In order to figure out what went wrong I needed to know when it went wrong. When did I stop feel joy in my life? I found out that it’s been two months since the joy in my life started decreasing. What went wrong though? I was thinking…have I done anything that I need to repent of and that’s the reason why I’m cut off from it? I’ve searched my mind, my heart and my soul before God and I didn’t find any sin I would not repent of. Let me tell you how it feels like. You know, the way I feel in these past weeks is that I don’t rejoice. Paul says in first Thessalonians 5:16: Rejoice always; but I was not able to rejoice at all cause there was no joy that I would feel. So what was I suppose to do? I am suppose to rejoice always and yet, I am not able to.


I looked inside of my heart and asked the question: Do I still want to serve? Do I still love God? Those are really scary questions to ask. And you know what I saw? I saw a fire in my heart, a passion to serve…but the fire did not give any heat. There was a fire (willingness to serve) though I didn’t feel the heat of the flames. I had strong desires to serve just any way I could. I wanted to serve the Lord. But emotionally, I didn’t have anything from it. My life was with feelings but without emotions. Last Friday I walked the dog and I was thinking and I said to myself: Marek, you should be crying out for help. The tears should be running down your face. Because it is miserable with you. But you know what? I wanted to cry. But I couldn’t. There weren’t emotions for me to cry. And that made me even more scared. After the walk I went to the Building because we were having our last Friday there. As I was walking on the bridge suddenly something broke within me. And that made me to put my face in my hands and bow my head on the handrail and I started to cry out load. It wasn’t just tears running down. If you walked by me you would hear me there. There ware people walking beside me but I didn’t care. I was crying there and I knew that only Jesus can help me now. I cried: Lord, please help me. I need You. I can’t take this any longer. I need Your help. Then I stood up and kept on walking toward the Building with the tears on my cheeks.


Then I came to the Building and I said to Miriam that I must talk to her today. Later she was in the office and I told her what’s going on with me and that I don’t know whether I make the camps if God won’t move something inside of me. She smiled at me and said: Welcome in the ministry and you’re being in the middle of a spiritual warfare. I was like: What? We talked for quite a while and then we prayed. I must tell that it was a great help to me. To talk to somebody and to have somebody to pray for me. But knowing my enemy didn’t make it any easier. But at least now I know who I am fighting with.


Friends, I’ll be honest. It’s not good at all. On Sunday we’re starting English camps and it’s going to be hard. And I don’t mean it now that it’s going to be hard to do the camps but it’s going to be hard for me to put my heart into it. You know why? Cause I don’t feel anything but sorrow. And I need God to fill my heart with His love and joy. And not just fill it up I want Him to give me so much joy and love that my soul would overflow and could give away to those I minister to.


Please pray, if you can…

Marek

Grace (once again)

John says at the beginning of his gospel that Jesus (the Word) is grace and truth. And that from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace and through Jesus Christ came grace and truth.
(John 14-17)

Why does John start like this? Why does he use the word 'grace' so much and so often? Why is it so important for us to understand the grace? Those all are good questions to ask and even better to answer. But for now I want to talk about grace from a different perspective. From my own...

For the past six weeks I've been feeling really weird. I've been feeling like the joy has been sucked out of my ministry and my life. For some reason it's different. But I believe the Lord has a plan and I pray He would restore what's missing. But what has not changed is God Himself and His grace for us.

And the past week.....when I look back I see myself ignoring Him. Making myself deaf toward Him. Running away and talking to myself: Marek, you need some rest. Don't read...don't listen...don't think...don't pray...just rest. And I agreed on it. But He wasn't that way toward me. He had compassion over me. And the best way how He could show me my ignorance was to show me Himself. Instead of pouring out His just wrath on me He was even more gracious.

On Friday I was in Žilina. Many things happened that day. Things that exceeded my expectations. Things I would not even imagine. God was so gracious to me. I could have seen His grace on every little thing that day. At the end of the day, just before I went to sleep like at 1 am, I fell on my knees overwhelmed by seeing His grace and my unworthiness in the picture of the day. And friends, seeing this being on my knees in that room that night, was the best way to turn me around. Oh how I pray that God would show us His grace every day more and more. And that we would be changed more and more into His likeness through the grace that came through Jesus Christ into our lives. Let us receive grace upon grace!

My school...

In couple of days it’s gonna be over. And I probably won’t be that sad and heart-broken. But I got to say that it was an interesting school year. At the beginning of the school year, back in September, I asked myself a question: What my priorities are going to be for this school year? I’ve decided that my Top Priority would be my ministry. That that would be the most important thing I would do throughout the year. The one I would care about the most. But then I asked what about the school? Well, how to say it…I almost removed that one from my list. I’ve realized that I don’t really want to do computers and informatics anymore. That I can’t imagine myself doing this kind of stuff as my job. That I feel to be led somewhere else then the chair and laptop. I said to God: Look, I really want to do ministry for you and I’m willing to pour myself into it as much as you want me to. But you know, there’s school. I’ll need a help with that…

You all probably know how hard it is to study something you…well, hate. Not easy. Throughout the past 10 months I’ve been involved in many various things that consumed almost all of my free time (I’m not complaining here – I chose it and I love to serve:). But it was interesting to see what the Lord was doing with my study. In a week I’m going to receive my report card for this year. I think that I can say that I spent all together 25 hours on studying for my class for the whole year (what actually means that I didn’t study almost at all)! But the result I got is more then overwhelming to me. I have together 11 classes. These are my grades:

A – nine times
B – twice
C, D, F – none

The last time it happened that I had no C at the card was when I was in 5th grade (8 yrs ago). I asked God to help me with my Slovak class where we study literature. Friends, I’ve got B! The last time I had B was in 6th grade. Ever since I was trying to make it to be B again, but never really happened. I stop trying to have no Cs but I have it now.

I’m not trying to look smart here (cause I personally don’t think I’m smart – I know smart people and I’m not one of them:). What I’m trying to show here is God. His faithfulness is way greater then we think or can even imagine. I told him: Lord, I want to serve you. But I need your help at school. And what has happened? More then I asked for. I never asked him to give me the best report card I have ever received. And I still can’t get over this experience. It’s really overwhelming to me because God showed me what to be faithful really means. It’s more then we often think. God was faithful to me beyond what I thought that to be faithful is.

Psalm 31:5
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, FAITHFUL God.

Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”

What do you think about this?

Some time ago when I was talking to a friend of mine this thought came to my mind and I'd like to know what do you think about it. Do you agree or disagree? And why?

The emptiness inside of you cannot be filled unless you are aware of its presence. And the best way to show this emptiness is to fill it up.

I know that at first glance you may see it illogical. If the emptiness cannot be filled without you knowing about it, how can the best way to show it be filling it up (but you still can't do that without knowing about it)? Let me explain what I mean by the statement above. Bible teaches that we all fall short of the glory of God (R 3:23). We fell into sin and became spiritually empty. There is (or was) emptiness inside of each one of us. This emptiness can be filled only by Jesus and His sacrificial love for us. If you are Jesus' your emptiness has been filled with love and joy for now you are a child of God. But if you are not living with Jesus in your life - you remain empty. And you are not able to fill your emptiness on your own. There's nothing that would be great enough to fill us up but Jesus. And not that we're not able to fill ourselves up - we don't even know that we need to be filled up! We are so blind in our sins that we don't even know we need help. And that's why there's the second sentence in the statement, mainly: the best way to show this emptiness is to fill it up. As we read the first sentence we see it's illogical for us to be able to fill this emptiness up. That's why we need somebody else to do it. Somebody who is not blind. Somebody who knows the truth - somebody who is the Truth - Jesus Christ. He is the only one who is able to fill the emptiness that is inside of us completely. The only one who can satisfy us entirely. When we receive Him into our lives He starts slowly filling us up with His love. And He is not done when we're full of His love. He keeps on filling and what happens is that we start to overflow. And we can be used as instruments of God's love and grace to others. And why does Jesus overfill us with His love? Because He loves us so much...

Conference, ŠPM, Third Day, sickness, birthday...

Hey everybody,

last 10 days or so were really exciting and busy so let me tell you what was happening. As you may know from my previous post I went to Hungary for a conference called European Leadership Forum. I went there with two other man from our church. We left on early Saturday morning and got to the conference place at noon. The way was quite good and I got to drive the car from Budapest to Eger. And I enjoy driving a lot! There are many things that I could tell you about the conference but I need to be short. Said in brief: I've never gotten that many information into my brain as I have on the conference. The day started for me about 7am with breakfast. After that there was a morning plenary meeting (with worship and sermon). After that we split into our networks (kind of classes that you participated at every day and it had the same topic). My network was Bible Teachers. That took about three ours of studying the Bible. How to prepare a sermon and how to dig into Bible. After that there was 30 minutes break (for a lunch we had sandwiches) and then there was a workshop for an hour and half. Then another 30 minutes break and other workshop for an hour and half.The we got an hour break and after that we went for dinner. After the dinner was evening plenary meeting where we did worship and there was always a man preaching. Usually I went to bed at midnight. I have never received that many information. To the end of the conference I felt how my brain was full and overloaded of everything I've learned and heard. It was an amazing week! God has shown me so much. And helped me to realize many things concerning my walking with Him. I'm so thankful for that week. And there's one testimony I want to share with you all. At the conference there's always a bookstore that has 60% off from the original price. I decided I spend 30 euros at books but there were so many of them and so good that after all I spent more than I wanted to. Actually I spent everything I had with me and so I was left with 12 cents. But it was worth it. Two days before the conference was over I was standing by the books (even though I didn't have any money but just kept on going through them) and there was this English man from my network standing right next to me. And so we started to talk. He asked me what ministry I do and what do I want to do after I graduate. So I shared my vision and dreams with him. Then he asked me what books have I bought. I replied to him and said I've decided that I buy more thin books this year then to buy couple of thick books. And then next year I bring more money and I buy more. Then he said something I would never expect to hear: Hey, you know what? Pick up like ten books and I get them for you. I was like: WHAT? He took me right away and put Systematic Theology from Grudem in my hands and said: Wait here for a while. Then he ran away got his friend and after few minutes came back with a pile of books for me. Then we went and picked some more. That man bought books for me for 83 euros! (that price was already with 60% off) I am so thankful for that man. OK, let's stop calling him a man. His name is Phil. God used Phil to allow me to study and learn more then I could without those books. And you know, that's a thing that I am kind of afraid of. People invest into me a lot. Their money, time and many other things. That takes a lot of responsibility on my part. I'm being given talents from God and I can't waste them. I have no idea what's God's plan for me. Where will I be in ten years? Who will I be with? What will I do? I don't have a clue. But I believe that God knows what He's doing. And that He's just preparing me for His plan to be fulfilled in me.

I came back from the conference on Thursday afternoon. You can imagine how tired I was from it. But I was happy that I was tired cause it meant that I've been through it. Though on Friday morning I went to Tatras where was our last ŠPM. You know, there are two parts in my about ŠPM. One is that I'm happy that it's over. Because it means that I've finished it. That I''ve been through it and now I can move on and go for something else. On the other hand I'm sad. I've made lots of friendships. I was learning so much there. And now? It's over. The reason why I decided to go for ŠPM was that I wanted to know myself better and to know what God wants to do with me. I have to tell you that God really answered my prayers and in the past eight months. He helped me to understand myself and to know myself way better that I had before. And I'm sure that you all know that our God is an awesome God. Well, He gave me more than I asked for. He gave me amazing friends and people I got to know. And I'm 100% sure that ŠPM has changed my life in more then just one way. Through ŠPM God has showed me that He's got a plan for me and I don't need to be afraid of it. I just need to trust Him completely and rely on Him. Friends, I must tell that I really wonder what's His plan. But I can tell you that it's going to be good. Because it's His plan and not mine. And I'm happy I can be a part of His plan.

Then I, my classmates from ŠPM and one girl went to Trnava for the concert of Third Day (yes, Third Day had a concert in Trnava on the square for free!). We had a great time together. Then we slept over at the Building and in the morning we all stayed for the Sunday service and then we had lunch all together. It was a great time.

Though all those ten days had it's price. Yesterday I was exhausted so much that I had fever and didn't eat anything the whole day. This happens to me when I don't have enough rest and all I need is a day off. Today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I don't have school because of graduation so I can rest and read all those books I brought from the conference. Today it's Monday June 1st and I just turned 19. What does it mean though? For me personally it reminds that 19 year ago God has called me into this world. As He says to Jeremiah:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Do not say, 'I am only a youth';
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the LORD.

(Jeremiah 1:5.7-8)

European Leadership Forum - Eger, Hungary

On Saturday morning I leave to Hungary for an conference that is hold in city called Eger. This conference is suppose to be a big deal (I'm saying suppose to be because I've never been there before). As the name suggests it's for people from Europe. This is what they say about it:

GAIN ACCESS TO GOD'S GLOBAL RESOURCES

• Receive expert teaching and training from some of the world's best teachers
• Find mentors and build friendships
• Be encouraged
• Invite key Forum speakers back to your city
• Discover Best Practices resources and seminars in evangelism, Bible study, church life, and leadership development

I don't really know what it's going to be like. Don't know what to expect and what's going to meet me there. But I know that so far God was giving new directions to my life and my ministry through many other conferences. And if this one is suppose to be a big deal - I'm looking forward to the message it's going to bring. Please, pray for me that my eyes would be open and my heart willing to be changed and that God would do big things in my life even through this conference and people I will meet along the way.

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Tak to je gól!

I'm sorry for Slovaks only. But I gotta tell you it's funny:)

Opis priebehu zápasu s Čechmi:

Prvá tretina

Ako to, že Maďarsko má na MS dva tímy? To je nefér.

Myslím, že tréner Filc sa rozhodne hrať osobku na Jágra a Eliáša, a pre istotu aj na Pruseka.

Druhá tretina

Česko začalo hrať druhú tretinu...

My nemáme len český komplex, ale aj kanadský, fínsky a - priznajme si to, aj maďarský.

Zatiaľ máme menej striel na bránku než dali Česi gólov.

Mali by sme vyprovokovať nejakú bitku, nech je to 3:0 kontumačne.

Po štadióne sa šušká, že Slováci hrajú bez suspenzorov, preto sa boja puku.

Konečne sú sily vyrovnané - na ľade sú štyria Česi a päť Slovákov.

Ubránili sme si vlastnú presilovku.

To je dráma. Zápas sa prelieva z jednej strany na tú istú.

Prestávka

Teraz máme šancu! Rýchlo na ľad a doženieme Čechov!

A musia naši na tú tretiu tretinu nastúpiť?

Lašák dostane na konci zápasu hodinky pre najlepšieho hráča slovenského tímu, aby nabudúce vedel, kedy má odísť z bránky.

Tretia tretina

Nagy minul bránku v dobrej šanci. Tep nevyskočil nikomu.

Aktuálne: IIHF na mimoriadnom zasadaní preradila Slovensko do boja o záchranu.

Filc hral sudoku, inak si nevieme vysvetliť, prečo by si za takého stavu ešte niečo zapisoval do notesa.

Koniec

Zvoliť najlepšieho hráča Slovenska je ako exhumovať mŕtvolu z masového hrobu.

Mother's Day

Yeah, we had this "holiday" yesterday. And I wanted to do something original and special for my mom. So I baked a cake for her :) Yes, that's right. I backed a cake. And you know what? We were actually able to eat it. And it was tasty (at least that's what my family said - or they just tried to be polite). Either way, I think my mom enjoyed this. Though I believe I was giving her hard time when I was messing with her kitchen. But she made and so did I.

I found this video on youtube. It's quite funny...at least to me.

Don't waste your life

Sometimes I just stop for a while and I try to look back into my past and try to see where I am. Where I came from what all has changed. I don't have to go too far to see where I came from. This summer it's going to be just two years since I've given my life to Lord. And that made a huge difference for me. Today I was translating sermon. God gave me this gift of learning English quite fast and so I want to give it back to Him. Just as Jesus was telling the parable of servants that received the talents. I don't want God to tell me one day You wicked, lazy servant! I want to use the talents that I got wisely and make some use of them. This morning I came to the church earlier because I wanted to go through the sermon one more time before the service would start. And I was sitting in a window with my legs being hanging over it and translating for myself. Suddenly I realized how many things God has done for me and inside of me. That if He would not have called me I would be probably sleeping and never caring about Him. Wasting my life. But He has called me. And that He just called me - He gave me work to do. He gave my gifts and talents that He wants me to use. Yeah, I know that I mess up every now and then but I'm trying to be faithful. You know, I was there this morning translating. Serving the Lord. Every time I'm about to translate a sermon I get so nervous. But I my trust is in Lord. And so when I stand up from my chair to walk to the front to translate suddenly everything is gone. There's no stress left in me. He takes it all away and makes it easier for me to serve Him. I remember last summer when I was translating a sermon for the very first time. Even twenty seconds before I was suppose to walk up front I was as nervous as I had never been before. Then the time came and Jeff just tapped me on my back and I stood up. Right in that very second God took everything away. It was so strong that I couldn't believe for a little while that just five seconds ago I was having so much adrenalin in my veins and now it's all gone and I can focus on the translation. That was a miracle for me that day. And I still experience this kind of fear but then just a simple thought that it's all for God and His glory makes it all go away. And so it was this morning.

As I was sitting in the window in the morning I realized that I'm so thankful that God called me and that I'm not wasting the life I've been given. I really like this video clip. It's been an inspiration to me not to waste my life but to use it for God's glory.

Be a man...

Last week I went to conference for youth workers in Žilina. The ministry called Kompas does this conference and this one was the 15th. Since Kompas does ŠPM as well, and I am a student there, I was at this conference as a volunteer. But before I’ll tell you more about this conference let me tell you first about other conferences I’ve been to...
The very first one was in September 2007, just two months after I became a Christian. It was a youth conference. At this conference God showed me a new way for my life and He started showing me what He wants me to do. As well at this conference (through a hard experience but anyway, I’ve got to understand who God really is in His mercy, love, forgiveness and justice. This was quite a big step forward in my walk with God.
The second conference I went to was KPM – exactly a year ago. At that time I was deciding whether to join the Dorast team or not. Whether that’s what God wants me to. As well there was this money issue since I would have to leave my part-time job in order to do Dorast (and ever since I was 13 I always had a job and some kind of income and I was quite independent from my parents – speaking of money). So I was used to always have some money and now it would mean that I have to give this up in order to do Dorast. At last year’s KPM I’ve decided to go for it and join the team. I remember saying to God: Look God, you want me to do Dorast for you? OK. I’ll do it you You MUST take care of me. I’ll work for you only in the case You promise me You will provide everything I need. OK? And after the conference I said to others that I’m accepting the offer to join the team.
So these two conference were quite milestones in my Christian life. And that’s why I expected next conference not to be any different. And right the first day of the conference I found out what was God trying to teach me and show me. And I already wrote about this so I’m not going to do it again. Here it is: http://marektt.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post.html Well, just in short God let me see the truth about me – and it was not nice at all.
A month ago I went to a preaching conference and at that one God made my passion for preaching to grow and more mature. Still it’s something that needs to be developed so greatly but this conference was a good one and useful in many way. Most of all it helped me to really realize how important the preaching is.
Now KPM came once again. And I was wondering what it’s going to bring. What the message is going to be. What will God want to communicate to me. So let me tell you what was the personal message for me and how it affected my life, ok?
Mostly it was because of one lecture I went to. It was about man’s leadership (in family, in church) and what it really means to be a man. To lead and to take the responsibility – to be a man. On Friday I realized one thing. That I was running away from what God calls me to do. For the past three weeks I was trying to find a way how to get out of this and yet I would not be the one that backed off. Why did I want to do that (don’t I remember what happened to Jonah when he decided to ignore what God called Him to do?). And throughout the whole conference (the lecture I already mentioned, the speakers during the main program and people I talked to) God was challenging me do take what He’s calling me to do. Not to run way but to go straight ahead. Not to fear but to trust. To be responsible. Simply – to be a man He calls me to be. And so I said to God once again: Look Lord, You got me into this. I didn’t choose this way. And if you expect me to go for it You must promise me You’re going to take care of me and everything else otherwise I’m not into this if You’re not. You got me into this so either get me out of it or help me to keep going. I see it quite same as Moses saw it when God said to him that He won’t go with the Israelites to the promise land otherwise He would have to destroy them. And what does Moses say to Him back? If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here(Ex 33:15). Moses is saying that if God is not directly and completely involved in what we’re doing it’s better not to do it at all. For He is so important in our lives.
And so I left the conference as a man who is decided to take the responsibility for what God has given him. To trust the Lord that He know better then I and He knows why He’s given me this all. I got to trust Him. To be responsible and most of all – to be a man.