Author: Øystein Udnes

Posted on

En armlengde

En armlengde
Er like lang
Som herfra
Til evigheten
Og bortenfor
Når du strekker ut en arm
Og holder meg
På en armlengdes avstand

En armlengde
Er like lang
Som avstanden
Mellom et hjerte
Og en sang
Når du strekker ut en arm
Og tar meg inn
I din lune favn

Posted on

The 77th generation

I’m not into numerology, trust me. But follow me on this one, if you will:

The word for salvation in Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) is yeshuah. Yeshuah also means deliverance, help, prosperity, saving, security and victory. The word yeshuah occurs 77 times in the OT (according to NASB Strong’s Dictionary).

One example is found in Exodus 14:13-14: And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation [yeshuah] of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Yeshuah is the Hebrew name for Jesus. When Jesus entered the scene, he came as the yeshuah – the salvation – of God. It was his name! His name declared: “Yep, it’s me, the one you’ve been waiting for. I’m the salvation of the Lord!” His name, as mentioned, occurs 77 times throughout the OT. Jesus was God’s plan for deliverance from the very beginning!

So, Jesus’ name, yeshuah, is not just a name; it’s God’s act of deliverance and salvation for everyone who believes and receives his act (work) of salvation. When we believe in the name of Jesus, we receive his work of deliverance, salvation, help, prosperity, saving, security and victory.

According to Luke’s genealogy of Jesus, God is the 1st and Jesus the 77th generation who walked on earth (see Luke 3:23-38, check for yourself). The number 77 depicts wholeness from sin. Jesus, the salvation of God, came to bring wholeness from sin!

In Romans we read that Jesus is the firstborn of many brothers and sisters: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom 8:29, see also Heb 2:10-18).

The church, as the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, is also the 77th generation. Salvation, then, is from the 77th generation (Jesus), and for the 77th generation (Jesus’ brothers and sisters) – the church.

The church, as God’s family, is the body of Christ. The church is one with Christ. Thus eternal salvation from God through Yeshuah springs from the church – to the world.

Posted on

8. mars

Motgang..
Medgang!
Undergang..
Overgang!
Avgang..
Pågang!
Nedgang..
Oppgang!
Tilbakegang..
Framgang!

Posted on

Q: What do you think?

I am the proud father of two lovely girls, whom I love to the moon and back! I want to protect them with my life and bring them up with wisdom, so hopefully when they get older they will have a solid foundation of faith, hope, love and truth to stand on. Sometimes I feel that I’m doing a pretty good job. Other times I fall short. In my attempt to teach them about what is right and what is wrong, my best shot has been to tell them and hope that they will catch what I’m saying. Frustrations are sometimes high when they don’t get what I am trying to teach them.

I have come to understand that my uttering of truth about a situation sometimes is based on fearful perceptions of what might happen, which in turn may lead to a fulfilment of what I spoke about (a so-called self-fulfilling prophecy). You probably don’t do this, but for instance, if we say to our kids: “If you continue to watch this TV show, you’ll be influenced by its bad moral and start to think that some of the stuff you see is okay.” In saying things like this, I realise that we’re in danger of making statements that usher our kids into the kind of behaviour we want them to avoid.

Let me explain what I mean: “… you’ll be influenced..” is a formative, confirmative statement, which (unintentionally) associates our kids with the things we aim to teach them not to relate to (e.g. responding with sarcasm). So could it be that our urge to point out what our kids should avoid actually affirms that they are somewhat affiliated with it? I’m wondering if asking questions that raise awareness from within our kids is a better way to teach them to dissociate with unhealthy communication and negative behaviour.

Jesus, who knew everybody and everything, asked questions to reveal truth. To his disciples he asked: Who do you say I am? (Mark 8:29), and to the blind man: What do you want me to do for you? (Mark 10:51). Even to James and John when they came to request a seat next to Jesus in heaven, Jesus, instead of rebuking them, asked: What do you want me to do for you? (Mark 10:36). And when Jesus’ authority was questioned, he responded with a question: About the baptism of John—who authorized it: heaven or humans? (Mark 11:30). Through his questions miracles happened, motives were disclosed and truth was revealed.

Asking questions (relatable to our kids’ level of maturity) as a means to reveal the truth about a situation is not based on prejudice or misconception. It is a way of engaging our kids to discover for themselves, and empowering them to see who THEY are in relation to others, without linking them TO the others. So I’m starting to believe that asking the right questions has the potential to form identity in our kids that prevents them from being fearful, and also helps them to understand that what happens in the world or on the TV screen are not who THEY are.

Eventually we may have succedded in teaching them truth without always having to tell them the truth.

Posted on

Alle

Mye kan leses, mye menes
Mye kan skrives, mye overdrives
Mye kan sies, mye forties
Mye kan høres, mye overhøres
Mye kan blogges, mye logges
Mange kan følges, mange tagges
Mange kan dømmes, mange forsømmes
Alle kan elskes

Posted on

#nettrollrap

Hvis du helst vil korrigere
Våg å la deg involvere
I den andres håp og smerte

Du vil da få kjenne hjertet
Endre fokus, form og farge
Altfor mange sinte, arge

Stiller gjerne opp som dommer
Ordene de bare flommer
Over av en bedre viten

Gjør den andre bare sliten
Nåden er den beste dommer
Lar oss kjenne ro og kommer

Raskere enn påstandsstrevet
Skulle tilsi du må heve
Blikket opp fra alle medier

Ikke la enhver tragedie
Følge deg i hvert et møte
Med det sure eller søte

Nåden holder alle oppe
Hvis vi bare våger stoppe
Holder opp et øyeblikk

Ikke sender flere stikk
Heller lar oss involvere
Ikke bare korrigere

Posted on

Plattformevaluering

Hvis du står der på en plattform
Som har begynt å få en platt form
Så er den bygget av din egen lille hånd
Og ikke av Guds egen sterke Ånd

Du kan spørre kan den bære
Guds egen atmosfære
For Ordet det er mer enn fine ord
Det setter fri og setter dype sterke spor

I jord som pløyes hjerter bøyes
Hans ord kan ei fortøyes
Til vår skjøre lille plattform
Vår egen store plattform

Så noen ganger må vi rive ned
Vår egen plattform for at andre skal få se
At Gud alene er på tronen
Ja helt alene er på tronen

Guds Ånd er kjærlighet som kommer nær
Når strev og stolthet villig bøyer knær
Den ene sanne plattform
Er hvilen i Guds egen sterke hånd