Tag Archives: Jesus

Peter

Over the last few months we looked at different people from the bible from time to time. Today we want to write about Peter, the friend of Jesus.

Peter used to be a fisherman before Jesus called him to be a disciple. A fisherman was a normal job but when Jesus called him to be a disciple that was a huge honor and upgrade for him. So first of all Jesus honored Peter by offering him that position. During their time together Peter grew in his faith also through stepping out in it and failing. One time he walked on the water, but then second guessed himself and what Jesus said, and began to sink, but Jesus pulled him out. But after all he took a step of faith in that situation and that takes a lot of courage. Later on he called Jesus the son of God which earned him credit from Jesus and also showed how he hears clearly from God. But just one chapter later he gets rebuked by Jesus because he did not listen to God. Again Peter was a normal guy with issues like all of us.

When we come towards the end of Jesus life Jesus told Peter how he would deny him in front of the people before the rooster would crow, but Peter strongly disagreed. But Jesus was right as soon as he was caught Peter denied him. But that moment changed something in Peters life. He broke down crying. Probably he realized even more that without trusting in Gods ability and not his own he would be lost. After Jesus rose from the dead, him and Peter had a conversation, in which Jesus spoke out his full trust in Peter. He said it 3 times that he trusts him and that he would build his Community (in the Jewish bible its called community not church) on him. Jesus rebuilds something in Peter by speaking out his full support to him not based on Peters achievements but based on how Jesus believed in him.

When we read further in the New Testament we see how that word came true and how he build his church on him. When we look at the church today we notice that all of us in the church are a bit like Peter ourselves. We are not perfect people; we have our problems and issues like Peter. But God still decided to choose us to build his Kingdom. He chooses imperfect people to bring change to an imperfect world. He takes us by the hand and walks with us like Jesus walked with Peter. He believes in us and wants to help us grow and succeed. So let us all take the hand of Jesus and let him guide us in our journey.

Hey our friend

What’s new in your life? Are you enjoying your summer?

Last week i (Markus) celebrated my 41st birthday and it was awesome!! Jen took me a to toy train museum the sunday before. On the day off, we went on a hike with the encouragment group and i got blessed with some amazing picninc food. At night we went out for a meat dinner which was amazing!! I made a little album if you want to see some pictures click on this link:

We also had some wonderful times with our neighbor friends. God really blessed us with friends that just live across the street! Its amazing!! Let him gift you with the same thing! Trust me its a blessing!!

Let the example of Peter show you in all our strength and weaknesses, in all our failures and successes, God wants to work with us!

God bless you

Markus and Jen

Mister Rogers Neighborhood

“Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.” Mr Rogers

Recently we saw a movie called “Won’t you be my neighbor”. It is about the life of Mister Steve Rogers and about his children show that played from 1968 till 2001 called Mister Rogers Neighborhood. It was a simple show that helped children to grow up with the knowledge that they are special and loved and also to encourage them to love others. But not just the children, cast members heard from Mister Rogers, some for the first time in their lives, that they are loved. Mister Rogers studied to become a minister but then felt called to the TV world. He felt that he could use that medium to really speak into the lives of the children that watch it on how unique and special they are made by father God. During his life he helped many through his true love, through hard times and tragedies. He didn’t just talk about easy topics; no he talked about everything kids could experience. But he talked about it in a way that they could go through it hopeful. His show was very simple, but he didn’t need much since he showed people how loved they are. He was a very special and unique person. He used his gifting to live the gospel and make the words love your neighbor real. Many lives are changed because of him following his calling.

Mr Rogers was not in a traditional setting what we think of when we think of ministry, but instead he used the gifting God gave him in a unique and new way and ministered through that to many. The quote at the beginning of the blog shows really well what happens when we love people well. That is true for each one of us. Each one of us can be a light in there environment like Mr Rogers was in his. Each one of us can love the people well that we are connected to. I believe that if we live our lives that way, the words from Jesus to love our neighbor become reality and it starts to change all the places we get in touch with. So lets start today lets tell someone that they are loved.

Make sure to watch the movie while its still in theaters! I promise you will leave inspired!! Here is a link to it and I also attached the trailer.

Hey our friend

We hope that you are doing really well and enjoy the summer. Our DTS Students graduated last week. It’s always sad to see them go, but then, in the same way, it’s exciting to see where God is leading them. Please pray for them in this transition season from DTS to whatever is next. We also had our encouragement group and a few other things going on which was a blessing. We both just love that God created such a wonderful community in our area through loving our neighbors. Its wonderful!

Remember this week through Mister Rogers that God can use your giftings in a new and unconventional way!

God bless you

Markus and Jen

 

 

The importance of Context

The importance of contextWe have another very relevant video blog for you about the importance of Context! It has a great importance in todays time to truly understand! We hope it inspires you!

Hey our friend

We hope you had a great celebration for Easter remembering the love of God! We had a wonderful time  with a big Easter brunch at our appartment and showed Son of God. We pray that neighbors and people in our community experienced his love in a new way. The Catholic Church in our neighborhood did a lot of outreach during the week to share with people about Easter which was amazing! Pray with us that many will find him and fall in love with him. He is just the best thing and nothing in this world will ever be able to take this place!

We wish you this week that all of us will be more and more able to see things in the right context!

God bless you

Markus and Jen

Easter 2018

easter 2018A few years ago I read a biography from the life of Brennan Manning it was called “All is Grace“. In the book it talked about his life in an honesty I rarely ever heard. He talked about his alcohol addiction and how he missed the funeral of his Mom because he was drunk. He was preaching and sharing and encouraging many people during his life with this message of grace that God would take a drunk like him, even while he was still failing over and over again, and extend grace. One of his famous statements was: “God loves you unconditionally as you are and not as you should be, because nobody is as they should be.” That statement shows us very well the heart of God and the deeper meaning behind Easter. Romans 5.9 puts it like this: God demonstrates his own love for us in that the Messiah died on our behalf while we were still sinners.

Celebrating Easter every year is a reminder of the grace each of us receives daily from our loving father. God did the hardest thing possible so that all of us can experience grace. A grace that is undeserved and unconditional. But also a grace, which has the highest price possible. It doesn’t matter where we are at in life; God is saying you are so valuable to me that no matter what you did, I want you back! I love you my daughter, my son. I made a way that you get grace and not what you deserve. This is the power of the cross. This is the outcome of Jesus rising from the dead. This is the power that can transform lives yesterday, today and tomorrow! This is the power that gave hope to a hopeless alcoholic like Brennan Manning and a Paul who persecuted Gods children! Let His power touch our lives in a new way too in this Easter time!

But let’s not just keep it for us! Since we received this grace, let us also extend grace to others. Let us especially in this Easter time show people how grace was extended to each one of us no matter where we were at in life and that it will be extended to everyone else who believes in Jesus! Let’s bring that message of hope!  Have a blessed Easter

Hey our friend

What is new with you friend? We hope you are doing well! We are praying that you get new revelation of God this week in your bible reading or times with him in this Easter week!

For us it was a pretty normal week. Jen is almost recovered from her cold which is awesome!! Im still on my way to full recovery, but I’m also getting there!! Now we are getting ready for Easter. We will probably watch another Easter movie with neighbors at our house which will be awesome! There will also be different events in our neighborhood from the Catholic Church to share with people about Easter. Its such an important time in our faith. Thinking about what Jesus did for each one of us shows so much of His love! May it be a real encouragement to you too!

Try to share with someone this week what Easter means to you!! Have a blessed Easter!

God bless you

Markus and Jen

Belong before belief

Belong before beliefSo this week we have a video blog for you about the topic belong before belief. We hope it inspires you!

Hey our friend

How was your week? We hope great! Ours was just ok since Jen got sick again with another cold and by the end of the week I got sick as well. This winter it has been bad here for many people with getting sick over and over again. Please keep us and our neighbors in your prayers for quick recovery! We also watched a little dog for neighbor friends while they were gone. It was amazing to see how it opened doors for conversation.

During the week I had a board meeting and we had the last led prayer walk of our students. They all did a great job! Like I mentioned last week the skater school is graduating. Pray for them for their time after that each of them get plugged in well and keeps growing in their faith. I also had a board meeting which was a good time. Thanks for being part of our team!

Make sure this week to love on a few of your neighbors and think about how neighbors can belong more into your life!

God bless you

Markus and Jen