Three Christians died as MARTYRS:

In the end of April this year, three Christians from Turkey was tortured and killed. One was from Germany and the others from Turkey. One wedensday morning, the 18th of April they were in their church having Bible lessons. Suddenly 10 young men rushed into the room and attacked them.The young men got guns, breadknives, ropes and towels for their final act of service to Allah. They tied those three Christians to chairs and as they videoed their work on their cellphones, they tortured them for almost three hours. There is written down details of what happened to those three persons, Tilman, Necati and Ugur:

Tilman was stabbed 156 times, Necati 99 times and Ugur’s stabs were too numerous to count. They were disemboweled, and their intestines sliced up in front of their eyes. They were emasculated and watched as those body parts were destroyed. Fingers were chopped off, their noses and mouths and anuses were sliced open. Possibly the worst part was watching as their brothers were likewise tortured. Finally, their throats were sliced from ear to ear, heads practically decapitated.

This was done to three innocent Christians, who desired nothing else but peace. But a group of young men (all under 20 years old) was sent in the name of Allah to kill them. Why? Because they were concidered as a threat to Islam and a threat to the national security. All of them held a letter in their hands saying: "We did it for our country. They're trying to take away our country. They're trying to take away our religion."

To day there is discussions of whether Turkey should be a part of European Union or not. The Turkish government has bent over backwards to present a picture of religious tolerance, a picture of religious freedom; yet there still is that element of nationalism and radical Islam that is present in the society.

I am amazed when I read what Tilmas wife said to the Turkey's journalists about this episode: "Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do." These words reflects what Jesus said while hanging on the cross. (Luke 23:24)

As you might have heard, there are big fights going on here in Tallinn, Estonia. It is really a tradegy where a young man (20 years old) has been killed and and over 70 injured! My grandmother called me this evening and asked if I was involved in this. She was worried of course. I am not living in that city, but in the city called, Tartu, about 200km south of Tallinn. So I am totally fine. But I really pray that this will stop, because next weekend my family will come over to visit me. I have booked a hotell in Tallinn for all of us, because we're planning to spend a whole day there...But I think it will calm down until then;) Be blessed!

Hei!
I just wanted to show you a picture of some dear friends of mine here in Estonia. Next to me you see Amir. He is from Tadsjikistan and is married to Marju(from Estonia). I love to be together with them and they are such a blessing to me. There are few people I know with such big hearts as theirs. They have been so generous to me. For instance when it comes to wood. For two (freezing cold) winters they have supplied me with wood for free. They have borrowed me the car if I needed it and much more. I owe them a lot!! But I am so thankful for them and therefore I give some PR here on my blog;)

I am sitting and reading in the Bible from the Gospel of John. It is so facinating to read what Jesus is saying in chapter 10:4,5


"When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”




Very often we Christians are thinking and wondering and thinking and thinking and praying and seeking and thinking...about...where does God want me to go, or what does God want me to do, or am I doing the right thing, etc...I have at least been in that position. And you can sometimes go nuts and get frustrated. But when I read what Jesus is saying, it really sets me free. "...he (Jesus) goes on ahead of them, and his sheep (you and me) follow him because they know his voice." It seems to me that Jesus wants to make something clear for us here. He want us to understand how things really are. That we don't have to fight and struggle and worry about where we are going, or if we are going the right direction. Because we all want to go the right direction and do the will of God (talking about Christians). What Jesus is saying to us is:


"My dear friend. Why do you worry so much? Haven't you seen me? Lift up your eyes and look, I am walking before you. Don't be afraid of going wrong..but just follow me. I will lead you with my voice. There are many voices trying to get your attention, but when I speak you will hear me clearly. You know my voice."


By reading from John 10, you see that Jesus makes it very clear that the walk with Jesus is very simple. There is a rest and a great joy when you follow Jesus. He has chosen us to be His sheep. He goes before us and we just have to go where He is going. Sometimes it seems like He is going in a wrong direction or in a complicated way. A way we don' t understand by our intellect. But Jesus knows the best way to go. We just need to follow him and go where He tells us to go. What a priviledge it is to follow Jesus -our Great Shepherd.

This evening I arrived in Tartu after 11 days in Slovakia. As usual it was a great blessing to be there! The first week we had the theme called: "Christian counselling" which dealt with how to counsell people in different situations, what people are going through in times of cricis, their feelings and thoughts, etc. It was very interesting and helpful to know! Roberth Ekh, the pastor from Word of Life Church in Sweden was teaching, and he has about 25 years of experience on that field. In every subject we have on this pastorscourse, we have teachers with a lot of experience and great breakthrough in what they are teaching about! We really receive the best of the best!!

The 2nd part of the modul we had different subjects, such as Children ministry, help ministry and how to start Christian schools. All of that was amazing. With the teaching about children ministry, I almost wanted to become a children minister hehe...it is soooooo important to give the young people the word of God!

It says in Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it."

If we can reach the young people with the word of God, we will have a generation that never will depart from the ways of God. We had teaching about the Christian schools. I have never realized how important it is with Christian schools. 50 years ago the pulic schools were actually functioning like todays Christian schools. Every day they sung Christians songs, the read from the Bible and they prayed to God. Before the teacher let the students go home, she/he asked God to bless everyone of them and to protect them. This was a part of what the children received in their education. But now things are totally different. We have a puplic school system where God is left out. We can see the consequense of this to day. To days generations are growing up in Europe without any form of knowlege about God. Some say that we don't need God...But take a look at what's going on in society and what the statistic shows. Everything is pointing downwards. People are suffering of psycholigical problems more than ever, people are raped and people are killed constantly, and I could keep on writing a list...Yeah, I could keep on arguing for the importance of Christian schools. If we want to bring Norway, Estonia and the rest of Europe to where it was, we need to fucus on education with Christianity as a foundation. We might not realize the importance yet, put in 10-20 years we will definitely understand it! But if we start now with establishing Christian school all over Europe, we will have a generation who know their God and who is ready to stand up for the truth. A generation like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow down for any other god than the Heavenly God. How come that they had such a boldness that they even was ready to die? It was because they were trained in the word of God from a very young age. They knew who the real God was and no one could convince them of something else.

So this modul of the pastorscousre stirred me up to fight for establishment of Christian schools in Europe! John Wesely who brought revival to Europe, understood the importance of education and put emphasize on that. The same did Martin Luther, who changed the whole of Europe by focusing on education of children. Let us learn from those men of God! Amen.

Happy Easter! Friday my dear sister came to visit me here in Estonia. It was so nice to see here again!After being here for soon 1 1/2 year, she is the first familymember who has visited me. We have had a really good time. Friday we had a youthmeeting and Lise had the chance to testify from here teamtrip to India. She goes 2nd year at Word of Life Bibleschool in Sweden, and she just came home from 5 weeks missiontrip to India. She experience so much and she inspired the youths to go out with the Gospel to all nations. It is no wonder why I am veeeery proud of her!!


Saturday, we were 12 youths gathering in the evening for prayer, before we went to downtown. There we divided us into smaller groups and we walked around talking with people and sharing the Gospel. And what happened in this time of the year, Easter, is really the heart of the Gospel. So it was a perfect time to do what we did. We experience many good things, and it is just wonderful to talk with people. It is one thing I have realized more and more. People are hungry for God!!!! They are seaching, they are thinking, they are looking around. The harvest is ready to be reaped.

It is great to be here! To day we went first to church, and Albert Türpnu was preaching. He was the one who started the Word of Life church here in Tartu, and it was a blessing to listen to him. The church was more or less packed... After that Lise and I, together with three other girls went to our friend Joona and ate a really tasteful dinner. We had such a good time together! We were talking about God for hours and praying together (of course also eating..). But we experienced Gods presence so strong, and Joona was actually baptized in the Spirit for the first time! He was filled with the Holy Spirit and started to speak in other tongues.


Jesus died for you and for me, but he also resurrected from the dead! That is what we celebrate to morrow (or right now, since it is so late). Jesus resurrected, and this means He is alive to day. The Bible says that He ascended up to Heaven and sat down at the Father's right hand. He promised to send us (people on the earth) the Holy Spirit (which is equal with God, the Father and the Son). The Holy Spirit is here to meet us and to show us Gods Kingdom! To night we really experienced the Holy Spirit in a special way.


Now, it is late, and I need to go to bed. But I will end with saying that God has so much for you, but we all need to seek Him and ask Him to meet us. And then God will come and fill us and bless us! Not just for us to be blessed, but for us to go out and bless people around us. God wants to touch people through you!


"I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hell and of death." Revelation 1:18

Have a blessed Easter!

Jesus is risen from the dead!

Jesus lever, graven brast! Han stod opp med guddoms velde.

Trøsten står som klippen fast: At hans død og blod skal gjelde. Lynet blinker, jorden bever, graven brast, og Jesus lever!

Jeg har vunnet, Jesus vant, Døden oppslukt er til seier, Jesus mørkets fyrste bandt, Jeg den kjøpte frihet eier. Åpen har jeg himlen funnet, Jesus vant, og jeg har vunnet!

(Johan Nordahl Brun, 1786)

Now I just came back from Jogeva where I was preaching. It was a blessing to be there and share the word. The people there are so hungry and receives the word as it is.

I was preaching from John 12:26-27, where it is talking about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people were praising him as the king of Israel, but Jesus also knew that in few days, the same people would shout: "Crucify him!!" It says in verse 27 the His soul was troubled. He knew that the hour had come when he had to give up his life for people on the earth. This was not an easy thing for Him to do. We have to remember that Jesus, the Son of God, lived as a man here on earth. He had put aside all the priviledges of being God, and lived fully as a man. So He could feel the pressure from every side. Just imagine yourself being in his position, knowing that a crucifixion was waiting...

But Jesus said: "...unless a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit" John 12:24

Jesus knew that He was sent by God to this earth for one purpose -to die for humanity. To die for the sin that was bounding people all over the earth. Jesus looked at the fruit that would come after His crucifixion. His death would bring freedom from salvery of sin to humanity!

"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself." John 12:32

What a tremendous fruit! His blood that was shed 2000 years ago, still speaks to day! All people are drawn to Him. What we have to do, is to come to Him. Because every person who calls upon the Name of Jesus shall be saved. Every person on the earth, even to day, can take part in what Jesus did on the cross. Sin and sickness was put on Jesus at the cross, so we can receive forgiveness and healing, to day!

"Thank you, Jesus, for the love you have for us. That you died for us even when we were sinners. We didn't deserve to receive your love. But you chose to lay down your life for us, so that we could be cleansed from all sin and have peace with God. Because of you, I can call myself a son of God. Jesus, in the same way as you gave up your life for me, I give up my life for you. My life is in your hands. You are my Lord. Use it for your glory! Amen."

(ps. this is not an 1st April joke...)

Hei! I just came over an inspiering article by one of my favorite preachers, Johannes Amritzer.

Take a look at:
http://www.missionsos.org/english/news/a_word_from_the_president.htm

I come back later with some more updates.

Good night! (since it's night now when I'm writing)

Good to see you here! Just want to tell shortly from to day. I went to the youthprison to day, and I am so thankful to God that I can serve Him there. Sometimes it can be a challenge when it comes to language, because there are not so many prisoners who can help me to interpret. Normally I get some help from on of the guys and from the prisonpriest. But to day the priest was not there and I didn't find the one who usually helps me. So I decided to talk with some of the russian-speaking prisoners. And I met one guy that I've never seen before and he spoke very good english, so he helped me the rest of the day with interpreting.

I went with him to one of the cells together with about 5-6 people. We had a wonderful time together talking. Two of those prisoners were so hungry for God and I we sat together for many hours talking about God. They had many questions and by the help of the Holy Spirit I was able to answer and guide them in the word of God. One of those two guys are released from prison next week! But the best part was that I could pray with him to salvation to day. In five days he is out of prison, and then he can start a new life with Jesus as his Lord and Savior! I gave him my phone number, and so did he. We will for sure keep in touch (even though he speaks russian). But he would love to come to our church in Tartu! Glory be to God forevermore!!

What a God we serve! A God who loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. It is the greatest miracle on earth to see a person who was lost, but now is found. A person who was bound in slavery of sin, but now is released and sat free by the blood of Jesus Christ!

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:17

My dear friends, let us tell the world about Jesus! The Gospel is too good news to be kept quiet.

Friday night I came back from some fantastic days in Slovakia. I just want to give you some pictures from those days. Let's start with a picture of the castle me and some russian pastors visited. It was a huge castle which was build in the 13th century and and a lot of history belongs to it. And I was amazed by walking inside of it, watching room after room with luxurious furnitures. I heard one "funny" storie from that castle. They had problem heating this huge castle, so the ladies who were suppose to wear dresses, were freezing all the time and therefore became easily sick. So the women died often in a age between 30-50 years.

Yeah, you see the yard on the inside of the castle.. A massive place. There is much more to tell but..On the way back from Slovakia to Estonia I landed in Prague, so I spent a whole day there by my self. I was there last year, but it is such a nice city, so it was worth seeing it a second time. I give you a picture from there as well.

I went up in the tower of the citycastle, so I got a panorama view of the city! I aslo visited a place called the Betlehem Chapel, who belonged to the Charles University of Prague. The dean for the Universtiy and the pastor for this chapel was called Johannes Huss. He was born in 1369 and he brought reformation to Czeck Republic. He actually laid the foundation for the reformation in Germany with Martin Luther. Johannes Huss died as a martyr, only 45 years old. He was a man that stood up for the truth of the Bible and even gave up his life for it. What an example for us, and a man to follow!

On the picture to the right you see the inside of the Bethlehem Chapel.

So this is some of what I experienced. This weekend has gone by fast. I recommend you to read Anettes blog for more info about the weekend:) Here is a picture of us eating at a restaurant after been in the church. Here in Estonia, especially in the church there is a majority of girls. This means that I most of the time hang out with girls (I don't complain...), but to day we were two guys around the table. He is a wonderful brother from Finland, called Joona, studying theology here in Tartu. OK, this was all for this time! Be blessed.

Hello again! Yesterday I hang out with my room-mates from Polen! We went to the city together last night, and you see us on the picture eating ice-cream! We had so much fun together!

Hei! I just want to write a very short update on what's going on. Yesterday I arrived in Slovakia again and it was good to be back again! When it comes to the weather there are big contrasts between Estonia and Slovakia. I left Estonia with minus degrees and snow, but here the spring has arrived and the sun is shinging while the birds are singing! So after class to day I played football together with a group of pastors. I also have to say that it has been so good to day, listening to Joachim Lundquist teaching aboiut youth ministry! He has so much experience and many stories to tell. I got so inspired! To morrow I will preach on a youthmeeting in one of the pastor's church, here in Bratislava! So that's a blessing to be given that chance. I am really looking forward to that. OK, now I will go to bed. This time I am sharing room with three guys from Poland. Wonderful people! You hear from me later;)

Many Muslims meets Jesus Christ to day!!

I came over an amazing site that you have to enter. To day thousands of Muslims discover that Jesus Christ is alive. That Jesus is the one that gives them abundant love and peace.

If you enter on this file below here, you will see a movive about a radical Muslim, who fought against Christians, but one day Jesus appeared to Him. Jesus showed him that He is the way, the truth and the life.

I have such a love for the Muslims, and I pray that thousands upon thousands of Muslims will meet Jesus so they can see that He loves them so much, even to the extend that He gave up His life for them! You will be richly blessed by watching this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp_9OuOuzic&mode=related&search=

Hei!

Yesterday I came back from a wonderful winter camp. We were alltogether 60 youth from several places in Estonia. We had the camp at the same place last year also. It is a peaceful place with perfect skiing conditions close by.

Camps like that is so valuable! There were youths from different backgrounds and not all of them were Christians. But on this camps everyones life was changed. We had great meetings on both Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The topic for the camps was "To be a solider of God". God is really raising up a young army of soldiers! And this wintercamp was a part of whant God is doing these days!

Now I haven't written on my blog for a while, so it is about time. Right now I am back in Slovakia. I came laste week and will return to Estonia the 16th. This week the pastor from Word of Life in Moscow teaching us. His name is Mads Ola Ishoel and also from Norway!!! So now we are two norwegians here... He is teaching about the development of man, from a psychological perspective. This is such an important teaching about how man is developing from being a small baby until he grows up.... About how the personality is formed, what makes us the one we are. It is very intersting!

On the picture you see a small city called Banska Stiavnica. I went there with some of the guys who live in this city and visited their church. It was a very intersting place. 250 years ago it was a lot of gold in that place and people came from everywhere to search for gold. But now all the gold is gone and the gold-diggers too. So to day it is a peaceful place away from people. But I liked to be there and it was a blessing to visit

their church!

Here you see the guys I went together with. I am so glad that I got to know them. It is a blessing to get to know people from different places in the world.

A video you HAVE TO watch!

I just received a video file from a minister who is preaching the Gospel to the Muslims in the Middle East, through crusades and TV etc. He is mightly used by God! He is from Iran and was a fanatic Muslim, but then He met Jesus and was radically saved! He know what Islam is all about and he does everything he can to inform the Body of Christ about Islam.

To day there are about 50 million Muslims in Europe. And the religion Islam is growing like never before in Europe. Few people know what a serious consequence this will have on our society and culture. Islam is one of the biggest threat that Europe is facing! People need to get aware of what Islam is about.

So enter into this file and take some time to watch this video:

http://www.video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2668560761490749816&q=undercover+mosque

About one hour ago I arrived in my apartment in Estonia. I haven't been here since descember so I have allmost forgot how it is over here. What met me was a freezing cold apartment (I am now heating up with the fireplace, but it is still cold here...), and a bunch of bills that have been waiting for me. But the word of Paul came to my ear: "I have learned to be content in every situation." So soon the room is warm and the bill is payed! I rejoice in every situation! That is the greatest strength we have -the joy of the Lord.

But I feel as such a blessed man. It is like the blessing and the goodness of God has overtaken me. He really gives us the desire of our heart! The days at the pastorscourse have had such an impact on my life. The spirit of God has been working so strong these days! A new hunger and eager to seek Gods face in prayer and in the word. I have actually much to say about these days, and several things happened. But I don't have time now...

To morrow I will have the youthmeeting in Polva, so I need to get read for that! Please remember me in prayer for the work over here. Be blessed brothers and sisters!!!

Allright, that's all for this time!

Hello! Here on this picture you see the hotell in where I am attending the pastorscours in Slovakia. Tuesday I came over here after a long and good vecation in Norway.

The days here on this course is like a great conferance. I gain a lof from the time here. This week we have had the churc history from the 17th century up to our time. It was very inspiering to hear how God has used men and women through the ages. To day we are marked by what happened hundreds years back.

To day the body of Christ lives in complicated times, where they are attacked from two sides: secularizing and Islam. Through history we see how for instance Islam has taken over big parts of the world. North Africa was in the 7th century a Christian continent, but to day Islam rules. We see that Islam is coming strong as never before to Europe. If the Church doesn't take this seriously we will see drastically changes in few years!

But I believe there is hope for Europe! There is time to reevangelize Europe. A time where Christians from all dominations go out in the fire of the Holy Spirit, with the Gospel.

So it is a blessing to be here in Slovakia, with pastors and leaders all over Europe. Together we get more united and we get focused and trained for the race that is set before us!

Let us bring Jesus to the world. Let the fire and the presence of Jesus flow out of us, out of you. Let the word of God be spoken from your mouth! Be blessed.

Look at this beautiful picture I took not far from where I live!

With that picture I just want to wish you a blessed New Year!!

Only the best is ahead. I believe for the best in 2007. What if this year was the only year you had left? What would you do? Hmm..Feeling can go fast up and also fast down. Are you going to follow them and move like a rollercoaster. Or are you going to step out in faith and believe that Jesus is Lord in your life. He holds around you all the days of 2007. You might feel He is gone some times... What then? No cimrcunstance comes as a suprise to him. No situation is too hard for him either. Jesus is God, and without him NOTHING was created. He knows what 2007 will bring. He knows the tough times and the good time you will face. "No one can take my life away from me. I have have the power to lay it down and the power to take it up" Jesus said before He was curcified. Nothing could stop Him. Nothing was too big and hard for Him. He ruled over every circumstance, every difficult cirmumstance. He went through it and came out in victory. He conqured death and hell! To day, and this year, Jesus Christ is your Lord. He leads you (out of battles) into victory. He desires the BEST for you;)