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How is that coming to the New Jerusalem? We have many questions that we want to answer! Now you can experience the sky in advance, you can submit your spiritual-related questions here: Questions may be sent by mail to me or SMS. Jk.chris @ online.no SMS: 004799598070.See also:http://the-heavenly-blog.janchristensen.net/
Pictures from our wedding day. January 22, 1988. We got married here in Oslo. A wonderful and big day. We have three children and nine grandchildren together.
Pictures from the grave. The contrasts are as great as it is possible and remain. I just have to say, I cry when I think about this. I know that God gives comfort, strength and survival powers. But this is so demanding and difficult for me, that words are not enough.
Psalm 121. 1 A song at the feasts. I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? Psalm 123:1 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will never let your foot slip; your keeper will never slumber. 4 Behold, he will neither slumber nor sleep, the keeper of Israel. 5 The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. Isaiah 4:6 7 The Lord shall keep you from all evil; he shall preserve your soul. 8 The Lord shall keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Deuteronomy 28:6
Berit is buried in the cemetery of Østre Aker Church.
Need prayer and support for further work and service, would you like to join us? Thank you! Here is the account number in Nordea: 6634 05 87732 Be blessed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! The possibilities are many, but then we must stand together and help each other move forward in the ministry
We get into trouble in life and ministry as believers when we slouch and neglect to ask the Lord for advice!
Here the Gibeonites came and tricked Joshua and the children of Israel into doing wrong when they did not ask the Lord God for guidance and what to do.
Joshua 9. The Canaanite kings join forces against Joshua, 1.2. The Gibeonites trick the leaders of Israel into making a covenant with them, 3-15. When the people see that they have been tricked, they become angry, but settle for imposing the Gibeonites as slave labor for the congregation, 16-27. 1 Now when all the kings who were on this side Jordan, in the hills and in the lowlands and along the entire coast of the Great Sea to the middle of Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—heard of it,
2 they all gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
Jos 6:21-23 Jos 8:26-29
4 they acted deceitfully, going and pretending to be messengers, taking worn-out sacks on their donkeys and worn-out, cracked, and mended wineskin bottles;
5 they wore worn-out and patched sandals on their feet and wore worn-out clothes; and all the bread they had for the journey was dry and moldy.
6 So they went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now make a covenant with us!” 7 Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; how then can we make a covenant with you?” Exodus 23:32-33 Exodus 7:2 Joshua 11:19 8 Then they said to Joshua, “We will be your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?” 9 And they said, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who lived at Ashtaroth. Numbers 21:24-35 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land said to us, “Take provisions with you for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, ‘We will be your servants. Now therefore make a covenant with us.’ 12 Here is our bread; it was hot when we took it from our homes as a provision for the journey on the day we set out to meet you, but now it is dry and moldy! 13 And here are our wineskin bottles; they were new when we filled them, and now they are torn! And here are our clothes and our sandals; they have worn out because of the long, long journey. 14 So the men took and tasted the provisions of their journey; but they did not inquire of the Lord. Numbers 27:21 15 Then Joshua spoke peaceably to them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore to them. 2 Sam 21:2 16 But it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they understood that they were near them, and dwelt among them. 17 For the children of Israel journeyed, and came on the third day unto their cities, which were Gibeon, and Kephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. 18 But the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And the whole congregation murmured against the princes: 19 And all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel, and now we may not lay our hand upon them. Ps 15:4 20 Thus will we do unto them; we will let them live, that wrath may not come upon us because of the oath which we sware unto them. 21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live. So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had told them.* *to them: the congregation of Israel. 22 Then Joshua called them to him and said to them, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We live very far from you,’ while you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed; there shall not remain a man of you to be a bondman, a hewer of wood and a drawer of water for the house of my God. 24 They answered Joshua and said, “Your servants certainly heard that the Lord your God had said to Moses his servant, ‘He will give you all the land and will destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you.’ But we were afraid because you would kill us; so we did this thing. Deuteronomy 7:1-5 25 But now we are in your hand; do to us as seems good and right to you.” 26 And he did so to them; he saved them from the hand of the children of Israel, that they did not kill them; Jos 9:21 ** *thus: Jos 9:21. 27 But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which he should choose; and they are there unto this day. Deuteronomy 29:11
From Wikipedia: Gibeon (Hebrew: גבעון, Giv'on) was a city in Canaan north of Jerusalem that was conquered by Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after the death of Moses. According to the Book of Joshua and the Book of Second Samuel, the inhabitants of Gibeon at this time, sometime between 1500 and 1390 BC according to biblical chronology, or the Late Bronze Age, were not Israelites, but Amorites. The remains of Gibeon are today located at the southern end of the Palestinian village al Jib. (end of quote.)
The children of Israel had won two great victories before this battle!
Joshua 9. 3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai.
Jericho is a picture of the world. Which I will not go into here.
Ai is a picture of the flesh. Which we will not go into here either.
The Gibeonites are a picture of Satan, which we will try to illuminate in this article.
Meeting the Gibeonites is always the most difficult battle, but at the same time the easiest. Satan is a defeated enemy, but it is only by his cunning and cunning methods that he wins territory and his victories.
How did these Gibeonites proceed? Completely different from anyone else. They did not meet the children of Israel in direct battle and conflict. But came up with a cunning and evil plan in order not to suffer defeat. But still inflicts a heavy and painful loss and defeat on the children of Israel.
We read what they did here in Joshua chapter 9.
“Then they went forth with cunning, and went forth, and made themselves messengers; and they took old sacks upon their asses, and old, and rent, and mended wineskins; and old and patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread which they had for the journey was dry and rotten.
So they came unto Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him and unto the men of Israel, We come from a far country; now therefore make a covenant with us!”
Here we see how Satan operates, not as the flesh and the world. When the children of Israel were victorious over Jericho and Ai, the tactics and the resistance were much more obvious. And they were victorious in a more open battle. Here they encountered someone who was using tricks and a cunning method. How to meet those who lead by deception? And engaged in direct diversion, lies and drama?
The children of Israel and Joshua made a cardinal mistake that unfortunately we all often make.
It says about the children of Israel the following in verse 14: “Then the men took and tasted their journey’s provisions; but they did not inquire of the Lord.”
We believers make this cardinal mistake time and time again. We think that this must be true and right what these people say. They brought bread that looked very old. They did not spread fresh bread on their lunch boxes, but brought what had expired when they left. In order to pretend that they came from afar, and to deceive Joshua and the children of Israel. The whole thing was staged, to deceive and deceive them. We as believers are so easily led to take everything “for good fish!” Even though it is rotten and dangerous to eat.
Here the children of Israel were deceived, even though they had the means they needed. We read about the children of Israel being able to inquire of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim.
Numbers 27. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, and Eleazar shall seek the judgment of the Urim for him before the Lord; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel and the whole congregation.
If we read in the OT, the High Priest was to wear a breastplate that was square and embroidered with gold threads. On it were twelve different precious stones, in a setting of gold, with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved. Here God revealed his will by and through this breastplate. This tells us about God's presence and guidance, but we have it the same way in the NT. But then by God's indwelling Spirit who reveals God's will to the individual believer.
Joshua did not do this, and it became their downfall and defeat. It is probably the same thing we as believers do many times today. We do not ask the Lord for advice. There are no situations for us believers that are obvious. We need God's advice and guidance down to the smallest detail very often. And not only receive revelation, but follow it to the letter. I have several examples in my life that I have not sought advice and guidance. And in fact, I also have examples that I have sought God for advice and guidance. But not following it, then it is bad. I will tell you about an example of this. https://blog.janchristensen.net/2021/11/nr-2952-det-var-utelkende-kun-av-en.html
When I was fired from Unibuss for playing on Christian radio programs. Then I wanted to have a trial. But Unibuss wanted to have a negotiation meeting before the trial. I agreed to it. Then I prayed to God, and got a clear answer what to do. Demand 4 Million and a free pass. What did I do? Did I follow the Lord's advice and guidance? No, not at all. I was given only 1/8 of what the Lord said I should demand. It is not just hearing that is important, but following. We must not only be hearers of the Word, but also doers of it. James 1. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away, and immediately he has forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not becoming a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. https://blog.janchristensen.net/2023/02/nr-3180-det-som-var-ergerlig-sett-i.html https://blog.janchristensen.net/2022/05/nr-3017-etter-et-ar-etter-rettsforliket.html
We read about Joshua the following: “Then the men took and tasted their journey’s provisions; but they did not inquire of the Lord.”
It is these decisions we make so quickly, that it turns out that it is Satan and his demons who are either behind them. Or he manipulates and uses the decisions we make. Most often quickly, and we do not inquire of the Lord for advice. Even in the simple and “safe” decisions, we must ask the Lord for advice. The Scripture speaks of this in many places.
Psalm 32. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye. 9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, which have no sense! Their ornament is a bit and a bridle to force them; they will not come near you.
We see the children of Israel had three different battles in the encounter with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. Where they won two victories, and a partial defeat.
They took Jericho by faith. They fought Ai with cunning and warfare. The Gibeonites deceived the children of Israel, when they forgot God and asked Him for advice. The “easiest” battle was actually against the Gibeonites. I think many times it is like this, we sacrifice everything. But when we really only need to sacrifice a few minutes or hours to God. To ask for His advice, we are not able to take the time. We read about what Paul writes.
2 Cor. 11. 13 Such as these are false apostles! They are false workers who have dressed up as apostles of Christ. 14 And it is no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as a messenger of light. 15 Therefore it is no wonder that his helpers disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be in accordance with their works
We read in the original text the following about this. Deceitfully, they declare themselves to be Apostles, even though they are not true Apostles. Satan disguises himself as an Angel of Light. Do not be surprised at this, for this shows Satan's true nature how he is and acts. Satan was once the Angel of Light with God, before he fell. https://blog.janchristensen.net/2017/05/nr-1932-jesus-avvpnet-og-beseiret-satan.html
Meeting the evil Satan is in many ways "easier" than the compliant, gentle and pleasant Satan. Who operates as an Angel of Light. The children of Israel were victorious against the evil enemy in both Jericho and A. But when the Gibeonites came with cunning, cunningness and twisted the truth. Then they went on the glue stick. Isn't that what we often do too?
The children of Israel had to make a kind of peace with the Gibeonites, so that they got their way. They were not destroyed, but became slaves to the children of Israel. We read: "But the children of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them peace by the Lord, the God of Israel." They were appointed to serve the children of Israel, and this was of course exactly what they wanted. Not to be destroyed as the inhabitants of Jericho and Ai were. And he did so to them; he saved them from the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them; Jos 9:21 ** *thus: Jos 9:21. But Joshua made them that day woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord in the place which he would choose, and they have been so to this day.”
What can this account teach us?
Much in many ways. Not least this that we as believers are in battle. It is never the case that we can take anything for granted. The enemy is always there to either tear us apart, break us down or make us compromise. In the worst case, lead us to fall.
Job said the following: Job 7. 1 Is not a man's life on earth a service of war, and his days as the days of a day laborer?
I think about my life, that in so many cases I have been far too easy-going, not being aware of the dangers and taking most things for granted. With the results that I have suffered if not defeated. Then I have not given God the opportunity to win a great and glorious victory. But what to do then?
There is really only one thing. Pray this prayer or a similar prayer. “God, start over in my life!”
I think of several stories in the Bible. Not least the one in Luke 15 about the prodigal son who came to himself. And wanted to go home to his Father, and become like one of his Father’s servants on the farm. His thoughts about himself and his past, present and future were not great. Maybe he prayed that prayer? “God, start over in my life?” I don’t know, as this is only a parable and illustration. But unfortunately that is where many of us are, we have to start over with God. The children of Israel had forgotten to ask the Lord for advice. We have all failed more or less. Then it is good to believe and know that with God there is always forgiveness and new opportunities for all of us! We sing the following in a Swedish song: “Börja om än en gång i mitt liv.” That's what we all have to pray for more or less, and rededicate ourselves to our Heavenly Father. Listen to the song here:
There are many who offer their condolences and wish me all the best!
It is of course very good to hear such things. But there is no getting away from it. Now I am completely alone in all areas of life. Where Berit and I could help each other further. So now I am completely alone in everything. It's about getting up in the morning. Living through the day, and going to bed and sleeping alone. The economy is also now about halved as you get minimal widow's pension and other benefits. In my case, it's demanding, as I get so little help from the public sector. There is a little to get through adjustment benefits and I get a minimal amount in life insurance. That amounts to a few thousand kroner for a period. Which is partly both a period of time and in reality I am more or less completely alone in the financial matters that we used to be two for. Being alone is so much more than just losing one person. Being two is an enormous strength. That's why God created us as man and woman, where we would draw bills on each other. Then being alone, after so many years. Is really demanding. Ecclesiastes 9. 9 Enjoy life with the wife you love, all the days of your empty life, which the Lord has given you under the sun, all your empty days! For that is your portion in life and in your toil with which you toil under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil; 10 If they fall, one can lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone, for when he falls, he has no one to raise him up! 11 Likewise, when two lie down together, they keep warm; but how can he who lies down alone be warm? 12 And if one can prevail against one who is alone, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly torn.
Tidying up the house and everything, I have also been mostly alone!
Tidying up after all of Berit's things, looking at her things, and smelling her scents has been demanding. And it is demanding because I am not finished with it yet. I have had some help, as my sister and Berit's sister have helped a little. My children live so far away that I unfortunately haven't received the help I needed here. The fact that all of Berit's and mine's children. The three we have, all live at least 500 kilometers away, has been demanding. I am actually all alone here in the capital. But God says in his own word that he will stand by widows/widowers. That is what he himself says in his own word.
Even now, life must and will go on, so it is about doing to manage this!
We are used to thinking that when the husband dies, God and the Christians. The family and others will take care of the widow. The one who is left behind. Here it is actually me as a man, who is left behind. I have become a widower. With all that entails. And only 61 years old, it is really incomprehensible. We read in the scriptures about widows and single people.
James 1. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
1 Tim. 5. 3 Honor widows who are truly widows!
4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first show respect for their own parents and repay them for what they have received from their parents, for that is good and acceptable in the sight of God.
I need as much practical help and support as intercession and good words
The Scripture says the following that is already in place.
James 2. 14 What does it profit, brothers, if someone says he has faith but has no works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily bread, 16 ‘Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,’ but you do not give them what the body needs, what does it profit? 17 So faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. 18 Yet someone says, ‘I have faith but have no works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is only one God. You believe rightly. Even the demons believe—and they tremble! 20 But do you not know, you foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Our father Abraham was justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar. 22 See how faith worked with his works? For by works his faith was perfected. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of the Lord. Genesis 15:6 *JHVH 24 So we see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. 25 And so it was also a prostitute Rahab justified by works when she received the messengers and helped them out another way. 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
Much in life is not just prayer and Bible reading, but practical work and being helpful!
We encounter a very important and necessary scripture passage here in James 2. There faith - life with Jesus. I will show in practical work and being helpful and Blessing.
We read several powerful and important words here. Among other things this: "Suppose a brother or sister is naked and lacking daily bread, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm and eat to your fill,' but does not give them what is needed for the body. What does it profit? So also faith: if it does not have works, is dead by itself."
The very foundation of our faith is that faith is reflected in practical deeds where one is of help, support and blessing to other people. Especially other believers.
Here I must say for my part that I am in need of a lot of help and intercession. Support me, I need that in this for me very demanding and difficult situation and circumstances I have found myself in with regard to Berit's premature death. She was only 66 years old, and very healthy and upward in all areas of life and service to God and her fellow men. Unfortunately, the cancer became too strong for her. And she was granted home leave on August 28, 2025, so far too early and pointless.
By Øivind Andersen.
"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his pious." Psalm 116, 15
What is precious in the eyes of the Lord must truly be valuable. It is not just anything that the Lord values highly. But here we hear that he values the death of his pious ones highly!
There is a vast difference between when someone who belongs to the Lord dies and when a worldly person dies.
Where are the dead in the time between death and resurrection?
There is a resurrection for all people. The saved will rise to the resurrection of life, but the lost to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:29.
But where are the dead before this happens?
Here the word of God speaks very clearly. Those who do not live with God go to the kingdom of hell. There is silence. No one praises the Lord in the kingdom of hell. [Psalm 115:17] There the dead are kept in custody until the resurrection of judgment. 2 Peter 3:7.
It is quite different with those who live with God. They do not go to the kingdom of hell when they die. They are "away from the body, at home with the Lord". 2 Corinthians 5:8. They can testify and say in view of death: "I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 116:9. In contrast to those who descend into the silence of the grave, they testify: "We will bless the Lord from now on and forevermore." Psalm 115:18.
The apostle Paul knows that when he leaves this life, he will be with Christ.
We often talk about living for the Lord. We think less that when we die, we also die for the Lord! Romans 14:8.
A Christian does not escape physical death if he does not live until Jesus comes again. But he does not die when he is separated from the body. He goes to Jesus!
Jesus is the resurrection and the life! Therefore he says of all who believe in him: "Though he die, yet shall he live!" John 11:25.
Death is the great liberation for all who believe in Jesus. Therefore, it is highly valued by God. It is God's will that we who believe in Jesus should also value it highly!
There has been a lot of pain, struggle and strife for me in recent years!
It is not just that Berit died so prematurely and pointlessly.
I have had and am fighting against the Municipality of Oslo. I am fighting against the Bailiff and the Collection Agency where they are trying to break my finances and steal as much as possible from me. Also, I lost my job for playing on Christian radio programs. Which has been a witch hunt against me from Unibuss's side.
It is incredible that I have now come a little further against all odds!
Would you like to help support? Intercession is the most important thing. Secondly, you are welcome to contact us, we all need each other. And supporting financially is also allowed.
Need prayer and support for further work and service, would you like to join? Thank you!
Here is the account number in Nordea:
66340587732
Be blessed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! The possibilities are many, but then we must stand together and help each other move forward in service!
