patiently

Czekasz cierpliwie
You are waiting patiently
Stojac na granicy
Standing on the edge
Patrzysz przed siebie
Looking straight ahead
Z nadzieja, ze szkode,
With hope, that harm,
Moze tylko przyniesc
Could bring only
Bieg na slepo,
Running blindfolded.
Przed siebie.
O czasie,
About time,
Mowmy z szacunkiem,
Let us talk with respect,
Bo czas,
Because time,
Moj drogi,
My dear,
Jest wart swej ceny.
Is worth its price.
Czas to blogoslawienstwo
Time is a blessing
Czas przynosi ulge
Time brings a sense of relief
Ze powiedziales stop
That you said stop
Kiedy wszystko w Tobie
When everything in you
Chcialo przec na przod
Wanted to go ahead.
O czasie mowmy z szacunkiem,
About time let us talk with respect,
Moj drogi
My dear,
Bo czas ulatuje,
Because time flies,
A stracony czas boli,
And wasted time hurts,
Ale czas, ktory
But time, which
Poswieciles dla czegos
You've sacrificed for something
Waznego,
Important,
Odda Ci za czekanie.
Will pay you back for waiting.
O czasie mowmy z szacunkiem,
About time let us talk with respect,
Moj drogi,
My dear,
Bo tylko rzeczy najwazniejsze,
Because only most important things
Wymagaja czekania
Require waiting,
Pozwalajac nam dorosnac
Allowing us to grow up,
By moc je przyjac,
To be ready for them,
Z otwartymi ramionami
With arms wide open
Wiec o czasie...
So about time...
Moj drogi..
My dear...
Czas sie nie spoznia.
Time is never late.


We could try and apply this to many areas of our life.
God created time for many reasons
And every single one of them is good.
I notice in others and also in my life
That we are inpatient species.
We want things right here right now
We don't give our desires a second thought
We treat life like shopping in a moll
Thinking we could take back our decisions or words
Without ever considering just... waiting.

So hold on,
Just like that
Where you are right now.
God put you THERE for a reason
So don't worry.
Look around
Learn your lessons,
Grow, laugh and pray
Seek His Kingdom and presence above anything else
And He will take care of your needs.

Remember:

God.Loves.You.

Accusations

Few days ago while I was spending some time thinking on things God was putting on my heart, suddenly I felt the urge to read Zechariah 3. What I have read in there really touched me. I have shared this message with students this morning but I want you to know this, too :) Here is the passage, Zechariah 3, verses 1-4:
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.”Joshua stood before the Angel of the Lord. Satan stood at his right side, accusing him of his sins to prove God that Joshua was a bad man. “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” The Lord himself has rebuked Satan even tho He saw that Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes. Those clothes symbolize sin. Imagine that every time you sin you put dirt on your clothes. Now imagine wearing the same clothes through out your life without ever taking them off or washing yourself. Think how horrible Joshua must have looked! But... God saved him. He looked beyond dirt. He looked into Joshua's heart. 'take off his filthy clothes', said the angel, and the Lord said:  “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” Yes, the Lord saw the sin but also, He saw that Joshua has turned his heart toward Him. He repented from his sins. He wanted to change and when God saw this, He gave him a new set of clothes- ultimately a new life.
This specific passage is about Joshua but really, it is about every one of us. We are sinners. We want good, but we still make mistakes and do stupid things. We put dirt on our garments. Here is where grace comes in. When we repent, God forgives us all our sins, as I mentioned in my previous note. 
What I want to focus on is the Accuser, Satan. You see, Satan doesn't like you. He is 'okay' with you when you live under his temptation (to live worldly lifestyle and have no relationship with God). But Satan wants you to burn in hell. He will tell you any lie possible just to turn you away from Jesus. And that's where the problem is. Whether he stands next to God or not, his job is to accuse you. He wants you to think that you are a bad person and the Lord would never or has never forgiven you for the bad things you have done in your life. Satan will make sure to remind you of all your mistakes just so you wouldn't be able to move on and start over.
Let's be honest here. This is Satan's job and while he can talk all he wants, God is still above him.
God has rebuked Satan when HE WAS REMINDING HIM OF JOSHUA'S SINS THAT THE LORD HAS ALREADY FORGIVEN HIM. 
Do you think we can't do same thing? 
If you are a born again Christian who struggles with their past, tell me why? Because you still remember things? Because memories constantly come back to you or people from your old life suddenly contact you?
...
Does it ring the bell yet?
We are being lied to every day, with every possible occasion. 

Satan wants us back. He wants to make sure we loose the sight of God's grace and we turn to him instead, to go to hell. 
This is his focus. 

God's desire is to get us back. 
He loves us and He wants us to live in truth.
He wants us to come to Him, open our hearts and let Him change us.
He wants us to repent and ask for forgiveness for all our sins.
Do you know that His love is great enough to forgive you your past, give you a new life and never remind you of the old you?
You won't get a better deal anywhere else.


Challenge:
Next time you feel like guilt from past is coming back to you imagine Satan standing next to God accusing you of something that you have already been forgiven for. 
Don't believe Satan, focus on Grace.
:D

O przebaczeniu/ On forgiveness

I know you're used to reading my notes in English but I've decided to write this one also in Polish so my friends back home could understand the message with no issues :) I will first write in Polish. Your version will be next :D 

okie dokie? okie dokie. 

Wtedy podszedł Piotr i zapytał: Panie, ile razy mam wybaczać mojemu bratu, jeśli zgrzeszy przeciwko mnie? Czy aż do siedmiu razy?

Jezus odpowiedział: Mówię ci, nie aż do siedmiu razy, lecz do siedemdziesięciu razy siedem.

Dlatego Królestwo Niebios przypomina pewnego króla, który postanowił uporządkować rachunki z poddanymi. W trakcie tych porządków przyprowadzono mu jednego dłużnika winnego sześćdziesiąt milionów denarów. A ponieważ nie miał z czego oddać, król polecił go sprzedać — wraz z żoną, dziećmi oraz całym dobytkiem — i w ten sposób odzyskać pożyczkę.

Zadłużony sługa padł jednak na kolana i zaczął prosić: Okaż mi cierpliwość. Oddam ci wszystko. I pan zlitował się nad nim. Uwolnił go, a dług umorzył.

Ułaskawiony dłużnik wyszedł i wtedy spotkał kolegę — sługę, podobnie jak on sam — który był mu winien sto denarów. Doskoczył do niego, chwycił za gardło i syknął: Oddaj, coś winien. Kolega zaś padł na kolana i zaczął prosić: Okaż mi cierpliwość. Oddam ci wszystko. Lecz ułaskawiony dłużnik nie przystał na to. Przeciwnie, doprowadził do uwięzienia kolegi na czas spłaty długu.

Gdy inni poddani dowiedzieli się o tym, co zaszło, zrobiło im się przykro. Poszli też i o wszystkim, co się stało, dokładnie opowiedzieli panu. Wtedy król wezwał sługę do siebie i zarzucił mu: Ty niegodziwcze! Umorzyłem ci cały dług, dlatego że mnie prosiłeś. Czy i ty nie powinieneś zlitować się nad swoim kolegą, tak jak ja zlitowałem się nad tobą? I rozgniewany, wydał go dozorcom więziennym, by zajęli się nim, dopóki wszystkiego nie spłaci.

Podobnie mój Ojciec w niebie uczyni z wami, jeśli któryś z was z całego serca nie wybaczy swemu bratu.

Ten fragment nie jest latwy ani do zrozumienia, ani (tym bardziej) do przelozenia w praktyke. 

Sluga powiedzial do krola: 

'okaz mi cierpliwosc, a oddam Ci wszystko'.

Chwile pozniej Krol powiedzial do slugi

'Czy i ty nie powinieneś zlitować się nad swoim kolegą, tak jak ja zlitowałem się nad tobą?'

Zyjemy w grzechu. Nie jestesmy w chwale Bozej. W drodze naszego zycia ciagle popelniamy bledy, podejmujemy zle decyzje, gorszymy innych itd. 

Nasz dlug na Sad Ostateczny wzrasta w zastrajaszacym tempie. Gdy przychodzimy do Pana i prosimy o przebaczenie, On wymazuje cala pamiec o naszych grzechach. Nie poszczegolne; On nie wybiera 'gorszych' do zatrzymania. On czysci nasze karty. On wybacza wszystko. Nigdy nie wypomina nam wpadek.

 Po proszeniu o nie, i otrzymaniu przebaczenia, wychodzimy z naszego pokoju i zderzamy sie z rzeczywistoscia innych ludzi. Niektorzy z nich sa nam winni przeprosiny. Sa tacy, z ktorymi mozemy sie posprzeczac, ale sa inni, ktorzy mogli nas naprawde, gleboko zranic. Czy jest nam latwo, albo inaczej- czy jestesmy w stanie zrobic to, co Bog wlasnie dla nas zrobil? Wyczyscic karty tych, ktorzy spowodowali bol i cierpienie? 

Rzeczywistosc jest taka: Ty wybaczasz komus jedna albo kilka rzeczy, ktore Ci zrobili. Bog wlasnie wybaczyl Ci wszystkie zle rzeczy ktore zrobiles w ciagu calego swojego zycia. Jesli Tobie zostalo tyle wybaczone, to o ile bardziej powinienes wybaczyc innym? 

W koncowce tego podobienstwa Jezus powiedzial ze kto nie wybaczy swojemu blizniemu temu Bog uczyni tak jak sludze ktory nie darowal koledze. 

Prawda jest taka, ze my nie zaslugujemy przebaczenia, ale gdy prosimy, Bog sie nad nami lituje. 

Wiec jesli On robi to dla nas i daje nam szanse zaczac od nowa, to... czy my nie powinnismy zrobic tego samego dla ludzi ktorzy nas zranili? 

'Przebaczenie to wypuszczenie wieznia na wolnosc i odkrycie, ze sam byles tym wiezniem'.

Trzymanie urazy nie rani osoby ktora zrobila Ci cos zlego. Ta osoba zyje dalej, ba, pewnie juz zapomniala ze cos sie miedzy Wami stalo. Trzymanie urazy rani tylko Ciebie. 

Pusc.

Aby Bog mogl Tobie wybaczyc.

***

Matthew 18:21-35:

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

We live in sin. We are not in the glory of God. In our life we constantly make mistakes, make wrong decisions, we deprave people. 

Our debt for the Final Judgment is growing faster than we know. But when we come to the Lord and when we ask for forgiveness, He clears the whole record of our sins. Not certain sins. He doesn't choose 'worse' ones to save up. He clears our acts. He forgives everything and promises to never remind us of things we've done wrong. 

After we ask and receive forgiveness we leave our room and meet with the reality of different people. Some of those people we only argue with, but there are others... Those, who owe us an apology. They have hurt us deeply. 

Is it easy, or, in other words- are we able to do what God just did for us?

Clear the record of those, who caused us pain? 

Here is the reality: you forgive someone one or a few things they've done to you. God has just forgiven you everything that you have done wrong in your lifetime. If you have been forgiven so much, then should you not forgive others? 

'To forgive is to let the prisoner free and realize that the prisoner was you'.

Holding grudge doesn't hurt the person who's done you wrong. That person has moved on, or even has forgotten about the whole thing. Grudge hurts only you. 

Let go.

So God could forgive you.

permanent love

Hear this and take it to your heart:
God doesn't love you because you can do good things or you can be selfless or even go to church.
If you're a Christian, He doesn't love you because you serve Him.
He loves you because He has made you.
He doesn't love you temporarily when you do a good deed.

He loves you PERMANENTLY and nothing, and I mean, NOTHING can separate you from this love.

This includes your sins.
Yes, they will separate you from relationship with Him, but no, they won't make Him love you any less.

Come to Him as you are, stop hiding cause He knows things better than you do.

Stop fooling around.

Stop wasting your time.

Stop the guilt trips.

Let Him love you.

You don't have to fix yourself before you can come to Him
because He came to help you overcome things.

Jesus came to heal the sick, not to party with Pharisees.

Jesus came to hang out with poor and prostitutes, not to stone them to death.

Jesus came to love, not to condemn.

You HAVE the promise of blessing and peace and joy and love, if you come to Him.

The life you have right now, no matter where you're at, won't bring you the satisfaction you're looking for, until you let God sit on the throne. Be your number 1. Be your GOD.

Money could satisfy your earthly desires, but only mercy can feed your heart.

Ask me why I have chosen God.
Ask me about my testimony.



How He loves you!!

***

Those two words:
serve Jesus
serve Jesus
serve Jesus
serve Jesus...
are stuck in my head.
serve Jesus.
Is there anything better than that?
Is there, really?

They awake a new portion of passion in me
Passion that can't be explained in words,
It can only be expressed in deeds.

Passion to serve Him
to build His Kingdom
To awake sleepers
To reach out to the Poor
To hug the Orphan
To help the Widow
To hear the Teen.
To feed the Hungry.

Passion.
Fire.
Pure Love
Coming from one source only:
Relationship with Jesus.

Mustard Seed

Hi all! Hope you are doing good wherever you are at :)


Lately I have been studying the gospel of Matthew and I have a few things I'd like to share with you in coming days. Let's start with a little something about the Parable of the Mustard Seed, from Matthew 13:31-32 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
 Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It's so tiny it could get lost in your hand, yet when planted, it has the potential of growing into a huge tree.
Why did Jesus compare this seed to our faith? What's the similarity between those two:


-both start of looking tiny, almost meaningless. Looking at them at first we could think that getting any fruit out of them would be impossible. 


-Have you ever been or are you this kind of person who feels unsure about stepping out of their comfort zone? If so, then Welcome to the club, you are now officially a Human being! 
If that mustard seed had its voice, I bet it wouldn't ever dream of becoming a tree. Imagine it looking at the field and thinking 'those trees are so awesome and strong, I bet their seed was huge and they were just made to be trees!'
But what if that mustard seed missed one thing out of that picture? The fact that those trees where actually coming from tiny mustard seeds? 


We often get discouraged instead of encouraged when we see people 'high up'. They seem to be so good at what they are doing that it seems like they were born in that position. 
Do you ever find yourself moaning or criticizing yourself, comparing yourself to people who have gone way further than you? 
I want to tell you something. 
Those people started off from exactly the same spot where you have done- in the beginning.
Ask anyone and they will tell you the story of hardships, sacrifices, issues and all other problems they had to overcome to get to this place.
Ask them if they would have been at that place if they refused to learn. Ask them how did they come to the knowledge they have right now. 
Ask them if it was easy.
Ask them if it was worth it.




Too often we forget that every single of us is in journey through their life. 


When Jesus was saying this parable he focused on the matter of faith.


Faith is a mustard seed that is in every human being. 


Have you got a saving account?
How do you save?
By putting money into account, right? You can keep on adding the money, you can freeze the money for certain period of time, you can do many things with it. But the point of it is the profit this kind of account can bring you.


Now look at your heart and judge your own state of faith. 
Faith is like this bank account.
It growths when invested into.
God has already given you all the faith you need- you 'wake it up' by doing things that are out of expectations, praying and taking risks. 


You may look at people like Joyce Mayer and think that you could never be like her. Well, do you know her testimony? Check it out. 
Joyce is inspiring me a lot, because she took step of faith and decided to trust God- not herself. This enabled her faith to grow. She started of just like you and me- as an innocent mustard seed. But once planted and watered by prayer- it grew into this tree of which fruit you see everywhere you go.


God wants that for you. No, I don't mean that you're suppose to become the second Joyce Meyer. I mean that you're suppose to become the first **** **** (insert your name here). 
You can never grow comparing yourself to others, but you can live getting inspired by people who took a step of faith. 


So my point in here is to encourage you to take courage and plant your mustard seed. It cannot grow without the soil and water. 
Pray, do whatever God tells you to do, get involved in your church, share Jesus with people who don't know Him yet.


Be brave. Push through hardships, because in the end, when you remain faithful to the Lord, you're going to have a beautiful view from the tree.

For Girls

Concluding past 8 months...
When hardships were coming, one after another, with little or no breaks in between.

***

I'm sorry, I can't take your pain away

I can only love

I can't understand everything

I can only love

I can't always reach you

I can only love

I can't find right words

I can only love

And when everything else is gone, when it seems like dissapearing is the only option,

know,

I am still there

I still love.

I love you.

***

I want each and one of you to know that I love you beyond understanding.

Xhoi: you have gone through ups and downs, you have battled through seeing your friends go and you have whistand through all of that. I couldn't be more proud of you. Seeing you grow, seeing you change brings tears of joy to my eyes. I love you so much!!!

Shereen: our only second year. There has been so much expectation and responsibility put on your plate this year. You have gone through this with your head up, whether you were encouraged or discouraged, whether you felt like getting out of bed in the morning or not. You loved on people and most of all: you have loved on your Master, staying obedient to His commandments. I am so, so proud of you. I love you!!

Sylwia: girl... you have changed so much that I don't know where to start. You read as much as you can, you listen, you learn. You want to change. You long to know God better and to become greater. You make me proud. I see you struggling when you're asked to do something you've not done before but you still go and do it. You've battled through loss of people you loved and so many different problems. I've seen you at your best and at your worst. I've seen you learn your lessons and because of that, today you are a different person. I love you!!!

Briki: You bring me such joy. Briki, your love for God has been encouragement to me in the worst times. Your desire to grow and know His Word is inspiring. You never complain, you never stand against your leaders. Having you here is a privilege! You're growing into a mighty woman of God. I love you!!


Girls, you are all amazing.