A Mighty Fortress is Our God!

      A Couple weeks ago a few of the students and I went up to Königstein for the afternoon to see the castle there and also the mountains. I've been there before in the spring, but it was nice for some of the new students to see it.

It's a beautiful town.

Here's the town from the Top of the tower.

The remains of the castle. I can only imagine what it would have been like to visit this castle in the days of its use.

The Group of us that went. Johannes (Austrian), Me, Harri (Finnish), Sherry (Chinese), and Silja (Finnish). 

We actually all went down inside the castle where it was pitch-black darkness. Like you couldn't see anything. And it really brought to mind when in the Bible it talks about Utter Darkness. Like your eyes just keep trying to adjust, but they can't there is no light there at all. 

10          Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
    and despised the plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
    and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

So many people in this world are in utter darkness, but God is light, and has also called us to light the world with the knowledge and glory of Him. When we came out of the darkness it was amazing to see everything in the light again. So it is the same, and much greater, when people who are in darkness come into the light of God's love for them.

A mighty fortress is our God,

a bulwark never failing;

our helper he amid the flood

of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe

doth seek to work us woe;

his craft and power are great,

and armed with cruel hate,

on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,

our striving would be losing,

were not the right man on our side,

the man of God's own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?

Christ Jesus, it is he;

Lord Sabaoth, his name,

from age to age the same,

and he must win the battle.

And though this world with devils filled,

should threaten to undo us,

we will not fear, for God hath willed

his truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim,

we tremble not for him;

his rage we can endure,

for lo, his doom is sure;

one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,

no thanks to them, abideth;

the Spirit and the gifts our ours,

though him who with us sideth.

Let goods and kindred go,

this mortal life also;

the body they may kill;

God's truth abideth still;

His kingdom is forever.

Amen.

Indonesian Style in Köln

      So last weekend I went to visit a friend of mine who lives in Köln (For Americans it's the German name for Cologne). It was only about 2 and a half hour bus ride from Frankfurt, and I got a good deal on the tickets. I left Friday morning and returned Sunday morning, so it was just a short trip.
      My friend picked me up at the Hauptbahnhof (Main Station) in Cologne and then since it was almost 2 o'clock in the afternoon we decided to look for some place to eat. But since my friend has only been there in Cologne for a couple months studying he didn't really know where to go to eat, so we ended up just getting some some stuff at the grocery store for the next couple of days and then heading back to his apartment. Then when we got there we just ordered pizza.
      Anyways enough details about the food.

      I really think that God worked it out for me to visit my friend at just the right time. He has been going through some difficulties in his life, and we were able to talk and share with each other and pray together. It was really some blessed time that we spent together. I don't believe that anything in our life is a coincidence. I really believe that God really does care greatly for his children here on earth, and that He does everything for their good.

     After praying and eating together my friend and I went out to explore Cologne. It started getting dark, but It was kind of nice to see the city lit up at night. We went to the KölnerDom (Cologne Cathedral) and we also went out on he bridge across the Rhine to view the city. After an hour or two we headed back to his apartment and got to bed.

      The next day we headed to the local Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cologne. It was a very warm and welcoming church, and what was a real blessing was that they had an English Sabbath School group! It was led by an American Pastor who is starting up an English Speaking church in Cologne. For church the German pastor along with some of the members shared an experience they had in Mozambique this summer building a school.
      After Church a family invited my friend and I over for lunch. They are from Indonesia but have been living here in Germany for quite some time. My friend also is from Indonesia. So for lunch we had Indonesian food, which was very good. The family was very warm and friendly to us.
      After eating we sang a few songs and then with one from the family as a tour guide we again went to visit the Altstadt (Old part of the City) in Cologne. She was very knowledgeable about the city and gave us a very good tour. Then we returned to their home and they shared some more food with us, which was a great blessing. It really was a wonderful Sabbath.

     We then headed back to my friends apartment, talked some and then went to bed. In the morning we ate, and then I had to get to the bus station, and then I headed back to Frankfurt.

The Football (Soccer) Stadium in Cologne.

Some Church Building or something that was partially bombed out during the Second World War and they never completely restored it.

The Main Shopping district.

I don't know the name of this church but it was quite impressive.

Here's the Cologne Cathedral.

Even after a couple hundred years its still not completed. They are still working on it.

A Little dark inside so it was a little blurry.

The Cathedral by night. On the right there are thousands and thousands of padlocks, where people "Lock" Their love together and then throw the key in the river.