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Prayer wins battles; what are you fighting?

Jesus and his disciples have visited Olive Press Park, known in Aramaic as “Gethsemane,” in the past. Tonight, though, their mood is somber and tense. In the Passover they just celebrated, Jesus again predicted his approaching death and added important details: One of the disciples would betray him. Peter would deny 3 times that he even knew Jesus. All of the disciples would abandon Jesus. So, Jesus came to Olive Press Park this time to pray for strength: The strength to face death. The power to face it alone. The presence of God as he fought this battle in which the future of ...

Say ‘goodbye’ to saying ‘goodbye’

These days, we all are saying “Goodbye” to 2023. Perhaps, on occasion, you have used these ways of saying “Goodbye”: Adios (Spanish) Au Revoir (French) Arrivederci (Italian) Auf Wiedersehen (German) No matter how you say it, some have said that parting is such sweet sorrow. Too often, we might say it is more sorrow than sweet. This is especially true when we say “Goodbye” to a loved one who has finished their journey here on earth. Jesus was born to make it forever possible to say “Goodbye” to ever having to say “Goodbye” again. Regarding Jesus’ birth ...

A look at angels and their impact

During the Christmas season, we certainly have sung about angels. Both in the circumstances of Christ’s advent to earth, and what he taught about God’s angels, they are an inseparable part of Christianity. The term, “angel” means “messenger,” and is applied in numerous ways to human messengers as well as providential events. For example, after John’s messengers left (Luke 7:24); And he sent messengers on ahead (Luke 9:52); See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me (Malachi 3:1). “Angel” is mostly used in the Bible to represent those unseen ...

Pope approves blessings for same-sex couples that must not resemble marriage

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced Monday, a radical shift in policy that aimed at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage. But while the Vatican statement was heralded ...

What will you get?

Matthew 16:27 (NIV) reads, “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” Some people won’t like that “reward.” Alexander, for example, was an enemy of the Apostle Paul and was probably the individual most responsible for Paul’s arrest and eventual execution. When Paul sensed that he hadn’t long to live, he warned his young protege, Timothy, about Alexander: “Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too ...

We already have it all in God’s love

God has not left us in the dark to wonder and guess about the question, “What is the meaning of life?” “It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for,” Ephesians 1:11 (the Message). “Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.” Three insights into this verse and how God gives each of us a purpose for living comes from Dr. Rick Warren in his “Purpose Driven Life.” FIRST: We discover our ...