“For the sake of peace”—for some, this phrase implies that one must always give in, but it also contains an old, yet deeply biblical expression that reminds us that true peace does not come when everyone insists on their rights, but rather, when love and humility are stronger than pride.

Acting “for the sake of peace” means, yielding not out of weakness, but out of inner strength, because one values peace more highly than dispute.

The Bible repeatedly calls us to seek and preserve peace. Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

This shows that peace often begins with our own attitude. We need to let go, forgive, and remain silent, even when it is difficult. We need to give in, even when it seems unfair or we have already done so many times.

When Peter once asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (compare Matthew 18:21-22).

This means nothing less than always, without limitation!

Jesus teaches us that true forgiveness knows no bounds and that true peace can only grow where we are ready to forgive again and again.

But peace does not mean concealing injustice or suppressing the Truth.

In Ezekiel 33:1-9, God speaks of the responsibility of the watchman to warn the people in the face of danger. The watchman who remains silent is complicit in the disaster that occurs. These words remind us that peace does not come from silence about evil, but from the Truth spoken out of love.

Sometimes, God calls us to speak up, to warn, or to have the courage to address injustices—not to condemn, but to preserve and save lives.

This also means acting “for the sake of peace”: speaking the Truth in love so that genuine peace based on justice can arise.

Jesus himself said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9; Authorized Version). Peacemaking is therefore a sign of being a child of God.

Those who seek peace follow the example of Christ, who showed us the way of peace—not by fighting, but by loving, forgiving, and serving.

The peace that God gives is more than the absence of dispute; it is a state of the heart in which God’s love reigns: “…and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”, as Paul writes in Philippians 4:7.

To live “for the sake of peace” means to consciously seek reconciliation in relationships, in the family, in the church, or at work. It is not always easy, but it is worth trying not to always have the last word, but rather to remain calm. It means to think “more highly of one another than you do of yourselves,” as it says in Philippians 2:3 (Amplified Bible), and in doing so, allowing God’s love to be manifested.

Sometimes, this also means giving in more often than one would like, and yet finding peace in it because one knows that God guides our hearts and that love always remains the stronger force.

Jesus Himself paid the highest price “for the sake of peace.” He gave up His divine right, became human, served, and died so that “our peace was upon Him” (Isaiah 53:5).

This divine peace is the foundation on which we can build our lives.

Thus, God calls us to be peacemakers in word and deed, in love and patience. “For the sake of peace”—for us, this is not a sign of weakness, but an expression of divine strength rooted in love and bearing fruit in peace.

(Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger)

The saying “May the best player win” is often heard in sports or games. It expresses the desire that victory should go not to the ruthless or crafty, but to the truly more capable or skilled. Behind this stands an attitude of fairness and respect: one recognizes that the other person also deserves a chance—and that their success should elicit recognition rather than envy.

But in the reality of today’s society, things often look different. Performance, self-promotion, and competition shape the thinking of many people. Social media does not celebrate fairness, but mostly individual success. Even in everyday or professional life, the motto “The most important thing is that I win” often seems to apply.

In English, the saying goes, “The winner takes it all.” But what does that mean from a biblical perspective? What does God’s Word say about winning, losing, and what it means to truly take it all?

The world equates “winners” with power, influence, success, or wealth. But Jesus Christ’s victory over sin and death did not come through domination, but through sacrifice. Christ did not win by defeating others, but by sacrificing Himself. Many people saw His death on the cross as a defeat – but it was precisely there that He achieved the ultimate victory.

Jesus challenged the worldly idea of success. He said:

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).

Even true Christians are not immune to comparing themselves with others: Who is more successful, more popular, more talented, or more “spiritual”? But the gospel calls us to a different Way of Life – to humility, to appreciation for our neighbors, and to gratitude.

The apostle Paul, who endured much suffering – shipwreck, beatings, imprisonment, abandonment – did not strive for worldly fame. His goal was different:

“I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

The true winner does not take anything away from others but receives what only God can give.

The Bible often uses metaphors from sports and competition to convey spiritual Truths: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

For Christians, this means that we do not race against each other, but together toward Christ.

One of the greatest ideas in the Bible is that God’s victory is shared: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).

The path to the throne leads through humility: “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vain glory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3; New American Bible; the New Jerusalem Bible says, “…give preference to others”).

The world says: The winner takes it all.

Jesus asks: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

To enter God’s Kingdom, we must give up everything in this life that stands in the way. This is how we receive eternal life. When we follow Christ, we do not chase after trophies. We carry our cross. We may lose a lot in this life – prestige, possessions, even our lives. But in the end, we gain the most important thing: eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

When we as Christians say, “May the best player win. The winner takes it all,” we recognize a deeper Truth in this: in the end, what matters is not whether we were better than others, but whether we remained faithful.

Paul gets to the heart of the matter: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Where do I find it difficult to acknowledge the success of others? Do I live my daily life according to the principle of “me first” – or in humility, considering “others as more important” than myself?

Which “victories” in faith are genuinely important to me – the recognition of people or faithfulness to God?

Let the world chase after its perishable crowns. We want to run the race that is set before us – toward the prize that never fades away (cf. Hebrews 12:1-2).

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

(Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger)

Due to differences in upbringing, experiences and backgrounds, each of us has developed a different level of resilience. Likewise, everyone has their own learned strategies for dealing with problems, losses, or setbacks in life.

Every person has their own unique, acquired values, hopes, and resources in life. Jesus called them “your treasure,” where your heart will be, and also “the light.” In Matthew 6:21-22, it says: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.”

These are the things we focus on and rely on to give our lives meaning, a sense of belonging, a sense of self-worth, and security.

That is why it is important to be aware of what your true treasures, your hopes, and your values are! These can be false values, desires, or feelings that Satan has planted in our minds or that we have adopted from our society, which is cut off from God and His ways.

People who are separated from God have different, mostly false values, ideals, and hopes, and they have different physical, emotional and spiritual resources to achieve their desired goals.

Consequently, they have different breaking points when their hopes or resources fail. People may or may not be aware of their limitations. They are relegated to the subconscious or they are denied. For many, these limitations on their resources have never been put to the test.

The experience of failure that triggers fear, hopelessness, or depression can be different for one person than for another.

The triggers can be very different: for example, one person may not be able to achieve or maintain the desired financial status. For another person, it may be the loss or inability to have a best friend or an ideal spouse.

Another trigger may be not getting the desired job or not maintaining a great position in life. Other causes include the loss of health or the prospect of death.

Other causes of negative feelings include the loss of physical attractiveness or beauty, the loss of certain material possessions, or the loss of children, as well as something bad happening to them.

It is not wrong to want to be loved. It is not wrong to enjoy a respected status or have possessions, or to achieve a certain security for ourselves and our children.

All of these things are legitimate and good when they are obtained in accordance with God’s laws, when we can afford them, and when we use them properly.

In the Bible, Jesus teaches: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).

Jesus taught that there is a purpose to our lives that goes beyond physical life. All the gifts or opportunities we may have in this physical existence, whether they be human, physical, or other benefits, are temporary and transitory.

They are only tools that serve to achieve something higher and eternal, which is to understand the true meaning of our own existence and to develop a godly character.

This purpose in life is so great and important that Jesus taught us not to fear what people might do to us if we follow His ways. The worst they can do is threaten or end our physical life, but they do not have the power to prevent us from gaining eternal life.

Physical possessions or opportunities should be valued and cared for as long as they exist. But they are not forever. They are not the real meaning of life. Yet all of us who have erred in times past have turned them into that!

Current developments show that more and more people are placing their hearts, devotion, and sense of self-worth entirely on people, physical possessions, or sensual pleasures.

At the same time, the consequences of Satan’s influence in the lives of individuals and nations are clearly evident: war, disease, economic instability, family breakdown, crime, and violence. We have never experienced a time before when all the transitory things and hopes have been so endangered even though people have placed their trust and hope in them!]

It is time to ask ourselves what the most important values in our lives are.

All of this can be found in the Bible. It reveals the answers we have been searching for.

Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger

God has not called us to a social club, but to work! We are not called to be independent, but to be part of the one body. We have a common work to do, a spiritual Work, as Christ says in John 6:27: “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

This Work consists of believing in Christ, doing the things He said, fulfilling the commission He gave us.

The world engages in works that will pass away. Many succeed in this world, but what they have accumulated will be destroyed. They are not called to do God’s Work.

But you and I are called to do God’s Work. Our work will never pass away. We can help others to recognize God’s Ways. We can help others to change their lives through repentance and obedience to God. This kind of work bears fruit that will never pass away.

We must work now, because our work here will soon come to an end. There is a Work to be completed now. Let us not neglect this Work and think we can leave it to others.

We read that one of God’s servants in the time of the apostles was sick and close to death because of the Work of Christ (Philippians 2:25-30).

Christ showed us by example what we should do. At the age of 12, He told His parents that He had to be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49).

He had a Work to do, and He got it done. He came to do the Will of God who sent Him, and to finish His Work (John 4:34).

Today, He is still working through us. The harvest is now ripe. We read in John 4:35, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”

And yet sometimes we may want to say: “I will do my part later. I will work next year or in a few months.”

Christ told us not to delay our duties. God wants us to do the Work He has given us now, so that we can all rejoice together, as it says in verse 36: “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”

Are we really doing our part? Are we faithful in what God has called us to do? Are we faithful in prayer? Are we an example and a light to others?

We should completely and unequivocally surrender our lives to God, without attaching any conditions. Let us be willing to serve God, even if it is only a small task that He entrusts to us. Let us encourage others to walk in God’s ways.

Let us prepare ourselves for the days ahead and work on ourselves to remove the blemishes, the old leaven from our homes and from our bodies.

1 Corinthians 5:7: “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”

Initial translation from German: Damiel Blasinger

New year, new opportunity, so they say in the world. Well, the world has ushered in the year 2025 with many wrong things, which I won’t go into here, but I would like to ask a question: What are we going to do in 2025?

Will we continue to do the same this year as the year before? Was it perhaps a year of escape, escape from the Church, from the Truth, from God? Or have we been careless? If so, then we should turn quickly from the wrong path and withdraw from this society or from carelessness.

But what can we do? Who can help us?

It is not enough to eliminate the obvious sins in our lives. We must also actively resist the wrong influence of this society.

God tells us in James 4:7 what to do: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

So far, so good. But it’s not that easy, is it? And so, James gives us further instructions: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (verse 8).

We are in a spiritual battle that requires spiritual help. Let us look at another passage in Ephesians 6:12-13: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

God is Spirit, as we read in John 4:24. He can give us the spiritual help we need—which we desperately need. We have to ask Him for help. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find” (Romans 7:18).

We need spiritual nourishment. We need God; we have to spend time with God, praying, meditating, and studying God’s Word.

But, somehow, we don’t see it that way. We try to convince ourselves that we don’t need to spend that much time with God; we tell ourselves that we don’t have that much time. All too often, the physical displaces the spiritual.

Jesus Christ spoke of a field that could have produced fruit but instead thorns and thistles sprang up and choked the Word. What were the thistles? Matthew 13:22 tells us: “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”

Jesus Christ said that worrying about the material things of this life can prevent us from being fruitful!

Luke 10:40 says: “But Martha was distracted with much serving,” while Mary chose to listen to the Truths Christ was imparting to her. And so, in the remaining part of verse 40, we read: “…and she [Martha] approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’”

But Jesus’ response to Martha was surprising to her:

“And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her’” (verses 41-42).

Too many of us are spiritual Marthas!

There is nothing wrong with serving, nothing wrong with doing physical labor. But if we allow a lack of time because of material activities to push God into the background, then we are on the wrong path.

Let’s be honest with ourselves. Have we really spent enough time with God? If not, let’s pray to God as David did in Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law.”

As we absorb God’s thoughts by studying His Word, our overall spiritual resilience will increase. We will automatically be better equipped for the struggles and temptations of the upcoming day. Of course, we will still have problems, but from now on we will make progress.

The fight continues this year, it might even get tougher.

Twenty-four hours a day, Satan is active. He never stops attacking the human spirit. Whether we are ready to fight or not, Satan is already throwing all his energies into the battle. He is not waiting for us to declare war on him! We cannot afford to delay the fight. We must start arming ourselves immediately.

For what do we read in Ephesians 6:10-18?

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”

If we are not prepared to resist Satan’s attack, we have already lost the battle! Satan will not give us any advance warning. He is like a cunning serpent.

The key to victory is to make wise use of our time. Let us not be too busy or careless to pray or study God’s Word.

Let us not be among the many who will stand unprepared, perplexed and maybe even shocked before our Creator, wishing they could live their lives all over again to rearrange their daily schedule to include God.

If we haven’t already done so, now is the time to begin implementing our plan of attack. Let’s be sure we can say with the apostle Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Let us hold on to what we have. Christ tells us in Revelation 2:25: “But hold fast what you have till I come.” And if it has slipped out of our hands, let us bring back what we had, while it is still possible. Christ warns us again in Revelation 3:11: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Our eternity is at stake!

Initial translation from the German: Daniel Blasinger

It is said that those who never make a mistake have never achieved anything. But as easy as it is to make mistakes, it is difficult – and unpleasant – to admit them. Mistakes happen all the time, sometimes they are minor, sometimes they are major mistakes; sometimes we find the right path as a result, and sometimes we stray from the right path.

We can make mistakes towards our spouse, towards our friends, relatives and brethren. I speak of “mistakes”, but that is just a nice way of describing transgressions and sins that we commit against others or that others commit against us.

Our attention is drawn to the “mistake” so that we can, if possible, correct it. This realization is accompanied by shame. Shame is an unpleasant feeling. If we have done something wrong, we should be ashamed of it. But sometimes we don’t want to feel shame because we don’t want to give the impression of failing, being embarrassed or making a fool of ourselves.

It’s good that we are aware of our mistakes. But now we must also have the will not to repeat these mistakes and we must not act indifferently to our mistakes.

We tend to argue according to our prejudices. We know when we are offended, of course, but we ignore it when we offend someone else. Each of us has our own special way of analyzing circumstances or justifying ourselves. What we think initially seems not only right but also perfectly reasonable.

In the back of our minds, even if we don’t want to admit it, we think we are better than others, if not in knowledge, then in character and our attitude! The word forgiveness is often on our lips, but rarely in our hearts. We use phrases like “I’m sorry” or “excuse me” only for the sake of manners and politeness; they are rather meaningless because they have nothing to do with our sincere desire to truly ask for forgiveness.

The same applies when we are asked to forgive others for “mistakes” made against us. How serious are we about “forgiving” others? Are we really prepared to forgive others from the bottom of our hearts for the “mistakes” they have committed against us?

Do we really know forgiveness? Have we ever learned forgiveness? Do we treat others the way we want them to treat us, even when it comes to forgiveness? “I know all of that”, we might think. But we should also live by it!

Christ said: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26). We must truly repent of our own mistakes and transgressions that we have committed against others and ask for their forgiveness, and we must also be willing to forgive others their mistakes if they are remorseful and ask for our forgiveness.

We read in Matthew 18:21-35:

“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

“‘But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. ‘So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.’”

We can learn from our own mistakes. We are not obliged to keep repeating the same mistakes. We can also learn from the mistakes that others have made in the Bible. We all make “mistakes”; that is something we must not forget. But we must repent of them, and we must also forgive the “mistakes” made against us from the bottom of our hearts when they are repented of.

Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger