Now that the weather in our northern hemisphere is warming up and summer is approaching fast, we find ourselves getting involved in things we cannot do in the fall and winter, when the weather starts to turn. One of the first things that has to be done up here in Canada is the raking of all the leaves and branches which may have been broken by winds in the wintertime or broken by the weight of snow. Depending on the yard, that can be quite a chore, including preparations as far as fertilizer is concerned and getting the soil ready for planting. As the weather warms up, we have more outdoor activities and projects that can take up our time which is not so much an issue in the winter when we could spend more time on maintaining our relationship with God.

When we have a lot on our plate, we could get distracted, and we may start going down roads that take up time and take away from the things we ought to be doing.

It’s important to prioritize our time and not to neglect our prayer and Bible study which will otherwise cause a setback in our relationship with God. Satan is always there to provide ample opportunities for distractions, misdirection and getting us going on projects that take away time we should be spending in prayer and in studying the Bible. If we start neglecting our relationship with God, it could lead to sin, and then Satan accuses us before God of conduct which he instigated in the first place.

Summertime is a busy time for all, and it’s great to get out of the house and enjoy nature and more sunshine from the cold gloomy winter, and we appreciate the things we can do which we cannot do in the winter, but we have to make sure we are not robbing God of the time we should be spending with Him. God wants us to have a full and joyful life, but let’s ensure we don’t give in to the many possible distractions which might cause us to neglect God.

When Jesus was asked about the sign of His return, He listed a series of events which must happen first. He began by warning against deception, saying that many would come in His name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5). They would come to say several things: They would admit that Jesus was the Messiah, but they would deceive many by proclaiming a false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) who had come to do away with His Father’s Commandments (Matthew 5:17), including the law against fighting and killing in war. They would also claim that they would be Jesus—as the man of sin will do (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), sitting in the Temple of God, pretending to be God or Jesus who had allegedly returned in his person. Thirdly, they would also proclaim that they are “the Christ” in the sense of “the Messiah”—the Savior or the Deliverer, as so many have claimed in the past and are claiming today.

Christ repeated His warning later on when offense, betrayal and hatred would run rampant (Matthew 24:10). He told us that then “many false prophets will rise and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11). Many claiming to work for God would deceive many, causing lawlessness to abide and the diminishing of God’s love in His people (verse 12). All of this was to occur when the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached in all the world, and THEN the end of this present evil society will come (verse 14).

We have undoubtedly reached the beginning of that time period (verses 32-34). There are many political and religious leaders, tyrants and despots today who claim or are being viewed as the Savior of mankind, or at least of their countries over which they rule. There are quite a few who have national ambitions of greatness and expansion, of conquering lands which are not their own. But when we warn about this in our StandingWatch programs, sermons and our literature, we are met, at times, with rejection and outright hatred, and sometimes, this even includes viewers and listeners who claim to be in the Body of Christ. Betrayal to government officials might be next, and undoubtedly, hatred will increase, as Christ proclaimed that we will be hated by all nations for His name’s sake (verse 9). Yes, we will continue to proclaim the message of the Gospel which Christ brought—that none of the political or religious leaders are our Savior, and that only Jesus Christ is the One who will come back to establish God’s Kingdom and Rule here on earth and to bring us peace and make an end to war.

What we are observing now are the beginning of sorrows (verse 8), but we have to endure to the end in order to be saved (verse 13). We have to resist all political and religious propaganda which proclaims a false message, lest we be deceived.

When the beast manifests himself in Europe, most people will follow and even “worship” him (Revelation 13:12) and “his image” (Revelation 19:20); but not those who believe the Truth and recognize him as for what he is (Revelation 13:8). But those who resist will be persecuted and might even be killed (Revelation 13:15) … hatred of their fellow man will have reached a climax.

God’s warning to us is loud and clear: Come out of Babylon with its false religious and political teachers and doctrines (Revelation 18:4); and do not even touch anything what is unclean, and then—only then—will God the Father accept us as His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

It seems that Eve didn’t understand or believe the difference or the consequences between what was true and what wasn’t true. God warned Adam and Eve that disobedience to Him would result in their death. Satan, however, deceived Eve with a lie, saying, “‘You will not surely die…’” (Genesis 3:4).

Reading the account about how easily both Adam and Eve sinned should cause us to reflect on ourselves when we face Satan’s deception. Add to that the fact that Satan has deceived the whole world and continues to do so (1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9).

Christians have been called to overcome the deception of Satan, but he still relentlessly seeks to deceive us (1 Peter 5:8). We would be mistaken to think that we can’t be deceived. The Apostle Paul confessed his own struggle in this regard, saying: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).

The Apostle James addressed overcoming temptation and the repercussions of falling for deception:

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (James 1:12-16).

As human beings, we can’t overcome sin on our own. Just as quoted above about Paul, we need the help of Jesus Christ, Who was tempted but Who never sinned. Satan sought to deceive Jesus by challenging Him with lies, but Jesus overcame him with the Truth and with His commitment to obey God (Matthew 4:1-11). Through God’s Holy Spirit, Christians have help to defeat Satan’s deception:

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Deception is powerful, and it can destroy our faith and trust in God. Yet, Jesus gives us the key to overcome the lies of Satan and his rule over this world. That is to know and choose the Truth (John 8:32). Paul adds this instruction for us:

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:12-13).

Let’s not make it easy for Satan to deceive us. Rather, we must grow stronger and stronger in our obedience to Jesus Christ and the Father so that we may be found worthy of our calling to salvation in the coming Kingdom of God.

In 1901, Guillermo Marconi sent the first wireless telegraphy message from his base at Poldhu on the Cornish Coast in the UK, to a station at Newfoundland in North America. To say the message was short and sweet was an understatement. Marconi received the single letter, S, sent by Morse telegraphy. The age of transatlantic wireless communication had begun, and like all new technologies, the opportunity for misuse had also commenced. The friction between the still new telephonic technology, and space telegraphy was robust throughout the mid-1800’s, with luminaries of the age arguing the superiority of each.

The development of both telephone and telegraph led to strange attempts to use the devices to communicate with those who have died. This unusual interest was stimulated in part by the odd noise on the wires, or wireless that resulted from electromagnetic signals that some during that era mistook for conversations and signals from beyond the veil of the living. Nonsense, of course, yet rather than seeking God, people of the day devoted their time and money to such evil and demonic pursuits.

Interestingly, the common, and internationally agreed-upon telegraphic signal for crisis or emergency was three dots, followed by three longer dashes, and then three dots once again. These dots and dashes translated into what we came to know as SOS—which was designated around the globe as: Save Our Souls. This was the standard for emergency signals from the 1912 Titanic tragedy, all the way to 1999 when a new global maritime signal convention was put in place.

Many nominal Christians waste time on the search for signals and signs from God. Like the sounds on the telegraph system, people see the hand of God in many strange things. As true Christians however, we have the penultimate sign and promise that we can rely on as we consider Luke 2:12: “And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” These simple words are reinforced in Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

These words in the Gospel according to Luke and the Book of Isaiah are familiar to many, but for true Christians, they evoke emotion and confidence in God’s promise of a boundless future and the coming Kingdom of God. In these verses, God made it clear that He loves us and sent His Son to be our Savior. This should result in our having great confidence that God will fulfill His promises and cause each of us to reciprocate with our obedience and faithfulness.

There is a popular post circulating on social media that pictures three young women enjoying coffee together at an outdoor cafe. The post makes the ridiculous suggestion that if you squint at the photo, you will see the face of Jesus Christ in the space between girls. People from various religions and backgrounds around the world have posted as to how moved they were by this. This sort of foolishness is just what Satan would like to have us focus on and become distracted by. God has no need for ridiculous signs, and this sort of thing is tantamount to idol worship.

In the Old Testament, as God was leading Moses and the Israelites out of captivity, he worked through Moses to care for His people and had chosen Moses to deliver them from the Egyptians. No further signs or signals were necessary, though the people eventually chose evil and sin by turning to symbols and idols to comfort them in the wilderness.

Imagine being a disciple during Christ’s ministry on earth. To walk beside the Son of God each day, and to witness miracles. Still, in the case of the apostle Thomas, he sought one more sign that this indeed was the risen Christ standing before him.

Although we do not see God directly in our daily lives, if He has called us, we can be certain that He is there, even when, or perhaps especially when the situation we may be in is tough.Consider Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

We know that He is there with us because He tells us so in Scripture. We can read many instances in the Bible that begin as follows: This shall be a sign to you. In the case of Jeremiah 44, we read of God’s anger towards those Jews living in Egypt who were worshiping idols and other false Gods. God makes it crystal clear that there is a penalty for such behavior and disobedience to His commandments. He tells His people that their calamity shall be a sign to them of His righteous anger towards them.

Notice the account of this in Jeremiah 44:29: “And this shall be a sign to you, says the LORD, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for adversity.”Now, we can also signal our intentions to God. Consider Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”This Scripture illustrates a true Christian’s belief that God’s Word should be the light in our lives. However, the best way to affirm this is to obey Him. The Greek word for obey translates to hearing under authority, or, to listen attentively, and to heed. As Jesus Christ said to His apostles in John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

So let those of us in God’s true Church focus on sending clear signals to God the Father and His Son, by praying, greeting them each morning and each night, and by obeying and repenting when we fail. God assures us that if we do this, we can have a place in His coming Kingdom.

When you receive this editorial, the Feast of Unleavened Bread will be drawing to a close. These days picture for us the necessity to be on the lookout for sin and to deal with it before it grows in our lives.

As we have gone through this week and have eaten unleavened bread the entire week, it shows that we want to continue to have a relationship with Christ and we want to avoid sin as sin adversely affects our relationship with God. There is a question that we should ask ourselves as we move out of this period of time: What have we done this week to help ourselves overcome our individual sins or sinful proclivities? What is going to be different for us as we move forward into the coming weeks?

We can use this beginning of the Spring Holy Days to help us springboard into further action!

We have heard in many messages the need to change and grow. It is up to us individually, however, to move forward with our conversion. The Bible makes it clear that coming to conversion is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey. It is the beginning of transformation, not the conclusion. When we become baptized, we step into a new life that is meant to grow, deepen, and mature. As Paul exhorted the Thessalonians, we are to “abound more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). But how exactly can we move forward in our conversion in practical and Spiritual ways?

David was also concerned with this very concept.

In Psalm 139:23-24, he said: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

We are so good at self-deception and reasoning that it can be easy to get caught up in doing the wrong things and not see exactly what we need to be seeing, which is why David writes here his need for God to show him and lead him in the right ways!

As we move towards God’s next Holy Day (Pentecost), we should be mindful of continuing to move forward. Here are a few Biblical steps that show how we can grow and use these Feasts of God to their Fullest extent:

1.     Stay Rooted in the Word

1 Peter 2:2 reminds us: “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”

The Word of God is our primary source of nourishment. It reshapes our thinking, reveals God’s character, and instructs us in righteousness. Regular reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture is essential if we want to keep moving forward.

2.        Be Devoted to Prayer

Paul urges us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.”

Prayer isn’t merely about presenting our needs; it’s about building a relationship. In prayer, we align our hearts with God’s, receive His peace, and gain spiritual insight. As we grow in our prayer life, our faith deepens, and our awareness of God’s presence will become more constant.

3.        Put Off the Old Self, Put On the New Self

Ephesians 4:22-24 teaches: “…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Conversion involves continual repentance. It means turning away from old habits and attitudes and actively embracing a life that reflects Christ.

4.        Walk in the Spirit

Paul writes in Galatians 5:25: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit is our guide in this journey. It convicts, empowers, and leads us toward Christlikeness. Moving forward in conversion requires sensitivity and a willingness to follow His lead daily.

5.        Stay Connected to the Body of Christ

Proverbs 27:17 says: “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Community is crucial. The Church provides encouragement, correction, support, and discipleship. Being in regular fellowship with other believers helps us stay grounded and growing.

6.        Embrace Trials as Growth-Opportunities

James 1:2-4 encourages us: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

God uses hardship to shape us, to expose weak spots, and to strengthen our character. Moving forward sometimes happens most powerfully in the furnace of difficulty.

7.        Keep Your Eyes on Christ

Hebrews 12:2 tells us that we must be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Conversion is not just behavior management; it’s about transformation through proximity to Christ. As we behold Him, we become more like Him.

Conversion is a process of growing in grace, deepening in faith, and becoming more like Jesus. It is not a stagnant state, but a living journey. We move forward in our conversion not only by striving harder, but also, and more importantly, by staying closer to Christ, relying on His Spirit, anchoring ourselves in the Word, and walking in fellowship with others. Let us press on into the fullness of the life God has promised.

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

When Israel was in the desert following their escape from slavery in Egypt, their lives began to take a new course. God released them from bondage and set them free. He chose Israel as a special people, giving them the opportunity to learn about the laws of God and discover the blessings that come from obedience. God looked at the big picture in this monumental act, knowing that the release from physical slavery was necessary for Israel to begin their journey towards spiritual freedom and growth.

Even though the Israelites cried out to God, asking Him to release them from slavery, they still found reason to complain when He finally emancipated them. They experienced miracles on their left, right and all around them! God opened the Red Sea to lead them away from the danger of the Egyptian army. God provided them with manna from heaven to feed them when they were hungry. He gave them water to drink from a rock when they were thirsty. He led them on a path of safety through the wilderness by a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke. It was so obvious and clear that God was in their lives, blessing them on their journey, but it was not enough for them.

The question to ask is, why? Why couldn’t Israel see the mighty hand of God in their lives? Why couldn’t they see the big picture of what God was doing for them? The answer is that they had hardened hearts, mired in the world, swept away with the deceptive pleasures it promulgates. The words of the Bible instruct us to note how wrong this way of thinking is and to be different. “‘Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, “They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest.”’ Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:8-12).

Though Israel was free from bondage, drawn to God to follow Him, they were still stuck in the world. Their focus was not on God, but rather, on the physical comforts they craved. “But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness. And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy. Yes, they spoke against God: They said, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’” (Psalm 78:17-19). They failed to appreciate what God was doing for them. Instead, all they could think about was their physical condition, and how they wanted more and more and more. But that which really mattered – their relationship with God – they completely neglected.

We have a lot that we can learn by considering the hard hearts of ancient Israel. It’s easy to judge their actions from the lens of hindsight, but we are not that much different. We have the same carnal nature as they did. However, we live in an age in which it is exponentially more difficult to keep our focus because we have so many more sensational distractions to entice our human desires!  If we are not vigilant, we may find ourselves following in the same hard-hearted pattern of living as ancient Israel.

Seeing this, it is prudent to turn our questioning inward. Do we see the mighty hand of God working in our lives? If there was a Scripture written about us, would it say the same kinds of things that the Bible says about ancient Israel? Would it say that we complained about not having our physical comforts given to us? Would it say that we failed to appreciate the spiritual gifts that God abundantly provides? I hope that what God sees in us is much better than that.

We have a tremendous opportunity to be saved from death that awaits us all, but we will only receive it if we overcome the world through Jesus Christ. That means that we must take stock of what matters in our lives and honestly evaluate whether we are investing ourselves virtuously. Do we care too much about what we can collect in this physical life? Do we let those things control our emotions and corrupt our values? I hope not, because we have something so much better to live for.

Just as God led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, He leads us out of the slavery of sin. This fact is just as miraculous in our lives now as it was for Israel then. This is what should guide us and give us hope, because this is what matters.

Sometimes we may go for a medical checkup to examine our current state of health to find out if we need to make changes in our lives to improve or maintain our health.

At this time of the year, we are to go through a spiritual checkup to see how we are doing spiritually. We need to know what we need to do to remain spiritually healthy or to become spiritually healthy. We are told to examine ourselves before taking part in the Passover service. Not to have someone else examine us, but to examine ourselves.

Remember at our baptism, we had repented and after being baptized, our sins were forgiven, and we were counted as clean. However, time has passed, and we have tended to sin from time to time. So annually, we come to Passover time when our feet are washed to cleanse them after travelling for the year since last Passover.

We gather dirt, or commit sin during the year, and we must recognize this and be symbolically cleaned up.

What are some of the areas we should consider?  We are told to glorify God in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), so let’s look at the various parts of our bodies and think how we can use each part to glorify God. Consider our eyes, ears, mouth, mind, heart, hands and feet.

Starting with our eyes, how do we use them? Up to 80% of our knowledge comes through our eyes, and they are a method by which Truth enters us. In this world, Satan has blinded the vast majority so they cannot see Truth. And when we look at what is available in the world, violent and pornographic entertainment is very common.

Advertising is used to appeal to the lust of the eyes, as John mentioned in 1 John 2:16. Things or activities are advertised in such a way as to encourage our wanting them. Things we may not be able to afford or need are made very appealing.

David mentioned in the Psalms that he would set nothing wicked before his eyes. And that his eyes were ever toward the Lord.

I’m sure you remember the expression if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. While this is a figure of speech, it means not to look at things that cause you to sin.

We can look at many right things, look upon others with compassion, look in the Word of God for instruction in living righteously, and look at events signifying the end of this world and the coming Kingdom of God. These are all positive things to look at.

What about our ears? Do we freely listen to gossip, someone destroying another’s reputation? When we hear something, we must carefully evaluate it to see if it is really true. Much of what we hear today is propaganda to get us to believe falsehoods as if they were Truth.

And yet there are many things we should hear. We certainly should listen to God’s instruction and correction, which can be personal or given generally in sermons.

A bit lower down from the eyes and ears is the mouth. Through our mouths we are nourished and can communicate with others, both important and enjoyable activities. While the Kingdom of God is more than meat or drink, we still need to care for our bodies in what we eat and drink.

There is a warning in Isaiah 55:2 that reads, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good. And let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Listening to God’s Truth is spiritual food to last forever.

We should also learn to use our tongues correctly. We can use it to uplift and encourage others. We can console those who are suffering. There are many right and true things to say, but with our mouth it is very easy to say negative things about others, to be the originator of gossip, or to pass on rumors. Even just talking too much can easily cause sin. Remember what King Solomon said in Proverbs 10:19: “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”

We should seek God’s help to use our tongues to inform and encourage and sometimes even correct in a right manner. There is a right time and a right way to speak. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

The next part to consider is our mind. It is what determines our actions, and it should be molded, by studying and applying God’s Truth and laws, to reflect God’s mind in our lives.  This is mentioned in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

What about our heart? In the Bible, the heart represents the source of our attitudes. Christ said we could be defiled by what comes out of our heart. Mark 7:20-23 states: “And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’”

You probably remember where it says, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. We are also told to love one another fervently with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22). In Ephesians 4:32 we read, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” So, our heart must be right before God.

What about our hands and feet? Our hands can be used for many purposes and there is an interesting proverb that gives us advice. Proverbs 10:4 states, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” As the fourth commandment says, six days we are to labor and do all our work. So, God intends us to work and not be lazy.

As for our feet, they are the means by which we walk on the path of life. We can walk on the broad and easy way which leads to destruction, or we can walk on the narrow way which leads to life. We must be of the few who walk on this narrow path leading to eternal life.

With Passover in only a few weeks, as we examine ourselves, as we do a full body periodic checkup, think of all the parts of our body, and what each part performs. Consider the sin each part can get us into and examine where we should change how we use each part of our body.

Unfortunately, as we travel through life, we sometimes use parts of our body in a way not appropriate, and need another Passover to be reminded to be washed clean from sin again, but remember, we are to glorify God in our bodies. And that includes every part, not just some parts. And when we have gone through this examination, we can take the Passover in a worthy manner, pleasing to God.

The recent German federal election, held on February 23, proved to be a real thriller. The election campaign itself, in which all parties were involved, can only be described as a farce. With each party attacking the others, and candidates fighting for every vote, the campaigns of the long-established parties were full of lies and deceit. Election programs were copied and declared as their own; and in the TV shows, the questions were constructed in such a way as to defame others. Every politician fought for his own power, and many voters were ultimately cheated of what they wanted to obtain.

However, it was interesting to see that voter participation had not been as high in almost 40 years as it was on that day. At the end of February, I read the following article on zdf.de: “An extremely polarizing election campaign and overlapping domestic and foreign policy crises have pushed voter participation in Sunday’s federal election to its highest level in almost 40 years… According to the preliminary results published early Monday morning, it was 82.5 percent.”

That is indeed enormous. Therefore, about 48.84 million people, out of 59.2 million eligible voters, participated in the election. Needless to say, they did not all vote for the same candidate, but for different parties and people.

This shows how desperate people are in Germany and, of course, all over the world. For many decades, people have been taken for fools by politicians, cheated, lied to and robbed of their possessions through various forms of expropriation; they have been arbitrarily imprisoned, made ill and even killed as a result of vaccinations. TODAY, however, people are turning a blind eye to this and want the whole scenario to be quickly forgotten. But God will not forget anything unless there is sincere repentance.

We know that Satan is behind all of this, as we can read in the Book of Revelation, in the 12th chapter and in verse 9: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…” And Paul explains in his letter to the Romans, in chapter 8 and verse 22: “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

Even back then, during the 430 years of the Israelites’ captivity in Egypt, the world was in a state of disorder, and when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, unfortunately their voter participation for God was not 82.5%. On the contrary, well over 90% voted against God. They constantly complained, murmured, and were not particularly blessed because of their disobedience. This, of course, increased the discontent of the Israelites until they finally decided to completely reject Jesus Christ as their Savior and King. Note 1 Samuel 8:1-22.

Yes, the world is still in a state of disorder today, but now at the beginning of sorrows. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are riding ever faster, more violently and more corruptly, until it will ultimately come to a triumph when our Savior JESUS CHRIST returns to earth and puts an end to all this madness.

But before that happens, true Christians still have some time to dwell here, and as Paul so fittingly wrote, they live in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation. In this context, Paul warns us not to behave like the ancient Israelites, and that we should remain steadfast and be counted worthy.

He wrote the following in Philippians 2:14-16: “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

Of course, we don’t want any of God’s called elders and pastors to have run in vain or labored in vain for the gospel of Christ and the salvation of the brethren. Christ commanded Peter to tend His sheep, and this task is entrusted to the elders and pastors today. We must therefore all remain steadfast, today more than ever, because the time that remains for us until the return of Christ is indeed extremely short!

Let us therefore constantly strive to ensure that our voter participation for God the Father and Jesus Christ is 100%.

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

When playing a sport, focus is crucial, especially where a ball is involved.  When keeping your eye on the ball, all your attention and focus are fixed on that object.  The moment you look away, it becomes challenging to successfully achieve what you are trying to accomplish, whether it be kicking the ball or catching it, hitting it, etc, depending on the sport. 

Based on the fast-paced nature and need for precise ball control, table tennis is often considered the sport that requires the most focus when using a ball, as players must react quickly to the ball’s trajectory and spin while maintaining a high level of concentration.

Baseball is another sport that uses complex hand-eye coordination, requires rapid decision-making and a need to track a fast-moving ball with precision, where focus on the ball is vital.  Pitchers can throw a variety of pitches with different speeds and breaking motions, demanding intense focus from the hitter to track the ball’s trajectory while players in the field must react quickly to batted balls, often requiring them to anticipate where the ball will land and make split-second decisions.  It’s a mental game, and baseball heavily emphasizes the mental aspect, with players needing to manage pressure situations and stay focused even when facing adversity. 

There are of course several other sports where this is the case, as well as sports that don’t require a ball, but internal focus is a necessity and can be mentally challenging.

The world, in general, can be quite distracting, and it can be easy to get caught up in it to where our focus is affected.  Getting back on track and regaining our focus is a constant task that we must accomplish.  Our “ball” is the Kingdom of God; something that we must never lose sight of, and our mental and spiritual strengthening is through God in whom we must always look to when trials, struggles, doubts, worries, uncertainties, and need for ANY help are affecting us in some way.  

Keeping our eye on the prize is something that Paul famously depicted in Philippians 3:14, using the imagery of a race where the goal is the prize and the runner must concentrate on reaching the finish line, signifying the importance of staying focused on our ultimate goal, not giving up, despite challenges we encounter along the way. 

We are to continue running with determination, “to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2; New International Version). This encourages us to focus on Christ at all times and not get distracted by other things, for Christ, the captain of our salvation, overcame every difficulty imaginable and was thus made perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). He expects us to do the same—to overcome all obstacles, to remain faithful and obedient, and to keep our eye on the ultimate prize.