How do we know we belong to Jesus? John, whom we also identify as “the Baptist”, was a prophet in the mold of the Old Testament. Theologians consider him to be the last of the Old Testament prophets. In his message to the people he was blunt and even harsh. To the people who cameContinue reading “Knowing Jesus”
Category Archives: Jesus
Kingdom Energy
The Lord’s Prayer ends by declaring that God’s kingdom, power and glory will last forever. That means that Jesus’ kingdom is fundamentally different than the present world. To last forever, Jesus’ kingdom must run with different physical laws than the world that is passing away, wearing out, and running down. In the world, even thoughContinue reading “Kingdom Energy”
Dealing With Affluence
For those of us who live in the developed world, we have the challenge of dealing with our affluence. It is important for us to recognize the dangerous snare that the so-called American Dream lays out for us. While the American Dream promises comfort and an appearance of security, it has a high cost ofContinue reading “Dealing With Affluence”
Misguided Leadership
Pilate’s condemnation of Jesus reveals what happens when personal interests interfere with the practice of justice. Individuals in power may have more of a desire to maintain or enhance their position, rather than doing what is right or just, because it could conflict with their a desire to maintain or promote their position. It isContinue reading “Misguided Leadership”
Free-Will or Fate
At times people wonder if they truly have free will, whether they make their own decisions or if they are just robots making decisions that fate or a higher power has predetermined. In John’s Gospel we see an incident that gives us a glimpse into how both free-will and a predetermined plan work together. TheContinue reading “Free-Will or Fate”
What’s in a name?
What’s in a name? Well, that depends on whose name it is. For most of us a name is how we are called, given to us at birth by our parents. Typically, we are known by our first and last name; some, however prefer their middle name, while others hesitate to let that second nameContinue reading “What’s in a name?”
What is Eternal Life?
Because of the name “eternal life” it is natural to assume that it means simply living forever. The common understanding is that it is life not on earth, but in some beautiful place where we will see all our loved ones who have died before us. We might even imagine that we become angels someday,Continue reading “What is Eternal Life?”
Father’s Protection
The world we live in struggles with and against evil. In fact, we encounter it every day of our life. At times, we recognize the battle, and at other times, we are oblivious to its presence because we are not sensitive enough to it or have become desensitized to it. Since we face evil consistently,Continue reading “Father’s Protection”
Jesus Made A Way
When Jesus prayed, he consistently addressed God as “Father”, but in the Gospel of Mark, we find a couple of exceptions. When praying in the garden before his arrest, Jesus addressed God as “Abba,” which was a Chaldean term that meant “papa” or “daddy.” It is a term a young child would use (Mark 14:36).Continue reading “Jesus Made A Way”
Believe Jesus’ Warning
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus instructed his disciples to watch and pray that they might not fall into temptation, because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Earlier that evening, Jesus had warned Peter that Peter would deny him. However, Peter refused to heed Jesus’ warning. When Jesus told PeterContinue reading “Believe Jesus’ Warning”
David Freitag 