Phil 4:19: "My God will give you out of his exceedingly rich glory through Jesus Christ all that you need."
Isn’t that a fantastic verse? One you can’t read often enough. One of our basic needs is to know that we are being taken care of. Through Paul, God explicitly addresses this verse to the Philippians. Just recently the believers shared a part of their belongings and gave it to Paul to support him. This was not only a very noble gesture, but it also shows their trust in God to provide for them. And Paul speaks it to you again explicitly. your trust is not in vain. It never is with God.
Personally, this very verse has accompanied me at a time when I have become particularly dependent on God. God challenged me to walk this path, and it required trust in Him. I have had the experience that God not only keeps his promise, but, living in his dependence, gives us rich gifts.
For me, this particular experience was several years ago, and yet I can still draw on it. But I realize that the decision to trust Him has to be made anew every day. Sometimes it is hard for me, even though I know that there is no reason to distrust God.
Since this verse applies not only to the Philippians, but to each one of us, I want to make a conscious decision on this day to trust Him and give all my needs to Him.
31. July
In a wonderful evening mood yesterday I saw the moon hidden behind some clouds. Its outline was very clear, yet some clouds obscured it from view. I almost didn’t see him at all, because I was in a hurry to get from A to B again.
That’s a good picture for my everyday life with Jesus. I often feel like I want to do many things at once and I focus on work, friends, hobbies. I feel like I’m running out of time every day.
The sight of the moon with the clouds makes me realize that my everyday life can act just like a veil of clouds in my relationship with Jesus.
The fulfillment, peace, tranquility, joy that I seek, the hustle and bustle can not offer me. I realize how important it is to really consciously engage with Jesus and come to rest with him. And I want to encourage you and me to always pause in our daily lives and seek closeness to Jesus.
24. July
"And when he had ceased speaking, he said unto Simon, Go ye out on high, and let down your nets to a catch! And Simon answered and said, Master, we have labored all night, and have caught nothing; but at thy word I will cast the net! And when they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fishes; but their net brake." (Luke 5, 4-6 Schlachter)
What a humbug the disciples must have thought. Casting a net in broad daylight? This was absolutely unusual and also not sensible, because the fish bury themselves on the ground during the day and are then not good to catch. Even in the night the nets were empty.
And at the same time I also think to myself: what confidence! Although Jesus says something that realistically did not make sense, Simon, carried out Jesus’ instructions. He trusts him blindly. And the reward for this trust? The disciples catch fish. And not just a handful, but so many that the nets break.
And what can I learn for my life from this event?? The ideas of God, respectively. the impulses of God that come into my life may not always make sense at first sight. Perhaps these ideas also go exactly in the opposite direction of my own plan. But at the same time, this incident teaches me that if I trust and follow God’s impulses, I will be richly rewarded. If this is not a good promise for my life! So I will try in prayer to leave room for God’s impulses and to listen. And try to trust and obey when God’s plans are very different from what I thought they would be.
21. July
The original text from the song "Gospel (=gospel, good news) of the authors Bryan Fowler / Ryan Stevenson / Toby Mckeehan reads as follows:
The amazing news of the Gospel
Is not that we can receive Jesus into our lives
But that He’s already received us
Into His
Layout: Daniel Schweigler
20. July
Luke 17:15-19 (Luther 17)
"But one of them, when he saw that he was made whole, turned and praised God with a loud voice, and fell down on his face at Jesus’ feet, and gave thanks to him. And this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answered and said, Are not the ten clean?? But where are the nine? Has no one else been found to turn back to give glory to God than just this stranger? And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath helped thee."
Jesus heals ten lepers. Having leprosy must have been one of the worst fates at that time. Outcast! From society, from the city and also from your own family. Uncertainty how long one will live, terrible pain, no perspective.
And then Jesus comes. He does not run away like the others. He sends the lepers to the priest. And even though the lepers themselves did this at first probably only out of obedience, they went. Once there, the miracle had happened and everyone’s leprosy had been cured.
What happens then is quite pathetic. Only one comes back and thanks Jesus for this miracle.
My first thought when I read these verses is: Such an ungrateful attitude would not happen to me.
But then I start to question myself. How many things I take for granted? How often my life is simply too fast, so that I have no time to see the small miracles of God? And how often do I just accept the people around me instead of thanking them for what they do for me?.
And another aspect is added by these stories: it’s not just about giving thanks to a person. When God does miracles in my life, I don’t want to brag about it, but tell about Him to honor God. And so I want to start into an especially thankful week. Do you join in?
19. July

Prov 19:11: "A man of understanding is not troubled; it honors him to forgive transgressions."
In theory this verse sounds very logical and easy to understand. Those who have patience (translated here as insight) can more easily overlook things where, for example, they are being taken advantage of.
I find it exciting to think a little deeper about this verse. I see two components here, where inner peace and patience can be very helpful:
A when others make mistakes toward me and
B when I discover faults in others.
How often do others take advantage of me or do wrong to me?? When I personally think about it, I realize that I can’t think of so many situations and that I don’t value this blessing enough.
And the situation I remember did not go to my existence, but it was complaining on a high level. For this I would like to thank God in any case.
But at the same time I know that I was very excited inside, that I really wanted to have justice and that I can still grow in insight and patience.
Looking back, it was not worth getting upset, I want to remember that for the future.
But in the same way when others make mistakes: How quickly I judge inwardly and think to myself: "oh man, how can one only? It is clear that one does it this way and that way."
This too is not worthwhile, I learn from the verse above. To be patient with others is an honor. And that’s exactly what I ask God on this day and in the encounter with other people, that he gives me more patience and love for my counterpart.
18. July
Design: Daniel Schweigler
15. July
Jesus creates unity
For some time now, I have been thinking about a topic that until now has been rather "unimportant" to me. This is the theme: Unity. I always ask myself the question: What connects us with each other?? And I search the bible for answers.
The apostle Paul also dealt with this issue in different ways. To the Philippians, for example, he gave that they live according to the gospel when they are in one spirit and fight for the gospel together.
With the Galatians, on the other hand, he had to speak about the foundation of unity. Paul wrote to them:
" 28 Here is a here is neither Jew nor Greek, here is neither slave nor free, here is neither male nor female; for b you are all one in Christ Jesus. [1] "
Quite wrongly understood would be to read here: Now all differences are leveled or erased. For Paul was not concerned with differences per se. He was concerned here rather with the way of access to God and to salvation. Paul had still known these times.
Jews believed that whoever really wants to have fellowship with God must be a Jew or become a Jew. Gentiles were excluded. They also believed: men would have a better access to God than women. Paul is trying to clear up a massive misunderstanding here. All these questions are no longer relevant.
"(Gal 3:26): For you are all children of God through faith in (resp. literally in ) Jesus Christ."
Jesus has opened for us, through faith in him, the way to fellowship with the Father. The only requirement is just believing in him and living in a relationship with him. In this sense no one is better than the other.
I observe again and again that we have a need for "uniqueness". Many want to stand out from a "gray crowd". And yet we have a great need to be like others and we want to belong. There are many who suffer because they perceive themselves as "different". Jesus says: You can belong to me if you believe in me. Your uniqueness is not annulled by this. Nevertheless, if you believe completely in Jesus, you belong to it.
14. July
Layout: Daniel Schweigler
12. July
"Be a rock to me for a dwelling place, to go thither always! You have commanded to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71, 3 Elberfelder)
I was reminded of this verse when I was talking with 2 friends about the topic of moving.
How many times have you moved? Did you always choose this? Do you find it easy to start over? Do you love to get rid of old burdens and start anew or do you need the feeling that everything remains the same??
Our experience was very different. And for whatever reason you had to move, the problems and challenges are often the same: New job, new apartment, moving, packing boxes, re-registering, making new friends, exploring a new city, new choir, new church, and more.
How good it is to know that we always have a home with God. In Him I can take refuge, in Him I can trust and no matter how my life turns upside down, He holds me fast. He is my rock, my fortress and my anchor. And as a Christian I have another decisive advantage. No matter where I go (at least in Germany) I can meet other Christians. By being connected to a church, I can quickly connect and feel directly connected through our faith. How good that
God helps me through his church to find a home here on earth.
But at the same time, this verse came to mind:
"For we have here no lasting city, but the future one we seek." (Hebrews 13, 14 Elberfelder)
In all our efforts to make a good environment for ourselves here on earth, we as Christians should never forget for what we are
actually live. The view of what is to come should determine my daily actions even more.
So I wish you today from the bottom of my heart that you find a home: in your environment, in your community, in God and above all
in the perspective of eternity!
Photo of cottonbro From Pexels
11. July

Rev. 22.20 "He who vouches for the truth of these things says: "Yes, I’ll be there soon!"
– "Amen, come now, Lord Jesus!" The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all!"
I am currently reading the New Testament continuously and have now reached the end of Revelation. Reading these verses made me feel a strong sense of homesickness. I have the impression that the Lord Jesus will soon come and take His church away from the earth.
This event of the Rapture is described by Paul in several places:
1. Thess 4 from V. 15-18
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven. A command is called and the voice of an angel prince and the sound of the trumpet of God
will be heard. Then the people who died believing in Christ will be resurrected first.
After this, we who are still alive will be carried away with them in clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And then we will be with him forever. With this you shall comfort one another."
see also 1. Cor. 15 from V. 50
Since I have been interested in this topic for a long time, I observed that only two years ago few people were talking about it. But since the beginning of 2020, the number of video messages on the subject of the Rapture (English: rapture) has increased sharply worldwide. Very many people report that they get dreams and visions from God on the subject and feel an urgency that Jesus is coming soon. These personal reports are of course no proof, but we know from the Bible that God can actually speak to us this way too. Therefore I find this remarkable.
Let us be ready for it at all times, and live in joyful expectation that Jesus is coming. Let us make good use of this time to witness his gospel, so that as many people as possible in this "harvest" come with.