Blessings of Recognizing Birth Pangs

“And there will be strange signs 

in the sun,

moon,

and stars.

And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil,

perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.

People will be terrified at what they see

coming upon the earth,

for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then everyone will see the Son of Man

coming on a cloud with power and great glory.

So when all these things begin to happen,

stand and look up,

for your salvation is near!”

Luke 21:25-28

Blessings of Listening To The Word Speak

“Nation will go to war against nation,

and kingdom against kingdom.

There will be great earthquakes,

and there will be famines and plagues in many lands,

and there will be terrifying things

and great miraculous signs from heaven.

But before all this occurs,

there will be a time of great persecution…

And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,

then you will know 

that the time of its destruction has arrived.”

Luke 21:10-11, 20

(Top of the cog train station from Zermatt, Verlais canton, Switzerland)

Blessings of Heeding Jesus’ Words

“Don’t let anyone mislead you,

for many will come in my name,

claiming,

‘I am the Messiah,’

and saying,

‘The time has come!’

but don’t believe them.

And when you hear of wars and insurrections,

don’t panic.

Yes,

these things must take place first,

but the end won’t follow immediately.”

Luke 21:8-9

(View from Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant over Interlaken, Switzerland)

Blessings of Being Reborn

He came into the very world he created,

but the world didn’t recognize him.

He came to his own people,

and even they rejected him.

But to all who believed him and accepted him,

he gave the right to become children of God.

They are reborn—

not with a physical birth 

resulting from human passion or plan,

but a birth that comes from God.

John 1:10-13

Blessings of Knowing Who Jesus Is

In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

He existed in the beginning with God.

God created everything through him,

and nothing was created except through him.

The Word gave life to everything that was created,

and his life brought light to everyone.

The light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness can never extinguish it.

John 1:1-3

Along the way