In the somber setting of the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gathered with His disciples after the Last Supper. This was a familiar place for Jesus, a sacred ground where He often sought solace in prayer. On this particular night, as darkness loomed and the weight of impending trials bore down upon Him, Jesus was consumed by deep distress and sorrow. In the shadowy garden, Jesus poured out His heart to the Father with fervent prayers, fully surrendering His own desires, declaring, "Not my will, but yours be done." It was in this intense moment of submission that Jesus faced the sting of betrayal and the heart-wrenching abandonment of those He had chosen to stand with Him in changing the course of history. The Garden of Gethsemane marked the beginning of Jesus' journey to the whipping post, the rugged cross, and ultimately to the tomb. We celebrate this weekend because the Lamb of God offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of humanity's sins. At the Garden, we see the raw emotion, unwavering commitment, and sacrificial love that define Jesus' profound act of redemption for all mankind. Jesus, I will never forget what You’ve done for me!

I'm thankful for the perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection. It is because of Jesus that I am alive! 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. Romans 6:4

Isn't our God so faithful!? In Psalm 89:8, we read, "O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?" The writer of this Psalm who spoke of God’s faithfulness was Ethan. The Bible says he was an Ezrahite from the tribe of Levi. The reason his style of writing is similar to David's is that he served as a boy in King David’s court. Ethan was known for his wisdom, optimism, and faithfulness! The faithfulness of God ignited a fire within his soul and propelled him to live a life of unwavering commitment. I want my testimony to be like Ethan’s. I don’t just want to be known for charisma; I want to be remembered for my character! Popularity fades over time, and personality can wither, but the principle of faithfulness will stand the test of time. Being known for slaying giants, killing lions, and bears would mean a lot less to me if there is an asterisk next to my name in the eternal record book. In a world fraught with uncertainty and broken promises, be the beacon of faithfulness that points others to the unchanging nature of our God. Let your faithfulness be a witness to His faithfulness, inspiring those around you to draw near to the One who is always true to His word. In a world longing for consistency and trust, may we be the living example of God's unwavering faithfulness.

The incredible melody of the Gospel sets the pace for our journey - a race where we are not who we were, nor are we yet who we will be! Through the transforming power of the cross, we are constantly moving forward, growing, and becoming who we were created to be as the race progresses. We tune into the clarity of His voice, as the shouts of the world grow dimmer. Our journey of faith is not a sprint but a marathon filled with ups and downs, triumphs and struggles, celebrations and lamentations. And with every step we take, every stride forward, we draw closer to the finish line. Have we arrived? No, not yet fully apprehended. But if we are more Christlike today than we were yesterday, we are winning! 𝗔𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝟭. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝟮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝟯. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝗿𝗲 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚. 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb 12:2 KJV

2,067 years ago today, on March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar fell victim to the betrayal and treachery of those he trusted. Catching Caesar completely off guard, even his closest disciple, Brutus joined the others in stabbing him. Perhaps you have also experienced the sting of betrayal from someone close to you. If so, you can attest that betrayal cuts deeply. Yet, once again, I am reminded of how the Son of Man knows and understands us. It is astonishing to me that on the night of His own betrayal, Jesus still washed Judas' feet and still offered His betrayer communion. "One of you will betray me. (This is my body, broken for you). One of you will deny me (This is the blood of my new covenant). You all will scatter and run away. (Eat and drink and remember)." A short time removed from this supper, Judas interrupted the prayer meeting in the garden, identifying Jesus by an intimate kiss on His cheek. The arrest, humiliation, scourging, and eventual execution followed. What I've learned is that if not washed off, the poisonous kiss from a friend can cause bitterness, resentment, and deep hurt. This type of kiss can't be wiped off. It can only be washed away. Only FORGIVENESS can heal the scars caused by betrayal’s dagger. The challenge is to act, react, and interact with others the way Jesus did. May we choose to forgive, even as we have been forgiven. #IdesOfMarch

Well… Facebook and Instagram are down. Let me take a moment to say hello on @X

Thank you @AlphaGammaChi63 for allowing our First Lady to throw out the first pitch! ⚾️ Lee University social service club, Alpha Gamma Chi began “The Eternal Game” at 7:00pm Wednesday, October 11th and will finish 7pm Monday October 16th. 🕖 That’s right — A 120 hour Game, in an attempt to beat their twice won world-records set in both 1986 & 2005. 🏆 The official charity for The Eternal Game that Alpha Gamma Chi is fundraising for is: YWEA which is affiliated with the Church of God. For more information you can go to COGYD.org or click on the link to donate directly below. Stop By, Cheer on Alpha Gamma Chi, but most of all Please Give. This is “The Eternal Game” and your giving will make an eternal difference. Donate Here: form.jotform.com/23255574468…

Prayer is not our way to convince God of how to meet our needs. It is God’s way of aligning our heart with His will.

"For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17

You are chosen!

Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers! We pray for God's favor to rest within you. May you lead your families in the light of Christ.

The International Teen Talent registration deadline is tomorrow. Be sure to get registered! Contact your State/Regional/National office to register.

Trust!

We are getting geared up for Battle of the States at Teen Talent '23 this summer! What state/region will get the W? 🏆 Teen Talent participants may contact your State/Regional Director for registration details today!

The official *tentative* Teen Talent 2023 event schedules are ready! We can't wait to celebrate the talents of Church of God students! To register for Teen Talent, state/regional winners may contact your State/Regional Youth & Discipleship Director. #cogteentalent #cogyd

With great sadness, our Church of God World Missions family sends condolences to the family of Doug Anderson. Doug was a valued member of our Board of Directors as well as Lead Pastor of Rose Heights Church. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Will you take a moment today to pray for all three #KIDFEST events taking place starting this weekend? Join us in prayer for children to receive and know Christ in a powerful way. Pray for REVIVAL among our children🔥 #kidfest #cogyd #DesignedByGod