Imagine that you’re driving up a mountain. The road is twisting and turning, and you’re stuck behind an incredibly slow car. You think, “If I could just see around the corner, I could pass this car.” Then a helicopter flies by and the pilot radios down, “I can see two miles ahead. It’s okay for you to pass.”

What’s the difference between you in the car and the pilot in the helicopter? Perspective.

There’s no doubt about it. Today we’re faced with more decisions than ever before. We live in a multiple-choice culture.

And decisions are significant. Sometimes even little decisions are like the hinges that let a giant door swing—they seem so small but can completely change the direction of your life.

God wants you to obey him. That’s a pretty basic truth that you probably wouldn’t disagree with.

But did you know that God has specific ways he wants you to obey him? One of those is that he wants you to obey him completely.

How you handle pain is a great witness to the world. When you trust God in spite of suffering, you’ll point unbelievers to him.

Spiritual growth must be purposeful.

We don’t know how many days we have left. Our next breath may be our last. So every step in our journey with Jesus should be taken on purpose.

Imagine the greatest things that could happen in your life. Whatever you imagine, God can outdo it!

The Bible says in Ephesians 3:20, “Glory belongs to God, whose power is at work in us. By this power he can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine” (GW). Faith starts with stretching the imagination. It always begins with a concept, a vision, a dream, a mental picture. It always starts with an idea.

Fear is an issue that seems to impact us all in some form or fashion. Fear of failure, rejection, not measuring up, fear of death, of being alone, the fear of suffering… the list could go on. Fear is something we all wrestle with if we are honest.

So, what can we do about it? Is there a way to live free from fear? God knew this would be a challenge for us, so throughout His Word He speaks straight to the heart of the matter. How can we live strong and courageous in the face of fear?

You can find a lot of commands in the New Testament, and some of them are really inconvenient and uncomfortable—things like “Don’t worry about anything” or “In everything give thanks” or “Always return good for evil.” Some of them even seem impossible!

Yet every demand God makes of us is a test of faith. When God asks you to do something that stretches you, you have to decide: Are you going to trust a gut feeling that says it’s just too much for you to handle, or are you going to trust what God says is the right thing to do?

There is a strong belief in our culture that influences every one of us, whether we want it to or not: If it feels good, do it. But when you allow yourself to be manipulated by your moods, you are living your life according to your feelings. God wants you to live a different kind of life. He wants you to live a life of faith, not a life of feelings.

Hope is essential. You and I need genuine hope—not just optimism. Optimism is psychological. It’s based on the way you think. Hope is theological. It’s based on who God is and his relationship with you.