Pride. Certainty. Boastful. Humble. Two of these characteristics should be adopted by anyone who has believed in the saving name of Jesus. Pastor Tom outlines what you can look for to see humbleness in yourself and others. Do you see a pleasant demeanor? Someone who owns their failures? Non-existent ego mentality? Certainty that Jesus takes care of your needs. Friends, you’ve gotta do some heart surgery to grow close to Jesus. You have to silence any and all prideful action or thought.

In today’s culture, marriage is being totally redefined. But Pastor Tom describes it today in light of the passionate journey of making Jesus your all in all: being completely and wholeheartedly sold out to His convictions, denying what you want, admitting when you’re wrong, not wishing for what this earth has to offer, and committing to deal with your desires as opposed to recognizing God’s. In the end this present world will all fade away. It won’t last. So who are you married to? Jesus or the world?

Fondness. Affection. Intimacy. These are all words that should be describing a near and dear to you type of relationship. Do these words tell of your relationship with Jesus? Pastor Tom reiterates today that you cannot walk well when your feet are trying to take two different paths. Either you believe in God and all the hope that comes with His name, or you confirm the influence of what the world considers right. The Bible tells you that this world’s ways will only lie to you and lead to ruin. You don’t want that.

Set apart. Be in the world, not of the world. Have you heard these phrases before? Make a choice. Will you be a friend or foe to Jesus while making this earth your home? Today, Pastor Tom continues contrasting materialistic avenues that drain any attempts to be humble and giving, to be like Jesus. A worldly lie gets planted in your soul that there’s no time for prayer. Have you ever felt this way? Heartfelt prayer must come from lining up your desires with that of God’s.

Don’t give up. Do not give up. Have you ever coached yourself like this? Blessings come through hardships, when your right to self is yielded to Jesus. And what a relief that is. Today, Pastor Tom continues describing how things and the thinking of this world will negatively affect the condition of the heart. He also discusses what you may have been wondering, why aren’t my prayers being answered? What’s the motive behind your prayers? Are they aligned with your desires? Or God’s?

Admitting that you struggle inwardly with jealousy and discontentment is a very hard acknowledgment. Especially when, by all appearances, you’ve got it together. Today, the root of worldliness is described by Pastor Tom. Envy. This very word, and all it is, will end up eating you alive. Do you think that when you get what you’ve been striving for, there will no longer be emptiness? It’s a vicious circle that ruins relationships and drives anger. This is personal selfishness. Friends, deal with this.

t’s like a craving for chocolate that you just can’t resist. You have to have it right now. If you don’t, you’ll just go crazy. But as soon as you get a hold of that chocolate and devour it faster than you can imagine, you still find yourself feeling empty and wanting more. This is the type of feeling that Pastor Tom is expressing today, as he teaches on a desire inside of you that can’t be satisfied by the things of this world. There’s something within you that wants more, but you need to look to God.

There are certain viruses that aren’t visible from the outside. They eat away at you from within, and cause your body to become diseased. Today, Pastor Tom is speaking about the disease of worldliness. This is something that’s not so obvious, because it’s rooted in your heart and what your motivations are. Some might assume worldliness is referring to what you wear or how you present yourself. But truly, it’s a matter of the heart.

If a vine were to catch fire, the entire vineyard could be burned down, ruined because of the damaging flames. What if something were to catch fire in a good way? What if you were open and vulnerable, and being that way helped others to do the same? Today, Pastor Tom is saying that if more people were vulnerable and shared their struggles, sharing their weaknesses, there would be more openness in relationships. By doing this, the church as a whole would actually be healthier.

If you’re looking for virtues that are long lasting, there’s one person that you should look to as a perfect example of these things. Pastor Tom’s teaching today discusses how Jesus displayed the perfect mixture of virtues that when added up, equal true wisdom. So instead of wanting to be wise in the world’s eyes, how about caring what it looks like to be wise in God’s eyes? How do you treat people? How do you speak of others? Hopefully, it’s something like God’s way.