There will never be a day in all of eternity in which we are completely without fear. There is the typical understanding of fear that causes us to act in selfdefense, and reclusive actions. Fear isn't always negative. There is a kind of fear that keeps us in the protective care of God. This fear also reminds us that we are mere mortals and God is sovereign. In Psalm 3, we see King David openly expressing his fear to God. He is genuinely afraid. However, David understands that though his circumstances might communicate otherwise, God was still in control and able to be trusted.

Sadness isn't doesn't always have to be a soul crushing trial. The Holy Spirit can use sadness in our lives to teach us a greater dependance in and trust in God. When we look at sadness in the life of David, we see honest response to life with a complete confidence in God's sovereignty. Sadness is usually brought about in our lives through external circumstances or internal emotional conditions. We must learn from David's example how to embrace sadness as a real emotion, without letting it shake our trust in God.

This is my emotion, what do I do with it? That is the question we aim to answer to some of our most common emotions. There is a prevailing belief that responding with emotion, or being emotional, is weak. Even in the culture of the church, many hold to the idea that if you're emotional, you are trusting God enough. The truth is that our emotions are a part of God's design. Our emotions can be a vehicle to usher us into deeper intimacy with God. A much neglected emotion in our response to God is awe and wonder. With a proper sense of awe and wonder toward God, we will begin to understand His work in our lives.

A man's legacy depends on where the story ends. According to research, most American men are unhappy or dissatisfied with the lives they are living. What if we decided today that we were going to start writing a better story with our lives. Research also tells us that serving others, not accumulating wealth or possessions, is a more reliable pathway to a meaningful life. In fact, Scripture instructs men to intentionally pour their lives into young men. In this way we can both prepare future generations, and leave a legacy of faith and character behind.

A father's actions or lack of action have tremendous impact on a child's life. We can learn a great deal from the story of David and his son Absalom. There were a number of times David's intervention, even in a disciplinary form, could have changed the trajectory of Absalom's life. Sadly, David's choice not to act began a downward spiral of decisions in his son's life. Scripture gives clear instruction to fathers in regards to their children. It's time we stop making excuses and start embracing the calling God has placed on our lives.

A man can be defined by the way he handles his God given responsibilities. From the moment sin entered the world, men have been passing off their responsibilities. One of the most obvious areas in which men fail to lead is spiritually. Many men feel ill-equipped to lead their wives and family. Scripture gives us clear expectations and helpful steps to assuming our responsibilities as husbands.

The first time God saw man by himself, He said that it wasn't a good thing. We were created to be in community. That means each person, including men, have a built in need for friends. However, as we get older, friendship seems to not only take a back burner position, but almost impossible to find. Men need a pack. We're better individuals because of the pack. It's time we admit we need help and pursue the friendships God created us to enjoy.

Our earthly relationships impact our relationship with God. In the final chapter of Ephesians, Paul teaches that how we interact with our earthly authorities reveals our heart condition and impacts how we interact with God. He also warns us that as Christ followers, we are in a real battle in this life. However, our enemy is of a spiritual nature. God has provided all we need in this fight.

No one is a perfect spouse, but everyone can be a better spouse today than they were yesterday. God's instruction to husbands and wives in Ephesians 5 can be intimidating, and is often confused. But if we back up and answer two questions, we all have a better chance at not only more successful marriages, but also honoring God with our marriage. What does it look like for a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church? What does it look like for a wife to respect her husband as unto the Lord?

What does it mean to walk in love? Paul instructs the Ephesian believers to imitate their heavenly father by walking in love. He gives a list of both what should and what shouldn't be characterizing the way we live. If our lives don't stack up well against Paul's lists, we must ask a far more difficult question. Are we truly children of God?