Peter 3:3-4, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self…”. Peter’s point is that who a person is on the inside is of far greater importance than what they look like on the outside.

How are we to be model citizens even under less-than-model leaders?

Society tends to assign status based on “what.” What do you look like? What is your title? What is your income bracket? What have you achieved? What do you own? The more impressive the answer to those questions, the higher one’s status. In the kingdom of God, “what” has nothing to do with one’s status. In the kingdom of God, status is determined by “who.” It was their connection to Jesus that gave them special status.

Is living a holy life easy? Not in the least. Every minute of every day through songs, movies, articles, advertisements, games, and TV we are encouraged to do whatever makes us feel good and happy. How can one live a holy life in a world that consistently encourages one not to be?

Do you have the right perspective? Going through trials (be it mistreatment because of one’s faith, or the every day hurts of life) is not easy. It is often incredibly discouraging and may even cause one to consider throwing in the towel. For this reason, we must get the right perspective on our trials as quickly as we can.

Do you have a hard time fitting in? As Christians in today's world, it has become increasingly more and more difficult to belong in a society and culture that is agnostic. If you take your faith seriously, you are going to be a bit of a misfit in this country.

When a person truly understands just how much he/she has been forgiven, it will create a love for God that mere religion never will. Those who are grateful for God’s grace are not just moved emotionally, they are also eager to serve Jesus.

“If the kingdom of God is here why is the world still so messed up?” Why are there still evil leaders, terrorists who bomb, abusers who traffic kids, crazies who shoot up schools, and bigots who spew hate if God is sitting on the throne? If God’s rule is a present reality, not just a hopeful expectation why does the world seem to be getting worse, not better? Let's find out together!

Many of us are familiar with Jesus' words, "Do not judge," yet often we stumble in trying to understand exactly what those words mean. For thousands of years, followers of Jesus have debated and clashed over exactly what we can or cannot say and do when it comes to fellow men and women. We will begin to unpack those three controversial words in the context of Jesus' stories, and we will discover a reality that has far less to do with "them" and far more to do with us.

Victory over envy? How can we focus on our own blessings rather than the blessings of others? Let's find out!