Technology and social advances can bring greater convenience into many aspects of our lives. These advances can make us more effective as disciples of Christ, butthey can also make us less effective, even lazy and selfish.

Jesus calls us to lay down our lives and follow him - because following Jesus can be very inconvenient at times. Choosing the convenient way can lead us away from God's will and towards sin.

Let's choose commitment over convenience!

Ephesians 6:11, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Luke 9:23-24, 2 Samuel 11:1-17

God's love is truly awesome!

Because it's part of who he is, it's a perfect love.

God's love makes him approachable - we can come to him confidently, assured of his great love for us.

God's love makes him a redeemer - he gladly paid the price to redeem us - Jesus' blood.

God's love gives us security - if he is for us, who can stand against us?

God's love is poured into our hearts - we can experience true love personally!

And because Gods love is poured into our hearts, we can truly love one another - and love the lost.

Ephesians 1:4-5, Exodus 34:6, 1 John 4:8, Psalm 5:7, Hebrews 10:19-22, Exodus 15:13, John 3:16, Colossians 1:13-14, 1 John 4:16, Romans 8:31-32, Psalms 62:2, Romans 5:5, 1 John 4:7-8, John 13:34, Matthew 28:18-20, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

In Jeremiah, two types of people are contrasted.

Those who trust in themselves and in other people are like shrubs in the desert.

Those who trust in God are like well-watered trees.

Here are some ways to live like a tree and not a shrub:

- Recognise your True Hope

- Avoid forsaking God

- Live with enduring hope

- Stay connected to the Source

- Embrace Jesus as the Source of Living Water

Let's live like well-watered trees, not desert shrubs!

Jeremiah 17:5-13, Psalm 1, Matthew 11:28-30, 2 Timothy 3:16 -17, John 7:38

Humble submission is the opposite attitude to pride, independence and arrogance. Pride can be hard to spot; it takes humility to recognise our pride!

Sometimes our pride is the obstacle that keeps us from moving forward. We want to see the situation change, but God wants to see US change!

Humility is something we develop with practice:

-putting others first, instead of chasing our own gains

-recognising where others are better than us, instead of boasting about ourselves

-serving others, instead of ourselves.

Humility even brings freedom from anxieties: as we humble ourselves, confessing our weakness and fears and seeking God's strength.

1 Peter 5:5-7, Philippians 2:3, Mark 9:35, Psalm 25:9, Proverbs 16:18, Psalm 13:1-6

Jesus was born a baby; but before that, he was the Word, the agent of creation, life and light. The Word became human - and made his home among us.

This shows us just how much we matter to God!

Jesus left his heavenly glory behind for us,

he laid down his life for us, dying for our sin,

and he rose from the dead, defeating sin & death for us!

How will you respond to this greatest love of all?

 2 Corinthians 5:16, Acts 9:1-9, Revelation 1:9-17, John 1:1-5, 10-14, John 3:16-17, Luke 2:10-14, Philippians 2:6-11

When we are aware of the devil's schemes, we can defend ourselves against them. We are privileged have a record of how the devil tried to keep Jesus from his mission - and of how Jesus defeated those attacks:

Scheme 1: "The end justifies the means."

Defence: Always do what is right - just as Jesus did.

Scheme 2: "Just do it - God will rescue you."

Defence: Act prudently, not recklessly.

Scheme 3: Make a false doctrine from one Bible verse.

Defence: Seek the whole counsel of God.

Scheme 4: Encourage selfish desires.

Defence: Learn to be content.

Matthew 4:1-10, Romans 12:17, 1 John 3:7-8, Proverbs 22:3, Proverbs 3:21, Acts 20:27, Philippians 4:12-13

While some say, "follow your heart", the Bible cautions us that the heart can be deceitful, hard and sick! Our hearts need God's healing and transforming work - and we need to guard our hearts from becoming hardened, wounded or dirtied. Wewould be wise to:

-Reflect on our heart's condition to see if there are areas that need God's restoring or transforming work.

-Surrender our heart to God and ask Him to soften it.

-Seek God's guidance and renewal daily.

-Guard our heart - everything we do flows from it.

-Seek encouragement from others to stay faithful.

Jeremiah 17:9-10, Psalm 51:6-10, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 15:18-19, Proverbs 4:23, Hebrews 3:12-13

The oldest scheme of the devil is found in Genesis. In a cunning, step-by-step scheme, the serpent tricked the first man and woman into throwing away their closerelationship with God - and the paradise they lived in.

This scheme is very much at work to this day - so we would be wise to recognise the scheme and resist it!

Let's read the Bible - and find out what God really said!

Let's trust the Bible - it has far greater credibility than any other book we will ever read!

Let's trust God's goodness - our Creator knows how everything works; his instructions are always the best!

Let's not allow our personal desires to overrule God's word!

Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:1-6

Circumstances and feelings can cause us to feel that God has abandoned us. But God promises to never leave us!

Humans lie and change their minds - but God is not like that!

Jesus didn't walk away from sinners - he won't walk away from you!

God understands our weaknesses - and helps us through our trials.

Hebrews 13:5, Numbers 23:19, Matthew 16:21-23, Matthew 26:34-35, Matthew 26:69-75, John 21:15-17, John 8:2-11, 1 Kings 19:3-9, Luke 15:11-24

A small hole can empty a bucket. Small foxes can ruin a vineyard. A little yeast affects a whole batch of dough. In the same way, our "small sins" can do far more damage that we may think - both to us and to those around us.

We should therefore:

-Recognise the "little foxes" in our life

-Get rid of those foxes!

-Put up fences (set boundaries) - or repair them

Song of Songs 2:15, Luke 12:1-2, Romans 2:21-24, 1 Corinthians 5:1-7, Galatians 5:2-9