To experience new life the former life must die. The resurrection of Christ put into play our resurrection. However for resurrection to take place there must be death.

Do we really take a good deep look at the cross, or do we simple glance? We are called to take a look at the cross and remember all that God has done for us through the cross of Jesus.

There comes that time in life when we find Christ. Have we ever though about the fact that Christ was seeking to find us? Better yet, that we are asked to join the Heavenly search party to find those that are lost?

Do we really trust God to provide for our needs? Most often we keep people from joining at our table because we are afraid God will not provide enough for us and the other person.

It is not a matter of if things will get difficult, it is a matter of when things get difficult. It seems some people handle hard times better than others, why is that. Could it be found in how we live day-to-day?

Relationships are filled with give and take. What is it that we find in our relationship with Jesus?

Every one of us has had that moment when we got it wrong. While some failures are more public and painful, we all have equal footing in the fact that we have not lived perfect lives. It is easy for our past failures to haunt and hold us. In order to get past our past we must realize these past failures are not fatal. Sure there have been consequences and challenges that have come from the failures. We follow the God of love, who forgives and loves in the midst of failure, yet we often cannot forgive and love ourselves in the midst of failure and after.

It is not only others that have hurt us, we have hurt others. When we realize that we have hurt others we must seek restoration. Fact is, restoration may not always be possible. Still we must do our part to make things right. This will include apologizing, living with the consequences and finding appropriate compensation. To get past our past we have to seek out those we have hurt and seek forgiveness.

A cruel reality in life is people do things that bring harm our way. There are times when people hurt us and do not mean it, while there are times when the hurt inflicted is very intentional. No matter how it comes to be, we all experience hurt at the hands of another person. To get past our past we must deal with the claim we have levied against that person. You we hold onto that claim we will be trapped by that person.

The sounds still echo in our thoughts. Whatever the label given to you, the sound of that name rings through your life and holds you captive. Even though you know there is no truth to the label, you begin to believe it to be true. Before long the label given begins to define your life more than reality. In Christ we are not given a label, we are given a name, a new life, a new identity.