We need to realize that our usefulness in the cause of Christ is not measured by good health, but rather by our dependence on God to work in and through us for his own glory.

We ought to share our experiences selectively, defaulting to those that glorify God, rejecting private experiences as spiritual credentials, and letting our sacrificial service be the true measure of our impact.

True devotion to Christ and his cause is always marked by sacrifice and suffering — costs we must willingly embrace because we love him and his people.

We must never submit to those who claim spiritual authority while leading with exploitation, domination, and contempt.

We must remain constantly vigilant against the unrelenting efforts of God’s spiritual enemies to strategically displace the authority of Scripture with the authority of their own voices.

We must learn to biblically assess spiritual leaders and wholeheartedly commit to those who demonstrate the qualifications God’s Word requires.

Because God is jealous for our allegiance to Christ, we must guard our devotion from deceptive and twisted views of Christianity.

We must never perform for our critics or let them shape our character, but we must always stay faithful where God has placed us and aim to please Christ.

Because the resurrected Christ has proven his authority as our divine life-giver and judge, we must respond to his call and trust him for eternal life to escape the judgment we deserve.

God previewed the rich meaning and impact of Christ’s redemptive work through the Old Testament symbols of the Ark of the Covenant, its sacrifices, and its rituals.