In today’s key Scripture verses, there are repressed emotions that show up as resentment. Unexpressed feelings are swept under the rug until they come out. Job speaks of hearts soured by resentment; Ephesians and Hebrews warn against bitterness that springs up and causes trouble. If we are to live the abundant life Christ offers, we must resist burying feelings alive. To do that, we must prevent resentment from getting a foothold.

Many people learned this simple prayer growing up: “God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for our food. By Thy hands, we all are fed; give us Lord, our daily bread. Amen.” Saying your grace acknowledges God as the source, substance, and sustainer of our supply. It reminds us that it was God, not our credit card, that provided the meal. Grace, from the Latin gratia, means “gift.” It reminds us that all we have is a gift from God. And when we realize that, we pause to give thanks. Because there’s always something to be thankful for. If you can’t be thankful for what you’ve received, be thankful for what you’ve escaped. If you can’t be thankful for where you are, be thankful for where you are not. That’s the prevailing point of Paul’s message to the Thessalonian church. Difficulties are never an excuse not to say your grace.

One of the oldest Thanksgiving celebrations by Europeans in America wasn’t in Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, in 1621 as most assume, but in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1610. Out of 409 settlers, only 60 survived harsh weather, food shortages, disease, and conflict. On that spring day, there was no food, no trimmings, and no football…just prayer and gratitude. They thanked God not for the trouble but while in trouble. With everything they lacked, they still realized they had much to be thankful for. That ought to be the posture of every child of God; despite where we are, what we have, and what we don’t have, we still have so much to be thankful for. As John Wooden said, “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Gratitude comes when we realize how blessed we really are.

The goal for us as believers is to reach a point in our walk with God where what happens in the world outside of us doesn’t adversely affect what God is doing within us. We want to have enough spiritual strength, power, authority, wisdom, and resolve to withstand every strategy and fiery dart the enemy might throw our way. Paul shows us through his letter to the Philippians that it’s possible to stay aligned with God, even in a world constantly trying to throw you off.

As we travel through life, we hit potholes and rough patches that impact what holds us together. Disappointments, betrayals, tragedies, and loss can throw us out of spiritual alignment. We stop trusting, stop believing, stop praying, and drift away from God. But just as a car needs realignment to drive straight, we need to realign our lives with God’s purpose and plan. Jeremiah 18 shows us how. The nation of Israel was broken politically, socially, and spiritually, and God sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house to teach him (and us) that what’s broken doesn’t have to stay broken. Everything that’s not working doesn’t have to remain a mess. God is the potter, and we are the clay. Through this image, God teaches us how He realigns and restores our lives.

My daughters just turned 16 and now have their learner’s permits, so they are eager to get behind the wheel. But I had to remind them that driving is a huge responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The vehicle they drive can take them to wonderful places, but if they’re careless, it can destroy their future and hurt someone else. They must handle it with care. As I prepared this message, I realized that we should treat the Word of God the same way. Scripture is a vehicle that carries us to new places in the Spirit, lifting us when we’re down, guiding us when we’re lost, and pointing us in the right direction. But if we mishandle it, twist it, or weaponize it, the same Word that can bless can also break. When we interpret and apply God’s Word, we must make sure it draws people closer to His heart, not drives them away. If we are going to get behind the wheel of His Word, then we must handle it with care.

Over and over again in Scripture, we are told “Do not fear.” I think the Lord knew how often we would need this reminder considering all that we face during our lives on this earth that could cause us to be afraid. However, because we have a relationship with Almighty God, we don’t have to fear, because He has made us more than conquerors. In today’s key text, we are given advice on how to approach life with fearless faith. Let’s dive in together.

If you listen to many Christian preachers, the impression is given that if you can just come up with the right formula in prayer, God will grant you the blessing you want and the health and healing that you need. And while I certainly believe in healing, I do not believe that God’s divine healing ought to be the starting point for thinking about a healthy lifestyle. To optimize good health and to live the abundant life that Christ offers, we must practice what we pray for. After Jesus forgave, freed, or healed the woman caught in adultery, He told her to go and not keep doing what she had been doing. The same is true for us if we want to be healthy, if we want to be well. So how do we get well? That’s what we’re going to dive into today.

Every child of God needs to know and needs to hear that they are forgiven, for when you come into fellowship and communion with Jesus, and begin cultivating and nurturing your relationship with Him, the Lord’s forgiveness means that no matter what you have done, no matter how horrible your past, and regardless of your moral transcript and profile, the good news today is that “you are forgiven.” You are officially pardoned from your past, and the devil and no one else can hold you hostage to what you’ve done. From today’s text, we’re going to see Mary Magdalene show us what it looks like to walk in that assurance.

When Jesus called His followers “salt,” He actually bestowed upon us a badge of honor. He was giving them then and us now a sense of our identity, purpose, and function in the Kingdom. He was saying that when people ask who you are as a believer, you should be able to tell them, “I’m salty.” Being salty is not something bad, it’s something good. When we’re salty, we’re living the way Jesus commanded us to in His Word. But how do you know if you’re living a salty life? Well, that’s what we’re going to look at in this message.