God's promised in His Word to give us a future and a hope. But until we let go of the sin that marks our past, we'll never be able to grab hold of what He offers for our future. When we allow His power to overcome our sin, we ensure that the future won't be a repeat of the past, but a new life of freedom in Him!

It can seem like this life will stretch on forever. But in reality, our time on earth is a blink in the scope of eternity. Scripture teaches us that our lives are like a vapor, here one moment and gone the next, so we've got to use what limited time we have to do honor the Lord and do His will.

WE may have the right to do something without it being sinful for us -- but if our actions cause somebody else to stumble, then it's not the right thing to do. We can make choices that might not be "wrong", but that doesn't always mean they're wise. As believers, let's be aware of other people's struggles and make sacrifices where needed to help them walk in the right direction instead of being a stumbling block for their sin.

Scripture tells us that as believers, we walk by faith and not by sight. The Bible itself is filled with stories that seem crazy to many, but those who believe are given the privilege of seeing and experiencing the power of God. And the best part is this: the miracles that Jesus performed when He walked on earth are the same miracles that continue to happen today through us, the Body of Christ!

One of the biggest gifts wrapped up in God's design for His Church is the blessing of being part of a community. God never intended for us to suffer or celebrate alone and in isolation. We're all part of the Body of Christ -- and when one part hurts or rejoices, the whole Body needs to hurt or rejoice alongside that part.

The taming of the tongue comes directly from the Holy Spirit. Without it, we lack a filter not only for our mouths, but for our hearts and our minds. But just as animals can be tamed to obey commands, God can tame us so that we can obey Him. Instead of trying to filter our thoughts and words through our own doing, we should focus on growing our relationship with the Lord so that HE can do that work in us.

Pride is one of the biggest barriers that prevents us from turning to God. The Bible promises that one day, every knee will bow before Him, but we can't wait until eternity to do so. When we submit ourselves to Him here on earth, He's able to carry out His plan and His purpose for us -- and no matter how far gone we think we may be, there's hope for anyone who's prepared to yield their will to His.

No matter what comes AT us, if Jesus is IN us then nothing will never be able to destroy us. Sometimes God uses our suffering for His glory. He can magnify all circumstances, including our struggles, to reach people we may have never come across otherwise -- and if we allow Him to work through us, He'll sustain us in the process.

Scripture makes it clear that God values commitment from His children. That's why obedience to Him isn't a "one-and-done" act, it's a daily pursuit! The same goes for our prayers; He invites us to ask Him for anything according to His will and to continue to ask until He answers our request.

We've all been guilty at some point of pretending to be someone we're not. We often put on a facade for the rest of the world to see, but when we let Christ manifest Himself through us, we don't have to pretend to be anyone, because we allow ourselves to become His image-bearers. In every situation, Jesus was led by the Spirit, and we too also have to be Spirit-led so that in every step we take, we're portraying the image of Christ to others.