Unforgiveness is a heavy burden. And when it comes to our "exes", the bitterness we sometimes carry around has the potential to haunt us for the rest of our lives. God tells us that we're not only to forgive our enemies -- we're to love and pray for them, too.

It's easy for the devil to draw people into his lie that this life is all there is. But the reality is this: there's eternal life after this temporary one, and for those who follow Jesus, Heaven's waiting on the other side. Until then, God's commanded us to fulfill His purpose here on earth -- but as long as we hold out hope for the reality that's to come, we'll have the strength to carry on until the day He calls us home.

Sometimes we feel like failures, flops, and fiascos...but God sees us as worth fighting for! When He gave His Son, God went all in to save us. In return, we've got to go all in and give Him our lives -- no matter the cost.

 

We can track our genealogy to people who lived generations before us, and we can often see how the choices they made then continue to impact our lives still today. But how many of us have realized that we can track our "spiritual genealogy", too? The obedience we show to God now makes a difference, not only to other believers around us, but to those who have yet to believe -- for generations to come. The question is: whose life will be changed by the way you live yours?

When it comes to reaching the world with the Good News of salvation, the most harmful thing we can say is...nothing at all. We need to be on "stand by" mode so that when an opportunity presents itself for us to speak up and share our faith, we'll be ready to step in. God wants to use us to expand His Kingdom -- let's always be prepared to given a reason for the hope people see in our lives!

When Jesus comes into our hearts, the change in us should be so apparent that the rest of the world stops and takes notice! He made us to be the light in dark places, and to bring taste to a spiritually tasteless world. The way we live our lives is a reflection of His workmanship.

When we hit the "F5" button on most keyboards, it refreshes our screen. But did you know that God wants us to hit the "F5" button in our spiritual lives, too? God designed us for a pattern of work and of rest, but unless that rest is found in Him, sooner or later, we're going to burn out. But when we follow Him, the "work" we do for Him doesn't even feel like work -- it feels like refreshment for our souls!

God doesn't tell us that we might be tempted in this life -- He guarantees that we will be tempted in this life! Temptation's inevitable in a broken world, and many of us find ourselves tempted by the same things over and over and over again. The good news? God promises that He'll always give us a way out and an "exit sign" to escape temptation, if we're just willing to obey and follow Him!

What scares you about the future? It's easy to be afraid of the unknown, but our God knows the future and nothing takes Him by surprise! When we trust that God holds the future and He's always in control, He'll lead us according to His will.

We don't sin in a vacuum. Whether we do the right thing or the wrong thing, other people are always impacted by our choices. When Jonah resisted the instructions God gave him, so many other people were affected by his disobedience -- and in the same way, when we disobey God, other people suffer the consequences of our sin.