Why do we do what we do? Often times, the reasons we give for doing certain things or acting a certain way aren't the true reasons. Jesus said that it's not about all the other stuff. The root of what God wants from us doesn't revolve around what we do, but how we love. The essence of all God wants from us comes down to this one thing.

Salvation is free. It costs us nothing. Jesus paid the price for us. By following Him in this life, there is going to be some cost. At some point, we have to make a decision. Are you a Jesus consumer or a Jesus follower?

We’re supposed to love each other. We’re not supposed to judge others. It can be really easy for people inside the church to judge those outside it. It’s easy to judge them for not acting like people with faith, instead of working to draw them towards Jesus.

The moment you wrap your heart around the fact that God knows what you need and promises to meet those needs, your life will radically change. The question that needs asking is, “Who - or what - is your master?” God loves and takes care of us. The idols we put in His place demand that we spend our lives taking care of them.

God wants us to keep pushing forward. He calls us to push past our fears, insecurity, and our convenience. When we live in the desert of the unexpected, there will be giants in the land of freedom. We have to keep pushing forward, to make room for God to show us real life, after the unexpected happens.

Here’s the truth:  we’re all infected with sin sickness. Without Jesus, our sin keeps us far from God. He can do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. He knows how easily we settle for what is easy and how we tend to live a smaller life that what He’s called us to.

Unexpected events can condition you to live a life of fear. When we live in anticipation of the worst, we no longer live the way we were designed. God made us to trust Him every minute of every day. When we start to trust Him, we begin to live in anticipation of the best that He has for us. 

The facts can change but the truth never does. Truth can move us from hopelessness to hoping for what can be. When we choose to be prisoners of hope, we exchange the prison of our own hopeless thoughts for the strong fortress of God’s truth and anchor ourselves to His perspective.

Every parent has asked these questions, and every parent has gone in search of the answers. We feel like we have the daunting task of figuring it all out by ourselves, but we don't. The church is here to help you answer those questions as you rethink your family.

When someone criticizes us, our first response is often to fight back or run away. It’s important to gauge whether or not the source of the criticism can be trusted. If God isn’t in someone’s words, then let them go. The only true safe place is right in the presence of God.