As believers who follow Christ, our true reward will not be "of this world" (physical and temporal), but of the "Kingdom", (spiritual and eternal). Praise God!

Before asking Jesus what do you get for following Him, ask yourself, "What have I given Him for saving me?"

Thorns (afflictions) aren't so bad. They help us reflect on worship, wait on God, and give us reason to witness. In our times of weakness, God's grace is all we need.

Endurance is the key to overcoming conflicts in our lives. The strength of the Lord (His grace) comes in waiting on Him. Isaiah 40:31

Don't avoid taking your pain and problems to God. He knows you're coming and will be happy to see you.

We all have THORNS in our lives. There is purpose for that pain. The purpose: to keep us humbled and reflective of God's presence. This is our WORSHIP.

Awareness of sin should not keep you away from the Lord's Table but drive you to it. Confess, seek forgiveness, acknowledge Christ perfect sacrifice and accept His invitation with gladness and thanksgiving.

For we who are saved, our power source is Jesus Christ whom we preach. Stay connected. To those who are not, it's foolishness.

It is of little or no value at all to have the power of the almighty God at our disposal and let our connections get rusty and corroded. Keep a good connection to your power source. That source is Jesus. (John 15:5)

The bridge that helps us get over the pain we experience in life by others and the sins we have done to God is FORGIVENESS. With God's help we can get to the other side.