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The incomparable and incalculable benefit of following Jesus is that we get to be with Jesus. We get the pleasure of His company and the contentedness of His presence. It’s not just life. It’s not just the best life. It’s not just the best life now. It’s not just the best life now and forever. It’s the best life now and forever with Jesus. We go with Jesus not just because it’s the smartest thing to do and the safest thing to do, but even more so, because it’s the satisfying thing to do. Giving up all the world’s substitutes for Him, in order to be with Him, is not a trade-off; it’s a trade-up. It’s an infinite upgrade to know and enjoy Jesus.

The Bible doesn’t pretend that bad people don’t exist or bad things don’t happen. It actually warns us about the reality of bad stuff, prepares us to deal with bad stuff, encourages us as we go through bad stuff, and guides us to get past bad stuff. Supplies may be short, but God will supply our every need. Finances may crash, but God will be our security. Relationships may deteriorate, but God will never leave us. Sickness may invade our bodies, but God will ultimately heal us forever. Whether we escape trouble or endure it, we can be sure of this… There is always good news that overcomes the bad news.

The singing lauds the greatness of Jesus. The preaching proclaims the message of Jesus. The offering furthers the mission of Jesus. The discipleship equips the people of Jesus. The prayers unleash the power of Jesus. The Spirit transforms the image-bearers of Jesus. The communion celebrates the finished work of Jesus. The invitation welcomes new believers of Jesus. The fellowship encourages the good deeds of Jesus. The service nurtures the joy of Jesus. The gathering sends out the representatives of Jesus. Why go to a church service? Because it leads to greater honor for Jesus and greater happiness for you.

Over the course of our lives, we will make countless decisions, and each of them will change the course of our lives. Some significantly. Some insignificantly. But all of them will steer us in varying degrees as we journey through this world into the one to come. While we often let intuition and emotion be our inner guide as to what is right and wrong for us, these often lead us astray because they are skewed by many biases, experiences and influences. Thankfully, God does not leave us alone to navigate through life. He graciously directs our paths when we trust in and submit to His guidance. His way is always the right way.

Biblical humility is a response to grace. It is an acknowledgement that God helped us over and over in the past and an awareness of our need for God to help us again and again in the future. When you are humble, you know that the good things about who you are and the good things you have done are because Jesus has freely and fully made it so. We work hard, but He empowers us. We make decisions, but He enlightens us. We take opportunities, but He equips us. We keep going, but He encourages us. Let us humble ourselves and exalt Him, for nothing good about our lives would be possible without Him.

When others wrong us, repaying evil for evil is never the right answer, solution or response. We are commanded to release our instinct for revenge and let God judge, punish and make all things right in His timing and in His way. God will repay, either by accepting the payment made by Jesus on the cross should the evildoers repent and receive His grace, or by making them pay in hell if they do not. Therefore, let us overcome evil with good and leave it to God to do the work He means to do in their lives. We best model the grace of Jesus when we show it most to those who deserve it the least.

What Jesus has done, is doing and will do out of His love for us is what makes us safe and secure. He atones. He rules. He provides. He sustains. He delivers. There is nothing that can stop Him from loving us like that. And there is nothing that can separate us from a love like that. Because Jesus loves you… He gave His life for you in the past, He’s walking with you in the present, and He’s coming back for you in the future. Christian, take heart today, for though your life is not without threats and troubles, your life is safe and secure in the love of Jesus. He has loved you every day of your life. Today will not be any different.

There is not a human being on the face of the earth who fully discloses every thought, feeling, motive, desire, and attitude to others. We hide many of those things within ourselves, hoping that no one ever finds us out, because we fear the ugliness we keep tucked away would drive others away. So, we put on a mask, and we put on a show, make-believing we are something that we are not. But there is Someone Who knows the real you and loves you with a forgiving, lasting, transforming, blessing love. Christian, you are fully known by Jesus and fully loved by Jesus, even with all of your sins and shortcomings.

The decision we need to make, the step we should take, the future that is at stake are all too important to risk trying to take our best guess and our best shot at getting it right. The good news is, we don’t have to. The sweet voice of Jesus will guide us from where we are to where we need to be when we ask Him to do so. But we will not hear these life-giving, joy-producing, hope-inspiring, course-correcting, God-honoring, truth-telling words of His if we neglect to read the Bible and pray, as this is where asking and receiving takes place. So… Before you make a move, your first move is always to ask Jesus for your next move.

Though binge-eating, relaxing and other ways of coping might offer some temporary numbness when we cannot escape or eliminate the trials of life, we need something better. Because sooner or later, the numbness fades. What Jesus offers is a real comfort that doesn’t wear off. It’s an encouraging, strengthening, sustaining help that is ours when we stop looking to other helpers to do for us what only the Helper can do. Jesus will not walk away from us, but will walk with us to help us this very hour, and He will stay with us to help us through every test, trial and tribulation until He brings them to an end.