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An incredible burden is lifted when we rest in the forgiveness that is ours in Jesus. We can apologize for our shortcomings and admit our wrongdoings because His grace covers them all. Every wrong thought. Every wrong attitude. Every wrong motive. Every wrong word. Every wrong action. We’re not perfect, and we don’t have to pretend to be. Yes, we strive by grace to grow into the new people Jesus is remaking us into, but we don’t have to fake it, hide it or rationalize it when we fail. We can own it because of this glorious truth: it is forgiven. Move on from sin and shame… We did it, but Jesus died for it.

Entertainment has an agenda, and it’s often not just to entertain. While Christians have varying convictions on what they should and should not be entertained by, all of us need to be cautious of the influence that movies, music, books, podcasts and so forth have on us. Much of the events and content that is available to entertain us glorifies sin and desensitizes us to sin. It makes… Wrong things look right. Holy things look comical. Forbidden things look acceptable. Godly things look foolish. Bad things look good. So, let us consider turning off those influences that turn us away from loving and following Jesus.

As Christians, what we do needs to be grounded in what Jesus graciously has done, is doing and will do for us. Otherwise, it will become a joyless, hopeless burden on us. It’s not just “be strong,” it’s “be strong in the Lord.” It’s not just “rejoice,” it’s “rejoice in the Lord.” It’s not just “hope,” it’s “hope in the Lord.” It’s not just “boast,” it’s “boast in the Lord.” It’s not just “have faith,” it’s “have faith in the Lord.” It’s not just “stand fast,” it’s “stand fast in the Lord.” Self-confidence and self-effort will sooner or later lead to self-despair and self-destruction. Remember: It’s not about trying really hard; it’s about relying on the Lord.

Most people don’t like to be told what to do. Our immediate response is usually pushing back or pulling back from those who are giving us unwanted instruction or information. We want to make our own choices for what we will and will not do based on what we like and do not like. But as we trust Jesus more fully, we increasingly… Like to hear His voice. Like to receive His guidance. Like to have Him tell us what to do. Why? Because we know that He loves us and will speak to us about what is best for us. Let us follow Him in faith today, knowing that whatever He has us do, we will like it very much in the end.

They may not listen. They may not care. They may not believe. But the people in our lives need to hear us bear witness to what Jesus has done for us. We have been summoned to take the stand and testify to what we know to be true. How? One way is by pointing to Jesus as the source of everything bragworthy about our past, present and future. He forgives, restores and guides us. He gives us peace, strength and rest. He is our security, hope and joy. He fills our lives with purpose, confidence and blessing. By God’s grace, may it not be that others do not know of Jesus because we did not tell what we know of Him.

The enemy wants to convince you that God isn’t using your life to make much of a difference in this world, but nothing good you do for others in the name of Jesus is ever wasted. What you do matters! Even the small stuff counts, for a tiny spark can start a wildfire and a tiny seed can birth a mighty tree. In your home, at your workplace, throughout your neighborhood, across your community, around the world… Keep doing what you were made to do even when it is hard, unpopular, tiring, inconvenient, thankless, lonely or unnoticed, trusting that God will work through you to fulfill His purposes.

Some storms build slowly. Some storms develop quickly. Some storms end quickly. Some storms disappear slowly. But… No matter how great or lasting the storm that arises in your life, Jesus rules in absolute control over when it rages and when it ceases. It doesn’t get in the way of His plan working out; it’s a way of working out His plan. Even storms serve His purposes for good! Listen… If you trust Jesus for eternal life, then trust Him during everyday life. And if the storm doesn’t scare Him, it shouldn’t scare you either. Because you are in the boat together, and He’s already promised to get you to the other side.

Hard times can cause people to harden their hearts against God, but good things in life can make us just as unfeeling toward Him. When things go wrong, we are tempted to blame God; when things go right, we are tempted to ignore God. Overcoming this sinful tendency to live as if God doesn’t care or as if God isn’t there will only happen when we regularly remind ourselves of Who He is and how good He is. He helps us in hard times and gifts us with good things so that we will… Remember Him. Rejoice in Him. Remain with Him. Don’t let the seriousness of the bad or the shininess of the good keep you from Him.

We’ve been conditioned our entire lives to keep our eyes on the scoreboard. The metric may come as points in a game, likes on a social media post, balances in savings accounts, members of a network, or notches on whatever kind of belt you’re wearing. However it is measured, the attitude is the same: the one with the best score wins. But in God’s kingdom, it’s not about how we rank against others or how we are rated by others. Instead, it’s about depending on Jesus to faithfully use what we have been given to do what we have been assigned. The only score which matters is the one in which Jesus wins in our lives.

If you do it out of duty, you’ll be resentful. If you do it for attention, you’ll be prideful. If you do it just when it’s convenient, you’ll be neglectful. But… If you do it because of love, you’ll be joyful. Obeying Jesus isn’t a matter of duty, show or convenience; it’s a matter of the heart. Our affection for Him produces our devotion to Him. We don’t say and do the right things because that’s the way we should live, but because that’s the way should love the One who tells us what things are right for us to say and do. May grace continue to change how we feel about Him so that more and more His wants become our wants.