Every hour of every day we must choose between two options for how we will live: the ways of the world or the ways of God. The temporary pleasure, the quick fix, the easier path, the feel-good philosophy, the you-do-you attitude and the comfort zone are incredibly popular and powerful enticements. They aren’t always wrong options, but they are never right options if we choose them over what God tells us. The good news for us is this: We do not have to face life’s temptations, tests and turns in our own power and wisdom. When we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us, He will always choose what is best for us.

Human effort couldn’t overcome it. Human wisdom couldn’t solve it. Human goodness couldn’t cancel it. But God did something glorious and gracious about our biggest problem: He condemned our sin on the cross so you and I don’t have to be condemned for our sin. For those who are trusting in Jesus, this means we don’t have to live in constant unease that God is going to turn against us or turn us away when we don’t measure up. Our sins, our shortcomings, our struggles and our setbacks have all been dealt with once and for all. We are safe in Jesus. He takes away our sin and makes a way for us to not sin.

Here’s the ironic truth about gossip: it says more about the one doing the talking than the one being talked about. Gossip reveals a heart that finds more pleasure in the transfer of information than in the transformation of an individual. It is the opposite of the gospel for it is indifferent to its harmful effect on others, or it is intent on that harmful effect. Rather than pointing out the bad news about others, we should use our words to point to the good news of our Savior. Let us fill our minds and our mouths with things that repeat His story. If we’re going to say something about someone else, may it be about Jesus.

It’s okay to not be okay. It’s not okay to stay that way. Especially when God has equipped the church to take care of one another as we depend upon Him to graciously provide what we need in our time of need. He calls, gifts, empowers, mobilizes, and sends the church of Jesus to be His hands, feet, and mouth to people inside and outside the family of God. Therefore, the smartest thing you can do when you find yourself feeling overpowered, overwhelmed or overloaded is to ask for help. If it’s more than you can handle alone, that’s God’s way of saying He doesn’t want you to handle it alone.

We spend planting day in anticipation of harvest day. We spend pre-season getting ready for post-season. We spend rehearsal time longing for show time. We spend work hours to enjoy weekend hours. All this for a fleeting yield, championship, applause, and pleasure. How much more important is it to spend today in getting ready for, in anticipation of, and in longing for eternity? This life isn’t all there is! Eternal fruit, eternal victory, eternal glory and eternal enjoyment are coming. Christian, rejoice and recommit to living for what matters most. This life will soon end, but praise God, the next one never will.

Because of Jesus, we can have courage; the kind of courage that does not shrink back from saying and doing the right things no matter what people might think of us, what might happen to us, and what it might cost us if we remain faithful to Him. We press on, knowing that He will graciously keep us and empower us and provide for us and go with us and deliver us and save us because He has promised to do so. Therefore… Be bold to speak the truth in His love. Be brave to face enemies with His love. Be encouraged in opposition by His love. If He is for you, it really doesn’t matter who is against you.

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.

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 thing about being deceived is you don’t know you are being deceived. You think something is real, but it’s not. You think something is true, but it’s not. You think something is right, but it’s not. Things aren’t always what they look like, sound like or feel like they seem to be. And often it’s our own hearts that trick us into believing what we want to be genuine. So, how do we spot counterfeits? By hearing, embracing, knowing and living out the message of Jesus. We must look to His life-giving, life-enriching truth to be the fountainhead of our thinking and feeling and desiring that sets us free from all deception.

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.