When we focus our hearts and minds on the wisdom of God, we receive a clear benefit.

Taking time to share what God has done is important encouragement to others who are going through difficulty of their own.

Look up and out to God where you can be reminded just how powerful and amazing God truly is.

Jesus paid it all for all time, and nothing and no one can stand in the way of God’s perfect plan for us and for all of his creation.

When we live in alignment with the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, God takes notice; and he promises that our treasures in heaven will be far greater than what we could ever achieve here on earth.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Allow the Holy Spirit to confront you, challenge you, and help you evaluate every aspect of your thinking and behavior.

“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.”

There is a moment when each of us must consider if at the words of Jesus, we would be willing to shift our focus to the kingdom work of Jesus over and above anything else we might be trained to do.

It is critical that we look and act differently than the world.

Only a life submitted to the will of God can achieve the results that Jesus said were possible.

The worst thing is going through life disconnected from God and from others. John tells us that Jesus came to give us full and abundant life. He came to restore us to our intended state of wholeness. And by being restored in our relationship with God, we can experience the joy of right and full relationships with each other.

You likely can look back over your life and find times when you feared some outcome that was a result of your mistakes or even someone else’s bad intentions. But have you noticed that God can take messes that we inherit and even the ones we create and turn them around for a good purpose?

When we become confused trying to discover God’s will for us for a situation, in an argument, and in all things, we can start with the basics. Treat people fairly and advocate for those who experience injustice. Treat others with kindness. Walk humbly with God.

We will need God at every age and in every season as we face new and sometimes repeated challenges as we pass through various stages of life.

When we put our trust in Jesus and abide in him, he produces fruit in our lives and through our lives that endures even into eternity.

Seeing how Jesus handled the busyness of his assignment gives us a clue to how we can manage the pressure of our own.

We will still face difficulty, opposition, and enemy attacks, but God promises we will never face them alone. With him beside us, we will get through them.

This community was simply living out the standard for forgiveness set by Jesus for everyone. They had taken to heart the model prayer of Jesus: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”