FROM THE KEYBOARD

God's heart is always for harmony and unity. Thus, you may be in the midst of a dispute and find yourself judicially right, but without reconciliation being the focus, you are still spiritually wrong. Again. God's heart is to restore what's broken, always! "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do" (Colossians 3:13).

Failures don't need to end with shame because when you look at the cross, you will see that Jesus put an end to shame. In fact, failures and mistakes are the passageways of God's grace. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).

It doesn't matter what type of "face value" you offer God, because the heart is the offering that God truly values. "For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (I Samuel 16:7).

"A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back" (Proverbs 29:11). A wise person holds faith, not feelings, when under pressure. Conversely, a fool holds his feelings which causes him to fold under pressure. Therefore, choose to hold onto faith and watch as faith holds onto you.

There is no neutral position as a Christian. We are either standing fast in the salvation of the Lord or sitting slow to the temptations of the world. How do you know the difference? Well, the believer who stands fast makes it a priority to pursue God's presence. Because a pursuit of Him keep us from succumbing to sin. "Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11).

The difference between a true believer and a self-deceiver is where they see their treasure. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Thus, let us be mindful that it is only an eternal perspective that is fruitful; because if we set our labor on things above, then the King above will set His favor on us.