Practice of true community involves responsibilities and actions that do not come naturally to us.

May we be as severe with ourselves over our own subtle sins as we are with the vile sins we condemn in others

So often we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without taking the time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. This is impossible to do.

The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 ... obeyed by faith ... obedience is the pathway to holiness ... no one will become holy apart from a life of faith. Faith enables us to claim the promises of God, but it also enables us to obey the commands of God.

The purpose of God's discipline is not to punish us but to transform us.

The opposite of retaliation is to entrust ourselves to God, who judges justly.

Trials always change our relationship with God. Either they drive us to Him, or they drive us away from Him. The extent of our fear of Him and our awareness of His love for us determine in which direction we will move.