“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20 NIV)

Jesus did not merely give us a suggestion—He gave us a commission

Because all authority belongs to Him, we can go with confidence. And He did not send us alone. He promised, “Surely I am with you always.” We go in His authority and in His presence.

We are His handiwork

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

You are not an accident, and your life is not random. God designed you on purpose, for a purpose. The good works He calls you to are not interruptions to your life—they are your mission.

He has called us to a holy life

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” (2 Timothy 1:9 NIV)

Our calling flows from His grace, not our performance. We live differently because we belong to Him and represent Him.

Therefore

Live today with purpose and direction. You are sent by Christ, shaped by God, and called by grace. Wherever you go, whatever you do, remember: you are on mission. Walk in holiness, serve with intention, and speak of Christ with confidence—because He is with you always.

“Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

“Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” (Luke 12:24 NIV)

Jesus reminds us that God’s care reaches even to the smallest details of His creation

 Ravens don’t farm, stockpile, or plan ahead—yet God faithfully feeds them. And then Jesus asks the penetrating question: How much more valuable are you than the birds? If God provides for them, you can be certain He will provide for you.

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)

God has already given us His greatest gift—His own Son

Having done that, there is no doubt about His heart toward us. His provision is not reluctant; it is gracious and flowing from His love.

He supplies all your needs!

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

God’s supply is not limited by our resources but by His riches—and those riches are endless.

No need to worry!

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matt. 6:31–32)

Worry comes when we forget who our Provider is. But your Father already knows what you need—before you even ask.

Therefore

Instead of carrying the burden of worry, place your trust in God’s faithful provision. If He feeds the birds, clothes the flowers, and gave His own Son for you, you can rest in this: He will take care of you—completely and on time.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

“As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30 NIV)

This single verse is packed with strength, comfort, and assurance. It reveals four powerful truths about God and how He cares for us.

God’s way is perfect

Perfect means having all the required or desirable qualities—as good as it is possible to be, ideal, and without fault. God never makes mistakes in what He does or in how He leads our lives, even when we don’t yet understand His ways.

God’s Word is flawless

Flawless means without any blemish or imperfection—unmarked and unimpaired. God’s Word can be trusted completely. It has never failed, and it never will.

He is your shield

A shield is something that defends or protects. God Himself stands between you and what would destroy you. Not everything reaches you, because it must first get past Him.

Take refuge in Him

Refuge is a place of safety, shelter, security, and protection. God is not only your defender—He is also your safe place when life becomes overwhelming.

Therefore

When life feels uncertain, don’t trust your understanding—trust His perfect way. When fear rises, don’t rely on your strength—run to your refuge. When attacks come, remember—you are not unprotected. The Lord Himself is your shield.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Prov. 18:10)

“And his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 1:19–20 NIV)

Most believers live far below what God has made available to them

We pray, we try, we endure—but often we forget that we are not operating on human strength. The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us.

From the very beginning, the Christian life was never meant to be lived in our own ability:

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” (1 Thess. 1:5)

Jesus said He gives His followers authority:

“Behold, I give unto you power… over all the power of the enemy.” (Luke 10:19)

And He promised enablement:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me…” (Acts 1:8)

God never calls us to live the Christian life in fear or weakness:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Tim. 1:7)

When we are tired, overwhelmed, or at the end of ourselves, He doesn’t scold us—He supplies us:

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29)

That’s why Scripture doesn’t say, “Be strong in yourself,” but:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Eph. 6:10)

And here is the astonishing truth:

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Eph. 3:20)

Notice that—the power that works in us. Not someday. Not in heaven. Not for super-saints. In us. Now.

Therefore

Stop measuring your life by your strength and start trusting God’s power. When you feel weak, inadequate, or outmatched, remember: resurrection power lives in you. Step out in faith. Rely on Him. And expect God to work far beyond what you could ever do on your own.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8)

All you need is love!

The Beatles had a massive hit with their song, All You Need Is Love. And in a way, they were right—if they were talking about God’s kind of love as defined in 1 Corinthians 13. But that kind of love is far deeper, stronger, and more sacrificial than anything the world usually means by love.

Here is how God defines it:

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8 ESV)

The verse at the top tells us that love covers a multitude of sins. That is exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross. As He was being crucified, He prayed:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

It was love that held Him there. It was love that paid our debt. And it is that same love He now calls us to live out toward others.

Therefore

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15:13 NIV)

There are at least four powerful truths packed into this one verse:

1) Who? The God of hope.

Our source is not circumstances, people, or positive thinking—it is God Himself.

2) What? He fills you with all joy and peace.

Not a little. Not some. All—enough to fully satisfy and steady your heart.

3) When? As you trust in Him.

Trust is the pipeline. The more you rely on Him, the more His joy and peace flow into you.

4) Result? You overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God never fills you just to the brim—He fills you so full that it spills out into your life and into others.

He fills you to overflowing!

In other words, when you place your trust in God, He fills you with so much joy and peace that it cannot stay contained—it overflows from you by the Holy Spirit’s power.

Therefore

Don’t live on spiritual “empty” or even “half-full.” Trust Him fully—and let the God of hope fill you until your life overflows with His hope.

“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:5 NIV)

“The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 NIV)

How do you know if you are being wise according to God’s standards?

This verse at the top gives us the answer. God’s wisdom is not merely smart—it is visible in character and conduct.

It must be pure

Pure means not mixed or corrupted. It is morally clean, upright, honorable, blameless, and sincere—free from compromise and deceit.

It must be peace-loving

Peace-loving means peaceable, gentle, conciliatory, calm, and a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker.

It must be considerate

Considerate means careful not to hurt or inconvenience others—thoughtful, kind, patient, compassionate, and unselfish.

It is submissive

Submissive means willing to yield, teachable, not stubborn or self-willed—ready to follow God’s will and proper authority.

It is full of mercy

Mercy is compassion and forgiveness shown even when punishment is deserved. It demonstrates kindness, grace, patience, and tenderheartedness.

Full of good fruit

Good fruit is what the Holy Spirit produces in us:

“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)

It must be impartial

Impartial means fair, just, unbiased, and without favoritism.

It must be sincere

Sincere means genuine, honest, and free from hypocrisy—real on the inside, not just polished on the outside.

Wisdom is the principal thing!

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” (Proverbs 4:7)

Need God’s kind of wisdom? Ask Him!

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)

Therefore

Don’t measure wisdom by how clever or persuasive you are. Measure it by the fruit your life produces. If your choices are pure, peace-loving, merciful, fair, and sincere, you are walking in God’s wisdom. If not, ask God—and He promises to give it generously.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

“So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” (Eph. 4:22–24 NIV)

Even though God could work a miracle and change us instantly, He usually works with us slowly and steadily, changing us little by little. That’s how Jesus developed the lives of His disciples, and it’s how God allowed Israel to take possession of the Promised Land—“little by little”—so they would not be overwhelmed (Deut. 7:22).

Both negative and positive habits develop over time

You don’t get out of shape instantly—physically or mentally—and you don’t get into good shape instantly either. I was reminded of this when my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic and needed to lose weight. It had taken me a long time to gain the weight, and I realized it would also take time to lose it. So I developed a plan that took a year and a half, and I lost 60 pounds. The progress was slow and the changes came in small increments—but it worked.

Good character habits take time to develop

To develop Christlike character, you must practice it over time. Your character is the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind. Your habits eventually define who you are. There are no instant habits.

That’s why Paul urged Timothy:

“Practice these things; devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.” (1 Tim. 4:15 ESV)

Therefore

Don’t be discouraged by slow progress. God is far more interested in steady, lasting transformation than in quick, shallow change. If you keep walking with Him and taking small, faithful steps, He will complete the work He has started in you.

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23 NIV)

The heart is regarded as the center of a person’s inner life—the core of one’s thoughts, desires, choices, and emotions.

In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the word heart is used to refer to the whole inner person, not merely the emotions. Biblically speaking, the heart is made up of three parts: the mind, the will, and the emotions. It is the control center of who you really are.

Everything you do flows from your heart

Believers are instructed:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.” (Proverbs 4:23–26 NIV)

Guarding your heart

When Solomon refers to guarding the heart, he is talking about protecting the inner core of a person—your thoughts, desires, motives, will, and choices. The Bible tells us that our thoughts shape who we become (Proverbs 23:7; 27:19). A person’s mind reflects who he really is, not merely his outward actions or words.

That is why God looks at the heart and not merely the outward appearance:

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)