Our lives as Christians shoud reflect the love that is shown toward us. Our first love should be that love for our Savior. Let's look at some examples of those that loved Jesus, and why they loved Him.

God's love is that amazing love. A love that is extended to us, as undeserving as we are. Let's look at some of the characteristics of that love that is spoken of at great length in the Bible.

Life on this earth is filled with troubling times and challenges that sometimes can overcome even our best efforts. Where do you turn when help is needed? What examples do we find in scripture?

No matter where you go in this life, no matter how far you think you can move from God, He will remain ever near.

For some, the simple act of baptism may appear insignificant. For others, the actual performance of being immersed in water is just plain silly. But for the believer, it represents the willingness of being obedient to a command of the Lord and the beginning of a new life in a walk with the Lord leading to salvation.

How many times do you hear someone being accused of believing everything they hear or read? There's a real danger in our faithful lives to be gullible to any idea that comes along that is not from our Father. We are warned to test the virtue of every "truth" because of the false ideas put out by non-believers in their quest to deceive.

Albeit highly underestimated by many of us, we exist as an example to someone. Our influence is exerted in some way, for better or worse, to someone. Who do you look to as an example? Who do you pattern your life after?

Although you may not have quite thought of it this way, but we are placed on this earth to be builders. We are commanded to build a church home, His church. We build homes, families, lives, and relationships, and our Lord is our only Architect of this design. We are His workers in this Kingdom and He has given us the blueprints in His Word.

We should realize that knowing Jesus is not just knowing about Jesus. To really know someone, a relationship must be established, a relationship that shares life with one another. That's the kind of relationship we should have with our Savior.

The promises of God are not slack or second-rate. We depend on those promises and all things God provides for us. Many times, though, those promises are contingent on our obedience.

Of course, there are many more reasons to be thankful than just ten. But these are some of the reasons we can find in scripture that we should hold dear to our heart. And there is not just a period of time to be thankful to God, but to be thankful always to Him as the Creator and Provider of all.

How is the world going to know you're a Christian? Your life and actions should bespeak your faith and it begins by a demonstrated love for one another. If you were to be tried for your faith as a Christian, would there be enough evidence to bring a conviction?

Among the many excuses of why one would NOT obey the gospel, let's contrast that troubling thought with the virtues and blessings of the obedience that God wills us to do.

This is a proposition put to great men of the Bible by God. It continues to be put before us today. This challenge comes with an alternative, also. To not choose to seek God, you seek only destruction. "Choose you this day whom you will serve."

Sometimes, we may think our attempt to live the Christian life is going according to plan. But whose plan is it? God has given us access to His will through the written Word. Do we know what His will for us is, or do we reject His will for an alternative of some uncertain origin?

As God's royal priesthood, we are placed in a position to extend the praise and blessings of God. Truly, we become the light in a world of darkness.

In Keith's absence, we are blessed to hear Brendan Chance bring us the lesson today. Brendan discusses the symbolic and figurative uses of the image of the 'tree' as portrayed in the scriptures.

Our covenant with God is sealed by those fateful nails that pierced our Savior's hands and feet. Those nails, along with holding our Savior, held the fate of the final defeat of Satan, nailing down the only way to God and His faithfulness.

The eternal hope that we have access to was bought with a price at a sacrificial cost. Without that sacrifice, we have no hope. But the hope we have is given as a promise, given in love, a hope beyond this life.

The foundation of love as given by God, is the principle of the Christian life, rooted and established in love. Paul reveals the power of this love in his letter to the Corinthians and love's relationship to "All Things."