What is your life producing? If someone were to watch your life and assess what you contribute, would they be able to see the good you are producing?

We are called to live fruitful lives as followers of Jesus. We are to produce good in the world.

Jesus taught in Luke’s Gospel that “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45, ESV).

Our contribution speaks about the condition of our heart. We will do good out of the goodness within us. If our heart is filled with evil, our lives will produce evil in the world. If our heart is good, we will produce good in our lives. Out of the overflow of our heart we speak and live.

Is the world supposed to be as bad as it is? Are things the way they should be, or is the world broken or incomplete?

Most of the time when the scriptures refer to “the world”, they are referring to the broken and sinful nature of the world, not to the world as God intended it before the fall of humanity.

The Apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:15-16, ESV).

The broken and sinful nature of “the world”, includes the same temptations that have existed for all of time, “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life”. We are not to love these lustful sinful impulses which lead us away from God.

What are you fighting for in your life? What are you trying to take hold of in your life?

We fight to obtain, and to maintain, what is important to us. We seek to take hold of that which is important and of value to us. We fight for what is of consequence. We take hold of what is significant which we want to keep.

Our faith is worth fighting for. Eternal life is worth holding on to.

The Apostle Paul wrote his young disciple Timothy, instructing him to “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12, ESV).

Do you often find what you are seeking?

Most of us find what we are seeking.

The problem is, we are often seeking the wrong things, and we find them.

We find what we do not need, and we find what is not good for us, because we are looking in the wrong places, or we are looking for the wrong things.

We get what we are looking for, so it matters what we seek, and it matters where we seek.

The Apostle Paul wrote the Colossian church, saying, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1, ESV).

How much should we extend ourselves in love to God? How much are we extending ourselves in love? Are we loving God with all of who we are—heart, soul, and strength?

We often compartmentalize our relationship with God. We may love God well in our thinking, but we may not love God well in our bodies. We may love God well in our emotions, but we may not love God well in our intellect.

The Book of Deuteronomy, the law, instructs us, saying, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5, ESV).

God wants us to love him with all of who we are. God created us holistically and desires for us to love him with our whole selves.

How do we balance our understanding of God’s justice and righteous anger over the world’s brokenness and sin with God’s favor, rescue, and redemption?

God’s righteous anger over the enemy’s work in this world and in our lives is real. God’s favor is also real. While we encounter God’s anger, encounter grief, and encounter darkness, the dawn of God’s favor, light, love, and joy is coming. God’s favor will last a lifetime.

The Psalmist writes, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5, ESV).

What reward is there for those who do good? Is there value in being good and doing good?

Being good is its own reward.

God also intercedes for and protects those who are concerned with what is good.

The Apostle Peter wrote, “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” (1 Peter 3:13, ESV).

We can be sure that God is with us and that God goes before us as we “are zealous for what is good?”

May we focus on the good and do good in the world as we enjoy the security of God’s protection and presence with us.

Does God abandon you when you are tempted to do the wrong thing? Where is God when you are confronted with temptation?

Not only is God present with you when you are tempted to do the wrong thing, God is faithful and is actively providing you with a way to escape and endure your temptation.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthian church with this encouragement, saying, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV).

God is faithful. God is with us. God is for us. God is present with us in our temptation and God is working to help us to endure our temptation and to help provide us a way of escape from our temptation.

Where does life come from? What are the issues concerning life and death?

God is the author of life. Life originated from God and it is God who champions life in the world. The evil one—the enemy of life is only concerned with stealing from life, killing life, and destroying life.

Jesus said this about life and death: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, ESV).

God is concerned with life in an abundance for his creation. Anything and anyone who diminishes life in any way is not doing God’s life-giving work. Those who do the work of stealing, killing, and destroying are participating in the work of the enemy.

May we be about God’s work of abundant life and find ourselves on the right side of issues of life and death in the world.

What do your words say about the condition of your heart? What do your words say about God, others, and yourself?

Our words express what is going on inside of us. Our words speak of the condition of our hearts. If our heart is good, we will speak well. If our heart is bad, we will speak badly.

Jesus said it this way, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45, ESV).

We speak from our heart. If we want to speak words of grace, seasoned with salt, we must address the matters of our heart.

The Psalmist prays, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14, ESV).

How are coming to know God and make him known to others in your life?

The Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:3, ESV).

All nations are to come into the light of the knowledge of God. We are called to this mission of sharing God’s light with the nations.

Jesus’ last words to his disciples were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19 ESV).

Jesus is calling us to make him known to the nations. We are to make disciples of all people.

May we be about the mission of God as we make disciples of the nations, inviting them to come into the light of God’s love.

What does God’s justice look like in the world? How are we to live out our faith in the face of all kinds of injustice in the world?

God is a God of justice. As the people of God, we are to be a people of justice in our lives and in this world.

God spoke through the Prophet Micah, saying, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8, ESV).

God requires his followers to do good and to be people of justice. We are to do justice. We are to love kindness. We are to walk in humility with our God.

Are you comforted in the fact that you were created on purpose? What did God have in mind when he made you? What purpose did God envision when he purposefully created you?

God formed each of us intentionally. We are no accident. God created us uniquely and on purpose. God formed us intricately out of his love for us and mission for our lives and for his kingdom.

The Psalmist writes, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14 ESV).

God’s creation is wonderful. We are fearfully and wonderfully crafted by our creator.

What are you afraid of? What causes you to fear? What empowers and emboldens you?

Uncertainties in this life can cause us to fear. We can feel paralyzed by what we fear. We can be tempted to doubt and to sin because of our uncertainties and phobias.

In his final words to his young disciple Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV).

God’s Spirit helps us to not be afraid. God’s Spirit gives us God’s power. God’s Spirit lavishes us with the love of God. God’s Spirit gives us God’s control and resolve.

May we experience the courage, boldness, empowerment, love, and control of God as we put our trust in him.

Have you reflected on how you have changed through the years? Have you changed since you first began to follow Jesus? Do you like who you are? Are you satisfied with who you are becoming?

When we become followers of Jesus, we become a new creation in Jesus. When we are in Christ, our old self has come to an end and our new self has begun. We grow and change in our relationship with Jesus. We are new creations in our relationship with Jesus. The new has come.

The Apostle Paul wrote the Corinthian church about this encouragement of being a new creation in Jesus. Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV).

To whom do you belong? Where do you find your purpose? How do you understand your identity, this world, and your role in this world?

This world is God’s and everything and everyone in it. Our purpose and our vocation in this life depends on the God who designed it, made it, and purposed everything in it. We find our belonging in the one to whom we belong—we belong to God.

The Psalmist writes, “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1 ESV).

When we see ourselves as belonging to God and living in a world that belongs to God, it is easier to focus on God and his purposes in the world and to seek to do the will of God.

May we see ourselves as belonging to God and seek to do his will in this world of his.

What do you notice about people or organizations that are truly great? How do people or organizations truly make an impact in the lives of others?

There is no better way to be great and to make an impact in the lives of others than service.

People who think outside of themselves and to the betterment and the well-being of others are humble servants who make a measurable impact in the world. There is nothing better than humble service to change lives and to make a difference.

Jesus modeled this humble service and calls his followers to serve in a giving, selfless, and self-sacrificial manner to love others well.

Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28, ESV).

Do you have people who speak into your life with truth and love?

We need people who can help us see ourselves clearly and who can help us navigate life. We need people to help us to understand how we can be better. We need others to help hold us accountable and to seek reconciliation with God and others.

We cannot go about life on our own. We need other people. We are better together.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus spoke about addressing conflict and seeking understanding for the unity of his people. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20 ESV).

How do we handle people who wrong us and break our trust? How has God dealt with us?

If we live in this world for any time at all, we will be wronged by someone. We will get hurt at some point in our lives by others. Trust will be broken. Wounds will be received. People will break us. We will experience sin.

How should we respond when we experience brokenness from others?

The scriptures teach us in Romans that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV).

The Apostle John wrote, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11, ESV).

Where does salvation come from? How are we rescued from our brokenness? Who rescues us from our sin?

Our salvation comes from Jesus when we confess him as Lord and believe in him.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, ESV).

Salvation comes from God alone. Our first step in being saved is looking outside of ourselves to Jesus as we recognize him as Lord and believe in our heart that God resurrected him.