When Jesus takes our sin, what happens to our sin? Where does our sin go if it is no longer ours to carry?

When Jesus removes our sin, he takes our sin upon himself. Jesus carries our sin so that we do not have to carry it.

Paul wrote the church in Corinth, saying, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV).

Are you being overcome, or are you overcoming?

We can be overcome by the evil in this world, or we can overcome evil with God’s goodness.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Rome, encouraging them, saying, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, ESV).

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.'” (Matthew 4:1-3, ESV).

Prayer and fasting go together hand in hand. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assumed both prayer and fasting, saying "when you pray" and "when you fast" (Matthew 6:5 and 6:16). Notice Jesus did not say "if". The assumption is followers of God will be active in the disciplines of prayer and fasting.

After his baptism, Jesus began his earthly ministry with prayer and fasting when "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1-2 and Luke 4:1-2).

Where does temptation come from? How are we tempted? Why are we tempted? What do we do about temptation? Where is God when we are tempted?

Ever since the fall of humanity, in Genesis chapter three, humanity has been tempted by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. When the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, he did so by sowing seeds of doubt, “Did God really say?” … “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (Genesis 3:1-7, ESV). Eve was tempted by what she saw, she desired to satisfy her hunger, and she longed to be wise and to be like God.

In his book Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters, Timothy Keller makes the point that we are tempted to make gods of money, sex, and power. Keller says, “the incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy [the human] heart” (Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods). Our temptations will always fall short of satisfying the void in us, which only God can fill.

Where do you find peace in times of anxiety? How do you endure and overcome anxiousness?

There are many aspects of life that provoke anxiety in the best of us, and in the best of times, in this broken world.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church in Philippi, saying, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬, ESV‬‬)

What role does truth play in your life? How do you determine truth? What is the outcome of truth in your life?

Truth is of essential importance in rightly navigating life. We come to know truth as we come to know God through his word. When we behold God’s truth and live it out, we are set free by God’s truth.

In John’s Gospel account, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, ESV).

What does repentance bring about in the follower of Jesus? What are the benefits and outcomes of turning from our sin and back towards God?

Repentance brings about restoration and reconciliation with God and others. When we turn from our sin towards God, he meets us with forgiveness and restoration.

After his sinful affair with Bathsheba, King David wrote Psalm 51, pleading with God, saying, “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:11-12, ESV).

What happens when we look fully at the glory of God?

God’s glory transforms us into his likeness. We are more like Jesus when we look directly at Jesus with unveiled faces.

God’s Spirit reveals God’s glory to us, frees us, and transforms us into his image as we behold God’s glory. This transformation comes from God himself, we do not earn it, and we do not deserve it on our own merit.

In his second letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, ESV).

Are you thirsty? What are you thirsty for?

Our desires transcend our natural needs. We can thirst for God and his kingdom just as we thirst for cool water on a hot summer day.

The Psalmist writes, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” (Psalm 42:1, ESV).

How do we walk the path of life? Do we walk according to our bodily desires, or do we walk according to the Spirit of God?

The Apostle Paul encouraged the church in Galatia saying, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, ESV).

If we are walking one way, we cannot simultaneously walk in a different direction. In the same manner, we cannot walk in the ways of our sinful and fleshly desires and walk by the Spirit of God.

How can we believe what we did not see for ourselves? How do we bear witness to what others do not see?

If we do not witness truth for ourselves, we can rely on firsthand witnesses who we trust to be reliable.

The Apostle Peter wrote of his encounter on the mount of Transfiguration, saying, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,’ we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16-18, ESV).

Have you ever experienced a complete change? Have you ever witnessed a complete change or transformation?

The presence and glory of God transforms everyone who encounters God and his glory-filled presence.

Jesus took his closest disciples up to a high mountain and was transfigured by God’s glory before their very eyes.

Mathew tells us in his gospel account, “After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:1-2, ESV).

What do you do when you know you are not where you need to be in your relationship with God? How about in your relationship with your neighbor, or with yourself?

You can keep going in the direction you are headed, or you can change course.

The saying goes, “The definition of insanity is doing what you have always done and expecting different results.” It is the same in our relationship with God.

God spoke to the sinful people of Judah through the prophet Joel, saying, “‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God?” (Joel 2:12-14, ESV).

To whom do you dedicate your work? What purpose does your work serve?

Our work matters. Our work has purpose and meaning in the world and for eternity. God has given us the gift of work for his glory and kingdom advancement.

The wisdom of the Proverbs instructs us to “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3, ESV).

Have you ever gotten caught up in the comparison trap? Have you envied someone else, their talents, skills, gifts, personality, strengths, or possessions?

When it comes to the people of God, the church, we share in the blessings of one another. We enjoy and benefit from what each person has to offer. There is no competition or comparison in the Kingdom of God. We belong to one another.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23, ESV).

When situations are complex and unsure, are you confident in the leading hand of God?

We can easily become overwhelmed with the demands and uncertainties of life. It can be challenging to see God’s will, and to understand how God is leading and what he is doing.

The Psalmist writes about God’s presence and leading, even in the worst, most remote, and most destitute places, saying, “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139:10, ESV).

What does it look like to be under God’s hand?

Humility and peace occur when we are under the hand of God.

We cannot be under God’s hand until we humble ourselves. And when we humble ourselves under the hand of God, he lifts us up. We can place all our anxieties upon the one who cares for us, and we can be at peace.

In his first letter, the Apostle Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7, ESV).

What is the church? Is the church a building or a program you go to? Or is the church the people of God called out of the world to bring the Kingdom of God to the world?

The church is the people of God.

Author and pastor Tony Evans said, “Far too often, we have limited the definition of the Church. While not in all cases, in many cases, 'Church' has become an informational, inspirational weekly gathering rather than the group of people that God has ordained from Heaven to operate on his behalf on Earth in order to bring Heaven's viewpoint into history.” (Tony Evans).

What is the work God has called you to do? What will you receive as reward for doing the work God has called you to?

As followers of Jesus, we are God’s workers. We are co-laborers with God to produce kingdom fruit as his field. We are co-laborers with God to build God’s kingdom dwelling in the world.

Paul wrote the Corinthian church saying, “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” (1 Corinthians 3:8-9, ESV).

Are you at peace or afraid? Do you have peace or do you need peace?

Fear is the enemy of peace. We cannot be at peace if we are afraid. This broken world offers us more to be afraid of than it does to be at peace over.

God offers to give us the peace we are longing for. The peace God gives is a perfect peace—the peace of Jesus.

In John’s Gospel Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27, ESV).