Having courage is having a boldness and a confidence that is undeniably noticeable.  In the Bible, courage is opposite of fear.

Throughout the Bible you see God commanding courage, not because it is natural for man to be brave and courageous.  It's because God is protecting and guiding us.  It's then that we can have courage because we are confident in Him.

The Bible talks about what should be the basis of our courage.  It is the promise of God's presence, power, and perseverance with those who have put their faith in Him.

The next time you feel fearful, think about who's on your side.  The Creator of the universe.  The maker of the moon and stars.

Having true courage means believing that God is with us and for us and that nothing can separate us from the love of God.  Once you get this, then live it in your daily life!

Deuteronomy 31:6 – "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you."

A task is defined as 'a piece of work to be done or undertaken.' A task could be an assignment given to you, a mission to accomplish or a duty to fulfill.

God requires us to fulfill the great commission. What does this look like? It means spreading the good news of Jesus around the world. Now you may be limited to a geographical area, but this doesn't hold you back from telling your neighbor, your co-worker or the girl at the check-out line at the market, the great news of Jesus.

These tasks that are required of a Christian shouldn't feel overwhelming. They shouldn't feel like a job. You should be filled with joy and compassion. This should be your vision with purpose and a plan. And although you should be committed to doing God's work, this commitment should come without dread or fear.

Accept the tasks assigned to you from the Creator that created you. Consider it joy to be doing God's work. We may not always feel our tasks matter. But God’s assignments make an eternal difference.

We only have a short time here on earth to carry out God's plan for mankind. Why not show others the love that Jesus did and does show every day.

Matthew 28:19 – “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,"

The goodness of God means He's going to guide you, guard you, protect you, direct you, and save you.

To look at God's goodness, you have to look at God's character and actions.  God is the original definition of good.  For us, goodness is an added quality.  But to God, it comes naturally to Him.  God is the greatest of beings ever!

To look at God's true character, we look at His actions.  He's kind, merciful, loving, generous, never changing.  God wants to give us the goodness of life. Not because we deserve it but because of His divine nature.

I know it's hard to see the goodness of God sometimes in your own life.  But if we intentionally look, His goodness is in every day.  Every relationship, every bird, every friend, every flower and tree.  They are all a reminder of His compassion for us.

Sometimes God's good plan for us means going through trials and losses and heartache and death.  God does have greatness stored up for you.  There is a better path for those who follow Him.  Take refuge in Him.  Rest there.

When you believe that God is good all the time, it frees you to take ever-increasing steps of faith.  It gives you a trust that no matter what lies ahead, God is good.

Psalm 107:1 – "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."

There are different types of fires and different ways to fuel fire. Metaphorically speaking. They can either be destructive or useful, depending on the fuel.

If you think about a fire being ignited in your heart, this could be very productive. It can ignite passion and drive. It can ignite us to study God’s word. It can awaken us to inspire others. These types of fires need to be fueled continuously so they can burn bright.

But, there are other types of fires that left to smolder and grow, can be damaging. Bitterness for example. The more you let this settle in your thought patterns, the bigger the fire becomes until you’re engulfed in a raging fire that is almost impossible to put out.

We can pour water on these harmful fires all we want, but unless we take the steps to cut off the fuel supply, it’s always ready to re-ignite again.

In order to keep a fire, a passion for God going, you’ll need to keep God front and center. In your thoughts. In your actions and in the way you treat other people.

Let people look at you and say, “Wow! Look at the passion she/he has for God.”

Ignite your fire for God today!

Proverbs 26:20 - “Where there is no fuel a fire goes out; where there is no gossip arguments come to an end.”

Contentment is defined as 'a state of happiness and satisfaction.'  When we're content, we can sometimes find ourselves complacent, fulfilled, completely satisfied.  Those are all good things but contentment to a Christian is based on the way we think.  We don't base it on the way we feel.

Contentment as believers should be our trust and confidence in God that whatever our circumstances, we are satisfied with our condition.  But you'll find some people, even Christians, who base their contentment on their circumstances.  This is taking our eyes off God and putting them on the situation.  We sometimes think that we can change the situation without God.

How much is enough for us to be content?  Most Americans are far richer in food, water and the basic necessities than any other country in the world.  But, in my point of view, some of this has turned us away from God and into self. 

The opposite of contentment is disappointment, unhappiness, worry and sadness.  Who wants that?

Contentment comes down to trusting God with all of our heart. 

God has blessed me with so much and I hope I always convey to Him and to others that He is enough. 

Are you content today?  Do you trust God to take care of your needs?

1 Timothy 6:6-8 – "But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."

Don't you just love Spring time?  Not everyone will agree, but I do love seeing the new green growth from the ground come to life.  I love seeing the tulips budding and hearing the birds chirping.  But, there's another side to spring that is not so pleasant.  And that's allergy season. 

I spent the last week with a multitude of allergy symptoms that just about took me out.  Among all the sneezing, sore throat, coughing episodes I endured, God was there through it all.  As a matter of fact, I learned something.  Trust God, even when things look bad.  God moved my schedule around to where I had time to rest and get well faster.  It wasn't the plans that I had made, but His ended up being much better.

You could say that I grew a little last week.  My faith had a booster shot of confidence.  Confidence that no matter what comes my way, God is faithful to provide.

You see, Christian faith is about trust.  I could have felt sorry for myself last week, and just stayed home all week, missed work and stayed depressed.  Instead, I stepped out in faith, knowing that God had something better for me than that.

Be available to God so He can grow something new in you this week!

Hebrews 11:1 – "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Certain hope or a Christian hope means our focus in on heaven while our work is on earth.

Certain, is 'knowing for sure; established beyond doubt.'

As a Christian, I am confident that my hope is in Christ.  I have anchored my soul in this, knowing for certain that there is a life after death for those who believe in Jesus, believe He died on a cross for our sins, and rose again the third day.

All other hope in this world is not guaranteed.  My guaranty is the cross.  My guaranty is a hope and a future for eternity.

Those who have forgot God, have no hope.

The Bible leaves no room for doubt.  If you read the Bible you will find over and over again all the certainties of Christ. 

Just as easily as a boat will drift if not anchored, our lives can drift here and there if not anchored in the word of God.  There's stability in the storms of life when you're anchored to God.

Be certain and have no doubt that Jesus is Lord.  He will come again some day to take His children home.

Are you certain that you're ready to meet Jesus today?

Mark 13:32 – "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."

Expectant is defined as 'having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something pleasant and interesting.'

When a woman is pregnant, she is expecting a baby to arrive in 9 months or so.  This is called an expectant hope.  Now, it's not 100% certain because she could miscarry the baby.  Expectant hope is good but can come with some uncertainty.

We can have an expectant hope with God.  God tells us in Philippians 4:6 'to not be anxious about anything.'  This means, don't worry.  Don't fret about what might happen. Stay alert and be cheerfully expectant. 

As a Christian, we can expect answered prayer.  We can expect to receive a home in heaven.  And we can expect that whatever plans God has ahead for us that they are for our good and not to harm us.

Stay expecting on God's blessings, God's promises, my friends!

Philippians 4:6 – "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."