Jesus calls all who follow him to do and love as he does. It’s not about the rungs of the ladder—it’s about the mindset, posture, and action of being Christlike. This leads to a life that is connected to the favor of God and to the character of Jesus.  As individuals and as a community, let us follow Jesus’ example, focusing our mission efforts on the most vulnerable in our community and around the world.

We often fail to recognize the power of eating, specifically the experience of eating with someone. Much of Jesus’ ministry involved conversation around a table. Active listening coupled with a good meal can catapult a casual acquaintance into a growing friendship.

Everywhere we go, we are surrounded by people; people who were created by God. People matter to God, and God desires a relationship with them. The question is, do they matter to you? You can BLESS people by intentionally taking time to listen to their stories and truly know them, because being known is being loved. Let’s learn to listen!

Begin with Prayer, whether we are talking about outreach or our response to a tragedy. Prayer is the first thing we should do, but it’s not the only thing we should do. Comforting and encouraging one individual or organization begins to train our hearts for new ways of living; deeper empathy through action.

We’ve all got it and it’s really hard to let it go. Far too many of us carry heavy baggage from years of hurt, mistakes, pain, and bad choices. When it feels like you've been dealt one blow after another and become weighed down with too much baggage, can you let go and let God take control?

Life is a journey. Each of us has a road to walk and decisions to make. Are we looking forward or looking back? Are we watching our steps or looking to Jesus? The road of life was not meant to be walked alone. It was meant to be walked with Jesus. Life is what happens while we are busy trying to reach our destination. Are you ready to put your trust in Jesus and allow Him to guide you on your Journey?

Try to forget, for a moment, everything you thought you knew about Thomas. Notice that I didn’t say “Doubting Thomas,” as this nickname is the first thing we need to forget. So forget that somewhere along the way you came to believe that Thomas’ primary attribute is doubt. Forget that you still think of him as a slightly inferior disciple. Forget that you’re pretty sure Jesus rebukes him for his lack of faith. Forget all of that. Why? Because in each case the opposite is true.

Over the last two weeks we have talked about the return of Jesus - the Comeback! Today we will hear about Peter's comeback and how Jesus appears to all of us.

The words in today’s reading may be the most powerful words of Jesus! They speak to the deepest hopes we all have and they are profoundly provocative. Perhaps they will inspire our thinking about what we value most in life, or how we treat people, or how faith helps us make our way in the world. I imagine we will all hear these words differently. However we hear them, may they bring blessing, joy and peace to you today!

When Jesus said "it is finished" as He hung on the cross, He gave up His spirit and died. To many, this may have seemed like a defeat. The Evil One thought he had finished Jesus. The Roman soldiers thought they had finished Jesus. The religious elite thought they had finished Jesus. However, this is not what Jesus meant; he knew that He had fulfilled the scriptures and had been faithful to the very end. What was truly finished was the power of sin and death. What does His comeback mean for us today?