1 Peter 4

Are you clean enough to leave a message? God's people are best noticed when they leave a trail of kind deeds and acts of grace behind, cleaning up a dingy world gone bad.

How do you handle being rejected because you are a Christian? There are times when we are going to be rejected because we are Christians.

Some negative descriptions actually may be good! Russ Lawson takes a gag gift he received from his kids and reminds us that it is OK to be an old coot if this means being different from the world.

Is your home and heart open to others? We must open our homes to others!

Does peer pressure have you doing the wrong thing? Don't let peer pressure make you do what is wrong; just do the right thing.

What does freedom mean? A collection of Scriptures for July 4, Independence Day.

Who in the world is this dude who played such an important role? Steve Higginbotham writes about Bezalel, an artist who was chosen by God to design and oversee the construction of the Tabernacle and all the sacred items found in it during the rugged time of the wilderness wanderings.

Why is there so much fussing and fighting over spiritual gifts? Phil Ware continues his series on the Holy Spirit called SpiritFire and focuses on the issue of spiritual gifts.

What are we really promising people in our churches? Phil Ware shares an experience where a small town was way over hyped and didn't live up to its advertising and compares it to what happens in our churches and encourages us to build God's community.

Can a Patrick Odum talks about how we are all called to be ministers and challenges us to imagine church lived that way.

Now aren't you nice!? Patrick Odum shares about the compliment guys and how they bless people and how we can, too.

Called. Sometimes, I think we use that word as an excuse to not do scary things. Jordan Harrell reminds us that there are some things we are all called to do because that is what Jesus wants from us.

Why in the world would someone want to be an umpire? If you want something bad enough, you go for it and do whatever it takes to do it, even if no one understands you.

You mean I am an important tool in God's ministry toolset? Phil Ware reminds us that God longs to fashion us into a vital tool in The Master's SIGnature Toolset to be used for Kingdom and church ministry.

Are you willing to do all those tedious, little things of love? Little things, done faithfully, like taking out the garbage, are the glue, the grace, of ongoing and lasting relationships and marriages.

What happens if your best isn't good enough? Mike Barres reminds us that we all reach times in our lives when our best efforts are not enough, but God can do what needs to be done if we will persevere, fast, and pray.

How do you find your part? Alan Smith talks about a junior high music teacher whose students didn't play.

This trek of discovery was our great joy in a year of deep sorrow. In the process, each of us discovered treasures old and new. Phil Ware continues his series on how the Bible and how God values women and their role in ministry.

What do your ears want to hear? Some folks only want to hear the cheery stuff from God, not the hard stuff, too.

What have you done with all those gifts? Phil Ware continues his just one series and focuses on using our spiritual gift and the principles involved.

How far would you go in your love and trust of the Lord? Suffering and death for the cause of Christ are now viewed as something sad, unnecessary, and a wast.

Are you getting a little too old for this? We must live for God's purpose and also seek to be useful.

Jesus died. He was buried. He was raised from the dead. Each one of those facts reminds us that Jesus was not some antiseptic hero from a distance. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that Jesus died and was buried and that his burial has special significance for us.

Can you see God's signature on his masterpiece? Phil Ware reminds us that we are all God's gifted children and that God has put his signature on each of us in three different ways.

When others say unkind things about people, what do you say? Max Lucado reminds us that love protects when others speak untruth, spread gossip, or destroy reputations.

When's the last time you welcomed someone in? We have been brought into the circle of God's grace and we must graciously bring others in as well.

Are we looking in the right places to find happiness for ourselves? Teresa Bell Kindred reminds us that what we define as happiness is nearly always temporary pleasure that is soon gone and leaves us unhappy; happiness is really on our own shoulders.

Does God still speak and make his presence known in our lives or is he silent, leaving us to decipher our own way through our troubled world? Phil Ware continues his series on finding God's vision for our lives and living on mission for God.