Jesus used a precious pearl to symbolize the value of God’s Kingdom. In the parable The Pearl of Great Price, Jesus compares the journey of heaven to a merchant searching for fine pearls and selling everything he had to buy them. Are you giving your all to follow Jesus?

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit, yet periods of waiting have a way of testing your faith. In stressful times, when nothing seems to be going right, it’s important to be mindful that God is in control. He will give you the desires of your heart in His time.

Some people seem focused on being negative—being a bad influence, gossiping or judging others. Rather than delving into darkness and conflict be a gentle guide to show another the Light.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale said, “How you live your life is directly proportional to how greatly you believe. Believe little, and you will have a little life. If your belief is weak, you will get a weak life. If your faith is fear-based, you will live a life of fear. But when you believe big, you get a big life!”

This verse is a comforting reminder for those that have loved ones in heaven—those who die in the Lord live with Him, and so they live with us as He does. Christianity has tremendous power; the resurrection of life over all defeat, over death itself.

In the above parable, one of the servants was afraid to take a risk. He let insecurity and fear of failure guide his actions. The next time an opportunity comes your way instead of hesitating because of doubts, trust that it will all work perfectly.

God wants you to fully experience the world, to notice and enjoy His wonders of creation. When you break out of your daily routine and make an effort to try something new, you gain a fresh perspective, see new possibilities and discover amazing things!

This verse is a reminder of how life can sift or shake you until you feel as if your world is falling apart. Scripture reminds us that when you are at your lowest Jesus is by your side, walking with you, praying for you and guiding you.

God intended you to live a life filled with hope. If fear has taken control and stolen your optimism, release your worries to God. Open your heart and allow a strong, fresh current of hope to enter back into your life.

It’s easy to be happy when everything is going your way, but how you respond to dark and difficult times is a test of true character. In the above verse, despite their suffering, Paul and Silas praise God. They worship in the worst circumstances and inspire others by their actions.

The most important way to spend your day is to model your actions after Jesus. Every day brings new opportunities to become more like Him. To offer compassion, understanding and love, to be a blessing to those around you.

Job tried desperately to understand God’s actions. And although God responded to Job with a flurry of questions, He never directly answered him. God’s response shows that His actions, His reasons cannot be reduced to human understanding.