Are you living with an open or closed heart? Jesus died on the cross and bore the weight of our pain, knowing we wouldn't be able to handle it on our own. When we open up our hearts, we find confidence in the goodness and light of the Son: the one man who will never hurt us.

God wants more than anything to be around us, within us, beside us, and working with us. This is the why behind the what. We respond to Him by pursuing holy lives and honoring the covenant He has made with us.

God gives us the endurance, just like Paul, to not lose heart in the midst of pain. Are you living today from an eternal perspective, or are you living for the moment?

When we trade in our worldly status for the pursuit of Jesus, we gain something that the world can never give: the beauty of the cross..

As we endure trials as Christians, we share in Christ's sufferings and can rejoice, knowing the Spirit of glory rests on us. We are challenged to take up our cross daily, die to ourselves, and allow Christ to shape us into his image.

Living in “wild” times like the ancient city of Corinth, we are reminded that Paul’s apostolic leadership did not expire 2,000 years ago—but is alive more than ever.