Life Lessons

This year has been full of new and old lessons reiterated:

1a. People will inevitably fail you.
1b. But there is One who will never fail you. Turn to and rely on Him.

2a. Do not let your circumstance dictate the joy that you should have in Christ.
2b. To be reminded and convicted of this joy over and over again, you must not rely on learning through just experience but on the solid foundation of the Word.

3a. Earthly shepherds can be a huge blessing, but your faith should be reliant on the Good Shepherd.
3b. It's all about Jesus - not about what church has the best ministry, best music, best turnout, etc.
3c. No church is going to be perfect.

1 Cor. 12: 12-17
What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.