Forward to the Kingdom!

1. We can be thankful that God is longsuffering, and gives longsuffering through His Spirit.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9; see also Galatians 5:22).

2. It will take patience to wait for Jesus Christ’s second coming.

Be patient like a farmer waiting for fruit...

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8).

3. Growing in patience can be painful, but it produces perfect fruit.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

For more about patience, see “Longsuffering: A Fusion of Patience and Power.”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Repentance and conversion are cause for joy!

“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7; see also David’s prayer of repentance, Psalm 51:12).

2. God wants us to rejoice always!

God wants us to rejoice always!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4; see also James 1:2-3).

3. The eternal joy God offers makes the troubles of this life fade in comparison.

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

For more about the joy God gives, see “Joy: Foundation for a Positive Life.”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Grudges are not acceptable before God.

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18, emphasis added throughout).

2. Don’t hold on to what makes you angry. It only makes you bitter and open to Satan’s attacks.

Don't hold on to what makes you angry...

“‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:26-27, New International Version).

3. We need to forgive those who have wronged us as soon as possible, giving up any revenge we have in our heart and the grudge we are holding onto.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses” (Mark 11:25-26).

For more about this subject, see “Seeking Revenge or Seeking God?”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Tell the truth lovingly.

“But, speaking the truth in love, [we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

Use your tongue to show kindness.

2. Talk with kindness.

“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26).

3. Praise God.

“And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28).

For more about what the Bible says we should say, see “Encouraging Words.”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. We will be judged by our words.

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks… But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:34, 36).

2. Our tongues have the power of life and death.

"The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity..."

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).

3. Our tongues can spark all kinds of evil and problems.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell” (James 3:6).

For more about the dangers of the tongue—and how to avoid them, see “Practical Christian Living: Speech.”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. The Christian transformation, also called conversion, means renewing our minds to reflect the will of God.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

2. This transformation process requires both putting off the bad and putting on the good.

The Christian transformation is like the metamorphosis of a butterfly (or is this a moth?).

“That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in righteousness and true holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

3. In the ultimate transformation, Christ’s followers will be like Him!

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).

For more about the Christian transformation, see our free booklet Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion.

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Looking with lust is mental adultery.

Looking with lust is mental adultery.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:27-29).

Jesus used hyperbole here to make a strong point: if the only way to avoid lust were to pluck out an eye, that would be better than eternal death. Thankfully that’s not the only way!

2. Like all sins, the best way to avoid pornography is to avoid the source. Block such sites on your computer, etc.

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

3. God’s Spirit can give us help to avoid giving in to lust.

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

For more on avoiding pornography, see “Pornography: Definitely Not for Adults.”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. For a disciple of Jesus Christ, Christ must come first, before anyone or anything else.

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26; the word “hate” is used to contrast how much more we should love God. Luke 6:27 shows that Jesus wants us to love everyone, even those who hate us).

2. A disciple of Jesus Christ should strive to be like Christ.

“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).

3. A disciple of Jesus Christ should help proclaim the message Christ gives us to teach.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Matthew 10:27).

For more about being a disciple of Jesus Christ, see our teen study of “What Is a Disciple of Jesus Christ?”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Follow as the leader follows Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

2. Pray that church leaders may be effective and protected.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

3. Make the leader’s job a joy, not grief.

“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

For more about being a godly follower of Jesus Christ, see “What Is a True Christian?”

What Bible tips would you add?

1. Leaders must be just and rule in the fear of God.

Among King David’s last words he shared God’s expectation of leaders:

What does it mean to lead?

“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God’” (2 Samuel 23:3).

2. Teachers will receive a stricter judgment.

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1).

3. Leaders are called to serve—to follow Christ’s example of selfless service.

“But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25-28).

For more about godly leadership, see “What Is Godly Rulership?”

What Bible tips would you add?