Live a Life that Shines Bright for God

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ¡¯s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
Philippians 2:14-16 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.2.14-16.NLT

I need to live a life that shows that I follow  Christ.  I need to shine like a bright light in the crooked and dark world.  I need to hold fast to the Word of life so that God will reward me.

Don't be Selfish, Look out for Other People's Interests

Phillipains 2:3: 
³ Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

It's very easy for me to become selfish and forget to look out for other people's interests.  I need to be selfless and remember to look out for other people and their interests.

I will Obey God Rather Than People

But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
Acts of the Apostles 4:19 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.4.19.NLT

God wants me to obey HIm rather than people.  He will reward me for obeying Him and putting Him first in my life.

Bring Everything to God in Prayer

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:13‭-‬14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.5.13-14.NLT:

God wants me to bring everything to Him in prayer, whether I'm experiencing happiness or hardship. I can go to HIm with everything.

God's Plans Might Be Different than what you Expect

The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying,  “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Luke 8:38-39 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.8.39.NLT
Luke 8:38 NLT
The demon-possessed man that Jesus healed wanted to go with HIm, but Jesus had other plans for him.  I need to follow God's plan for my life, even if it takes me unexpected places and doesn't turn out how I expect it to.

A Farmer Went to Plant Seeds, a Parable

“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it.  Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants.  Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Luke 8:5-8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.8.8.NLT

Jesus used parables to teach people, but He gave believers the ability to understand what He says.  The Seeds are God's Word and we can accept it or reject it.  I accept God's Word and want to share the Good News with other people.  It's why I am on this Earth.

Trusting God Means Believing in His Authority

I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!”
Luke 7:8‭-‬9 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.7.8-9.NLT

If I have faith in God like the centurion did, He will give me what I ask for.  I need to believe in God's authority and have great faith in Jesus, just like the centurion did.