What a strong indictment it would be upon believers if we were to call ourselves Christians but not have the name of Jesus branded upon us. We can ill-afford to be generic or have a mediocre, pedestrian approach to our faith. There must be something about us that sticks out from everyone else: Our authenticity and our identity.

In the midst of the turbulence of 2020, Demetrius Minor remembered a challenge given by his pastor to make good use of our quarantine time: step out of your comfort zone and do something bold and new. What happened as a result?

The term “caveat emptor” is a Latin term that means “let the buyer beware.” Its use as a disclaimer of warranties arises from the fact that buyers typically have less information than the seller about the goods or services they are purchasing. Defects in the goods or services may be hidden from the buyer and only known to the seller. The Church needs to become aware of some things. The enemy, the antagonist of our soul, Satan himself, is trying to sell the Church a message of anxiety and fear through a pandemic and crises.

Many will abandon the message of truth. Many will say that repentance and baptism and the infilling of God’s Spirit is no longer essential. Many will say that living holy and being separate from the world is no longer required. Now is the church’s time to protest against sin, but not the foundation of our freedoms: The Word of God.

It’s within our nature to desire upgrades. When we get to the airport, we’re excited to learn we’ll go from flying coach to flying first class. There’s a sense of satisfaction when we get the Audi AUV instead of the Toyota Camry we expected from the rental agency. But it is not technology that encourages us to upgrade to better resources; it’s a scriptural promise.

Living for God is the best thing one could ever do. Christian living encompasses freedom and liberty from the curse of sin and shame. However, living for God isn’t always easy. It is not a cakewalk or a stroll along the sands of the beach. During your walk with God, you will face rejection, persecution, and sorrow, but the Bible tells us that he that endures to the end shall be saved.

In a day and age where compromising integrity seems to be a regular occurrence, it’s imperative that believers don’t compromise their morals and faith. Our faith is our identity, and we must never discount it or put it in a proverbial garage sale simply for political convenience or for the sake of gaining popularity.

How badly do you really want to be like Jesus?! Do you want just His benefits, or do you want to take on His nature? Because to identify with Christ, you must also identify with pain. The pain is necessary for us to access the promises God has given us.

If we were to review the year, there’s a lot to be negative about. There’s an ongoing pandemic that is sickening family members and putting cities in lockdowns and restrictions. There’s the aftermath of racial tension and riots that have us beckoning for not only healing but understanding for the complexity of issues that we may not understand. There’s political chaos and uncertainty as America prepares to usher in a new administration.

In the midst of national chaos, many of us just long for peace and normalcy. Our country is in desperate need of healing and unity. But before you can desire this, you must be bold enough to want to be different.

Christians must be acutely aware of what is at stake during this election season. We must participate in conversations with our families and peers about the importance of our religious freedoms and liberties. But within our discussions, there should also be the reassuring peace that no singular politician can take away. There must be the remembrance that the Lord is Sovereign and that those who live for him have no reason to fear or doubt. Do not let fear paralyze you! We serve the Prince of Peace! And HE is the antidote to all our fears!

There is this attempt within our mainstream way of living to silence the critics. There is a movement that desires to eradicate any voice of dissent. This is evident with the ‘cancel culture’ revolution, which is the phenomenon of promoting the “canceling” of people, brands, and even shows and movies due to what some consider to be offensive or problematic remarks or ideologies. But what we are witnessing in the latter days of this unconventional year of 2020 is not just a cancellation of alternative views or the suppression of free speech. It is an outright crucifixion.