if i were the devil
In the foreword of R. C. Sproul’s book Knowing Scripture, J. I. Packer writes: “If I were the devil . . . one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. . . . How? Well, I should try to distract all clergy from preaching and teaching the Bible, and spread the feeling that to…
you choose Q: "how can you forgive an unrepentant person"?
Q: How can I forgive someone who has deeply hurt me but is unrepentant? Brittien and Sharon
A: We believe that if a person is not repentant, there is no possibility of forgiveness. Forgiveness occurs when a person repents, turning from their wicked way.
The Bible says that we are to forgive as God forgives us (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13.)
God…
the way of suffering
Philippians 2:8-11: He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that…
clear, pure water
A tall, cold glass of water. The condensation on the glass cools my hand. Clear, pure, colorless, odorless; free of man-made chemicals and corruption. I lift the glass to my lips and drink this water that deeply refreshes.
A small, gurgling stream in the forest. Silky ripples, floating leaves, water flowing smoothly around rocks and branches. Liquid as clear as…
good judgment
Don’t judge me!” Most of us have used those words to defend ourselves when we believe someone has unfairly called into question something we’ve done.
So, is it wrong to judge people? After all, Jesus Himself said, “Do not judge others” (Matthew 7:1). The answer is yes and no.
It’s essential to understand that the word judge is a neutral…
the canary
A friend of mine left his wife and three children. Although he knows better—he was a seminary professor—he continues to lie to his family and is filing for divorce. Another friend abuses her family. She wastes their grocery money on her own wants, and then swears and screams when their bank account runs dry. Both of these friends are behaving…
you choose Q: "is cremation OK?"
Q: We've been considering cremation. We thought it would be good stewardship of our finances (in that it would be much less expensive than a burial) and that our remains would be in a place with other Christian's. Now I have serious misgivings . . . can't find anywhere in the Scriptures about bodies being burned other than two examples—and…
success
In the midst of great duress,
we can still achieve success;
even if our efforts are in vain,
we can still try again and again.
Neither should we want to die,
nor should we give up and cry;
whether our umpteenth or first try,
let us make each one our best try.
When we depend on our own strength,
we may fail like never before;
when we rely on other…
the heart of the Father
John 17:1-3: Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You. For you have given Him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one You have given Him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and…
promises and praise
Ever made a promise you didn’t keep? Yeah, me too. It makes me wince to think of my broken promises over the years. The shame comes from the realization that I had given my word to do something for someone and then backpedaled upon further review of what my vow would require of me. Ouch.
We’re all guilty of being…
you choose Q: "how do you forgive someone who has died?"
Q: How do you forgive someone who has died? —Donna
A: While there is no longer the opportunity to forgive someone who has died face to face, we can forgive such a person in our hearts. Without denying the hurt that was done to us, we can choose to let go of the enmity within that we’ve held against a person.…
don't give up
Sometimes we get ALL the way off track and sometimes we only have two wheels on the track, but looking at today . . . NO matter what it looks like God can show us the way and deliver whatever your need is. He hears you. He protects us in our seasons and we have His blood to back it…
established
1 Peter 5:10-11: In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.
As a result of the fall, sin defiled the heart of…
January 26, 2012
Why is it important to recognize that marriage should be a holy covenant between a man, a woman, and God?
the small stuff
How has your ministry been able to thrive in these tough economic times?” someone asked the leader of a nonprofit organization. “It’s because of the small gifts,” he said without hesitation. “The big gifts dry up when things get tough. But we have a lot of people who make small donations, and they give faithfully out of what they have.”…
