Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “forgiveness”
When I converse with those who are not followers of Christ I usually note one thing among others that seems to stand out. Whether or not they are educated or uneducated, moral or unrestrained, American-born or from another country, there seems to be a common thread that is woven in the fabric of their minds. What is it? They all …
There are days in life when you arise to find the surprising pleasure that nothing is troubling you. For me, those days are the exception rather than the rule, but I will take as many of those easy mornings as God chooses to give. Confession time: I like my life over-easy, my challenges well-done, and my final results with no …
“He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” – Isaiah 2:4 From Charles Spurgeon Oh, that these happy times were come! At present the nations are …
There is the unfortunate occasion for most of us to discern that we have become an enemy to another. It can happen a dozen different ways but we know the experience of having someone gunning for us, hoping to bring us down. They make speak against us or commit to resist us in ways that provide opportunity for our harm. …
From about the age of fourteen to the age of twenty-four I was on a quest. Looking for something solid to believe in, I spent those years dabbling in anything I thought might make my emptiness disappear only to conclude a thousand different times that my skills as a hunter for truth must be sorely lacking. Nothing worked. I found …
My little boy was my instructor last night around 9 PM. He’s been devouring a new “bible” that I bought him and placed in his little hands on Saturday with the promise of $50 if he reads the whole thing. It’s not an actual bible but more of a pictorial book which gives a very broad summary of scriptural accounts …
The degree to which I understand my own sinfulness is the same degree that I will appreciate God’s grace. Perhaps the greatest need in modern Christians’ lives is to properly estimate the degree of our own depravity. If only we would comprehend how perilously close to Hell we would be this very second if it was not for intervening grace. …
Gathering with a group of friends last night at Meadow, I was so blessed to see the diversity among those who had come to pray. My little group consisted of me, a woman in her fifties, another in her sixties and yet another precious lady in her seventies. I looked around at one point and saw a man that was …
Last night I inserted a quote into the Wednesday night message that obviously resonated with the flock as much as it did with me when I first read it. I came home to find emails from those present for the Wednesday message who desired a copy of the quote. Brennan Manning’s words below have as their focus the reality that …
Not everyone is happy that Christ is being celebrated. Every year the intolerance to His holy name grows more and more rigid. Who would have believed that, in our lifetime, America would move to a clear position of hostility towards recognition of the birth of Jesus Christ? We will celebrate the holidays…but not Jesus Christ. We will welcome a season …
Has God given you a heart sensitive to your sin? Most people in our world have a moral barometer and know the difference between right and wrong. They live out their days endeavoring to keep the scales heavier on their good than on their bad, yet this is not the same thing as a sin-sensitive conscience. Are you aware that …
If you wish to connect with another believer then I encourage you to find a prayer partner or two. No other expression of our faith does more to bind two hearts together in purpose than the activity of prayer. Praying two weeks ago with a friend, I heard him open his intercession by saying some words that have stuck with …
Every human soul has an immeasurable state of existence awaiting. Ever since I was a young boy I have allowed my mind to occasionally ponder the concept of forever. As a grade-schooler I remember telling my father in a sense of frustration that I simply couldn’t get my brain wrapped around it. I confess today that it is no easier …
This is for any and all who have bowed their hearts in trust to Jesus Christ: you need to be very careful not to make the following mistake. If you give in to this particular temptation it is really going to cost you. Precious components of life such as peace, joy, rest, gratitude, praise and selflessness will be forfeited quickly …
Perhaps it sounds a little strange but I want to let you know that I’ve been studying the topic of what it means to be saved. To all my friends with the heart of the evangelist, relax and don’t feel any need to rush to me with God’s saving plan. I’m not revisiting this issue of forgiveness and salvation because …
Yesterday was the marathon of marathons for me and I came home in the evening dog-tired. Fixing a plate of fried chicken and potatoes I sat down after mumbling a few words and giving Amy a kiss on the forehead. As I began to unwind and exhale the hectic pace of a sixteen hour day I caught something out of …
It’s a good thing to use technology for the purpose of spreading the Gospel and building up other people. Blogs and Tweets were not something I would have given consideration to in my flaming-fundamentalist days. In fact, I’m quite certain I could have fished out a few ‘Amen’s!’ by declaring in a sermon just how worldly e-witnessing really is. Recognizing …
God was gracious to me yesterday as He afforded more time to study than I’ve had in months. My office phone didn’t ring but once and emails to be answered were scarce. I found myself able to prepare my heart and mind for tonight’s message and came away with the rare opportunity to personally benefit from hours of meditating on …
It’s Sunday morning and I find myself in the middle of the minister’s weekly dilemma. The Lord’s Day is the time when God’s children gather together for the express purpose of worshiping Jesus Christ. The ideal manifestation of this purpose would be for every single believer in a local assembly to arrive at the church house prayed up, full of …
Several weeks ago I was speaking on the phone with the man who led me to Christ in the early 1990’s. Scott Johnson was preparing to lead some in his church on a missions trip to South America and had mentioned that he was praying about giving his wife his own ticket so that she could be a part of …
I remember clearly that morning. Leaving work in a raggedy, low-rider truck I made my way out of the parking lot of my workplace. I turned right and drove a quarter of a mile with trembling hands guiding the steering wheel. I made another right turn and continued about 200 yards before turning left into the parking lot of my …
There are mornings that my mind awakes long before my body is willing to cooperate. The wheels start turning and the pistons begin to pump as my thinking processes fire up to begin the day. Sometimes the thoughts are encouraging, other times it is practical lists of things to be accomplished that begin to arrange themselves in my head. It …
Sunday’s high call is to worship Christ and serve others. That sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Truly it would be if not for one persistent problem that continually seeks to get in the way. Nope, not the devil. It’s not your spouse, your children, the weather, the economy or the person who did you wrong… Your biggest obstacle to worshiping …
On Wednesday, December 14th 1994 I experienced what is commonly referred to as “the call to preach”. I sensed strongly that night an inner voice compelling me to give my life toproclaim God’s truth. Later that evening God confirmed this call to me through a passage in Ezekiel and I consequently found my life purpose. On the first Sunday in …
Sometimes it does not matter how right we are. We can have 100% clarity on the objective truth, be skilled at asserting that truth, have a thousand voices saying amen to that truth and, yet, still be completely wrong. While seeking to welcome the unenlightened masses to the Light of the Gospel we could potentially cause the reverse effect of …
