Can you find yourself somewhere in the quote below? Probably, we all can. The experiences of life can often be crushing. But God can make us stand. He can make us whole. He gives us purpose, joy, and life. There are a lot of things in life that rob us of joy and purpose. Sin […]
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The sin resulting in death
Would you say this is a decent statement by Wm. Barclay of what John calls the “sin unto death” in 1Jn 5.16-17? It is a fact of experience that there are two kinds of sinners. On the one hand, there is the man who may be said to sin against his will; he sins because […]
Continue readingInventing Jesus the problem-solver
Many today are like the unbelieving Jews who rejected Jesus. They were looking for a Messiah to change their circumstances, instead of transform their lives. They wanted rescue from Rome, rather than deliverance from their sins. They wanted freedom from the oppression of foreign armies, instead of freedom from their own desires and from the […]
Continue readingSociety’s sin sickens the saints
Are you discouraged by society’s evils? The request of the righteous. The sin of society sickens the soul of the saints. We are tired of hearing about crime. Where is virtue? Where is truth? Because we yearn for right, we grieve over the presence of wrong. We pray for God to “cut off all flattering […]
Continue reading7P: One of the gravest sins of all
One website lists hundreds of sins mentioned in the Bible. One is refusal to be baptized, Lk 7.29-30. I know some people committing that sin. When a good deed turns out not so good? Just keep going forward. The abstract mind struggles to get specific. God’s Word helps greatly with that problem, among so many […]
Continue readingThe least harm that sin can do
The least harm that sin can do to you is disastrous for the kingdom of God, for it will cause you to waste your time. You know you are to make the most of your time. You should take advantage of opportunities. Serving the Lord, your family of faith, and your neighbor is your task […]
Continue readingWhat concerns us most?
What concerns us most? If you look at church bulletins, it’s physical health. They’re chock full of notices of sicknesses, surgeries, and accidents. Where are the notices about spiritual weaknesses, failures to obey the Lord, prayers of repentance, confessions of weakness? Why are we squeamish about spiritual needs? Are we pretending to be a house […]
Continue readingWhen you look into your heart, this is what you’ll find
People think they’ll find truth and good things by looking within themselves. Jesus said otherwise. This is what you’ll find. One writer said one step to happiness is to label our negative feelings. Let’s go one further: one step to the joy of being forgiven is to recognize and confess the evil in our hearts […]
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