Judgement / obedience

Is Perfection Even Possible?

Romans 7.19-20 observes, I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me.

There are some who claim that as Christians it is possible for us to no longer sin. I do not adhere to this belief. While I have been declared dead to sin and am recognized as such by God, it is not the presence of sin that is dead in me but the consequences of sin that is no longer condemning me and the power of sin over me has been broken. (more…)

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February 4, 2019
Prayer

Effective Prayers

Daniel 9.15-17 laments, Master, you are our God, for you delivered your people from the land of Egypt in a show of power—people are still talking about it! We confess that we have sinned, that we have lived bad lives….We know it’s our fault that this has happened, all because of our sins and our parents’ sins, and now we’re an embarrassment to everyone around us. We’re a blot on the neighborhood….Act out of Who You are, not out of what we are.

Daniel read God’s word so he could know God’s will, then he prayed for God’s people to be restored to God’s will as described in God’s word. Daniel understood from God’s word that God’s people were disobedient to God’s will which explained their current calamity. (more…)

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October 24, 2018
evangelism / Prayer / Suffering

Does Dishonor of God Really Bother Us?

Ezekiel 9.3-4 describes, the Glory of the God of Israel ascended from His usual place above the cherubim-angels, moved to the threshold of the Temple, and called to the man with the writing case who was dressed in linen: Go through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is in anguish over the outrageous obscenities being done in the city.

How many people would be marked by God today who grieve over the dishonor so prevalent against God in our society? So many grumble about the lawlessness. So many shake their heads at the violence but who is in anguish over the godlessness we see in the news daily? (more…)

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September 7, 2018
Christian Living

How To Keep From Being Separated From God

Luke 22.31-32 observes, Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from Me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start.

The goal of Satan is to separate us from Jesus. Not too complicated really. Why is this important? Jesus is life, Jesus is truth, Jesus is hope, Jesus is peace with God, Jesus is our Guarantor of life everlasting. (more…)

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August 27, 2018
Christian Living / heaven

The Depth of Our Love Determines the Depth of Our Service

Luke 7.47 observes, if the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.

Public education has spent the last 50 years teaching us that we are born good but due to poor environments go bad. This is why everyone is a winner and we work so hard to keep anyone from feeling like a loser. All are given a trophy for attendance rather than performance. God teaches us something different in His biography. (more…)

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February 21, 2018
heaven / Judgement / obedience

Jesus is the Unity of God’s Love and Severity

Romans 11.21-22 describes God this way, if God didn’t think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don’t presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, you’re out of there.

God is both immensely kind and intensely severe. He Who is love is He Who is holy. These two seemingly opposite qualities exist seamlessly in the One True God. How? (more…)

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February 8, 2018
evangelism / obedience

What Are YOUR Goals For 2018?

Matthew 3.2 records, his message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”

It’s a new year when we make new goals in order to be more, accomplish more or achieve more. When Jesus came, John says the Kingdom of God came, and when God came, it was time for people to change.

What is the single biggest change God was looking for? A restored relationship with Himself where people call Him Father and He calls them sons and daughters. (more…)

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January 3, 2018
Christian Living / faith

What Does It Mean to be Born Again?

John 3.3 records Jesus replying, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he

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cannot see the kingdom of God.”

In the 1970’s the evangelical Christian Church spoke much about being born again. So much, that those words began to create negative emotions toward the Church and it’s Christ. Yet, being born again or born from above or being born of the Spirit is what God in human form, Jesus, stated was required for entering into His eternal dwelling place. Why? (more…)

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December 13, 2017
Christian Living / heaven / Judgement

More Thoughts About Being Good

2 Chronicles 12.14 observes, he did evil because he was not determined to follow the LORD.

This past weekend I noticed some friends on Facebook taking a quiz that determined whether or not they would get to heaven. They all succeeded to earn their hoped for destination having their good deeds outstrip their sins by more than ten fold. No doubt this quiz was meant to be fun but it reinforces a couple of subtle but widely held beliefs. (more…)

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December 11, 2017