As I am preparing to teach Christian Ethics starting next week, I have been thinking of holiness a lot. We are called to be holy like our God is holy, right? It is a tall order for human beings but there is no way around it. No one is excused from pursuing perfect holiness. The Bible clearly tells us to be holy over and over. My life experience tells me it’s undoable on my own. I need help. Thankfully, God…
It’s time for rest and renewal, don’t you think? I’m ready for it anyway. It has been an emotional roller coaster month for my family and as I seek a new direction I feel I am truly in need of rest and renewal. That’s why I felt truly blessed when a friend of mine shared a Bible passage that had touched her heart. “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a…
Are you counting down days to your summer vacation? Are you tired, empty or worn out? You are not alone. It happens. But don’t be discouraged or dismayed. Help is very near. And that help is powerful yet gentle. It’s creative and redemptive. Because of Jesus, this restoration is possible. The biggest restoration happens when we come to Jesus for the first time. This is complete renewal, not just a quick-fix to conceal some faults. Jesus cleanses us from inside…
Here are some observations on the Apostle Paul’s spiritual growth. It was not something flashy or quick; it took a lifetime. And the end result was not something the world thinks was necessarily that great. Paul started to talk less about him and more of Christ. He became more aware of his short comings and his perpetual need of grace. His spiritual growth was not up but down. Deeper into God’s grace. This is spiritual growth, folks I’ve got three different…
Today, I want to encourage you deeper into God’s grace. You see, we are all invited to live and move around in God’s grace. We don’t have to tiptoe around or stay around the entrance in God’s kingdom. Because of Jesus, we are all welcome right into the center of God’s sweet presence. God loves to save sinners but, folks, that’s not the end. He has beautiful things in store for all his children. You see, grace activates you to…
Do you know that everything is grace? For real. We can brag about grace but nothing else. But in grace there is plenty to brag about. Grace is even more wonderful than we can ever understand. Because grace changes everything and everything is grace. When we live in grace, we don’t have to puff up our egos or try to be better than we are. You know, we are all just grace-magnets, that’s all. Nobody is better than others. Whatever…
Sometimes you hear people saying that Christianity is not important any more. That the message of Jesus Christ is not that much needed in today’s world. That the power of grace is weakening or, at least, its not so meaningful any more. I could not disagree more. The world seems to be going crazy. There hasn’t been a time when God’s grace was more needed than right now. And, for the record, the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ…
Are you a perfectionist? Have you made ideal your idol? Sometimes we try so hard to make everything perfect that ideal really becomes our idol. But perfectness does not save us. Perfectness is an illusion that deludes us. The best way to deal with perfectionism is to learn to live in grace. Because grace is a game changer, eye opener, freedom-releaser. We can quit trying to be perfect and embrace trusting. The fulfillment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God…
Have you asked God to show what this year is all about? How has God responded to you? Or have you asked yourself how you should change this year? How have you responded to that? Too often we try to run our lives without consulting God. We try to decide ourselves what needs to be done and then we proceed to change ourselves according to our plans. And we forget God out of the equation. When God is not part…
Is Jesus your life or does something else hold the central stage in your life? This question made me pause as I read Hannah Whitall Smith’s book The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. She writes “Most Christians understand the principle when it comes to salvation but lose sight of it in living Christian life. Then He was our Redeemer; now He is to be our Life” We need and want salvation. But how Christ can be our Life? We…
