The Peace of Being Blameless

How often we want to hold God responsible for our predicaments that have actually been caused by our own sins. Yet He’s not the One Who’s to blame simply because He gave us the power of choice, and we then decided to head in a dishonorable direction. It doesn’t matter how clever a defense we…

Altogether Forgiven Forever

“…we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7 What word in any language could be more pleasing to someone guilty of sin than the word “forgiveness”? Is it truly possible that your sin can be altogether forgiven forever? Forgiveness is the essential part of…

“Grace to the Lowly”

“Surely He scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly” (Proverbs 3:34). “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7). Scorners lift up themselves, refusing to yield to anyone else, always resisting them. They pay…

Ritual or Relationship?

Do you ever felt like you are making great efforts to do all of the right things (or at least what you were told were the right things) to please God, yet He still seems distant or unreachable to you? Do you feel like a sense of guilt comes over you if you don’t pray…

No Good Thing

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing….” Romans 7:18 Once we give our life to God, we discover that inside of us there is both the ‘old man’ (that person we were before God saved us), and now the ‘new man’ (that God is making us into)….

Fine Castles Are Not Made With Wet Sand

When I was a child, my family preferred to go to the beach whenever possible for vacations—not so much for the sun or to swim, but more to take in the refreshing air and relaxing sounds of the surf. I never cared to go swimming, never wanted to ride on the waves, or even to…

Jesus is Not a Washing Machine

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21 I recently visited a historical village near where I was living. It had…