“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (ESV) Are you constantly broken over your sinfulness? Christ-centered living involves brokenness. In the language of the New Testament, there are nine different words used to describe sorrow. The Greek word Jesus uses here is the strongest of the nine. This level of mourning is equated with grieving over the […]
“And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.” 2 Kings 12:2-3 (ESV) Is Jesus your life or just a part of your life? […]
“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They […]
“‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt, when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a […]
“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:13 (ESV) Motion causes friction. Doing life with real people can generate feelings of irritability and agitation. Real people in real life can get on your nerves at times. Our […]
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28 (ESV) In the Old Testament […]
“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better […]
“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:15 (ESV) Temptation has a predictable process. James gives uses the metaphor of childbirth to capture the predictable process of temptation. In his letter to the Jews who were scattered outside of Palestine, James writes about […]
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, […]
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23 (NIV) Have you ever […]
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” 2 Peter 3:3 (NIV) We are living in the last days. Don’t be surprised by the turbulence of the times. Those who laugh at the things of God and dismiss the activity of God […]
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NIV) Are you constantly broken over your sinfulness? Christ-centered living involves brokenness. In the language of the New Testament, there are nine different words used to describe sorrow. The Greek word Jesus uses here is the strongest of the nine. This level of mourning is equated with grieving over the death […]
“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Rom 8:6-7 (NIV) We have God-given desires that are natural and are vital to life. For example, we […]
“And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.” 2 Kings 12:2-3 (ESV) Is Jesus your life or just a part of your […]
“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before […]
“‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt, 14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall […]
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, […]
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23 (NIV) Have you ever […]
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.” 2 Peter 3:3 (NIV) We are living in the last days. Don’t be surprised by the turbulence of the times. Those who laugh at the things of God and dismiss the activity of God […]
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matt 5:4 (NIV) Are you constantly broken over your sinfulness? Christ-centered living involves brokenness. In the language of the New Testament, there are nine different words used to describe sorrow. The Greek word Jesus uses here is the strongest of the nine. This level of mourning is equated with grieving over the death […]
“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Rom 8:6-7 (NIV) We have God-given desires that are natural and are vital to life. For example, we […]
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13 (NIV) Motion causes friction. Doing life with real people can generate feelings of irritability and agitation. Real people in real life can get on your nerves at times. Our self-absorbed society elevates relational […]
“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Heb 9:27-28 (NIV) In the Old […]
“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is […]
“Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:15 (NIV) Temptation has a predictable process. James gives uses the metaphor of childbirth to capture the predictable process of temptation. In his letter to the Jews who were scattered outside of Palestine, James […]
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, […]
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first […]
“But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” Col 3:8 (NIV) Is it possible to stay clean while living in a dirty world? Every possibility for contaminating our lives is available to us. Sin is rampant. We face trials from without […]
“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But […]
“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!” Romans 6:21 (NIV) Sin never delivers what it promises. Sin promises pleasure, but produces pain. Sin promises escape, but produces entrapment. Sin promises freedom, but produces bondage. When you look into the rear view […]