OUTLINE: The Deceitfulness of SinOne of the greatest errors any man or woman can ever make is to presume that sin only exists in their acknowledgement of it. Analogy: does undetected/undiagnosed cancer mean that the insidiousness of the disease isn’t real in someone who has it? B. W. Newton on SinAntecedent to all trespasses and […]
Part 15 – The Deceitfulness of Sin Read More »
OUTLINE: B. W. Newton on SinAntecedent to all trespasses and acts of sin, before any apprehension of good or evil has dawned upon our hearts, before any notion respecting God has been formed in our souls, before we have uttered a word or conceived a thought, sin—essential sin—is found to dwell within us. B. W.
Part 14 – The Deceitfulness of Sin Read More »
OUTLINE: The Dichotomy of Ps 73:22-23In order to “see it all as truth” (Eph 5), we must fully recognize/accept all influences in our lives. Our emotions may range from being “embittered…senseless” to walking with the Lord (and everything in-between). There’s nothing wrong with emotions, so long as we have a grip on them, righteously judging
TODAY’S VERSE:Colossians 1:13-14 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Our verse says that God RESCUED us! He chose to save us from sin, from OUR bad decisions. Sadly, we choose against God
KIDS’ CORNER: Love and Forgiveness Read More »
God’s ultimate desire is to love. This is His objective. There’s nothing more honorable, noble, or fulfilling to think about than this. Love is so pervasive that it embodies the entire law, “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). In fact, God is described as love (1 John 4:8) and, because God is omnipotent, “love never
The Lion and the Lamb Read More »
Disability, disadvantage, disband, disbelief, discomfort, disconnect, and discourage. What do all of these words have in common? The answer is obvious – it’s the prefix “dis.” Enact, enable, encircle, encompass, and encourage. Likewise, “en” is the common prefix in the list. According to dictionary.com, “dis” is a Latin prefix meaning “apart, asunder, away, utterly; or having a private,
The Win-Win of Encouragement Read More »
When is the last time you took the opportunity to say “Thank you” to someone for disciplining you? In my experience, such gratitude is rarely, if ever, expressed. It seems more often that a person keeps this kind of sentiment to themselves. Is it pride? I’m not sure, but whatever precludes a warranted show of
Saying Thank You for Discipline Read More »
Being present. Why is that so difficult? Is anyone actually “there” anymore when they are conversing with another? Go to the local fast food restaurant and watch how people, families even, treat each other. Their actions say, “You’re not worth my full attention, so I’ll offer you an occasional acknowledgement, either verbally or visually, so
Practicing Being Present Read More »
Have you ever been face to face with someone who is completely ravaged by guilt and shame? I have, a myriad of times. These individuals were, by all accounts, broken. Now, this may sound strange, but at the time, I was truly happy for them. Allow me to explain. God is merciful. Any time we
The Advantageous Estate of Brokenness Read More »
The most impersonal thing someone can do to you is to “make it personal” through attack. Why? To attack someone reveals a weakness in the attacker, notthe one being attacked. Never thought about it that way before? Let me explain. He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out. — Proverbs
Showing One’s True Colors Read More »