Question: I was hurt in the past when some relationships went bad, and now I’m afraid of starting new relationships. When I attend church, I keep to myself. Even at work, I don’t talk much with people. I know that’s not right. How can I honor God and point others to Him without building relationships? […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Second Corinthians
Contentment
Laurence J. Peter and I are close friends. No, actually, we’ve never met, but we’ve visited together numerous times. We’ve never even shaken hands, but we’ve been in agreement ever since we crossed paths. Although I’ve never laid eyes on him, I’ve smiled at his comments and nodded at his conclusions . . . amazed […]
Read MoreHow to Begin a Relationship with God
The world is filled with competing theories about God, religion, and salvation. Alternate views of Jesus vie for our attention at every turn. Different paths to different gods market themselves in the ever-changing desert of ideas. Yet in the midst of this world of contradictory claims, Jesus Christ made a bold assertion: “I am the […]
Read MoreJudgment Day
The “Book of Life” is a New Testament concept with deep roots in the Old Testament (Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:12; Malachi 3:16). Believers during Old Testament times were saved by grace, through faith, as they honored the old covenant. When Jesus initiated the new covenant He told His disciples, “rejoice that your names are recorded […]
Read MoreHow Does the Death of Jesus Save Me?
Question: I’ve been told that Jesus died for my sins. What does that mean exactly? How could the death of Jesus help me get to heaven? What does the death of Christ save me from? Answer: One way to understand the meaning of the death of Jesus is to imagine a courtroom scene in which […]
Read MoreTell Me a Story Daddy
“Tell me a story Dad!” “In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.” So begins Eric Carle’s children’s story The Very Hungry Caterpillar… I love story-time with my three girls: curling up together to read a favourite book before bedtime; watching little fingers turn pages, and sharing with them in […]
Read MoreGetting Past Guilt: Overcoming Barriers to Feeling Forgiven
Puritan minister Richard Baxter warned about the emotional toll of carrying unnecessary guilt: “That sorrow, even for sin, may be overmuch. That overmuch sorrow swalloweth one up.”1 In his wonderful old English, Reverend Baxter captured the feelings of people who have not experienced forgiveness. Grief over past sins plunges them into a depth of sorrow. […]
Read MoreEaster is Over…Now What?
A tick. What does it mean? It’s a symbol of approval indicating a bold, clear, definitive ‘Yes.’ ‘Spot on!’ ‘That’s right.’ ‘That’s good.’ It carries the authority of the one doing the ticking. They have declared that something is right or complete. Have you ever thought of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as God’s tick? […]
Read MoreDependence
For most of us, asking for help is difficult. I really don’t prefer it; some of you may not as well. Yet, God lets us know time and time again that we need help. After all, He refers to us most often as sheep—the most difficult and demanding of any livestock on earth. Admitting need […]
Read MoreAwake beyond the Grave: What the Bible Says about Soul Sleep
Death raises many questions: When will it happen? What will it be like? What is the soul’s destiny? Chuck Swindoll addresses that last question in Growing Deep in the Christian Life: When the believer dies, the body goes into the grave; the soul and spirit go immediately to be with the Lord Jesus awaiting the […]
Read More