Excerpted from Forgiveness: The Possible Impossibility Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity and means “to cancel a debt” or “to set aside.” The awesome demonstration of God’s love—the sacrifice of Jesus—is the perfect example of forgiveness that sets the standard by which God’s children are to forgive others. Ephesians 4:32, Be kind to one another,…
Excerpted from Joyful and Worry Free Joy overflows when Jesus is the center of your life. This joy is observable, as should be a companion characteristic noted in Philippians 4:5, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand” (ESV). Some translators say that Philippians 4:5 is one of the greatest translation challenges in Scripture.…
Loving a supposedly unlovable mate may seem impossible—and it is when we rely on our own strength. The impossible, however, becomes possible when the power of Christ’s love controls us. Jesus demonstrated the dimensions of God’s love while here on earth. Apart from supernatural power, none of us can display the consistent love that Jesus…
There are few aspects of life more misunderstood or neglected than forgiveness. By God’s grace, this study will give biblical insight into the following aspects of forgiveness: COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FORGIVENESS THE BASIC DEFINITION OF FORGIVENESS THE BIBLICAL CONTEXT OF FORGIVENESS—SACRIFICIAL LOVE THE EXAMPLE AND STANDARD OF FORGIVENESS CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS TRAITS OF BIBLICAL FORGIVENESS…
The title to this article may seem strange, since a basic characteristic of any Christ-honoring, Bible-believing church is to bring people into the church. On the other hand, a situation could occur in a church in which a person might be encouraged to leave. One such situation is described below. ADULTERY PARTNERS IN THE SAME CHURCH When…
Excerpted from Forgiveness: The Impossible Possibility The challenge to maintain biblical forgiveness will be waged in the minds of those who grant forgiveness. The three major tests in this regard are Memory, Reminder, and Imagination (M.R.I.) Memories related to forgiven sins can resurface and be significant hindrances for believers to maintain biblical forgiveness. These memories often focus on painful…
For most of us, the most pressing concern of prayer is the anticipated answer. Hindered by limited wisdom yet unhindered by boundless emotion and hope, we often want God to answer our prayers quickly and according to our perspective. God, however, initially responds to prayer requests in one of two ways. His answer is either yes or no,…
Divine peace comes from God and His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:3). This peace is a tranquil harmony of heart and mind that maintains Christ-centered well-being regardless of circumstances or people. 1 Corinthians 1:3, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. At its foundation, this peace is a result…
There is a mystique about prayer that often keeps us from praying and, in the process, denies us the full benefits of prayer. Some of the misunderstandings about prayer involve knowing what words to say and what posture to assume in order to pray effectively. Prayer, however, can be God-honoring, faith-inspiring, meaningful, and effective when…
Fools and scoffers are the most difficult people in the world to deal with as a review of their characteristics will attest. (See The Most Difficult People in the World for a biblical description of fools and scoffers). Sadly, more people than you might think can become fools or scoffers apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ.…