I remember the story about the little boy who was caught stealing cookies and properly chastened by his mother. (No it was not I, what would make you think that?) She then hugged him and told him that he was forgiven but to not take cookies without permission in the future. However, he did not […]
Be angry! And sin not! Ephesians 4:26 Not so easy, huh? The basic virtue is the fear of God. This is the beginning of all wisdom and the fear of God = passionate hatred of sin and intense thirst and hunger for righteousness. (Proverbs 1:7,Proverbs 8:13, Matthew 5:6) I don’t know about you but every […]
What it DOES and DOES NOT mean Forgiveness Does Mean That I: Do not let what others or life has done to me control me, shut me down to new truth and ministry or become an excuse to sin. (I need to remember that knowing to do good and not doing it because I have […]
FORGIVENESS: GOD’S IDEAS ON THE SUBJECT (Watch out for the devil saying, “You should forgive!” and then giving a bad definition for which you will get no help from God to do because it is not what he is asking for.) This week in your personal or family devotions, please look up the following verses […]
My brain sometimes feels that I will protect myself from further hurt by circling round and round on the details of past hurt. Once I accept that I am powerless and can’t change something, having obeyed and done the little that I can with God’s help; then I need to cast all my care on […]
Go to psalms 51 and to the story of the faithful father in the new testament in Luke 15,11-32. Study these examples of repentance and you will come out with something like the following tool. When I sin: 1God is the one sinned against. 2. I “shoot myself in the foot” and am the one […]
TOWARDS THE SINNER Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord SAID in his HEART, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; The Lord had just wiped out everyone and everything on the face of the earth except for Noah and his family and the animals […]
God’s ways never lead to sin, but my response to them can be to sin more. As in Paul’s day where they argued that if their sin led to God pouring out grace which made God look good, then how could he be mad at them for sinning? Maybe I should sin so that grace […]
Some thoughts in regards to a friend who is being shunned by family: God allows us to experience suffering and often does his best work in ways we would rather alter. Suffering, hits us differently. It’s not so much the size of the loss or the physical pain as it is how personal the source […]
Boy, that title even rhymes! The Bible is full of bizarre suggestions, “Do the opposite of your natural inclination and it will work.” Such as: Choose to walk two miles when forced to walk one! When struck on one cheek, do not defend or counter-attack. Roll with it and try to find out where the […]
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